Ballard gets a big-name taproom, and 2 other microbrewery openings around Seattle

Urban Family Brewing Co.

Owner Andy Gundel, whose brewery gained much attention from beer nerds when he was in Magnolia, has moved into a 9,200-square-foot warehouse space that’s three times bigger than its previous spot by Salmon Bay and now in a higher profile location, too — in the Ballard Brewery District. The microbrewery sits across the street from Stoup Brewing and is within walking distance of about a dozen other taprooms, which should bring joy to many beer fans.

Urban Family Brewing focuses on New England-style IPAs, sours and barrel-aged beers, and in two months it will release a lager. The 16-tap tasting room includes a beer garden with fire pit and space for its rotating roster of food trucks. Fans of breweries tend to fall into one of two camps: those who want the taproom to be family-and-dog friendly, and those who are adamant that it should be a 21-and-older venue like a bar. It’s a contentious issue, and Urban Family Brewing hopes it’s found a happy medium with the tasting room open to families and pets, and an upstairs loft for drinkers who are over 21.

1103 N.W. 52nd St., (Ballard) Seattle; 206-946-8533, urbanfamilybrewing.com

Cold Crash Brewing

West Seattle now has a gluten-free brewery courtesy of partners (life and business!) Robyn Campbell and Erin Treankler. Campbell, who has a chemical engineering background, and Treankler, who has a pastry background, met while working at Starbucks. The nanobrewery sits in a residential neighborhood in a detached unit from a house. Their brewing equipment is on wheels, so on weekends they can roll those away and convert the brewing space into a tasting room. They feature an IPA, a Belgian white and a pilsner, along with their rotating specials. The space can hold about 30 and, come spring, they will have outdoor seating. It’s an all-ages venue, but pets are not allowed.

4507 48th Ave. S.W., Seattle; 206-486-4644, coldcrashbrewing.com

The Good Society Brewery & Public House

This West Seattle brewpub donates a portion of every pint sold to charity. Owners and brewers Nick Berger and Phil Cammarano rely on their management team and advisory board to help them pick two registered nonprofits to donate to (currently West Seattle Food Bank and Forterra). The 4,200-square-foot brewery focuses on IPAs and farmhouse ales, but expect a wide range of styles since the fellas also carry beers from other local microbrews on their 20-tap line. Sandwiches and flatbreads will be available soon. It’s an all-ages venue. No pets allowed.

2701 California Ave. S.W., unit A (note the entrance is on the side of the building on Lander Street); West Seattle; 206-420-3528, goodsocietybeer.com