We could sit here and wax poetic about European brewing tradition and how our brewery dates back to the 17th century when Bob's great-grandfather smuggled hops and malt onto a ship headed for the New World. Not to mention, how every time an additional family member made the voyage they would bring a new piece of brewing equipment (tanks, silos, etc.), concealed on their person, until the brewery was completed.

But, if we did that, it would all be a complete lie. And a lame one at that. So, no tearful, inspiring immigrant story for you!

But hey, if you still want some Elysian History, .

  • Elysian Brewing Company was founded in 1996 by Joe Bisacca, Dick Cantwell, and Dave Buhler. It began as a concept to establish a large brewpub in the Seattle market, but with a grander scale of wholesale distribution than your average brewpub.
  • The original location, in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, houses a 20-barrel brewing system and a full service restaurant and bar. In the past, the site has hosted live music, large parties, benefits, and beer festivals.
  • From, 1997 to 2000 Elysian operated a small, 4-barrel brewery and tavern at Sega Gameworks in downtown Seattle. The smaller location allowed the brewers to experiment and craft unique specialty beers in smaller batches.
  • A year after pulling out of Gameworks, in March 2001, a new location was opened in the Greenlake neighborhood. Dubbed Elysian-Tangletown, it is sited at the old home of the Honey Bear Bakery, a Seattle institution that closed its doors in 1999. The Greenlake site houses a 3-barrel brewing system, as well as a full service restaurant and bar, allowing the brewers to once again craft those special brews.
  • Since inception, Elysian has brewed over 60 different beers, in large batches and small, including 6 always-flowing standards, and 8 seasonal brews.
  • Bifröst Winter Ale
  • Night Owl Pumpkin Ale
  • Saison Elysée Belgian-style Farmhouse Ale
  • Bête Blanche
    Belgian-style Tripel
  • Loki Lager
  • Pandora's Bock
  • Ambrosia Maibock
  • Avatar Jasmine IPA
  • The Wise Extra Special Bitter
  • The Immortal India Pale Ale
  • Dragonstooth Stout
  • Perseus Porter
  • Zephyrus Pilsner
  • Elysian Fields Pale Ale
Dick Cantwell was born in Germany and grew up in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He has been brewing professionally in Seattle since 1990, first as Head Brewer at Duwamps Café/Seattle Brewing Co., then as a brewer at Pike Place Brewing Co., and as Head Brewer at Big Time Brewery and Alehouse.

His beer writing has been published in The Pint Post, Zymurgy, Brewing Techniques, The California Celebrator, The Malt Advocate , and in the Brewers Publications stylebook Barley Wine, which he wrote with Anderson Valley Brewing's Fal Allen, and with whom over the years an odd symbiosis has developed. He has two children, Lucy and Nap.

brew pub
  
noun
  
a commercial establishment that brews its own beer for sales on and off the premises and is typically combined with a restaurant; also written brewpub.

Our brew pubs:

1221 E Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 860-1920

Monday - Friday
11:30 am - 2:00 am

Saturday & Sunday
12:00 pm - 2:00 am

Kitchen closes at
11:00 pm daily

Full Bar All Hours

2106 N 55th St
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 547-5929

Monday - Friday
11:30 am - 2 am

Saturday & Sunday
9:30 am - 2 am

Kitchen closes at
10pm Sun-Th
11pm Fri-Sat

Full Bar