On a recent Friday night at Salish Sea Brewing in Edmonds, every table was full. A family played Jenga. A group sat outside with their dog. People ordered beer and pizza and munched on endless pretzels. The space was tight, but comfortable. A sign on the wall read “Seating is limited. Make friends. Combine tables. Meet someone new.”
Jeff Barnett and Erika Barnett opened Salish Sea Brewing in November of 2013. When they opened, they knew they wanted to focus on being a part of the community. So they found a spot in the downtown core and settled in.
The space they’re in forces them to be creative. On brewing days, all the tables and chairs have to cleared away to make room for the beer-making process.
“It’s Tetris when we put everything away,” Jeff Barnett said.
Soon, though, they’ll have some more room. The gelato business that is next door is moving, and sometime this month, the Barnetts and brewer Michael Green will begin work expanding into that space. The expansion will provide more seating, and allow them to add an additional fermenter and bright tank. Barnett said they hope to be done with the expansion by mid-May.
Right now, Salish Sea produces about 600 barrels a year, and they’ll do more once they expand. Barnett said that it’s 50-50 between retail and wholesale production.
Barnett says they’ve kept their beer focused away from “big, giant beers” with a high alcohol volume.
“We want it to be drinkable. We want you to be able to relax and enjoy yourself,” he said. “We focus on flavor and drinkability.”
Barnett says the upcoming expansion will allow the brewery to offer more variety, while maintaining their current lineup of beers.
They currently have nine beers on tap, and they rotate through offerings that include seasonals, IPAs, porters, ambers and reds.
When I dropped by recently, I ordered a sampler to test out six different beers. My favorite was the Drop Anchor IPA. It was citrusy and very springy.
I’m not alone. Barnett says the Drop Anchor, which uses Citra and Amarillo hops, is their best seller.
“We sell it six to one over anything else,” he said. “It’s just got big citrusy and floral tones. And that’s probably what makes it the biggest seller.”
Barnett said he’s also seen good success with their porter, Big Chocolate Love.
“It’s a huge hit. I’ve been really happy with that one,” he said.
Big Chocolate Love was originally created for Chocofest at Pike Brewing. Since then, he’s altered the recipe.
“We’re still in the evolution period of everything,” he said.
Because Salish Sea is a small operation, they have the ability to tweak and tune things, in contrast to a large brewery that’s all about being consistent.
“We don’t have to rush the beer, because we’re not doing it to get bottles on the shelf,” he said. “It’s a true unfiltered beer, but we have incredible clarity on the beer. It’s very clear and bright. That’s because we can be patient.”
For now, visitors to Salish Sea can order Sorelli Pizza. The pizzas are baked in their own pizza oven. Once they’ve expanded, though, they plan to add more food options, like paninis, soup and salad.
Barnett is looking forward to growing and having more room for customers.
“It’s the kind of place where a young family can come in and get a beer and hang out,” he said. “We’re really happy to be doing what we’re doing. We’re really enjoying it.”
Salish Sea Brewing Co.
518 Dayton St. No. 104, Edmonds; 425-582-8474; salishbrewing.com
Hours: 3-10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday; 3-11 p.m. Fridays; noon-11 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday
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