Tag Archives: kitsap on tap

Bremerton brewery meets fundraising goal

LoveCraft Brewing Co. felt the love from donors.

The planned downtown Bremerton microbrewery received contributions from more than 300 people on Kickstarter, exceeding its $30,000 fundraising goal before the Monday deadline.

Founders Jesse and Tasha Wilson say the seed money will help them secure financing and launch the business. They hope to have the brewery up-and-running in 2015.

“Our next steps are finding the right location, building it out to our needs and acquiring equipment,” Jesse said in an email.

Jesse Wilson is an Olympic High School and Olympic College graduate who gained brewing experience as an assistant at Port Townsend Brewing Co.

See my previous post about LoveCraft’s plans here.

New Kingston brewery starts pouring Saturday

Tad Sooter

10469077_632285936869231_1134511466380340708_n A much-anticipated Kingston brewery and taproom is set to begin pouring this weekend.

The aptly-named (given our recent weather) Downpour Brewing plans to open Saturday in the former Sacks Feed building on Highway 104.

Suquamish electrician-turned-brewer Dan Williams and wife Kristen began work on the brewery early this year.

Dan said the Downpour taproom features seating for 30 and bar seating for nine. There’s also a play area for kids and outdoor seating for when the sun reappears.

Nine tap handles will pour a rotation of Downpour’s brews, including an IPA, blond, pale, stout and SMASH (single malt, single hop), among other styles.

“We love trying new recipes using fresh local ingredients and experimenting with our standard favorites, substituting different malts and hops to vary the flavor profile,” Dan said in an email.

Downpour will offer its own root beers and cream sodas, a guest hard cider and beers from other microbreweries. Like most microbreweries, Downpour will also provide a selection of snacks and patrons are invited to bring their own food. Menus from local restaurants will be on hand.

For information and updates check the Downpour page on Facebook, visit the brewery website (under development), email downpourbrewing@gmail.com, or call 360-881-0452.

Downpour is the eleventh brewery open in Kitsap County. It joins Hood Canal Brewery in the Kingston area. You can find more local brewery info on our beer page.

Watch for a full story on Downpour in our upcoming Monday edition.

Bremerton native raising money for downtown brewery

Tad Sooter

Bremerton craft beer drinkers have long craved a brewery in downtown. An Olympic College grad wants to satisfy their thirst.

Jesse Wilson and wife Tasha recently launched a Kickstarter campaign for LoveCraft Brewing Company, a small-batch brewery they plan to locate in the midst of downtown. Their goal is to raise $30,000 by the end of October. As of Wednesday evening, 76 backers had already kicked in close to $9,000.

The crowdsourced money won’t cover all the costs of launching a brewery, but Jesse said it will give them critical boost.

“It’s enough we can go to a bank with a solid business plan and collateral,” he said.

Jesse, a 2004 Olympic High graduate and 2006 OC graduate, is currently an assistant brewer at Port Townsend Brewing and has previous experience at Hale’s Ales in Seattle. He and Tasha met while working in the craft beer industry.

They like brewing “farmhouse” beers – traditional Belgian and French styles. But Jesse said he also has a lineup of Northwest favorites like IPAs.

When it came to picking a location, the couple saw untapped opportunity in downtown Bremerton. They’re looking for space near Sixth Street and Pacific Avenue.

“We see a lot of potential there,” Jesse said. “It seems like a great place to open a brewery to us.”

LoveCraft would join Kitsap staple Silver City Brewery and Manette’s Der Blokken Brewery in the Bremerton area. An additional eight breweries are scattered across the county, with another set to open in Kingston soon.

If all goes to plan, Jesse believes LoveCraft could be brewing by mid-2015.

“I’m excited to join the ranks of Kitsap brewers,” he said. “I think there’s plenty of room.”

Courtesy images. Inset art by Eric JS Wahlquist.

Check out my Kitsap On Tap coverage from earlier this year and the Sun’s beer page to read more about the county’s brewing scene. You can also find beer news and profiles of every Kitsap brewery here.

