I’m not a money-driven human.” It seems that Luke’s goal is simple: Deliver the best beer possible. Something he also never wants to be? Bought out. And Seattle, seeing one of their favorites take the leap, responded with the warmest of welcomes. By October, Cloudburst Brewing was making its own beer, and in January of 2016, it opened its doors with the purest of intentions. In March 2015, Luke had reached his capital goal, putting the funds towards used equipment and a warehouse space next to Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Making the Plan Come AliveĪs Luke’s plans had been in the works long before the purchase, it was only a few short months after the acquisition that he began to execute his plans. Cue that perfect storm - and all the buzz. Elysian announced they would be acquired by Anheuser-Busch in January of 2015. And as he was making plans, Elysian was as well. From there, with the approval and support of Cantwell, Luke went on to form an LLC, develop a business plan and scope out potential investors. “Owning a brewery is most brewers’ end goal,” says Luke. And as his skills developed, so did his ambitions. Just one month later, Luke was at Elysian, where he continued to hone his skills at the “best brewing job in the city.” It was here, of course, where Luke crafted more than 200 recipes, including the famous Space Dust IPA, Split Shot Espresso Stout and Peach Pumpkin Ale. Next week, I’m emailing you first thing and I’m going to hold you to it.’” “I told him ‘I’m holding you to this drunken job offer. “We got pizza in between sessions and he drunkenly offered me a job,” Luke laughs. Cantwell tried Luke’s brews for the first time and liked what he tasted.
Though Cantwell wasn’t quick to return Luke’s emails, the two serendipitously met at a cask festival that year. Luke took the opportunity to study at the University of California-Davis in their Master Brewers Program in the midst of his cross-country move and then set his eyes on getting in touch with Seattle’s Dick Cantwell, brewer, co-founder and co-owner of Elysian Brewing. The next few years proved fateful for Luke’s career, as Luke and his wife packed their bags and headed west in 2010. Of course, Cambridge House was just the beginning.
CLOUDBURST IPA HOW TO
“ was great because I learned how to build a recipe, but then still have that foundation of great habits that I learned at Allagash.” You don’t just start at the top,” says Luke. “I grew up - instilled in my brain - you bust your ass and work your way up. and Harpoon Brewery, before landing his first head brewer position at a humble seven barrel brewery, Cambridge House Brew Pub. He moved on to work at a handful of other breweries, including Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. “Beer is all I really have known in my adult life.”įrom there, Luke worked his way up. He was 21, in between his junior and senior year of college, when he got his first job in a small and independent brewery at Allagash Brewing Co., making boxes, sweeping floors and washing kegs. Luke’s history in craft started years ago, and on the opposite side of the country.
It was awesome to see because I think it was more people just rooting for someone with genuine intentions.”Īnd, truly, everything about Luke boils back down to those genuine intentions. But I think people were just excited to see one of their own finally do it. The system was different, and we were tweaking recipes.
“We didn’t know what the beer was going to taste like. “The buzz was super stressful because we had to deliver,” says Luke. Luke’s Cloudburst Brewing was all beer lovers could think, talk or dream about. The anticipation was the consequence of a perfect storm of factors: Luke’s stellar resume and reputation, Seattle’s thriving craft beer scene and Elysian’s shocking decision to sell to Anheuser-Busch. The whole city of Seattle was abuzz when Elysian Brewing veteran Steve Luke announced he would be opening his own brewery. Seattle’s Cloudburst Brewing: Built on Genuine Intentions July 22, 2016
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