"It’s no understatement to say that all of the breweries in Ballard’s brewery district are worth visiting. But if you’re on a time crunch, be sure to include Obec among your stops. The name means “community” or “village” in Czech, which is the source of inspiration for most of the styles made here. You can’t go wrong with the crisp, clean Czech pils during a sunny day on the patio out front, but we recommend checking out its maltier cousin, the Czech Dark Lager. It’s still super drinkable at just 4.5 percent ABV, but each amber sip washes down with subtle nuttiness and delightful notes of dark chocolate. You can occasionally find Czech-style beer at other breweries around Seattle, but here is where the mastery is." - Brianna Gunter