A star brewer expands to Ballard and 7 other wine, beer and cider taproom openings around the Seattle area

Cloudburst on Shilshole

5456 Shilshole Ave. N.W., Seattle; cloudburstbrew.com

One of the region’s star brewers, Steve Luke has opened his second tasting room/beer garden in time for fresh hop season. This James Beard-nominated brewer makes some of the best fresh hop beers in the city. Look for a couple of rotating fresh hop beers from Yakima on tap, along with his roster of IPAs. To comply with social-distancing rules, the Ballard taproom will cap seating to 28 hopheads outside, but after the pandemic, capacity will be around 100 in its taproom and patio. Reservations for seating in the Ballard beer garden are highly recommended. In the meantime, Luke’s brewery near Pike Place Market will remain open only for cans and crowlers to-go. Plenty of Clouds, the Sichuan restaurant on Capitol Hill, has a food truck parked permanently in Cloudburst’s Ballard beer garden, dishing dumplings and noodles seven days a week.

Kerloo Cellars

19501 144th Ave. N.E., #E-600, Woodinville; 206-349-0641, kerloocellars.com

The Sodo winery under talented winemaker Ryan Crane has expanded to Woodinville, next to the Barrage and Patterson wineries in the Warehouse District. Some library Malbec, syrah and other limited 2012 reds will be showcased in his new 1,300-square-foot tasting room. His 2019 Lonesome Spring Ranch wine was the best Washington state rosé I sampled this summer. This Eastside tasting room will keep its outdoor patio going through early winter, likely with heaters and tents.

Great Notion Brewing

6235 Airport Way S., #102, Seattle; greatnotion.com

The Portland-based brewery was supposed to debut in the Ballard brewery district this spring, but the opening will likely be delayed until the end of the year. The good news is its taproom in Georgetown finally opened last weekend after the smoke cleared. The brewery runs 20 beers on tap including a roster of its signature hazy IPAs, stouts and sours. The 2,500-square-foot Georgetown facility sits next to Lowercase Brewing and can seat 16 outside during the pandemic. Reservations are recommended for seating. Georgetown will also get a wine tasting room when Tinte Cellar expands in November.

Yonder Cider

7800 First Ave. N.W., Seattle; 206-660-6007, yondercider.com

Caitlin Braam, the founder of Yonder Cider, doesn’t walk far to get to work. She has converted a detached garage from her house in Phinney into Yonder Cider. It’s currently a retail shop to showcase her dry and semi-dry ciders along with seasonal offerings. When the pandemic ends, she will convert that space into a tasting room. Her Fuji, Honeycrisp and other apples come from Wenatchee, where she has her production facility.

Ridgewood Bottle & Tap

316 N. 67th St., Seattle; 206-453-4838, ridgewoodbottleandtap.com

Also in Phinney, this beer nirvana showcases 300 different beers in cans and bottles including favorites from acclaimed Matchless Brewing in Tumwater and Grains of Wrath Brewery in Camas. There are also 48 beers and ciders on tap. Its beer slushies have become such a big hit that they will remain even in the fall.

The rotating list includes its popular strawberry-lemonade sour beer slushy. Ridgewood Bottle & Tap plans to add 18 seats outside with heaters and awnings. Its neighbor Red Mill Burger is closed on Mondays, so the bottleshop rents out space that day to food pop-ups.

Locust Cider and Brewing Co.

500 Terry Ave., Seattle; locustcider.com

This ciderhouse has opened its fourth Seattle taproom on First Hill in the Saxton Apartment complex, across from Harborview Medical Center. The 16-tap tasting room’s menu includes flatbread pizzas and corn dogs as well as its own line of IPAs on tap. The space is large enough that even with social distancing, the taproom can seat 56 customers inside along with 12 seats outside. Locust, which makes its beer and cider in Woodinville, has opened 12 tasting rooms in Washington state, Texas and Colorado in the past five years. Locust will expand to Redmond Town Center as early as October.

Rapport

700 Broadway E., Seattle; 206-705-9500, rapportseattle.com

David Clawson, a Seattleite who opened a wine bar in London, has returned to his hometown to open a wine cafe on Capitol Hill. Rapport serves 80 domestic and European wines by the glass that you pour yourself through a self-dispense tap system. (There are disposable gloves by the self-pour system so you don’t have to touch the self-pour button with your bare finger.) Chef Mike Law, formerly of Wandering Goose and Sitka & Spruce, heads the food program, which borrows from the Euro model: espresso and pastries (good biscuits) in the morning; come 3 p.m., it transitions to a wine cafe with small plates.

Rae Vino

321 N.E. 72nd St., Seattle; 206-913-2122, raevino.com

Currently a retail store specializing in natural wine, this Green Lake hub will transition to a wine bar with indoor and outdoor seating after the pandemic. Rae Vino showcases 300 orange wines, sparkling Gamay and other natural wines from Oregon and also big names and cult brands from Europe. You can order online. Curbside pickup is available. Rae Vino also offers a lineup of wines made by female winemakers.