Cloudburst Brewing (5456 Shilshole Ave NW) will be joining forces with Bale Breaker Brewing, which recently acquired the Seattle-based brewery.
Cloudburst owner Steve Luke announced the news on social media last week, describing it as a “feel-good acquisition,” saying that an upcoming move to New Zealand meant it was time for a change.
Cloudburst opened in Ballard in 2020. It was its second location—they also operate a brewery and taproom at 2116 Western Ave.
“It’s been over a decade of all gas, no brakes with this brewery,” Luke said. “I’m proud of what we accomplished, from all the awards and accolades, to providing our team with living wages and healthcare, to operating with little to no debt and turning a profit every year.”
He went on to say:
“Still, we’ve taken our hits like everyone else — costs forever rising, beer demand in slow decline, and margins becoming smaller and smaller. I’ve also been pushing the boundaries of burnout — mental, physical, and emotional — these last couple of years, and real talk: It was getting pretty bad.”
Luke’s wife Holly will be taking a job in New Zealand, so they’re making the move. He says he’s had a 15-year friendship with the Smith family, who own Bale Breaker, and so it makes perfect sense that they’d be “the brewer to carry us into the next chapter of existence.”
Cloudburst’s entire team will stay employed, production will continue at its Western Ave location, and they’ll continue to self-distribute in Seattle. Luke will also continue to be involved in the direction of Cloudburst, including recipe design. He says some of Cloudburst will also be more regularly available outside of Seattle thanks to the acquisition.
“It’s been a helluva decade. Here’s to the next one — with friends!”
Photo: Cloudburst Brewing