How to visit Tacoma’s first U Pour bar like a pro

The concept might feel novel, but the setting feels familiar at the first self-serve taproom in the South Sound.

Outfitted with high-tops, long communal tables, Sixth Avenue views and shuffleboard, The Redd Dog is as much a neighborhood bar as it is a regional destination, thanks to a cool, wood-paneled wall of more than two dozen taps, most from regional breweries including 7 Seas, Bale Breaker and Fort George.

Each is decorated with a tablet above that explains the beer — or cider, wine, kombucha — within. You pour what you want, at your pace.

Ordering food is also a digital experience. Tackle a tower of onion rings or perhaps a cup of “Redd” pepper smoked tomato soup. Housemade elements — Russet potato chips, three-day fermented pizza — propel the menu from quotidian to worthy of accompanying your fresh beer-pouring skills. It’s also well-built for takeout; park in one of the stalls in the private lot off Pine for quick and easy pickup.

On Boulart Bakery ciabatta rolls, seven sandwiches include a vegetarian option, a Beyond burger and the Club Redd with pulled pork, bacon and cheddar jack. Each benefits from a side of those addictive house chips, skin-on and shaved thin, fried daily and sprinkled with sea salt.

Share a large Italian salad with olives, pepperoni and roasted yellow tomatoes — a punchy ingredient that finds its way onto many of the 12-inch pies, cooked in a deck oven inherited from prior tenant The Pizza Press. Owner Lane Scelzi and his Ministro Management Co., also behind The Melting Pot in Tacoma and Bellevue, spent a year refining recipes with Sysco’s Celester Gray, a veteran of 13 Coins, and Zachary Oakes, whose extensive resume includes chef positions at Nordstrom, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Cutters Crabhouse in Seattle.

“The goal is always to create a menu with minimal food waste,” said Scelzi. “We wanted the menu to be pub favorites with a little something for everyone, including the lil pups.”

I hope they refine the dough, cook time and temperature, because it has the makings of a fine bar pizza. We tried the Rad Dog with pesto, mozz and kalamata olives — a flavorful combo, but the weight of the ingredients yielded a wet center crust.

Nonetheless, the novelty of the whole experience quickly felt normal: Digital menus and on-site online ordering have only grown more ubiquitous during the pandemic. I’ve been a bartender, and it still felt strangely empowering to pour your own beer — at a brand-new, state-of-the-art bar no less.

The Redd Dog was quiet on a recent Sunday afternoon, but weekends have garnered waits, according to the beerista.

What it lacks in normal barstool interactions, it compensates for in cost and experience. You’re likely to end up with a lower bill here than ordering pints at a typical pub, as you pay for precisely the amount of liquid that goes into your glass. The technology — this one from Chicago-based Pour My Beer — minimizes waste, its creators say, and gives power to the customer.

That’s you!

But first, it’s essential to know Redd, the bar’s mascot and namesake — and Scelzi’s favorite pup. Designed by Bozeman-based firm Insight, the mug of this pretty English lab is everywhere, from keychains and growlers to the staff’s T-shirts and all the signage. The beers? Well those are Redd’s Top Picks. The dish pit (where guests bus their glasses and aluminum trays) implores you to “be a good dawg.”

As Scelzi joked, “There’s a lot of ways to get creative with beer and dogs.”

With a roll-up garage door and big windows, the space benefits from natural light and modern accents. It’s a taproom where you can chill alone in the corner or share food with friends, while easily paying your own way. Kids are welcome — they can even pour their own soda.

Upon entering, check in with the “beerista” and begin your self-pouring beer adventure.

Get your card

It’s just like starting a tab at the bar, only here you receive a branded RFID card, connected to your credit card. Not every customer needs a card: A couple, for instance, can share.

Want a quick tour? The beerista will walk you through the process, but you’ll get the hang of it after a pour or two.

Grab a glass

Underneath the beer wall are shelves stacked high with pints, as well as stemless wine glasses and smaller glasses for smaller pours.

Option to give your glass a spin in the built-in rinser to feel super legit.

Pick your beer

The beer wall features 25 rotating taps, including wine, Tacoma’s own Incline Cider and hard kombucha from JuneShine.

Note that there are fewer tablets than there are handles, so many screens show information for two beers. Each handle is clearly labeled with a numbered dog tag (of course!), but the layout makes sense when you’re standing in front of it.

You’ll see the brewery’s logo, the name and style of the beer, plus the alcohol content.

Pour your beer!

Place the RFID card in the slot below the tablet of your choice beer — no swipe or tap, just set.

Tip your glass to a 45-degree angle under the tap. Pull the handle, and don’t be shy: A half-pull won’t yield a proper pour.

On the right side of the screen, you’ll see your name and the price, rolling through the ounces and dollars in real-time, similar to a gas pump.

Find a seat & order food

Take your beer to a table and relax. On the silverware caddies, note your table number, which you’ll need to enter when ordering food from the online system.

Scan the QR code to view the menu on your phone. The process mirrors most online takeout platforms. You’ll need to enter your credit card here, as this transaction is separate from the taps and your RFID card.

Staff will deliver dishes — served simply on aluminum trays — straight to your table. Pizzas arrive on a wooden paddle, set on tabletop stands to leave room below for more food and beers.

When finished, bus your own dishes in the back: toss waste, place dishes in bin and glasses in the racks above. Ask staff for to-go boxes.

Pour more beer

The beauty, so it seems, of the U-Pour system is self-sustainability. Head back to the beer wall for a refill or to try something new. Intrigued by the hard kombucha? Grab one of the smaller glasses and pour a taster.

One important caveat: The Redd Dog automatically sets a limit of 24 ounces (about two full beers) per customer in your party. Once reached, the taps won’t work for you. Check back with the beerista who can “recharge” your card — presuming you are in good standing.

Check out

Remember, there’s still a bill to sign! Check out with the beerista at the front counter to sign your digital receipt and leave a tip.

Branded growlers are also available.

THE REDD DOG TACOMA

▪ 2805 6th Ave., Tacoma, 253-212-1174, theredddog.com

▪ Monday-Thursday 3-10 p.m., Friday 3-11 p.m., Saturday noon-11 p.m., Sunday noon-9 p.m. (closing time extended if crowds call)

▪ Details: U Pour It pub with 25 taps and menu of pizza, sandwiches, salads and apps; kids welcome, dogs only at outdoor sidewalk tables

This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 5:00 AM.