One of Tacoma’s oldest craft breweries, under new ownership, is making better beer than ever

If you haven’t soaked in the views of the Narrows over a fresh pint of Octo IPA, you’re missing out on one of Tacoma’s must-see — and drink — experiences.

From the deck or a window seat — which is pretty much every seat — at Narrows Brewing, on a clear day you can glimpse the Olympics in the distance, Fox Island, the blue waters around the Narrows Marina and those infamous bridge(s). Between the horns of BNSF trains blaring on the railway, which you must cross to access the area, you take another sip and realize, “I live here!”

Narrows Brewing just turned 10, a feat for any small business but especially for one in an industry that barely existed when today’s just-turned-21-year-olds were born.

It also quietly changed hands in November 2020, and since then, new owner Parker Rush has been cultivating a complete refresh of the company’s identity and the recipes of both core beers and weekly releases.

Also a third-generation commercial fisherman (he spends two months captaining his own ship in Bristol Bay, gillnet fishing for sockeye salmon), Rush is just 29 years old. He began homebrewing as a teenager when only a few dozen breweries existed in Washington state. After a few years training with the lager masters at Seattle’s Lowercase Brewing, he attended brew school at the University of California at Davis, all the while saving up to eventually open his own brewery or buy an existing one.

Family friends were part of the six who had opened Narrows in 2013. They were looking for a buyer, and it was not an opportunity to pass up. I mean — those views!

Now Narrows’ beer is better than ever.

“We try to make beer-flavored beer,” said Rush. “A lot of popular styles lean toward sweetness that none of us are big fans of here, so we try to make dry and drinkable beer.”

You’ll find that in his favorite, the Highway 16. It is brewed with traditional Bayern lager yeast from Germany, Centennial and Hallertau Mittelfruh hops — most sourced from Roy Farms in Moxee and Hopsteiner in Yakima — and finished at a quaffable 4.7% alcohol by volume.

If all those words mean gobbledygook to you, but you appreciate an easy-sippin’ beer that has you smacking your lips and unfolding the lawn chair, his colloquial description might entice you to stop reading this story and head to the west side right now: “It’s darker than a Budweiser, but it’s a crisp, drinking kind of beer.”

It’s just a good beer, one that satisfies the brewer’s other requirement: “Something you can drink more than two of!”

The flagship Octo IPA, their bestseller, clocks in at a solid 6% and 70 IBUs (the measurement of bitterness in a beer) from a trio of hops plus a dry-hop. What differentiates this one from many of its peers is the addition of malted white wheat and flaked oats to the barley — and its drinkability.

Tempest, a hazy IPA; Eldies, an amber that’s crisp with a chocolate-laced malt backbone; and Half Shackle, an English-style porter that’s drier and lighter-bodied than its American counterpart round out Narrows’ core lineup.

One of the first major projects Rush and his fiance Lauren Rehn, who manages the administrative side of the business, undertook was the brand overhaul. Not unlike many upstart breweries, every can design at Narrows was unique — but none screamed “Narrows!” Rush enlisted the help of his graphic designer cousin and unveiled the streamlined look just in time for the brewery’s 10th anniversary party last month.

“It’s all about brand consistency — being able to spot a Narrows beer on the shelf,” he said.

The flagship brew was previously recognizable for its ocean-blue can and orange tentacles reaching up to grab the letters O-C-T-O. The new design harnesses the same Gertie energy with emphasis on the brewery’s maritime location with bridges that peak like mountains. Each of the core cans has its own distinct color.

At the taproom, you’ll also find ample limited-edition brews, including the surprisingly not-sweet and nut-free (thanks to a flavoring agent) Peanut Butter Cookie blonde ale, and various iterations of the Octo IPA, such as the Queen Octo hazy with phantasm (a powder derived from sauvignon blanc grapes that provides juicy, tropical aromas) and the King Octo double that clocks in at 9%.

Every Wednesday, Narrows taps something new. Recent releases include a barleywine with all Munich malt that rested for nine long months in a port barrel, a tart cranberry-infused Tempest and an Italian-style pilsner. For the fall equinox, there’s a PSL-inspired imperial stout spiced with real cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.

Looking forward to the next 10 years, Rush hopes to expand Narrows’ distribution in the region. Shortly after taking over, he expanded production to another room in the massive former lumber mill, constructed in 1912 and renovated in 2007. Adjacent to the 28,000 square feet of space that’s primarily used for private events, Narrows’ taproom holds about 7,500, with multiple rooms also available to rent.

He and his team have already doubled production to 4,000 barrels a year (a.k.a. almost 1 million pints’ worth).

NARROWS BREWING

▪ Located at Narrows Marina, 9007 S. 19th St., Tacoma, narrowsbrewing.com

▪ Sunday-Thursday noon to 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday noon to 11 p.m.

▪ Details: 10-year-old brewery with refreshed beers under new owner; views for days plus great beer on tap and to-go in cans/bottles

▪ Snacks for sale but BYO food allowed, no minors

This story was originally published September 25, 2023 at 5:30 AM.