USA, WA: Nisqually Valley Brewing already open in Yelm

After a long-anticipated wait, about 200 beer enthusiasts celebrated the opening of Nisqually Valley Brewing, Yelm’s first microbrewery on March 3, the Nisqually Valley News reported.

Yelm High School history teacher Tasha Johnson and her husband, Marine Corps veteran John Johnson, have taken their part-time hobby that originated on a kitchen stove to Yelm Avenue for everyone in the Yelm area to enjoy.

“The support’s been awesome as we’ve been waiting for this to happen,” Tasha said at the grand opening. “Family and friends have been supportive, even complete strangers on Facebook have been super supportive and it’s kept us positive.”

The opening was a welcomed sight to many microbrewery enthusiasts including Yelm Mayor JW Foster.

“We love seeing people taking a chance and living out their dream by starting a business here in Yelm and I hope that you (Tasha and John) can say that it’s been a friendly place to do business, we try really hard,” Foster said. “This is a unique business here in town that we’ve been waiting a long time to welcome.”

The two business owners originally planned to open in early October but were delayed by the state permitting process. The state required an inspection of the brewing equipment and the brewing process before Nisqually Valley Brewing could begin making their beer. After the permit was issued, the Johnsons had to wait two weeks for their beer to brew before the doors could open.

The grand opening featured five original beers ranging from a light “Quaffer’s Kolsch” to a dark “Paradise Porter” along with one guest brew, the Point Defiance India Pale Ale from Harmon Brewing. The Quaffer’s Kolsch was the most popular among the enthusiastic crowd and the tasty brew sold out within the first few hours of opening.

This weekend, the brewery will have the Old Ale, Prairie Pale, Brokedown Brown and Paradise Porter along with two guest taps, Georgetown Pilsner and Harmon IPA. The Georgetown Lucille IPA will be the next featured guest tap.

“The community support has been amazing, them being patient right along with us, not giving up on us,” Tasha said. “We wanted to be open sooner so it’s good to have positive vibes from everyone, it’s just been really nice.”

The brewery does not cook food but Tasha and John encourage people to bring outside food in “as long as they drink our beer,” Tasha said with a smile. The grand opening featured a taco truck by Tacos Gaby who will return 4-10 p.m. this Saturday and will likely return for more weekends in the future.

Every brewery has a mug club and Nisqually Brewing is no different. Their mug club is called the “Quaffer Club.” Cost of membership is $125 for the first year and $100 for members who renew next year. Quaffer Club members will receive 20-ounce glasses with a logo instead of the traditional logo-less 16-ounce glass for the same $5 “pint.”

The “Quaffer” comes from the company logo where the “Q” and the “U” in “Nisqually” meet and create a shape that looks like a little man drinking a beer. The birth of the Quaffer came out of coincidence when the graphic designer noticed the font created a little beer enthusiast.

Well-behaved dogs are also welcome to hang out on the patio as their owners enjoy the local hops. The unique, hobbit-structured building located at 704 W Yelm Ave. holds up to 48 people inside and will fit another 28 people outside.

“It’s been really awesome to see friends in the community and we are so appreciative of them. They helped set up and clean at work parties,” Tasha said. “Everyone was patient when they could have got tired of waiting. It was nice that people thought it was worth the wait and so many people turned out.”

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