The Magnolia brewery Urban Family Brewing Co. just announced their plans to move back across the Ship Canal to join the Ballard brewery district.*
Urban Family Brewing Co. originally started as a taproom on Ballard Ave in 2014, but has been operating at 4441 26th Ave W since 2016*. They’ve now outgrown their building in Magnolia, hence the move.
“The team at Urban Family is grateful to the Magnolia community for their support, and will miss being in the neighborhood,” owner Andy Gundel said in a press release posted on the Washington Beer Blog. “But the new facility provides unparalleled opportunities.” He says the move was inevitable in order to expand their barrel program and offer a larger taproom.
The new space (address yet to be announced) has 23-foot ceilings, “and the ability to spread out to neighboring spaces,” meaning they’ll be able to grow at their own pace, owner, Gundel said. The new location will allow for a 20-barrel brewhouse, a large walk-in space, an expanded taproom and a larger outdoor area.
The brewery plans to continue to focus primarily on fruited sours and IPAs, but they’ll be able to explore new flavors with a “focus on making more complex, wood-aged beer,” Gundel said.
“We want to bring something special into the Ballard area. We know we’re not the first game in town, by any means, but we hope that we are viewed as a positive addition.”
They plan to move their production to their new location this summer, and the tasting room will relocate at the end of the year.
*Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Urban Family started in Magnolia, not Ballard.
Photo from Urban Family’s Facebook page
Welcome back to Ballard! Will the porch swing come with you?
Agreed, welcome back! I visited them quite often at their old Ballard Ave location when they served half their brews and half rare beers from other breweries. Their employees were always friendly and fun.
With all the breweries in Ballard, I never made the trek to Fisherman’s Terminal, so I’m looking forward to checking them out again.
Nice, I’m looking forward to them being back here. The old space in Magnolia was nice, but so far removed.
Not so far that their children can’t come invade our school.
You are obviously not even old enough to drink beer. And now you are talking about your school.
elencho likes to cry about Magnolia kids going to Ballard High School. It’s weird.
You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted beer passed thru the kidneys of an ibex.
And don’t forget the fine taste of custom-curated organically sourced hops.
But “fruited sours”…eh, maybe not so much.
Urban Family makes some absolutely delicious beer! Im excited to have them again within walking distance! With Lagunitas and Reuben’s and Urban Family and so many others, we’re spoiled with some of the best beer in the northwest a few blocks from home!