Kitsap on Tap: Unicycle Ale

Tad Sooter

Founded: 2013

Location: 22391 Stargaten Lane, Poulsbo

Online: Facebook

Beer sold in: Bottles, limited kegs

Signature beers: Schwinn Belgian Style Ale, Eire Tire Irish Style Red, Tandem Orange

What’s brewing: A newcomer to the Kitsap beer scene, Hartley rolled out Unicycle Ale in 2013, building the brand around his lifelong hobby.

Hartley, who also serves as a vice president of sales for a Seattle firm, brews and hand-bottles about 40 cases of beer a month, focusing on just three styles.

The Poulsbo Farmers Market is Unicycle’s main retail outlet, but Hartley has interest in opening a taproom somewhere in the county.

Viewpoint:

“This is all about learning the business of brewing, developing a brand and testing the market. So far, the response has been really solid.” — Darin Hartley

Kitsap on Tap is an exploration of West Sound’s rising craft beer industry. Find the print story, more beer features and ongoing coverage at kitsapsun.com/beer.

Kitsap on Tap: Slaughter County Brewing

Tad Sooter

Founded: 2012

Location: 1307 Bay Street, Port Orchard

Online: Facebook, @SCBC_Beer

Beer sold in: Taproom/pub, kegs

Signature beers: O’Cairdubhain’s Irish Stout, Gorst Light pilsner, Ol’ One Eye IPA

What’s brewing: After selling his software company, longtime homebrewer Scott Kirvan carved out a nook on the Port Orchard waterfront.

His brewery serves up English-style ales in an “Irish pub overrun by pirates.” A menu of hearty food helps attract customers to his South Kitsap outpost.

The colorful brewery name harkens back to the early days of Kitsap, when the county was called Slaughter. Kirvan plans to grow his brewery into a regional business and hopes to see more beer makers join him in South Kitsap

Viewpoint:

“Beer is just fascinating to me. The chemistry, the art of it. Curiosity has driven me into making beer.” — Scott Kirvan

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Kitsap on Tap is an exploration of West Sound’s rising craft beer industry. Find the print story, more beer features and ongoing coverage at kitsapsun.com/beer.

Kitsap on Tap: Rainy Daze Brewing

Tad Sooter

Founded: 2012

Location: 14974 Olympic View Loop Road, Silverdale

Online: Facebook, @RainyDaze Beer

Beer sold in: Kegs

Signature beers: Rainy Rye IPA, Belgian Bastard (NW IPA with Belgian yeast)

What’s brewing: Partners Mike Montoney and Mike Painter started Rainy Daze in 2012, but zoning issues forced them to close their taproom after two months. That didn’t keep their hoppy beer from creating a buzz in brewing circles.

The Rainy Daze partners are searching for a new location while picking up as many wholesale accounts as they can handle. Montoney recently closed his auto repair business to focus on brewing full-time.

Viewpoint:

“I’m a hophead anyway. I figured I could bring that style out here, make it not too unapproachable, but give them a lot of flavor.” — Mike Montoney

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Kitsap on Tap is an exploration of West Sound’s rising craft beer industry. Find the print story, more beer features and ongoing coverage at kitsapsun.com/beer.

Kitsap on Tap: Bainbridge Island Brewing

Tad Sooter

Founded: 2012

Location: 9415 Coppertop Loop, Bainbridge Island

Online: Website, @bainbridgebeer, Facebook

Beer sold in: Taproom, kegs, limited bottles

Signature beers: Eagle Harbor IPA, Puget Sound Giant Hoptopus (double IPA), Kommuter Kolsch

What’s brewing: Founded in 2012 by law school graduate Russell Everett and father Chuck, Bainbridge Island Brewing is the island’s only brewery. The well-appointed taproom attracts crowds locals and tourists alike.

The Everetts doubled brewing capacity in the past two years, while gradually expanding their wholesale business. The brew house serves up well-crafted Northwest favorites, along with a rotating selection of small-batch experiments.

