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- by Kendall Jones, Washington Beer Blog -

We have been following the development of Bellevue Brewing Company for the past two years. John Robertson plans to open the city’s first independently owned brewery, giving his fellow Bellevue residents a brewery about which they can be proud—one that not only brews great beer but also inspires a sense of community.

Robertson is a man of great patience, moving thoughtfully and cautiously every step along the way, recognizing that doing it right is better than doing it fast. Bellevue Brewing Company is now nearing fruition. The Washington Beer Blog will track the company’s progress as it clears the last few hurdles and crosses the finish line. Because I am a proud Bellevue native as well as an unforgiving craft beer enthusiast, the development of this particular brewery is very near to my heart. Stay tuned.

Final construction of the actual brewery will begin in earnest very soon. The brewhouse is ready to ship and the fermenters are under construction. Robertson also tells us that he is about to place an order for kegs. (We expect to tell you more about that in the near future.) When I spoke to Robertson this morning, shopping for commercial kitchen equipment was at the top of his to-do list. He also told me that he is currently working on a plan to provide some outdoor seating when the brewery and taproom opens.

Scott Hansen and John Robertson with their new heat exchanger.

Along with all of this, Bellevue Brewing recently announced the addition of head brewer Tony Powell to its team. The company recently published the following statement on its Facebook page.

“Please help us in welcoming our head brewer, Tony Powell, to the Bellevue Brewing Company. Tony will finish nine years at the Fish Brewing Company in Olympia, WA at the end of this month where he was a medal-winning brewmaster in charge of all Fish Tale Ale, Leavenworth Bier, and Reel Ale production. Together with Al Triplett and Scott Hansen, Tony looks forward to cranking things up a notch with his creativity and newfound freedom. We’re absolutely thrilled to have Tony heading up brewing operations at the BBC! So raise a glass!”

Robertson assembled an impressive team of beer industry veterans, recognizing that his passion for craft beer and his business experience will only get Bellevue Brewing so far. Along with the recent addition of Tony Powell, last September Bellevue Brewing announced that it secured the services of two local beer biz veterans, Al Triplet and Scott Hansen. Between Powell, Triplet and Hansen, the team represents nearly 60 years of craft beer know-how.

Al Triplet held positions of increasing responsibility over the course of his 24-year career at Redhook. He was a brewer, a production manager, and even oversaw the construction of the company’s two breweries in Woodinville and Portsmouth, NH. At Bellevue Brewing, Triplet is Chairman of the Advisory Board.

Scott Hansen founded Leavenworth Biers in 1991. In 2001 he successfully merged Leavenworth with Fish Brewing. At Bellevue Brewing, Hansen will act as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing all brewhouse and taproom operations while spearheading the company’s sales, marketing, and distribution efforts.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we follow Bellevue Brewing Company’s progress.

See our previous stories about Bellevue Brewing Company.

Follow Bellevue Brewing on Facebook.

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