A new brewery is about to open in Packwood, Washington: Longmire Springs Brewing. Opening day is set for June 24th. The couple behind the brewery might seem familiar to Seattle beer lovers: Amy Besunder and Peter Charbonnier (pictured above) formerly owned and operated Populux Brewing in Ballard. Local beer lovers might remember that Populux Brewing closed in December 2020. (Bale Breaker Brewing/Yonder Cider have since moved into the space Populux vacated in Ballard.)
“We’re excited to announce our opening date will be June 24th,” said the company on Facebook. “We’ll have a West Coast IPA, Hazy IPA, Pale Ale, and Pilsner on tap plus a rotating Vienna Lager as well as cider, a guest tap and more. Come join us as we celebrate our grand opening Saturday at noon!”
So how did two brewery owners from Seattle end up in Packwood? Though Populux Brewing closed in 2020, Amy and Peter lived in Packwood for years before that. It’s an idyllic spot, far away from the hustle and bustle of the Ballard Brewery District. A completely different vibe, where Longmire Springs Brewing will serve a different kind of clientele. The brewery’s taproom will offer indoor and outdoor seating in a family- and dog-friendly environment. No kitchen, but they’ll allow guests to bring their own food.
Where and what is Packwood? It is a small town located on Highway 12 about 20 miles west of White Pass and about 60 miles east of Interstate 5. You travel there with intention: you do not end up in Packwood by accident. It is designated as an unincorporated community in Lewis County, but when you pass through it you’ll just assume Packwood is its own town. About 1,200 people live in the nearby area. A lot of folks have vacation homes and cabins around Packwood. Ranger station, grocery store, gas station, motels… it’s a small, mountain town. Very close to Mount Rainer National Park’s southeast entrance. (My family had a cabin there for many years, so I know the lay of the land.)
Packwood is also the home of Packwood Brewing, where a lovely little taproom serves up Packwood Brewing beers–beers that are brewed under contract by other breweries in the region. Longmire Springs Brewing, on the other hand, will have a brewery onsite, as the images show. (Images from Longmire Springs’ Facebook page.)
Longmire Spring Brewing
112 Norman Way
Packwood, WA 98361
Wow, is the tourist crowd big enough for two breweries? I can’t imagine that Packwood Brewing is terribly happy about this.
This is fantastic! A brewery that actually brews their own beers and has experience is needed in that area. Many people will currently not go to the other brewery in town for various reasons..