Meet Austin–
Aslan’s most senior brewer. For over 5 years, Austin has been working with Aslan to craft delicious and drinkable organic craft beer. Whether that means working with our 30-barrel system in the brewpub, or taking charge of the barrel projects down at the Depot– Austin has done it all.
“It sounds really cliche but I've wanted to be a brewer since I had my first craft beer” states Austin. “When I realized what beer could truly be, it sparked a passion in me that I couldn't shake”. With that passion and drive, Austin spent his college years studying chemistry at University of Northern Colorado and immersing himself into the craft beer scene there.
Austin working with one of Aslan’s barrel projects
“My entire college career was structured around learning as much as I could about brewing and beer in general”, recalls Austin. “I spent my weekends trying as many different types of beer and different types of styles as my liver and budget would allow. I went to as many breweries as possible [and] talked to as many people that were more knowledgeable than I was.”
Austin doing something important
This passion and commitment to craft beer later led him to a quality control internship at New Belgium Brewing, where he spent 5 months learning about the scientific process of beer. “After that I spent 6 months at Two Beers Brewing in Seattle, where I helped stabilize and structure their quality control program. [However] after living in Seattle for 6 months, [I decided] I needed a change of pace ... Now I'm here!”
Since the move, Austin has been cranking away on Aslan projects big and small. Some of Austin’s most recognized brews include the Chai Milk Stout, The Butler, Irish Coffee, Inside Voice, and Arcade Dreams. All of these, created by Austin of course.
More recently, Austin brewed a West Coast IPA known as “Inevitable”– a refreshing IPA featuring a pop of Hibiscus florals. The beer was brewed to celebrate him and his partner Kiersten’s 5 year anniversary and was released as a complete surprise to her! While the beer itself was a delight, we believe it’s the story behind Inevitable that made it so special–
“When my partner Kiersten and I began our journey in craft beer, she was working as a bartender at a local brewery. I wasn't in the industry yet. She had an opportunity to brew a beer with the brewers and she decided on a Hibiscus and Rosehip IPA. It was amazing.”
“Then, we decided to brew a beer for our wedding in 2014. I designed the recipe and brewed it while we still lived in Colorado. After a few hiccups during fermentation, I was able to bottle it right before we moved to Washington, just 3 months before our wedding. We had to pack everything into a POD to move across the country, including the beer, which was still bottle conditioning. When we got to WA and tasted the beer, it was HORRIBLE. Unfortunately we weren't able to serve any of our home-brewed beer at the wedding.”
“Five years later, I was given an opportunity to brew a beer for our anniversary. I combined the recipe from our wedding beer with Kiersten's Hibiscus and Rosehip IPA to create Inevitable, a West Coast IPA with Hibiscus. I brewed that beer to be a surprise for Kiersten. It was one of the most fun, and most meaningful, projects I've been fortunate enough to create while at Aslan. Kiersten was completely shocked and touched.”
Inevitable IPA
This grand gesture perfectly encapsulates Austin as a human being. He is kind, thoughtful, empathetic, hard-working, and passionate. Sometimes while working he bears a furrowed brow– completely lost in concentration. However if you stop to bug him, he’ll be sure to greet you with a warm smile -or on particularly good days- an overly-enthusiastic cheesy grin.
Austin keeps things lighthearted and fun in his demeanor, whether that means sporting a new hairdo (from Mohawk to mullet to man-pony. We’ve really seen it all) or the Calvin and Hobbes themed “Let’s Go Exploring!” tattoo across his arm– when paired with his strong and focused work ethic, he is practically a walking paradox of work and play.
Austin is strange and wonderful in the best way, and part of what makes the Aslan family really feel like family. We are thankful for his expertise and knowledge in all things beer, and look forward to seeing what other kinds of projects he’s got brewing in the future.
Thank you Austin for being a valuable member of our team. Your Aslan family loves you!
Say hello to Don Trosset– better known as “DT” by the Aslan family. DT is a rock in Aslan’s foundation. When we’re falling apart at the seams, he’s always there to put us back together
…Literally!
DT helped build Aslan and has been our primary head of construction since the early days– when we were brewing out of a garage. With over 43 years of experience doing construction, he led the remodel of the McBeath Building; turning it into what we now know as the Aslan Brewpub.
