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The
Fremont brewery
was conceived and designed by Mike Hale with the assistance of
J. Kipling. The remodeled 17,000 square foot building, formerly an industrial
hose manufacturing plant, is located on Leary Way,
mid-way between the Fremont &
Ballard districts of Seattle, and includes a pub with seating for 125
customers. The 30 barrel, stainless steel, gravity fed, all steam-heated
brewing system is in full view. The fermenting room sits behind 15' tall panes
of glass, allowing brewery
visitors to fully watch the ales in
process (there are even mirrors on the
ceiling!), yet maintain the
sterile environment necessary for Hale's yeast to thrive.
Hale's employs an
age old English brewing method that features an ale yeast that for centuries
has been specially adapted for the open-topped fermenters of the traditional
English brewery. One of the more pleasant and fascinating sights for a brewer,
or any interested viewer, is the bubbly, creamy "head" that develops through
the various stages of fermentation. Only these
fermenters can accommodate this
wonderfully aromatic and vigorous yeast.
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Hale's is featured in
the March/April 2003 issue of Modern Brewery
Age.