Tacoma brewery closed unexpectedly. A local father and son swooped in to save it
Odd Otter Brewing Co., which opened a decade ago on Pacific Avenue making it one of Tacoma’s oldest breweries, closed unexpectedly at the end of last year. The shutter didn’t last long, as new owners rescued the struggling business from demise less than a month later.
With just days left in 2023, Odd Otter shared that it would close the doors after New Year’s Eve. The post, since removed from social media pages, alluded to a possible comeback but stressed that the future was unclear.
On Jan. 26, a frame emerged on Instagram and Facebook: the now-iconic bespectacled otter, his little eyes peeking out from the corner.
Could it be?
Followers chimed in with googly eyes of their own.
The next day, Gary Wescott and his son Nathan Wescott elaborated: “Taking Dry January to a whole new level!” they wrote in their announcement. “WE ARE BACK and otterly thrilled to continue our tradition of serving the oddest beer in Tacoma. Thank you for all of the kind messages over the last few weeks. It reminds us how truly amazing our community is. This would not have been possible without your support.”
The father-and-son duo, both born and raised in the area, it turns out, were regulars at the taproom.
“Ottermelon is my drink,” said Gary, referencing the brewery’s most popular style, a wheat ale infused with, as the name implies, watermelon. “I have Odd Otter socks, art, glasses — we had everything. It just kind of made sense; we were already fans.”
He saw the news like everybody else and rushed down with colleagues from his nearby day-job in the Economic Development Department of Pierce County for a final brew. He started chatting with the manager and then with Nathan, who works in equipment sales.
Within a few weeks, they were ready to fill the tanks with malted barley once again — led by head brewer Shelby Bible, who agreed to return under the new ownership team.
“It happened quickly,” admitted Nathan. “People asked, ‘Was this just a marketing ploy?’”
As the closure post mentioned, it has been anything but smooth sailing these past few years in the bar and restaurant business. Meanwhile, the craft brewing industry that once seemed unshakeable in its rise has, like many sectors, endured the pressures of increased costs, market saturation and corporate consolidation. Across the country, more breweries closed in the first half of 2023 than had in all of 2022, according to an accounting firm’s analysis. Since 2020, Tacoma lost Wingman Brewers and Odin Brewing, coming off the heels of the short-lived Mother Fern Brewing and prior deaths of Pacific Brewing and Harmon.
A group of five friends opened Odd Otter in 2014 at 716 Pacific Ave. The team dwindled over the years, with co-founder John Hotchkiss leaving it most recently to Owen and Karen McGrane. According to the Wescotts, the McGranes had other responsibilities and ultimately reached the point that it “just wasn’t working for them,” explained Gary.
They had been trying to sell the business last year but a deal collapsed in the fall.
Though not brewers, the father and son have bonded over a shared beer, the “community of the industry” and the ability of a come-as-you-are taproom to let people “just be people,” said Gary.
“We believe in the beer and the product,” added Nathan. The branding — otters grace the walls on canvas (in replicas, for instance, of Grant Wood’s “American Gothic”) and in murals in the bathroom — also has unending potential.
Looking forward, they plan to refresh the space a bit while expanding distribution and canning efforts, as well as marketing and events. The popular Wednesday trivia night is already back in action. A food component could potentially happen at some point, too.
As for the beer: “all the same recipes,” they assured.
Flagships will adjust to accommodate Ottermelon, a West Coast IPA, a hazy pale ale and the Oddly Light lager. Seasonals and rotating taps include the popular Ottzel Quattzel, a pilsner, porters, stouts and the fruity “schmoozie” sours. The brewer is also experimenting with barrel-aged treats.
ODD OTTER BREWING CO.
▪ 716 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-327-1680, instagram.com/oddotterbrewing
▪ Wednesday-Friday 3-9 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 1-9 p.m.
▪ Details: new owners for 10-year-old Tacoma brewery; follow Instagram for most accurate updates
This story was originally published March 7, 2024 at 5:30 AM.