Derek Brown and Colette Boilini, owners of Bizarre Brewing in Magnolia, stand behind the counter of the taproom at their brewery.
Photo by Jessica Keller.
After years of working in the industry and dreaming of opening their own brewery, partners in life and business Derek Brown and Colette Boilini opened the doors to Bizarre Brewing almost three months ago.
Brown and Boilini are no newcomers to the brewery industry in Seattle. The pair met in 2014 when they were both working for Fremont Brewing. They later worked at Holy Mountain, where Brown was the head of barrel production.
The goal, however, was always to open their own brewery, with Brown the brewmaster and Boilini managing operations and sales.
“We have just been working toward it for many years,” Brown said.
The pandemic, however, wreaked havoc on their plans, and the brewery opening was pushed back by permitting and construction delays.
“Nobody is ever going to say building out is super smooth, but it definitely felt very challenging to be opening a brewery,” Boilini said, adding that fitting a building with plumbing and the other infrastructure needed for a brewery is an extensive — and costly — process.
When they were ready to strike out on their own, however, their former employers and friends in the brewing community were supportive and encouraging.
“The brewing community is very close-knit and very friendly,” Boilini said, adding that, in addition to support and encouragement, they received a lot of equipment and other necessities from others to help them in their venture. “Our former employers were super, super encouraging; super, super supportive.”
Still, Brown said it was thrilling when they brewed their first batch of beer last fall — a lager —even before they were ready to open for business.
RELAXED TAPROOM
They are also very proud of their brewery and taproom. The taproom features a European-style layout, with long tables a many chairs encouraging a family-style seating environment.
Indeed, Bizarre Brewing is open to all ages and “well-behaved” dogs.
“We really want it to be a place where people can come together, relax and enjoy spending time with each other while drinking beer,” Brown said.
The brewery and taproom come to approximately 6,000 square feet, which Brown said is the perfect size for their operation — a seven-barrel brewhouse with five 15-barrel tanks and two seven-barrel tanks in the brewery part of the building. It also features an outdoor seating area that will almost double in size when a deck being built out back is completed, hopefully by this summer, Brown added.
Twice a week, Brown brews the beer, something he began doing when he was 21. He said he enjoys experimenting with and mixing and matching ingredients and fermentation techniques and creating hybrid styles of beer like the Tropical Hopfenweisse.
Another thing that sets Bizarre Brewing apart, other than its name — something Brown came up with when he first started out and just stuck — is the alcohol by volume of Brown’s beer. In keeping with the relaxed, friendly atmosphere and desire to create a welcoming environment, most, if not all, of the beer Brown makes has a 6 percent or less alcohol content.
“And that’s a fun challenge in itself — can we keep things less than 6 percent,” Brown said.
THIRTEEN BEERS
Bizarre Brewing’s menu features 13 beers Brown creates, ranging from lagers to pale ales to stouts, with new selections periodically making their way onto the menu and replacing others.
Both Brown and Boilini agree visitors to the brewery have been receptive to everything from the menu to the beer hall-style taproom. Boilini said their location — in the industrial area of Magnolia, off Commodore Way on 26th Avenue West — is also ideal.
“It feels a little removed from the hustle and bustle but not far from everything else,” Boilini said.
The operation is a short drive from their home in Ballard, and they have friends and family who live in Magnolia, and it is still close to the brewing community and other breweries, such as nearby Dirty Couch and Figurehead in Magnolia and Rooftop Brewing and Old Stove Brewing Ship Canal on Nickerson Street in lower Queen Anne.
While Bizarre Brewing is a small operation compared to some in Seattle, Brown said it is the perfect size for them because he, Boilini and their small staff can handle everything themselves.
“It just feels a lot more intimate because you can have all these relationships in the community,” Brown said.
Boilini has also forged partnerships with local food truck owners to come park outside the brewery and sell their food in a mutually beneficial arrangement. She also intends to host pop-up events with different vendors in future.
To see day-to-day updates from Bizarre Brewery follow it on Instagram, or visit bizarrebrewing.com to see the menu and food truck schedules.
BIZARRE BREWING
4441 26th Ave. W. Suite A, Magnolia
Hours:
Wednesday-Friday: 3-9 p.m.
Saturdays: Noon-9 p.m.
Sundays: Noon-8 p.m.
Email: info@bizarrebrewing.com