The long wait for a good beer spot on Beacon Hill is almost over. Melissa Cabal and Robert McConaughy plan to open Tippe & Drague Alehouse sometime next week if all goes as planned. The new alehouse is located in the old ROCKiT space at 3315 Beacon Ave, just a short walk from the Beacon Hill Light Rail Station and down the street from Bar del Corso, Victrola, El Quetzal, Kusina Filipina and The Oak (also coming very soon). The name, which is pronounced simply as “Tip” & “Drag”, is inspired by a hot air ballooning term that also served as the name of Robert’s homebrewing operation that he shared with a friend.

The bar will feature 16 taps, all of which will rotate constantly. There is a strict “no crap on tap” policy here, and the selections will lean heavily on local PNW breweries. The opening tap list (see below) will feature 12 different Washington breweries, including offerings from two breweries just a stones throw away down in SODO: Epic Ales and Emerald City Beer Company. There are also currently 3 Oregon breweries in the lineup and 1 Washington cider. They will offer around 6 well-chosen wines, bottles of cider and gluten free beer. The sole option for macro beer drinkers will be cans of Olympia. They will be serving simple but good food with fresh ingredients; don’t look for any fried food here. The hours will be 4pm till late 7 days a week, and they also plan to open for brunch on the weekends.

Melissa and Robert live in the neighborhood and Tippe & Drague has been in the works since at least the beginning of 2011. They have put a ton of work into the space, and the hardwood floor is about the only thing left over from the ROCKiT setup. They used a lot reclaimed wood and resources, including a bar from a place up in Everett (I think; can’t recall the name). The alehouse will likely have a capacity of just under 50 people with several tables, room for about 10 at the bar, and a nice standing bar that will be perfect for busier periods. Robert calls himself a “reluctant sports fan” and says, “It’s not going to be a sports bar, but it’s definitely an alehouse where you can watch sports.” They also plan to turn the back yard into an outdoor beer garden, but that might not be until next year.

In some Seattle neighborhoods, it seems like a new bar or restaurant opens up every week/month and residents can sometimes take all their choices for granted; not so up here in Beacon Hill. To say I’m excited about Tippe & Drague is an understatement. As a Beacon Hill resident, I’m extremely happy that we will finally have a place (2 soon, once The Oak opens!) on the hill to grab a good draft beer, hang out, meet others from the neighborhood, and catch a game on TV. The place has a perfect feel for a neighborhood bar, and I’m sure that my wife and I are not the only locals excited to pull a stool up to the bar. Best of luck to Melissa and Robert, and I look forward to seeing you often.

The current/opening tap list looks to include:
Deschutes Obsidian Stout (Nitro)
Snoqualmie Haystack Hefeweizen
Emerald City Dottie Seattle Lager
Maritime Pacific Portage Pay Pilsener
Roslyn Dark Lager
Hood Canal Dosewallips Special Ale
Fremont Summer Ale
Fish Brewing ?
Airways Sky Hag IPA
Hale’s Red Menace Amber
Fearless Niord N.W.P.A.
Laurelwood Gearhead IPA
Port Townsend Hop Diggidy IPA
Foggy Noggin ?
Epic Ales ?
Tieton Cider Maker’s Reserve