Beer and a burger? From Vancouver to Washougal, these taprooms have you coveredSubscriber Exclusive

When they first opened taprooms, craft brewers were reluctant to go into the food business. Many just served snacks or relied on nearby food trucks to feed their customers. I’m grateful that some have decided to make great burgers to accompany their well-crafted brews.

Brothers Cascadia Evergreen Pub (108 W. Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver) has a distinct advantage. The pub’s chef, Brian Pouppirt, is also part of the team at popular smash burger pop-up Goon Burger. On Mondays, along with the Goon crew, he smashes crispy burgers ($10) with American Swiss cheese, pickles, onions, shredded lettuce and tangy Goon Sauce at Brothers Cascadia Evergreen Pub.

The rest of the week, Pouppirt makes a burger called The Classic ($15.50) at the Evergreen Pub. This is an understated name for two beef patties coated in slices of American cheese that show off the many states of cheese: a mix of smooth and melted as well as crispy, lacy bits. Dressed in a tangy, killer sauce that reminds me of Goon Sauce, along with shredded lettuce and red onion, the memorable burger makes for a glorious mess.

Down the street at Heathen Brewing Feral Public House (1109 Washington St., Vancouver), I tried the MMMerica Burger, a ½ pound Wagyu patty with lettuce, tomato, red onion, housemade pickles, cheddar cheese and Mama Lil’s pepper aioli on a brioche bun ($14.75). The brioche bun straddled the right mix of squishy and substantial while encasing a flavorful patty. Mama Lil’s aioli pushed this massive burger into the zone of excellence. The fries, breaded and sprinkled with seasoned salt, were crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Heathen’s Light Lager ($6) and a generously sized chocolate chip cookie ($6.50) made for a satisfying and nap-inducing midday meal.

I also had the pleasure of trying the Glendale burger ($17.50) at Loowit Brewing Co. (507 Columbia St., Vancouver). Like the many burgers at Loowit, it’s made with Painted Hills Beef raised in the Pacific Northwest. This no-nonsense burger comes with premium beef topped with American cheese and a creamy yet zesty secret sauce placed on a tall bed of shredded lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. The patty had a nice char and a bold, meaty flavor. I also liked the puckery pickles and yielding bun.

The menu offers a long list of burgers, ranging from the basic Loowit Burger ($17.50) with cheddar cheese and bacon to flavor-bomb blue cheese and grilled mushroom stacked B.O.M.B. burger ($18.50). Options for sides include crispy Brussels sprouts, pickled veggies, fries or tots.

At 54:40 Brewing (3801 S. Truman St., Washougal), I ran into Bolt Minister, the owner and head brewer, who introduced me to his chef David Haight. Haight is in the process of changing the menu for spring. He recommended that I get an off-menu burger popular with the staff that’s a souped-up version of their kids’ burger. I got mine with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, purple onion, pickle, mayo and ketchup ($13) because I wanted a classic burger. He also makes an off-menu California burger with Thousand Island dressing and avocado. The patty on the kids’ burger is somewhere between ¼ and 1/3 pound.

“We want something that isn’t going to put us in a coma and has some veggies,” Haight said.

As our discussion continued, I realized Haight had given burger-making a lot of thought. The bun pleasantly squeezes around the burger to give it a nice pillow but doesn’t overwhelm the eater with big bites of naked carbs. The patty is smashed but not completely. The fries were the best I had. They’re made with flash frozen Kennebec potatoes from Cavendish Farms. Haight sprinkles them in a secret eight-spice seasoning. The burger arrived with sides of Haight’s housemade ranch dressing and barbecue sauce; both were excellent. I don’t typically like ranch, but I couldn’t stop myself from repeatedly dipping fries in the herby dressing. I also liked the jammy, smoky barbecue sauce.

Minister recommended a pint of There’s Always Money in the Banana Stand Bavarian Wheat Beer ($6). The name is a nod to the TV show “Arrested Development,” as well as the banana flavor achieved by the wheat in the beer. I’m glad he convinced me to stray from my go-to Kascadia Kölsh. The golden wheat beer was the perfect brew to pair with my burger and fries, as well as the sun streaming into the outdoor patio.