Quotable:

“We felt like on Bainbridge we had a unique opportunity to have a taproom integrated with the brewery that would serve as a social space as well. I view it as the island’s living room.” — Russell Everett

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Kitsap on Tap is an exploration of West Sound’s rising craft beer industry. Find the print story, more beer features and ongoing coverage at kitsapsun.com/beer.

Kitsap on Tap: Sound Brewery

Tad Sooter

Founded: 2011

Location: 650 NW Bovela Ln, Poulsbo

Online: Website, @soundbrewery, Facebook

Beer sold in: Taproom, kegs, bottles

Signature beers: Monk’s Indiscretion Belgian ale, Tripel Entendre Belgian tripel, Humulo Nimbus double IPA

What’s brewing: The Northwest craft beer scene is dominated by hoppy pale ales, which makes Sound Brewery’s offering stand out. Sound specializes put a modern touch on traditional Old World styles (it swept the “Abbey-Inspired Ales” category at the 2014 Washington Beer Awards), and produces nearly 30 varieties.

Because of its unusual selection, Sound markets farther afield. Its beers can be found across the Pacific Northwest and in several Canadian provinces. The brewery ships 45 kegs a month to Japan. Sound is expanding production to keep up with demand.

Viewpoint:

“Our motto is ‘tradition liberated.’ That means, to us, doing traditional styles really, really well, and then doing our own spins on traditional beers that are a little outside of the box.” — Mark Hood, founder/manager

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Kitsap On Tap is an exploration of West Sound’s rising craft beer industry. Find the print story, more beer features and ongoing coverage at kitsapsun.com/beer.

Kitsap On Tap: Valhöll Brewing

Tad Sooter

Founded: 2010

Location: 18970 3rd Ave., Poulsbo

Online: Website, @valhollbrew, Facebook

Beer sold in: Taproom, kegs

Signature beers: Brew Bitch IPA, Golden Warrior Ale

What’s brewing: Valhöll grew out of Heads Up Brewing, a Silverdale hub for beer makers. Heads Up closed in 2008 and former employee Jeff Holcomb laid the groundwork for his own brewery in a Poulsbo with partner Jordan Rogers.

They opened the 3rd Avenue taproom in 2012 and brought on Pike brewer Adam Orrick oversee production. The brewery found a successful niche, offering bold beer, an inviting barroom, and popular, Viking-themed apparel (Valhöll is the original word for Valhalla).

While most growing breweries push aggressively into wholesale, Valhöll is more focused on building its taproom business. Holcomb has plans for a larger production facility on the Kitsap Peninsula, and envisions a string of Valhöll taprooms spread across several craft beer-starved states.

Viewpoint:

“My whole goal has been to create a gathering place. People forget how to talk, everyone wants to be on their phone, we want a place where beer lovers can come together and hang out.” — Jeff Holcomb

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Kitsap On Tap is an exploration of West Sound’s rising craft beer industry. Find the print story, more beer features and ongoing coverage at kitsapsun.com/beer.

Kitsap on Tap: Slippery Pig Brewery

Tad Sooter

Founded: 2010

Location: 18801 Front Street, Poulsbo

Online: Website, @SlipperyPigBeer, Facebook

Beer sold in: Taproom, limited kegs

Signature beers: Rhubarb IPA, Curly Tail Stinging Nettle Pale

What’s brewing: As the signature beer list suggests, Slippery Pig is no run-of-the-mill microbrewery. Dave and Shawna Lambert opened the business on their Finn Hill farm in 2010 and found inspiration close at hand, incorporating fresh-grown ingredients into their recipes.

Slippery Pig made a bold move to downtown this year, opening a new brew house, taproom and live music venue on Front Street in late June. The new location will allow the brewery to expand production and fatten up its bar business with more walk-in customers.

Viewpoint:

“The more impossible something seems, the better of an idea it is. If anyone says you can’t do that, we’re going to figure out why you can’t.” — Dave Lambert

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Kitsap On Tap is an exploration of West Sound’s rising craft beer industry. Find the print story, more beer features and ongoing coverage at kitsapsun.com/beer.