Fremont Brewing
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Craft beer brewing |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | Sara Nelson, Matt Lincecum |
| Headquarters | Seattle , United States |
Area served | Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Colorado, Montana, California |
| Products | Craft beer |
| Website | fremontbrewing |
Fremont Brewing is a craft beer producer established in 2009 by Sara Nelson and Matt Lincecum. Situated in Seattle’s Ballard district, it operates a taproom and beer garden in the Fremont area. It holds the position of the third-largest craft brewery within Washington state and stands as the leading local manufacturer of barrel-aged beers. Its distribution network extends through Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Colorado, Montana, and California.
Beginning as a modest tasting room, the brewery has grown into a substantial indoor-outdoor beer garden and introduced the Black Heron Project in 2017, which specializes in farmhouse-style and barrel-aged brews. The Ballard production site has expanded to satisfy increasing demand, aiming for an annual production volume of 250,000 barrels, ranking it among the highest-volume craft breweries nationwide.
The name derives from its Fremont neighborhood location, benefiting from a prime spot within Seattle’s dynamic craft beer scene. Co-founder Sara Nelson’s 2020 election to the Brewers Association board highlights Fremont Brewing’s rising prominence and strategic leadership within the industry.
Beer
The majority of hops are procured from the Yakima Valley region, while water is sourced from the Cedar River watershed nestled in the Cascade Mountains. Signature offerings include Universale Pale Ale, Interurban IPA, and Abominable Winter Ale. The Bourbon Abominable Winter Ale secured a bronze medal at the 2012 World Beer Cup; additionally, both the Summer Ale and Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Star Ale received silver medals at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival.
Partnerships
In 2018, Alaska Airlines incorporated Fremont Brewing’s Lush IPA into its beverage selection on flights exceeding one hour. This successful venture led to the debut of Lounge Life IPA in 2019, a brew exclusively available through Alaska Airlines. This collaboration underscores mutual dedication to environmental responsibility.
Sustainability
Fremont Brewing is recognized alongside industry leaders such as Sierra Nevada and New Belgium for its efficient beer-to-water ratio, emphasizing its commitment to sustainable practices. The company employs energy-saving LED lighting, harvests water via rooftop rain gardens, and utilizes hybrid vehicles for distribution logistics. Furthermore, it implements the HORSE system to transform organic waste into renewable energy and fertilizer within a 30-day cycle.