As he prepares to celebrate its 15th year of business, we have questions out to Dick Cantwell of Elysian Brewing about how an honest-to-goodness beer brewery came to be on Capitol Hill but we haven’t heard back yet. Going by the Internet, the Elysian has always been on E Pike — let us know if you can find a single online account of its 1996 opening. It’s as if Kromos burst from the pavement and set to brewing for the heroic and the virtuous. This says he came from Boston as a homebrewer to learn the trade at Pike Place Brewing, then Big Time before teaming up with the guys from Rogue Ales to open the first Elysian.

Today, there are three locations in the Elysian family with a fourth on the way.

We salute Elysian for those soft breezes of yeasty brew that waft through Pike/Pine sometimes mingling with the latest roast at Vita. No, that’s not Bonney-Watston. It’s beer.

Next week, Elysian celebrates those 15 years with a turn-back-the-clock party and five days featuring their top 15 beers… ever.

THE ELYSIAN THROWBACK PARTY on our actual birthday – MAY 10 – Dust off your flannel and cardigans because we are heading back to the 90’s with our clothes, music, and some original food menu items! — not to mention Retro Happy Hour with 1996 pint prices ($2.00 PINTS) from 3-5pm that day. Look for special treats from the Cellar to be pulled out on this night!! Starts at 3PM with the Retro Happy Hour. Elysian’s 15th Birthday Week @ all 3 Elysian pubs The results are in! Of the 180 beers we’ve brewed over the past 15 years, these are your picks. We plan to pour these 15 beers + our 15th Anniversary brew MAY 9-13 at all three Elysian pubs :: AK-47 MALT LIQUOR

ZEPHYRUS PILSNER

PROMETHEUS IPA

THE GREAT PUMPKIN IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE

AVATAR JASMINE IPA

BIFROST WINTER ALE

YUZU’S GOLDEN ALE

ROSEMARY’S BABY IPA

CYCLOPS BARLEY WINE

SAISON POIVRE

XOXO CHOCOLATE CHILE STOUT

DRY-HOPPED IPA

LOSER PALE ALE

AMBROSIA MAIBOCK

ROTATER (KROKUS SAFFRON SOUR WHEAT ALE, WOUT BIER, THE PERFESSER)

SEXTACULA – OUR 15TH ANNIVERSARY ALE. *Please Note the official tapping of Sextacula, our 15th Anniversary Ale, will be Tuesday evening, May 10, during our Throwback Birthday Party at our Capitol Hill brewpub. Hope to see you all there. Cheers, Elysian Brewing