Populuxe Brewing Will Stretch Its Legs in Bigger Space Next Door

If you've ever squeezed into the Ballard taproom of Populuxe Brewing on a rainy night when the large outdoor space is inhospitable, this will be the best news ever: The little producer is planning to take over the space next door, which will soon comprise a much, much bigger 4,000-square-foot brewery and taproom.

The space once housed Ballard's Oddvars Automotive. Populuxe will grow into a seven-barrel brewhouse with 15-barrel fermenters, a taproom with 20 draft lines, and large screen televisions for broadcasting events like Sounders and Seahawks games. And the company will still have that great outdoor beer garden for food trucks and cornhole games.

With the new space, Populuxe also expects to expand its barrel-aging program, increase bottling capacity, delve into more experimental brews and sour beers, and build a lab for advanced quality assurance. There will be a designated room for private parties as well.

Populuxe will also expand its hours to seven days a week once the new space is open. A member of Eater's list of essential Seattle breweries, Populuxe opened in 2013 with just three beers on tap. Husband-and-wife owners Peter Charbonnier and Amy Besunder currently offer ten beers at a time.

Expect a March or April opening of the new brewery and taproom.