Where to drink around Seattle on National Beer Day

April 7 is National Beer Day, which in Seattle means it’s just another day.

But if you need an excuse to imbibe, this holiday (not to be confused with International Beer Day on Aug. 2) offers as good an excuse as any to throw down a cold one.

Where to go? In the Emerald City, even when the sun plays peek-a-boo, the whole town seems to descend on the Ballard Brewery District, where beer gardens are premium real estate with long waitlists during the spring.

The good news: There are two new tasting rooms to avoid the foot traffic. Check out the dog-friendly Distant West Brewing Co. or stumble southwest from there to hit Old Stove Gardens, a 16,500-square-foot brewpub with firepits in the backyard.

The two OGs in the Ballard district, Stoup Brewing and Reuben’s Brews, likely will be packed. But both boldface-name breweries have recently expanded to other neighborhoods if you want to avoid this Oktoberfest-like scrum. Last summer, Stoup took over the former Optimism Brewery space in the Pike/Pine corridor on Capitol Hill, a 16,000-square-foot bar that can hold 400 patrons. And in the fall, Reuben’s added a satellite tasting room in Fremont near Lupo pizzeria. Its Fremont locale is a quieter getaway if you wish to avoid the crowds at Fremont Brewing’s Urban Brewing Garden, which celebrates National Beer Day every day.

On the Eastside, the new place to hit is The Redd Dog, which debuts this weekend in downtown Bellevue with its pour-your-own tap system, with 42 sodas and beers, from a Scotch Ale from Bellevue Brewing to the acclaimed pilsner from Chuckanut Brewery. Located inside the Amazon building at the elbow of Northeast 10th Street and 106th Avenue Northeast, The Redd Dog serves complimentary popcorn and boasts a dog-friendly patio and even a food menu for Fido.