Pike Brewing Launches Pike Taproom Summit at the Seattle Convention Center

Earlier this week, Pike Brewing opened Pike Taproom Summit, its fourth location in Seattle, Washington. This new location is on the edge of downtown and across I-5 from Capitol Hill and is part of the newly opened Seattle Convention Center – Summit. And from our visit on Wednesday, this location will be a nice oasis in this area of downtown.

When the developer of the newly expanded convention center sought out retail tenants on the ground floor of the new building, it wanted to bring together a few of Seattle’s iconic institutions. The taproom’s design pays homage to Seattle’s rich history while incorporating modern elements, creating a unique and inviting space that reflects the city’s dynamic spirit.

Sitting next to the new Pike Taproom Summit are two of Seattle’s popular establishments, Piroshky Piroshky Bakery and Monorail Espresso. It’s a nice touch for when tourists visit Seattle for trade shows, there are a few local places to eat and imbibe at.

Pike Taproom Summit is a quaint spot that offers inside seating for 13 guests and outdoor seating for 24 guests. On tap are four Pike Brewing beers along with an assortment of Pike beers in cans and a few soft drinks. There are plenty of options and is a perfect spot to grab a 6-pack to go or grab a pint before a show at the Paramount Theatre.

When it comes to the food menu, Pike is keeping it simple with a menu of seven hot dogs and brat options that’s highlighted by the hometown Seattle Dog. There are also vegetarian options and the famous Pike Pretzel that is baked down the street at Pike Brewing, adjacent to the world-famous Pike Place Market. Unfortunately, the menu does not have a Chicago Dog currently on it. It breaks this former Chicagoan’s heart.

“We are thrilled to open our latest Pike Brewing taproom location to welcome locals and visitors alike to experience a Pike craft beer paired with the perfect gourmet hot dog,” said Drew Gillespie, President of Pike Brewing. “Our growth and expansion now provides us with yet another avenue to connect with the diverse communities across Seattle that make our city so great.”

During our visit on Wednesday we were able to chat for a bit with Drew. He will celebrate his 25th year at Pike Brewing on Tuesday, December 19 as he began his career at the brewery as a line cook back in 1988. Through the years since then, he has advanced his career to become the brewery’s Vice President of Operations in 2011 and then becoming co-owner alongside the Finkels, Patti Baker, and Gary Marx in 2015. Then three years later was promoted to become the brewery’s President.

Since becoming Pike Brewing’s President, he helped steer the ship during the pandemic where the brewery suffered, especially for a tourist driven brewery. The brewery has come out of the pandemic with a brand refresh and the opening of two new locations. Most recently, the brewery has seen a growth of 40% during the past year. This something that only a few breweries are experiencing during these challenging times where most brewery growth is flat or negative.

He also helped usher in a new production brewery in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood that will come on line very soon…fingers crossed. There, Pike Brewing will be able to expand production and be able to brew a bit more efficiently than on their former gravity fed brewhouse.

But with all of this promising growth and opportunities for the brewery, we learned that Drew will be stepping down from his role as President of Pike Brewing. He chose to step back and take a breather since the past four years has been one heck of a roller coaster ride. His plan is to spend more time with his wife and son and then figure out what is next for him career wise sometime down the road. We wish him all the best!

Pike Taproom Summit is open daily 11:00am – 7:00pm. For more information about Pike Taproom Summit, please visit piketaproomsummit.com.

Pike Taproom Summit
1008 Pine Street
Seattle, WA 98101