Tag Archives: beer

Elysian Brewing marks 25 years on Capitol Hill

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Elysian Brewing, a grandfather of the Seattle brewery scene, is beginning the celebration of the 25th anniversary of its Capitol Hill birth with a pack of beer including some of its signature creations over the last quarter century.

“Elysian was built from a love of subversive music, artistic rebellion, and great beer,” Elysian’s co-founder Joe Bisacca said. “By staying true to our DNA, being unafraid to experiment, and keeping consumers at the forefront of everything we do, we’ve been able to stand the test of time and deliver the beers our fans want for 25 remarkable years.”

Bisacca, along with David Buhler, and Dick Cantwell started Elysian in May, 1996 where its E Pike brewery and brewpub still make their home in the overhauled 1919-era Packard storage building. Continue reading →

Miss Little Uncle? Chef Wiley Frank is back in kitchen at Central District’s Standard Brewing

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Crispy Duck Wrap and Dip with 5-Spice Broth now at Standard Brewing (Image: Standard Brewing)

The flavors and spirit of Little Uncle, probably one of the most missed neighborhood food and drink venues to leave us in recent years, are back on the menu with the chef behind the much-missed E Madison restaurant now pairing his work with Central District-crafted beer.

For eight years, the Central District’s Standard Brewing has maintained a far above standard food menu to pair with its S Jackson-made beers. New chef Wiley Frank is continuing that run with some surprises and flavors from the Little Uncle past. Continue reading →

A pandemic habit that could stick: Capitol Hill to-go cocktails and beer delivery until 2023

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The Tipsy Cat at Cook Weaver (Image: Cook Weaver)

Masks in crowded public places. Working on your couch. And cocktails to go.

It’s hard to say what habits of the pandemic will stay with us but Capitol Hill bars, breweries, and restaurants that invested in takeout cocktails and beer delivery will be happy to know they can continue to offer off-premises booze into 2023.

The new law passed in the just completed session in Olympia gives state liquor license holders a two year window to adjust as the new habits set in after months of COVID-19 restrictions reshaped the way we dine out. Continue reading →

Return of the Capitol Hill newsstand: Big Little News planned for Pike/Pine

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It’s been a decade since Capitol Hill last had a newsstand. The news? Well, it’s changed a bit in the meantime but the appetite for newspapers and magazines has somehow survived the explosive growth of online information and smartphones.

CHS has learned a new project coming to Pike/Pine from some familiar faces in the neighborhood will celebrate that appetite for the printed page — and the bottleshop. Continue reading →

Watch out White Claw? A small part of $321M beer deal, Redhook Brewlab plans to add ‘domestic winery’ production on Capitol Hill

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(Image: Redhook Brewlab)

Capitol Hill’s “Big Beer” siblings are about to become full-on brothers. Monday, the world’s largest beer maker Anheuser-Busch InBev announced its plans to acquire the remaining 68.8% of Redhook parent Craft Brew Alliance it doesn’t already own.

The move ends a short period of independence for CBA and Redhook after the international behemoth let a deadline pass for an option to fully purchase the Portland-based alliance and its brands including Kona Brewing, Omission Brewing, Square Mile Cider Co., Widmer Brothers Brewing, and, of course, Redhook and that Pacific Northwest-born brewer’s last real-world vestige, Capitol Hill nano-brewery, the Redhook Brewlab.

It’s not clear what if any near term impacts the deal could have on E Pike. The takeover is subject to regulatory approval and won’t close until 2020. Continue reading →

Capitol Hill’s Redhook Brewlab in middle of big decision in big beer as Anheuser-Busch passes on purchase of Portland’s Craft Beer Alliance

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Inside the Brewlab

Corporate beer, supposedly, sucks. Does smaller corporate beer suck… less? The Capitol Hill-based future for Redhook’s Brewlab isn’t exactly independent but it won’t fall fully under the shadow of global beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev now that the international behemoth has let the deadline pass for an option to fully purchase Redhook’s Portland parent, the Craft Brew Alliance.

“While disappointing, with this decision made, management can turn its attention to refining strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value,” CBA head Andy Thomas said in a statement. Continue reading →

Birds of a cask ale feather will flock together as Machine House’s Central District taproom becomes the Capercaillie Pub

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Celebrate the 4th of July by drinking English ales

Capercaillie Pub will continue Machine House Brewery’s quest of serving English beer on E Jefferson. The new project is a result of a shift in ownership, and the pub will be taking over the brewery’s bar space, making a few smaller changes in addition to the name change and change in ownership.

“Our vision is the Capercaillie will be a neighborhood pub featuring cask ale, and a place where people can hang out and feel comfortable,” said Alex Brenner, the pub’s owner, “I really like the layout of the space, the staff are great with customers, and the beer we serve is spot on.” Continue reading →

CHS Pics | The 8th annual Pine Box Beer Can Derby

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How much does Seattle love beer? Seattle Beer Week is actually 10 days. At Capitol Hill’s chapel to brew the Pine Box, an annual SBW tradition played out Saturday.

The 8th annual Beer Can Derby again brought Boy and Girl Scout level bravery and creative use of glue and graphite to the tracks inside the Melrose beer hall’s breezeway. Continue reading →

After makeover, Elysian, grandparent of Capitol Hill breweries, reopens its E Pike brewpub

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Elysian’s Joe Bisacca

Elysian, the grandparent of Capitol Hill breweries, is fit for duty again. After a long-announced, four-month renovation of its Capitol Hill location, the 23-year-old E Pike brewery and brewpub is ready to face the crowds again starting May 6th.

Elysian, located in a 1919-era Packard storage building, had been closed since late December last year for both front and back of house upgrades which included a makeover of the pub’s exterior as well as interior, kitchen, bathrooms and the installation of an all-new brewing equipment.

During a preview of the space, Elysian co-founder and CEO Joe Bisacca walked up the stairs of his new brew tanks. They were still empty. In the coming weeks, brewmasters will start filling them, but the brewing process will probably not start here before the new Elysian opens to the public on May 6th, or before its birthday party on May 10th. That Friday, Elysian celebrates 23 years on the Hill and in existence “with 1996 prices,” Bisacca said.

The brewery’s original layout has remained mostly unchanged since 1996, according to Bissaca, except for some maintenance.

“We really needed [an upgrade]. It was looking really dated. This was a full tear-down-to-nothing and build it back up,” he said, “while trying to make sure it kept a feel like it’s been here.” Continue reading →

CHS Pics | A Washington Beer Open House at Capitol Hill’s Outer Planet Brewing

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It may be Seattle Cocktail Week but Capitol Hill’s pocket of craft beer brewers — large and really small — opened their doors last Saturday for the annual Washington Beer Open House, a statewide celebration of the brewing industry.

CHS stopped by the teeniest of the bunch to enjoy the festivities. 12th Ave nanobrewery Outer Planet Brewing — yes, it really is located at street level below microhousing — just marked its fourth year brewing on Capitol Hill with new faces joining ownership including Jeff Linse and Gabriel Villenave. Continue reading →