Washougal-based Doomsday Brewing is opening its third location in Hazel Dell, furthering it from the fate of its namesake.
Located at 9301 N.E. Fifth Ave., Doomsday Brewing Pub and Pizza will focus on making pizzas and pouring its own fresh beer. It won’t brew at the new location, but 15 of Doomsday’s beers will be on tap. Its grand opening is Saturday.
Co-owner Jake Walton, 32, said the brewery aims to create a family-friendly feel for the new pub, which he and co-owner Erik Cloe have been eyeing for about a year because of the area’s growth.
“We saw a potential in it,” he said. “It’s blowing up in here in a good way.”
Doomsday is also backing off its distribution to third-party taphouses and restaurants partly due to of a lack of quality control, he said, but Cloe added that it’s also so Doomsday has enough beer to supply the third location. They brew about 800 barrels of beer annually, Cloe said.
The pub held a soft opening on Tuesday with about 100 customers, including workers from other breweries, which isn’t surprising, Walton said, considering that Clark County’s brewers are known for being a tight-knit group who are more supportive than competitive.
Started in Washougal
Founded in 2012 by Battle Ground High school graduates Walton and Cloe, Doomsday opened its first location in Washougal. In 2014, it opened its second spot at 1919 Main St. in downtown Vancouver and built a bigger facility in Washougal, Walton said.
The new Hazel Dell location is an order-at-the-bar restaurant; bartenders will deliver food to the tables, he said.
“That’s the model we’ve been following,” Walton said. “It’s been pretty successful.”
Doomsday Brewing Pub and Pizza can seat 84 patrons in its indoor and outdoor area. It employs seven workers, including bartenders and cooks.
Its bar tops have custom woodworking with blue epoxy fillings, and the floor “looks like the surface of the moon,” Walton said.
“We got really unique with it,” he said.
There’s also a self-serve popcorn machine and two pinball machines.
The third location caps the number of available locations for Doomsday, according to state law. But Walton said he is planning to fight that law, RCW 66.24.244. He has held meetings with Rep. Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, to introduce legislation that could allow more small breweries to expand beyond the limit of three spots.
“If we get the law changed, Battle Ground is on the list” for expansion, Walton said. “We’d like to open somewhere we grew up.”
