Outer Planet Craft Brewing Opens Today on Capitol Hill

Co-owners Renato Martins and Jim Stoccardo are bringing Outer Planet Craft Brewing to a galaxy near you. The nano brewery is the latest emerge on the ever-growing food and beverage scene in Capitol Hill. And by nano, we mean truly small batch and exclusive; Outer Planet is currently planning on brewing 24 barrels a month as their business gets off the ground.

Head Brewer Jim Stoccardo has had a passion for brewing for nearly 20 years while starting off his then hobby with his brother. After working as an artist and bartender, most recently at Ballard’s Volterra; Stoccardo decided it was time to turn his hobby into something more. So he embarked on a journey to UC-Davis to learn from one of the best in Dr. Charles Banforth, Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences. After completing the short course he went on to brew over 100 batches of various beers while refining his recipes for Outer Planet.

An engineer by trade, Renato Martins was a hobbyist home brewer with a taste for good brew. He and Jim were connected via Stoccardo’s brother with whom he worked and went hiking. One weekend, Jim’s Belgian and Pale Ale were brought along for a post-hike respite and Martins was hooked. The pair got together to share a beer and a week later the concept for Outer Planet Craft Brewing was formed. 

Martins handles the business side of things while Stoccardo focuses on the brewing.  When we asked Martins about the process to open a brewery in Seattle he stated, "We have a newfound respect for small business owners that can't afford to hire a bunch of people and have to navigate all the regulations to open this type of business. It is very hard to do." Two years later (with very few days off) they are ready to open the doors to the general public.

Stoccardo’s brewing philosophy is simple: Use the highest quality ingredients and equipment as possible. When asked about his brewing style he stated, "I focus on precision in my brewing and I don't compromise or cut corners. I’m meticulous in sanitation, tasting notes and I’m a big fan of historical styles that I can tweak to bring into more contemporary palates."

He works with Larry's Homebrew Supply in Kent and strives to keep everything as local as possible. Stoccardo added, "They do a great job at bringing in local ingredients but some come from overseas - malt from Germany, yeast from France – it’s appropriate for certain styles of beer. Of course, we're in a great area here for hops and grains. Probably 80% of our ingredients are sourced locally within a 300-mile radius."

Initial offerings from Outer Planet Craft Brewing include: a light and dark ale, an IPA with citrus and floral notes and without the bitterness of many IPAs, a Saison-style Belgian and a Bohemian Pilsner. Also, look out for the seasonal Imperial Pumpkin Ale in the fall which Martins described as, "liquid pumpkin pie with a hint of brandy."

While the brewery will have limited production to start, they plan on expanding in the near term by adding a third fermenter which will increase production by 50%. They’ll likely include some guest taps as well to balance out the menu.

What’s in the sci-fi name? Both Martins and Stoccardo have always been big sci-fi fans. When they came up with concept for the brewery, integrating science fiction into the name was first and foremost in their minds from a naming perspective. You can even see the Buck Rogers-influence in their sign and logo which was handcrafted by Ballard blacksmith David Tuthill.

Outer Planet Craft Brewing is located at 1812 12th Ave. #100 in Seattle and they open today at 4:30 p.m. Initially, the brewery will be open Thursday through Sunday but will expand to seven days a week soon.