When asking Don’s cohorts how they would describe him, one of our staff members answered it best–
Don is the glue. And without him, things just don’t stick right.
Originally from the East Coast, DT moved out West back in the 70’s, after graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in business and finance.
Don measuring out a sheet of drywall for Aslan’s new conference room
“[During] my senior year of college, I took a ski vacation. I fixed up an old British racing car and sold it … I took the money and traveled to Colorado and Utah. I fell in love with the West. I thought [to myself] ‘This is what I’ve been looking for my whole life’”.
From then on, he was hooked. DT and his wife bought a plot of land out in Northern Idaho where they lived out of a tent and carefully began crafting their new home, piece by piece.
“We had a seven acre forest, so I went out into the woods and chose the trees I wanted to cut down to build our house. I’d fell them … and then used a draft horse to skid [the logs] into decks. We didn’t have any power,” recalled Don, “So I’d use a little generator to run my saw and drill … It was quite a process!”
It was there that they had their two kids, Boe and Frank Trosset – now co-owners of Aslan Brewing Co.
Don with his two sons, Boe and Frank–
Co-owners of Aslan Brewing Co.
The boys grew up in Northern Idaho while Don bounced back and forth between work in Eastern Washington and Idaho. “The boys would come to work with me,” stated Don, “and as they got a little bit older I’d put them to work.” As Boe and Frank got older, DT made a gradual relocation to Bellingham, WA.
Some years later, Don’s oldest son Frank took up an interest in brewing and after graduating from college in Florida, he made the decision to move back in with Don and began brewing beer in his garage.
It was in Bellingham that Frank met his business partners, Jack Lamb and Patrick Haynes. The three of them formulated a plan to open a craft-brewery and eventually were able to relocate Frank’s small brewing operation into the McBeath building, where Aslan currently resides. This move marked the beginning of Aslan Brewing Co.
Over the next nine months, with the aid of the three hopeful business owners and son Boe Trosset, Don tirelessly helped put Aslan together. Together they tore walls down, built them back up, drilled through six inches of concrete slab, and installed the original fifteen barrel brewing system.
Don with his two sons, Boe and Frank
And that’s precisely why he has been deemed as “the glue” of Aslan. DT wears a lot of hats around here, and when the going gets tough, he’s sure to be there– leading the way with an open heart and an abundance of positivity.
Don is nothing if not conversational and can chat with anyone about anything. He offers years of wisdom, advice, and assurance to everyone he crosses paths with and is a living embodiment of unconditional love.
While we could go on and on with our praises- we won’t. Instead, we’ve decided to let our friends take it from here:
“One of the best guys in the world …Deserves a standing ovation every time he enters a room”
-Nicole P.
“In house guru! Love this guy! So grateful for all the wisdom he has shared over the years!”
-Stephanie T.
“The man...the myth...the legend...the glue :-)”
-Cam C.
“DT is the heart of Aslan Brewing. He is a mentor, a father and friend to many of us ... those of us who were there in the beginning have nothing but the utmost respect for his work ethic, heart and constant words of wisdom.”
-Pat H.
”DT is the absolute legend. He also biked with us up to Baker for one of our camp outs!”
-Tyler M.
“A master, legend and inspiration”
- Jordan B.
“Thank you DT for all that you do! Your wisdom and positivity makes this place run”
-Andy A.
“DTiest DT that’s ever DT’d”
-Timmy A.
The Trosset Family
Thank you DT, from the bottom of our heart and from everyone in the Aslan community. You are truly appreciated.
7.0% ABV
Brewed in celebration of Elizabeth Station's 8th anniversary, Timber Cruiser is a blend of mixed culture Saisons, ranging in barrel residency from 1 to 3 years. Light, refreshing acidity, plenty of barrel character, and well-rounded brett. The beer was blended and rested on Douglas Fir branches for several weeks, creating a sensory experience akin to walking through a forest.
Bottles are now available at Elizabeth Station and will be available at the Brewpub & Aslan Seattle on March 26th!
