Updated October 18th – We just learned that Halcyon Brewing will start pouring beer on Friday, October 22 at its location in Seattle. They have at least one house-brewed beer for you to try. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook to stay informed.
In the meantime, here is our original story introducing a new brewery in a familiar location.
The former home of Naked City Brewery is reopening as Halcyon Brewing
It saddened many people when Naked City Brewery announced it was closing back in 2018. The loss of Naked City left a hole in the heart of Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood. Now we share the happy news that Halcyon Brewing will reopen the space this fall. The new owners will start out by opening the beer garden, with the interior slated to open thereafter. We will update this post when we learn the exact dates.
The two families behind Halcyon Brewing are no strangers to the local beer scene. North Seattleites might recognize Matt Hipp as one of the owners of Broadview Taphouse, which is located near the corner of Greenwood Avenue and N. 125th Street. Tom Furey has brewed at both Chainline Brewing in Kirkland and Standard Brewing in Seattle. Matt and Lauren Hipp, and Tom and Lisa Furey are the partners bringing Halcyon Brewing to Greenwood.
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“As head brewer, Tom brings a wealth of Seattle craft brewing experience to unique and nuanced beers set to be produced by Halcyon,” said today’s announcement. “Halcyon is meant to be a gathering space to build and be in community while pursuing the science and art of unique and inspiring beers.”
Regarding the name, the word halcyon has a couple of meanings. It is used as an adjective to refer to a time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful. As a noun, it refers to a bird. Specifically, a type of Asian and African kingfisher with brightly colored feathers. Mythically, the halcyon is said to breed in floating nests at sea, charming the wind and waters into a state of calmness to do so.
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Bringing More than Beer
More than good beer and an enjoyable experience, Halcyon Brewing hopes to move the needle in terms of diversity within the local craft beer industry. In a statement on social media, Tom Furey said, “… half of our ownership is women and that half also happen to be BIPOC women. My wife is a first-generation immigrant from Taiwan. We met there. I speak her language functionally fluently and have always strived to understand and empathize with every single person I have ever met.”
“That being said, we will be moving forward in a direction to hopefully progress the craft beer industry in terms of diversity and overall welcoming and openness. The other half of our ownership is white guys – me being one of them.”
Today’s announcement from Halcyon Brewing said, “The owner’s cultural backgrounds in Taiwan and Japan are set to play a role in the fabric of the business.”
As fans of Naked City Brewery will fondly recall, the space boasts a large outdoor patio with a large mural wall. Previously, the mural was painted by local artist Henry. That mural, featuring a friendly walrus, did not adequately garner the respect of the local graffiti taggers who no longer appreciated its contribution to the neighborhood. After Naked City closed, the Henry mural was vandalized multiple times. Halcyon Brewing hopes to remedy that situation with new, fresh artwork.
Some folks were upset to see the Henry mural go, but Halcyon Brewing saw it as an opportunity to move in a new, meaningful direction. “We recognize all of this [that people loved the old mural] and part of our choices in painting over this mural was to start from a blank slate for the new artist who will be unveiled shortly,” explained Tom on social media. “She is up and coming and more in line with our style and beliefs as a new business.”
Today’s announcement introduced the artist. The new mural will be done by Stevie Shao.
“Halcyon’s beer will be on a rotation and promises to never stop exploring and refining this journey through taste, and increasing the approachability of beer,” said today’s announcement.
Halcyon Brewing
8564 Greenwood Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98103
Web: https://www.halcyonbrewingco.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/halcyonbrewingco/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Halcyonbrewingco
Are they going to have food?