Beer is huge in Seattle, you haven't heard? One outfit (not a micro brewer),
Chuck's Hop Shop is only a five minute walk from my house. If I choose to drive, I can get to Hale's Ales, Redhook, Maritime Pacific, Fremont Brewery, Pyramid Alehouse, Pike Place Brewing, Elysian... Those are ones you might have heard from, all within about a ten to fifteen minute radius (including traffic.)
I didn't attend the
Washington Brewers Festival, but it would have been an ocean of awesome. Here's a
more exhaustive list of brewers in city and local area.