Washington’s Chuckanut Brewery has big expansion and contraction changes in store for the rest of 2021 and into 2022. The brewery in Burlington at the Port of Skagit in the heart of Skagit Valley will be more than doubling its size. This expansion will set the brewery up to get deeper into the field of bottling and canning its superb ales and lagers. At the same time Chuckanut will be opening its P Nut Chuckanut Beer Hall at 920 SE Caruthers St, in Portland. This SEDivision district beer hall and garden will have indoor and outside seating with beer, cider and sodas by the glass and the option to purchase packaged Chuckanut beers for off premise including party kegs.
The contraction part of the equation is that the building in Bellingham where Chuckanut started has been sold and the new ownership wishes to use the building for their own project. Chuckanut will be leaving Bellingham for the time being, but always on the look-out for another good location. With two big projects to work on through 2022 Chuckanut will be busy! The last day the Bellingham site will be open for food and beer will be mid October. If you are looking to visit Chuckanut after mid October make sure to go to either the Port of Skagit SouthNut or the new Portland, Ore., locations (Portland will open sometime in November).
Chuckanut dabbled in packaging its beers in bottles and then cans for a short period in 2020 and 2021. It became clear that fans wanted to see more cans and bottles in their neighborhood bottle shops and grocery stores. Because of this request, plans were started on how packaging of Chuckanut beers could be accomplished. The Port of Skagit, in support of Chuckanut, will prepare a pad-ready area for the expansion of the building at the South Nut production facility. The small batch brewery that was in Bellingham will then be moved and housed in the expanded brewery building which will also hold a packaging house, truck loading docks and staging area as well as a large storage area for cans, bottles and finished brewery product.
Day One Distribution, who handles Chuckanut beers in Oregon, offered a portion of their building to Chuckanut for a beer hall. Because of its great location Chuckanut agreed and has started renovations to have a 76 seat beer hall and additional outdoor beer garden in the location at 920 SE Caruthers St. Chuckanut intends to have visiting food trucks parked adjacent to the beer garden and hall to offer beer drinkers food to accompany their choice of beverages. The PNut (as it is affectionately called) will offer beer to-go including growler fills, kegs, bottles and cans. Of course, official Chuckanut shwag will be available as well as pre-packaged snacks, cider and sodas. The official opening of the hall will be sometime in November. Watch social media for updates.
Meanwhile all of Chuckanut friends in Bellingham are encouraged to come in and say goodbye to the outstanding Chuckanut front and back house team in before the closing. The 601 W Holly St in Bellingham was Chuckanut’s original location and opened in 2008, its been a long run of over 13 years. When you visit South Nut the same fabulous brewers will all be working at the Skagit Valley location along with the small team of front house employees. It’s time for big changes for Chuckanut, and the continued support by drinking some of the best craft beers in America and the world is very much appreciated!
Chuckanut Brewery, currently located at both 601 West Holly St, Bellingham and 11937 Higgins Airport Way in Burlington, was awarded National Small Brewery/Brewer of the Year 2011 at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Both South and North Nut offer on-site beverages, to-go beer and pickup for kegs, growlers and bottles of Chuckanut beer. Guests of all ages are welcome at both locations. A full menu at North Nut can be had on site, to go or delivered. The South Nut Skagit Tap Room and Brewery in Burlington is located at the Port of Skagit and works with the Skagit Landing restaurant across the street to deliver food.
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