Luke took the opportunity to study at the University of California-Davis in their Master Brewers Program in the midst of his cross-country move and then set his eyes on getting in touch with Seattle’s Dick Cantwell, brewer, co-founder and co-owner of Elysian Brewing. The next few years proved fateful for Luke’s career, as Luke and his wife packed their bags and headed west in 2010. Of course, Cambridge House was just the beginning. “ was great because I learned how to build a recipe, but then still have that foundation of great habits that I learned at Allagash.” You don’t just start at the top,” says Luke. “I grew up - instilled in my brain - you bust your ass and work your way up. and Harpoon Brewery, before landing his first head brewer position at a humble seven barrel brewery, Cambridge House Brew Pub. He moved on to work at a handful of other breweries, including Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. “Beer is all I really have known in my adult life.”įrom there, Luke worked his way up. He was 21, in between his junior and senior year of college, when he got his first job in a small and independent brewery at Allagash Brewing Co., making boxes, sweeping floors and washing kegs. Luke’s history in craft started years ago, and on the opposite side of the country. It was awesome to see because I think it was more people just rooting for someone with genuine intentions.”Īnd, truly, everything about Luke boils back down to those genuine intentions. But I think people were just excited to see one of their own finally do it. The system was different, and we were tweaking recipes. “We didn’t know what the beer was going to taste like. “The buzz was super stressful because we had to deliver,” says Luke. Luke’s Cloudburst Brewing was all beer lovers could think, talk or dream about. The anticipation was the consequence of a perfect storm of factors: Luke’s stellar resume and reputation, Seattle’s thriving craft beer scene and Elysian’s shocking decision to sell to Anheuser-Busch. The whole city of Seattle was abuzz when Elysian Brewing veteran Steve Luke announced he would be opening his own brewery.
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