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Drink Beer Here: The Dray
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It's been a month since I last posted, but I've still been drinking plenty of beer all over Seattle. One place that I've been going to is The Dray in Ballard. Co-owners Jamie and Travis opened in April and slowly but surely, they've gained a following. I discovered The Dray a month ago and I've been a once-a-week regular ever since. If I lived closer, it would be my local. Here are three reasons:
1. The owners of The Dray love beer. They may only have twelve taps, but they are beers that you want to drink. You can go once or twice a week and always find something new on tap. The selection is a good mix of local and national craft beers (think Big Time, Boundary Bay, Victory, Russian River, Left Hand, Anderson Valley, etc.) with a few Belgians and the occasional German beer. They also have a good bottle list, and fill and sell growlers with some of the draft selections.
2. The food hits the spot but is cheap enough to let you allocate most of your money on beer. The menu is limited to sandwiches and light snacks, but everything is tasty and reasonably-priced. The $5 rosemary mini-melts (five finger sandwiches with sharp cheddar and rosemary aioli) help regulate your sobriety level enough to have an extra beer without staggering too badly when you get up to leave.
3. It's a comfortable place that makes you want to stay and hang out whether you're with friends or alone. For me, the atmosphere of a bar is as important as the beer. I don't care if a place has hundreds of the best beers in the world, if it feels uncomfortable, I only want a pint or two before making my escape. The Dray makes you want to linger, and a lot of that has to do with Travis and Jamie. They're friendly without phoniness and knowledgeable about beer without pretense.
I should also mention that The Dray opens at 9 am to serve Stumptown coffee drinks. They're also big soccer fans and constantly show games on the bar's two televisions. When there's a particularly big match on, the small bar tends to get crowded, so be forewarned. All in all, The Dray is for those who want great beer and a comfortable spot to enjoy it.
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