Three Magnets Brewing Co. is an appropriate name for the downtown Olympia brewery. Their strengths have pulled large crowds since their opening in November 2014.
This list of proud accomplishments is long for Three Magnets co-owner Nate Reilly, including the quality of the beer.
“Going into this project, not being a brewer myself, I really couldn’t have imagined us putting out beer as good as we are now,” says Reilly, who also owns Darby’s Cafe with business partner and wife, Sara. “I was hopeful, but I also had no way of knowing. That was the biggest variable in our business plan, and it turned out great for us. I’m most proud of our brewers, Jeff and Pat.”
The Reillys, head brewer Pat Jansen, assistant brewer Jeff Stokes and award-winning executive chef Kyle Wnuk will all be at their brewpub’s first anniversary and bottle release party 2-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28. As part of the festivities the brewery will release their 1st Anniversary Ale — a blend of bourbon and port barrel aged strong ales — and a small batch, hand bottled limited release of Old Skook in the Woods, their 2015 Great American Beer Festival Award winning barleywine, aged in bourbon barrels. Their Big Juice IIPA and 2015 Wreathing Havoc Imperial Red Rye Winter Ale will be available in bottles at the party, too.
“As a brewery that is just over a year in age we are still finding our identity, but it is clear that what makes us unique is the fact that we, as a brewpub, have the freedom to produce multiple styles of beer,” explains assistant brewer Stokes. Three Magnets has brewed 40 unique beers since opening.
Stokes says Jansen’s expertise in Belgian-style farmhouse and sour beers has helped put the brewery on the map, and they will forge ahead with their barrel program. That said, Stokes’ passion is in bigger, bolder beers such as their special barrel blend 1st Anniversary Ale (11.2% ABV), as well as imperial stouts and barleywines.
The 1st Anniversary Ale is mostly their Old Skook From the Woods barleywine aged in Heaven Hills bourbon barrels for six months, plus 30 percent Russian Imperial Stout, 20 percent Russian Imperial Stout aged six months in port barrels and five percent Old Skook Barleywine. Stokes brought a sample of the Ale to Wingman Brewers Tacoma’s Denizens of the Dark celebration last Saturday. It’s amazing.
“By aging these beers in various spirit barrels we can create the kind of offerings I like to collect and share with friends and family,” adds Stokes. “Rich and robust beers with great character are really something to celebrate, and I feel that with our first anniversary we wanted to showcase a blend of some of our efforts. The beers that were blended will also be released in small quantities in the near future, but what better way to announce our spirit barrel program then with a blend of some of our favorites.”
During Saturday’s release party, all single bottle sales will be 10 percent off, and all case sales will be 20 percent off. Special guest beers will be on tap from friends of the brewery, and the Three Magnets/Salish Sea Organic Liquors/Wingman Brewers collaboration, an Herbal Saison, will also make it’s Olympia debut on tap. Those who purchase bottles will be entered into a raffle for each bottle. The winner will receive a prize package of a Three Magnets shirt, hat, branded growler, two branded pint glasses and a $100 Three Magnets gift card.
“We will have food specials, though it hasn’t been finalized yet,” says Reilly. “Tentatively, he’ll be serving Beef Bresaola Wrapped Asparagus with Piquillo, Chevre and a Pomegranate Balsamic, Roast Beef Canapes with Horseradish Cream and Cornichon, and Chrizo Deviled Eggs with Sherry Vinegar and Chives. He will also have snacks for the supporters presale.”
Supporters Club members get first dibs on the bottles during the exclusive presale from noon to 2 p.m. The 2016 Supporters club memberships go on sale at 2 p.m. Supporters memberships will be initially limited to 250 members unless there is significant demand for more.
Stokes says new bottles will be released on a monthly basis this coming year. Each release will likely feature one to two core beers and one unique offering from either their sour program, farm series or spirit barrel program. Three Magnets brews on a 15-barrel system.
“We also anticipate some collaborative beers with Chef Wnuk to explore and feature unique spices and flavor combinations,” says Stokes.
Alpha Distributing is now part of the Three Magnets family, distributing the beers in the greater Seattle and Tacoma markets.
“Our focus is and will continue to be on staying local, but it is exciting to see when one of our beers is being enjoyed in a far away locale, including bottle trades,” adds Stokes.
THREE MAGNETS BREWING 1ST ANNIVERSARY AND BOTTLE RELEASE PARTY, 2-10 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 28, 600 Franklin St. SE, Olympia, 360.972.2481
