As things stand, my nearest brewery is Fremont Brewing followed closely by Ladd and Lass. Note that neither one is in our neighborhood. Why don’t I just go to a neighborhood brewery? Because there isn’t one. Well, all that will change come next year.
Last Saturday, I attended an event that was part fundraiser and part open house at what will someday be Gasworks Brewing’s new space. Located at 2401 North Northlake Way not far from Westward and Bowriders, the space offers great views across Lake Union and the opportunity to arrive by boat at the nearby dock.
On tap were a couple of IPAs – one hazy, a pale ale, a hefeweizen and a lager. Also, food was on the barbecue, but as I had already had lunch, I didn’t give this a try. But the food and beers should seem familiar as the head honcho at Gasworks Brewing is Cody Cluff, owner of Magnuson Cafe over at Sandpoint. Cluff envisions a space not unlike what he has at Magnuson. There will be a kitchen and ordering area, and there will be a covered space for eating and drinking (not a “room” per se). Beers brewed at Gasworks will differ somewhat from what’s brewed over at Magnuson, and Cluff hopes to distribute them more widely to stores and restaurants compared with the Magnuson brewery selection.
In addition to showcasing the new brewery space, the event served as a fundraiser for Sail Sandpoint. Captained by Seth Muir as Executive Director, Sail Sandpoint is a non-profit center for teaching sailing, and is located next to Magnuson Cafe. (If you’ve been to the cafe and looked out over Lake Washington, those boats that you see in the marina belong to Sail Sandpoint.) As detailed on their website, Sail Sandpoint is:
… Seattle’s Community Boating Center; a non-profit 501(c)(3) incorporated in 1998. Sail Sand Point is dedicated to making sailing and paddling accessible to everyone regardless of age, income, or ability. We accomplish this by nurturing self-confidence, cultivating leadership skills, and inspiring an appreciation for our aquatic environment. Sail Sand Point offers a wide range of camps for youth and classes for adults, as well as boat rentals through our open boating program.
If you’re thirsting for some beer freshly brewed in our neighborhood, don’t head over to Gasworks Brewing just yet. What with the time it takes to build and, more significantly, the permitting required to build down near the water, Cluff estimates that opening may come in about a year. Until then, we’ll just have to survive off of “imports” from our nearby neighborhoods.