Atlas Brew Works Gaslight Brett Belgian Blond

Where in Town: Atlas Tap Room, 2052 West Virginia Ave. NE, Suite 102

Price: $6/12 oz.

Here Comes The Sun

Atlas Brew Works just became a much cooler place to hang out and enjoy local craft beer—literally. Last week, founder Justin Cox and his team opened a new taproom complete with an air-conditioning system that’s entirely solar powered. The sleek 2,600-square-foot enclosed space, designed by Cox’s childhood friend Justin Feit, features a 20-person bar, table seating for 40, and plenty of standing room. A garage door opens to the production brewery and former tasting area, and the main entrance connects to an outdoor patio that debuted this spring. With the expansion, Atlas is now open seven days a week and can pour up to 16 beers on draft. Soon, the addition of a pilot brewing system will allow Atlas to offer small-batch experimental beers, including more oak barrel-aged brews.

Brett Spree

In its new taproom, Atlas is currently offering several beers “on Brett” made with Brettanomyces, a naturally occurring yeast that can give beer an earthy, sometimes sour character. Take Gaslight, lead brewer Dan Vilarrubi’s “crazy” version of Atlas’ popular 1500 South Cap Lager. He added a specific strain, Brettanomyces Bruxellensis (named after the Senne valley in Belgium famous for spontaneously fermented lambics) to finish the beer during secondary fermentation. The tweak gives this crisp, clean lager a softer, lighter body and slightly tart taste. Brewed with Pilsner, Munich, and Cara malts, Gaslight still has a primarily bready flavor. Its Mount Hood hops are less noticeable in the beer’s nose but add to its dry, satisfying finish. Gaslight is light, lovely, and extremely drinkable—a perfect summer beer.