Woodinville’s Locust Cider has opened almost as many taprooms as the number of years it’s been a company. Brothers Jason and Patrick Spears started Locust in 2015, and since then they’ve gone on to open locations in Ballard, Tacoma, Fortworth, Texas (the Spears brothers’ hometown), and soon West Seattle.
Locust has landed at 2820 Alki Avenue Southwest (next to Cactus) just across from Alki Beach and its thirsty beachcombers. The opening timeline, as tricky as they are to nail down, looks like some time this summer.
The taproom will stay true to the Locust formula: an easy family-friendly atmosphere that’s as fueled by cider as it is community. “I grew up in Texas where anybody you come across becomes a part of your family,” says Jason. “I just want to create a really welcoming family of staff and customers.” That Locust is opening in West Seattle comes as no surprise. “It’s a no-brainer,” says Jason. “It’s possibly one of the tightest communities in Seattle.” Those communities can expect Locust’s reliably broad range of ciders, from single-varietal heirloom blends to the more playful seasonal flavors like mojito, watermelon, and lavender blueberry.
The Alki Beach taproom will, in all, have 16 taps—nine ciders and seven beers, all of which are made by Locust. That’s right, the beer’s by Locust too. Last year the cidery merged with its Woodinville neighbor, Dirty Bucket Brewing, which means brewer Steve Acord now has experimental domain over the beers for Locust Cider and Brewing Co. Those beers are as eclectic as the ciders: Mexican lager, chocolate porter, passionfruit milkshake IPA, and “one of the wackiest,” says Jason, is the smoke blueberry rauchbier (smoked applewood over mesquite with fresh blueberry juice).
As for food, Alki boasts a much larger kitchen, all the better to serve a more expanded gluten-free menu. Kid’s corner? Check. Retro games? You bet. Waterfront views? Oh, yes.
Jason says Locust is still in expansion mode beyond the new West Seattle location. They have more Seattle area spots in the works and even one planned for Boulder, Colorado. After all, locusts do swarm and migrate.
Stay tuned for opening details as we have them.
View from inside Locust’s Alki taproom.
Image: Courtesy Locust Cider
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