Washington State’s first Black-owned brewery, Métier Brewing, is taking another major leap with the opening of a new space near T-Mobile Park, home of the Seattle Mariners. Steelheads Alley, a boutique brewpub, is set to open next summer and will pay tribute to the Seattle Steelheads, a team that played a single season in the West Coast Baseball Association of the Negro League in 1946.
Métier CEO and co-founder Rodney Hines established the brewery in 2018 with a mission rooted in a deep commitment to foster diversity. Hines is well known as a leader in community engagement from his days at both Microsoft and Starbucks, and he continues to bring his professional acumen and personal passion to his foray into brewing. In a press release from Seattle Mariners, Hines stated, “When the chance to partner with the Mariners arose, we were incredibly excited by the opportunity to be part of this history and reach even more people with our award-winning beers and mission to inspire bigger dreams for all. We feel really fortunate to be joining the organization at such an exciting and critical time and look forward to the many ways this space will provide access to fans and community members from all backgrounds.”
Steelheads Alley, along with the new restaurant, event space, and indoor/outdoor garden, will offer up to ten rotating taps, exclusively featuring MBC beers, including some small-batch craft beers brewed onsite. The site is located in the old Pyramid Brewery building at 1201 1st Avenue South, Seattle.
We’re rooting for the home team, Métier Brewing, and we’re shouting our congratulations and appreciation for keeping the history of Seattle’s Negro League history alive!