Brave Horse Tavern, the Tom Douglas restaurant in South Lake Union that's celebrating its first birthday this week, has 22 local beers on tap, everything from traditional Widmer IPA and Pike Brewing XXXXX Stout to slightly more distant brews like a Czech-style lager from Lagunitas in Petaluma, Calif. Its best-seller is Brave Horse Ale, custom-brewed by Schooner Exact in South Park.
Schooner Exact also brews a brown ale called King Street that made an appearance at Brave Horse's anniversary dinner this week. As the brewmaster described it, "The brown ale's malt profile has a mix of milk chocolate and hazelnut that blends seamlessly with a mild English hop presence." If you're still with us, it went very well with the dessert course, a dish called Bar Snack Sundae made with "malted and salted" caramel ice cream, topped with an assortment of crunchy nuts. The brown ale provided a smooth-as-silk accompaniment, taking on a flavor that resembled brewed coffee. No smoking at BHT, but they found enough retro ashtrays at any rate.
For Brian Walczyk, voted Seattle hottest chef on Eater.com, the dessert topped off a four-course dinner (scallops, ham salad, braised rabbit) that was remarkable for its strong, clean flavors and lack of frou-frou pretentions.
Brave Horse Tavern, 310 Terry Ave. N., Seattle, 206-971-0717 
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