It’s no secret the Northwest is home to a booming craft beer scene. Washington alone is home to 322 breweries, Oregon to another 206 as of the end of last year and British Columbia clocks in at nearly 140. As more and more brewers set up shop across in this great region, it can be hard to keep track of all the new breweries that seem to be popping up in every neighborhood. Luckily, we’ve gone ahead and done the hard work for you by rounding up a handful of new and notable breweries that have opened within the last six months in Washington, Oregon and BC.
Atwood Ales || Blaine, WA
This brewery was opened in March by Josh Atwood on his family’s farm in Blaine, Washington. The plan for Atwood’s new brewery is to implement wild, open fermentation using materials grown on the farm. Although there is no taphouse on location, as the family wishes to maintain privacy due to the brewery being located at their home, the brewery does retail beers such as the Grange Farmhouse Ale and Dark Harbor Dark Ale at the nearby Drayton Harbor Oyster Company and the Bellingham Farmer’s Market.
Cloudburst Brewing || Seattle
Cloudburst Brewing was opened by former Elysian experimental brewer, Steve Luke, after the Seattle brewing icon was sold to Anheuser-Busch in January of last year. One of the most promising new brewery in the Northwest, Luke opened Cloudburst Brewing in January, starting the year off right with great beers like their Market Fresh Saison, which is brewed with rotating seasonal ingredients, like strawberries and mint, and a variety of his in-demand India pale ales.
Field House Brewing Co. || Abbortsford, BC
This Kickstarter-funded brewery set up shop in January in the British Columbia suburb of Abbortford. Founded on the idea of community spirit and fueled with inspiration from pre-opening trip to the Netherlands, Field House offers a wide range of beers that range from flamboyant to timeless, like grab the PeachO sour or Caramel Macchiato stout to a Beligan-style IPA.
Old Stove Brewing Co. || Seattle
Old Stove Brewing Co. began operations in Pike Place this April. With initial offerings such as their Old Stove Pilsner, a flagship IPA and the Summer Citra Ale, this may not be a brewery that will rewrite the book but what head brewer Scott Barron does, he does well. The taproom is currently located on First Avenue, between Pike and Pine outside the storied Pike Place Market, but in 2017, the brewery will move to a new location, that will be shared with other likeminded artisans Honest Biscuits, Indi Chocolate and JarrBar. With all that in one building, patrons may need a strong incentive to leave.
Stones Throw Brewing Co. || Bellingham, WA
A new addition to Bellingham’s beer scene, Stones Throw aims to be another allure to come to the northern Washington hub. Having also launched in April, Stones Throw offers a smattering of flagship beers, in addition to a rotating selection of both special edition and experimental brews. Founders and Bellingham-based Western Washington University alumni Tony Luciano and Jack Pflueger named their brewery after the fact that they are located only a
stone’s throw” away from the Interurban trail in Fairhaven.
Whipsaw Brewing || Ellensburg, WA
Whipsaw Brewing was opened in late January by husband-and-wife-team Charlie and Debby Tierney after they sold their home in Aberdeen. The couple used their life savings to move to Ellensburg, where Charlie Tiernery spent much of his youth, and open a brewery. Both kid- and dog-friendly, this new brewery offers two excellent IPAs, a hoppy amber ale, a blackberry wheat ale and much more. Although they are currently producing on a three barrel system, with this vast early roster of great beers, Whipsaw may soon give Iron Horse Brewery, Ellensburg’s patron saint of brewing, a run for its money.
Wolves & People || Newberg, OR
Behind two large rolling barn doors reclaimed from the old Rainier Brewery sits Wolves & People. Since opening in May, the small brewery has utilized their seven-barrel system to its fullest potential which, unfortunately, means that the tasting room is only open on Saturdays as the rest of the week is used to brew and age their carefully crafted farmhouse and European-inspired beers. With brews like Bruutal, a Belgian pale ale with cloves, pine and orange rind, and their Tractor Pull, a dark ale made with organic cinnamon, owner Christian DeBenedetti and head brewer Jake Miller are putting the craft in craft craft beer.
