Ballard Breweries

The Seattle neighborhood of Ballard has a fantastic Brewery District, just north of Salmon Bay.

These Ballard breweries are all in a 4 block radius off NW 14th, so plan a brewery crawl with your friends! Most of these breweries are also kid and dog friendly.

Enjoy a great selection of ales in bustling taprooms, relax in beer gardens, or order meals from food trucks. 

Citybop has a list of the Top 10 Ballard Breweries:

• Great Notion Brewing
• Reubens Brews
• Obec (21+)
• Stoup
• Urban Family Brewing
• Trail Bend Taproom
• Wheelie Pop Brewing
• Lucky Envelope Brewing
• Fair Isle Brewing (21+)
• Bale Breaker

10 best Ballard Breweries

1. Great Notion Brewing

Great Notion Brewing (5101 14th Ave NW) started off in Portland Oregon in 2016, and sells award winning IPAs, lagers, sours, smoothies and stouts. The beers can be shipped nationwide, and there's also some cool merchandise for sale, like hoodies, caps and pint glasses. 

This busy venue has both indoor and patio seating, and is perfect for all age groups, including families. You can also order comfort food from Burb's Burgers, selling hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken nuckets for under $6 each, making this a cheap place for a meal.

2. Reubens Brews

Reubens Brews (5010 14th Ave NW) opened in 2012, and has 25 expertly crafted beers on tap.  It has seating both inside and outside, and a small menu at Reuben's Eats (check food calendar).

3. Obec (21+)

Obec Brewing (1144 NW 52nd) has an adults only taproom, where you can build your own European inspired beer flight, or order some wine. Step outside to the heated, outdoor patio, or cross the road to pick up a delicious pizza at Serious Pie.

4. Stoup Brewing

The family friendly Stoup Brewing (1108 NW 52nd) prides itself on its award winning Northwest IPAs, lagers, stouts and pale ales. It was started by a husband and wife team and their friend in 2013. The husband was previously a forensic chemist. Check out one of the busiest Ballard breweries!

Kids and dogs are welcome on the two large patios, with overhead heating in winter.  This is the spacious west patio.

The south patio overlooks the street and is undercover, perfect for wet days.

The taproom at Stoup Brewing is a fun place to hang-out, with garage doors opening to the patio. You can also order kegs, cans, or growlers to go!

Take the steps upstairs to the 21+ events space.

Check the food truck schedule at Stoup Brewing, to see what's on offer. Many Ballard breweries have a food truck on-site.

5. Urban Family Brewing

The super cool Urban Family Brewing (1103 NW 52nd) has two floors of seating inside, and a spacious patio with heating for cooler days.

Sit at a table amongst the barrels and take in the fun atmosphere at one of the biggest Ballard breweries.

Urban Family Brewing is well known for their excellent sour flights, or you can indulge in a refreshing, sour slushie during summertime.  

The production facility flows into the taproom, with plenty of local art on the walls to keep you inspired, and free stickers for visitors.  Can you see the dog bowls in the foreground?

Check out the food truck schedule at Urban Family Brewing.

6. Trail Bend Taproom

The Trail Bend Taproom (1118 NW 50th) has a stylish, industrial interior with concrete floors and custom woodwork. It has beers on tap from Northwest breweries, in addition to ciders, wines, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.  There's also a restaurant on-site, with menu items including wood fired pizza, salads, sandwiches, bowls and kid friendly food. This is the place to go if you'd prefer a sit-down meal in a restaurant, rather than a food truck.

There's also ample undercover seating outside on the pavement.

7. Wheelie Pop Brewing

Wheelie Pop Brewing (1110 NW 50th) is owned by two best friends, who share a love of motorcyle racing and "wheelies". Can you see the picture of a motorcyle driver, right above their sign out front? Choose from a decent selection of brews, with other offerings like Italian soda and prosecco also available.

They have a spacious taproom and outdoor patio in a warehouse space, with food available from the Trail Bend Taproom restaurant next door. 

8. Lucky Envelope Brewing

Lucky Envelope Brewing (907 NW 50th) was established by two friends in 2015. The name is a reference to the Chinese tradition of handing out red envelopes, stuffed with cash to bring good luck!  This brewery is know for really unique beers, like the Peanut Butter Cream Stout or Boysenberry Rhubarb Sour.  Food trucks are often on-site.

9. Fair Isle Brewing (21+)

Fair Isle Brewing (936 NW 49th) opened in 2020, just 2 months before the pandemic! This brewery is adults only, and dogs are only permitted on the patio, not inside the tasting room.

This is one of the most unique Ballard breweries, priding themselves on creating farmouse brews with Northwest ingredients like barley, wheat, elderberries, blackberries and kiwi fruit, and foraged ingredients like elderflowers, larch tips and madrone bark.  Wine, cider and non-alcoholic drinks are also available.

The stunning brewery was created from four industrial buildings, with an architectural-style tasting room and dining area with vaulted ceilings, terracotta breezeblocks, and a copper bar. 

10. Bale Breaker & Yonder Cider

Bale Breaker (826 NW 49th) has a large tasting room in Ballard, serving 16 taps of ales from their family owned farm in the Yakima Valley, located 2 hours southwest of Seattle. They also serve 16 taps of cider from their partner Yonder Cider, who grow apples in the Wenatchee Valley, 2.5 hours east of Seattle.

The tasting room has a fabulous mural, and flows into an expansive patio. Check their food truck schedule, and enjoy a yummy meal indoors or out on the patio, with firepits for cooler days.