MALT:
2 Row Pale, Carafa, Chocolate, Munich, Roast, Rye
7.2% ABV
A loosely defined farmhouse ale, traditionally brewed in Northern France. Ours draws deeply on the rustic origins of the style - utilizing oak casks as the fermentation vessels and a mix of single-celled organisms for fermentation. Fruity and reminiscent of strawberries, peaches, and rhubarb on the nose. A complex delivery of those aromas carries to the palate, while hints of oak come forward. Dry and refreshing, with a sweet, tangy acidity on the finish. Bottled conditioned with Brett Lambicus to ensure the keeping quality of the beer.
Mediterranean Style Pilsener // 5.0% // 28 IBU // 11.3 P
Medium Body + fresh berries + slight resin
By using the newer hop varieties, Calista and Huell Melon, along with special malt, this version of a classic is decidedly more tropical. Golden hued, malty like a Pilsbury biscuit, and with a hop profile pronounced as fresh berries and honeydew. This stylistically undefined pale lager may be modern in its delivery but still adheres to the finesse of decoction mashing and all-natural carbonation.
HOPS:
Calista, Huell Melon
MALT:
Carapils, Pilsener
To celebrate the Aslan Depot's second anniversary, we constructed 2 Deep — a unique blend of four select oak casks aged in our cellar for over two years. These casks endured the trials, tribulations, & joys of sensory exploitation at the beloved Depot over the last two years.
While pale and straight forward to the eyes, this beer continues to unfold on the tongue — freshly thawed pine needles turn to ripe peach skins, followed by a strong finish that takes you to the hop fields of Marlborough N.Z. An assertive acidity laced with wet oak ties it all together. The aging potential here is high. Drink one now while it's "fresh" and save some for future moments of contemplation. Cheers to two years, and wherever this winding road may lead!
Meet Lew-
One of Aslan’s senior beertenders. Lew’s been with us for about 4 & ½ years, slinging beers and waiting tables.
“This is the longest I've worked anywhere” admits Lew. “All my friends work here… and It's a company that you can feel pretty good about working for”
When asking Lew’s cohorts how they would describe him, some noteworthy responses included stoic, steady, self-deprecating, dry humor, eccentric, and –last but not least– an interjecting “he’s a Patriots fan! ...We hate that”. So basically, he’s just your typical east coast transplant.
Despite his tendency to insist otherwise, Lew is not your average Joe. He is quite possibly our most bashful employee- reluctant to boast his own success or draw attention to himself.
“I don't have a lot of hobbies” states Lew, as he then goes on to explain his love for hiking, skiing, drawing, writing, soccer, and political science.
All this coming from a guy who completed the Appalachian Trail back in 2017.
For those unfamiliar, the Appalachian Trail (otherwise known as the ATC) is a ~2,200 mile trail that passes through 14 states along the east coast of the US and climbs over 6,500 ft. The trail took Lew just over 5 months to complete (averaging him almost 14 miles of walking per day!).
“When I presented the idea to people, it was a mix of reactions. Some people [thought it was] super cool and they were very encouraging... and then [others] were like ‘Are you sure? You’re not the kind of person that I would think would do that.’”
“I’m definitely a homebody at heart” explains Lew, “but I enjoy just getting out there and being a little bit miserable and challenging yourself…I think it makes you appreciate laying in bed that much more”.
There’s that dry humor we know and love Lew for.
On his off days, you can catch Lew up at Baker or watching any of his New England sports teams play on the big screen. “Ask him about Tom Brady” insists Aslan’s floor manager, “or just put ‘avid follower of Tom Brady’s Instagram’ on his article”.
Along with his infamous fixation on New England sports teams, Lew’s also got a reputation around Aslan for being the master playlist curator of the restaurant– so if you’re digging our tunes, perhaps you have Lew to thank for that.
Thanks Lew, for being one of our rock solid beertenders and, in the words of your manager, for always bringing the ‘pizazz’.
Three different beers in our Dojo series are serendipitously ready to be enjoyed! Because of incredible organic farms like Bow Hill Blueberries and Hedlin Family Farms, we never use fruit puree or juice products in our beers. Today's release slate includes 2018 Raspberry, 2018 Blueberry, & 2019 Strawberry Dojo vintages. Each vintage number refers to year the fruit was harvested. All three bottles are now available at all three locations.
HOPS:
Barbe Rouge and Mistral French hops
MALT:
2-Row Pale, Caramunich, Wheat
Say hello to Jake Hacker and Colton Phillips: The dynamic duo that runs our kitchen.
