The long-awaited opening of the taproom at Cloudburst Brewing is now upon us. At 2:00 today (Thursday, January 7) the taproom opens to the public, offering beer lovers a chance to sample as many as 11 of Steve Luke’s beers at the source. (current taplist pictured below.)
Located just a couple blocks north of the Pike Place Market, the no-frills, beer-only, 21+ taproom is reminiscent of the original Urban Beer Garden at Fremont Brewing. No table service, so step up to the bar to get your brews. There’s no mystery about where the beer is brewed; it’s all right there for you to see. If you’re going to drink beer at the source, why mess around?
Because this is one of the most highly anticipated openings in recent memory, expect a crowd. DO NOT let that deter you. Also, it might be a bit chilly in there, so bring a comfortable coat, but a crowded room always seems to warm itself up. And beer helps, too.
Last night I was there for a preview event. For opening night, Cloudburst will have up to 11 beers on tap. The list includes two versions (#1 and #2) of Market Fresh Saison, a beer that sees each batch brewed with whatever happens to look good at the market on brew day. The first batch was flavored with fresh cranberries and sage, the second batch with grapefruit and rosemary. For those who favor the Belgian styles, there is also a spiced blonde ale.
Hop junkies will get their fix from any of five different beers: a dry-hopped pale ale, three IPAs, and a remarkable dry-hopped Pilsner. The hoppy beers cover a range: Happy Little Clouds Dry-Hopped Pilsner is refreshing, with assertive but not overwhelming citrus hop character; the Unreliable Narrator Pale Ale is an unapologetically hoppy beer that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with most IPAs; and the No Recess IPA will numb your tongue with lupulin love.
Dark beer lovers will enjoy the coffee porter, oyster stout, and the nitro milk stout. Boom Roasted Coffee Porter is a notable effort, offering eye-popping coffee character that fixes your caffeine jones with clean, definable coffee flavors.
Steve makes no promises about exactly what you’ll find on tap when you arrive. Hint, the pilsner seemed to be particularly popular last night. Rest assured you will like whatever fills your glass.
See our previous post about Cloudburst Brewing.
Taproom Hours:
Wednesday – Saturday, 2pm – 10pm
Sunday, 12pm – 8pm
Find Cloudburst Brewing:
2116 Western Ave
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 602-6061
Web: http://www.cloudburstbrew.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cloudburst_brew
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudburstbrewing/