The Foggy Noggin’ Brewery in Bothell hosted international beer researcher, brewer and writer, Ron Pattinson from Europe, for a brew tasting with historic recipe brews on Nov. 15.

“For [a brewery] our size, it’s really a real treat and we’re very honored he would select us as a place to stop by and spend time, and talk about beer with people,” said Foggy Noggin’ owner and brewmaster, Jim Jamison, who runs the brewery out of his garage in Bothell. “The amount of knowledge he has is more than I’ll ever learn, he’s a huge wealth of knowledge and we’re just really thrilled.”

Without Pattinson’s help, the brews at Foggy Noggin’ may not have been created at all. It was Pattinson who found the recipes in the archives of old breweries and assisted Jamison with many of the minute details of brewing these historic beers.

“I felt a little out of my comfort zone brewing some of these, some of the ratios and some of the ingredients are not what I’m accustomed to,” Jamison said. “I’ve, on purpose, not tasted the final product until tonight. We’ll do it with all the customers who bought tickets and Ron MC’ing the event.”

The four styles of beer were chosen for the changes that occurred between the two variants brewed. According to Pattinson, the driving factor behind British beer has been a combination of war, taxation, restricted legislation and technical innovation, and nothing to do with what brewers were trying to do. Circumstances, not desires to create a certain beer, has impacted the evolution of British brews.

“Its always good to take some of the recipes out of the book and talk to people about them,” Pattinson said. “That’s one of the things that people don’t realize, is the fact that British beer has changed an awful lot, not just once but several times, and I find [it] a fascinating process.”

While Pattinson’s visit was a one-night event at the Foggy Noggin’ Brewery, his book is available for sale at many online retailers.

The eight historic brews from the weekend aren’t always on tap, however many other English beers, including their not-so-bitter, Bit-o-Beaver English bitter and the seasonal Scotch Ale, Oski Wow-Wow, are on tap all the time.

To view more information about the Foggy Noggin’ Brewery, please head to their website at www.foggynogginbrewery.com.