We love starting rumors.

While talking to a Redhook rep at the Winter Beer Fest this weekend and trying their small batch German Winter Wheat (pretty good!), he mentioned that they are hoping to open a brewpub in Fremont within the next 18 months. The rep's best comment: "We've conquered the US; now we need to re-conquer Seattle."

It's about time they figured out they made a mistake ever leaving in the first place. Since closing their Trolleyman's Pub a few years back, Redhook seems to have lost favor with many Seattle beer drinkers. In a competitive local market, they abandoned their roots for the sake of the bottom line and many local beer drinkers have looked to other brewers instead.

We tried to get more info about this from their HQ and heard from Dave Mickelson, Redhook President, that there are no definite plans in the works and that the rep's statement was very, very premature. He did say they are always discussing options and that they would love to have something back in the Seattle market eventually. But there are no plans to have one within the time frame the rep stated.

So make what you will of the info. But we would definitely welcome Redhook back to Seattle with open arms; if they do it right. Hopefully, they'd open a brewpub that does plenty of small-batch beers, in addition to serving the usual Redhook/Widmer line.

Dave also mentioned that they are experimenting with more small-batch brews at the Woodinville location and that "Doubleblack Stout may finally resurface in the near future". Once again, nothing certain here....but enough to get our hopes up. That is the beer that was previously made with Starbucks coffee and was one of the first good stouts we ever tasted. It would be a very welcome addition back to the market.

Photo thanks to Andre at NW Microbrews.