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Founded by wives Jeri and Amy Andrews, and Catherine and Brandi Carlile (yes, THE Brandi Carlile, multi-time Grammy Award-winner), the winery aims to combine inclusiveness with sipping your favorite variety.

On top of that mission, XOBC Cellars works to give back, partnering with charities like The Looking Out Foundation, which works to empower marginalized voices. They have also partnered in the past with War Child UK and Children In Conflict.

With a strong network of customers and “Collectors” (their term for wine club members), the winery has grown since its inception in June 2019. Of course it has! Brandi Carlile is undeniable and, together, the four founders know not simply what goes into a good glass, but what goes into a good conversation for a better tomorrow.

We caught up with co-founders Jeri and Amy Andrews to talk about XOBC’s origins, how it got off the ground and how it’s achieving new heights today.

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Woodinville’s Metiér Brewing Company is doing big things. The suds producer, which is one of the only Black-owned breweries in the region, has announced a new partnership as part of its work to grow and diversify the state of craft beer brewing in the Seattle area. As such, Metiér and the Seattle Mariners baseball team have declared a new long-term relationship in which Metiér will take over the old Pyramid Alehouse, which is next door to the baseball stadium and, for many years, was a popular pre-game destination for fans until 2020 when Pyramid vacated.

The Mariners, which recently signed a long lease for the building on 1st Avenue in SODO, are excited to work with Metiér in the refurbished space. The brewery says it is set to move in and run the joint in 2022. The new location will feature game-day broadcasts inside and plenty of pints for fans. Other amenities include a restaurant with upwards of 250 seats.

We caught up with Rodney Hines, CEO and co-founder of Metiér Brewing Company, to ask him four questions about his partnership with the Mariners, the best beers to drink at the ballpark, and the impact that black-owned can have on not just the brewing industry, but the community at large.

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Along with being the 49th state in the American union, Alaska is known for its harsh winters, wild animals, mining and the Alaskan Brewing Co. And the brewery’s flagship beer, Alaskan Amber, was born out of all the traditional elements normal to the country’s largest state.

Sipping the brew, one notices its candy-like under- and overtones. While the malt doesn’t overpower the palate, it is certainly present. But the beer, born in Juno in 1986, also drinks softly even when chilled close to ice cold. The recipe’s original brewer, Geoff Larson, a co-founder at Alaskan Brewing, says he practically stumbled upon the recipe when his brewery was just beginning.

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