Rooftop Brewing Company
Brewery · Ballard ·
Dog-friendly brewery with rooftop seating, rotating food trucks
Dog-friendly brewery with rooftop seating, rotating food trucks
"After a fire last August that devastated its Nickerson Street brewery, the business’s future looked in serious danger but has brightened thanks to an agreement with a longtime Ballard brewery whose owners are retiring and passing the lease to the brewery's owner. Rather than a simple rebranding, this will be a merger where both brands carry forward and have their beers housed under one roof. The owner says he was able to retain most of his employees in addition to most of the other brewery’s staff staying on, which will help expedite revival and enable use of much larger brewing capacity; the acquired space is roughly triple the capacity of the old location and is not fully utilized, so they’ll be able to do more and keep both names going. The takeover of the Ballard facility is scheduled for April 2, but draft service awaits new county licensing — as the owner puts it, he hopes to get approval “within weeks, though hopefully at least a temporary permit in days.” When brewing resumes they plan to kick things off with fan favorites Gateway Hazy Pale Ale, Tropical Staycation IPA, and La Azotea Mexi Lager, along with the acquired brewery’s popular Old Seattle Lager. “We’re just really honored that this was able to come to together and that [George Hancock] trusts us with his baby,” the owner says, adding that “[George and Jane] treated their employees as their children, and their brewery was something they built over almost 40 years. So, entrusting that to us is a real honor.” The Nickerson Street taproom is now permanently shuttered." - Brianna Gunter
"Boarded up after a mid‑August blaze, Rooftop Brew Co. in Interbay was operating as a pop-up sale where patrons bought beer and merchandise salvaged from the damage while the business’s future remained uncertain. Owner Craig Christian said the fire did extensive damage, destroying their brewing grains, prompting considerable looting, and forcing him to lay off most of his staff; he has set up a GoFundMe to help employees and restart the business. The team hopes to contract brew with other Seattle breweries (including Old Stove) to keep brewing staples — Azotea Mexi Lager, Stargazer IPA, and Tropical Staycation IPA — and to try to salvage what they can of the missed fresh‑hop season (they had four fresh hops planned). Community support has been strong, with former staff helping at the fundraiser and many customers donating and offering encouragement." - Brianna Gunter
"If you’re looking for a calmer place for you and a couple of strollers, you’re in good hands at Rooftop Brewing, which is a quieter, serene spot—and as the name suggests, is technically located on a roof. Take in the view of Queen Anne homes, at least one small sliver of Lake Union, and/or a giant boat. Their IPAs succeed in particular (don’t miss the Tropical Staycation) and be sure to show up on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, as that's when you'll catch the incredible smashburgers from Smash That Burger Co." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente
"If you’re looking for a calm place to day drink, you’re in good hands at Rooftop Brewing, which if you didn’t already gather, is a brewery located on a roof. Take in the view of Queen Anne homes, at least one small sliver of Lake Union, and/or a giant boat. Don’t miss the Tropical Staycation, and be sure to show up on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday—that's when you'll catch the incredible smashburgers from Smash That Burger Co." - aimee rizzo
"Starting as a tiny one-barrel operation in a garage behind a 7-Eleven, Rooftop is now arguably the most popular place to drink along Salmon Bay and the Fremont Cut. The emphasis here is community beers meant to be enjoyed amongst friends, which lends itself to some seriously great ambers, lagers, and pale ales. For palates craving more a little more oomph, there’s almost always an imperial stout or Belgian tripel on draft, and even the occasional schwarzbier. And yes, the whole place is technically situated on a rooftop. Grab a beer around sunset for some truly magical views and laid-back vibes." - Brianna Gunter