Colton Phillips (left) and Jake Hacker (right)
After working on the line for two years, the pair was promoted to take over Aslan’s food program and have been crushing it ever since. When asked how the two work together, Jake and Colton both gave a subtle smirk before collectively answering the question.
“We have different strengths”, explains Jake, “the things that I lack I think Colton compliments very well and vice versa”. Colton nodded his head, “Jake sorta nailed it”, added Colton, “We went into this kind of trying to do the exact same thing, which led to a lot of disappointment and arguing because, you know, we had expectations of each other and we wouldn’t meet them”.
The two refined their roles, deciding who would be in charge of what. Colton is known for his elaborate spreadsheets and expertise in all things numbers, while Jake is best known for rolling up his sleeves and really getting into the day to day operations. Not to say the two don’t interchange roles, but they are exceptionally good at accepting their individual strengths and weaknesses and using that knowledge most effectively in their work ethic.
Kitchen Manager, Colton Phillips
This kind of teamwork and honesty isn’t built overnight. “I've known Colton since he was a little sixth grader” says Jake. “I dated his dream girlfriend,” adds Colton. Jake nodded his head, “it’s true”. Both raised in Olympia, the two have known each other since 2007. “We never really talked or really had a reason to.” explained Jake, “and then [after both moving to Bellingham] I was out one night and saw some old high school buddies, and Colton was one of them. We started talking”.
Jake at the time was working in the dining hall on Western Washington’s campus. “I wanted a better experience and more knowledge working with food” said Jake. “[Colton] said that he was about to become a lead over at Aslan and that he could talk to the chef about me”. After a month and a half or so of pestering Colton with follow up messages on Facebook, Jake finally received a call about a working interview. The rest was history!
Kitchen Assistant Manager, Jake Hacker
Since then, the two have become wonderful friends and coworkers. Colton assuming the role as Aslan’s kitchen manager and Jake as the assistant kitchen manager. Even with these titles, the two expressed how it is of importance to them that everyone is viewed on the same playing field.
“We try to do [everything] against the grain … to be different and set the standard a bit higher and set an example for [the industry]” says Jake. “Treat everybody as fair as possible,” adds Colton, “and to do that without trying to make it seem like you are their boss. You know, I'm the boss, but I don’t want to walk into the room and have there be that slight terror or fear or anxiety. … it's [important to] keep everybody happy. And that's in terms of a safe, comfortable work environment, wages and benefits, and then to be proud of the products that [we’re] serving.”
Since taking over the kitchen a year ago, Jake and Colton have helped introduce over 60 new recipes to the brewpub- including menu items such as the beloved Chicken Katsu sandwich, Mac Bites, and the Korean Barbecue Tofu. And while they’re certainly pioneering the way, Jake and Colton are the first to admit their reliance on teamwork.
Jake and Colton, sharing a tender moment
“We want all of our employees, our cooks, even front house people who don't necessarily cook for a living to have a say” says Jake. “We try to listen to their ideas and their opinions and give them a shot. I think that's honestly one of the happiest times is when someone else comes up with a dish and we can give it the green light to go onto the menu. I think that's awesome when someone else's idea comes onto a plate.”
Both agreed that this was one of the biggest perks of the job, amongst many other things. Not every day is perfect though, and these two had some pretty funny stories to tell about the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.
Another tender moment from Aslan’s kitchen managers
“I’ll tell you about my worst day” says Colton, “I was reassembling a sink”, recalls Colton. “Historically, the sink was never fully attached to the wall. That always bothered me. I wanted to fix it, so I took an extra long screw and drilled the sink back in.”
It was lunchtime in the restaurant on a fairly busy day. Everything seemed normal at Aslan. Unbeknown to most, chaos was brewing in the prep kitchen as a steady stream of water spewed out of the middle of the wall.
Colton had drilled a hole in a major pipeline.
An entire crew had assembled, all gathered around the sink. One prep cook was furiously squeegeeing the floor while another was attempting to capture water in a dish tub above him. Colton was drilling more holes (not sure who thought it was a bright idea to let Colton use the drill). Thankfully our on-call handyman and legend Don Trosset was there to help save the day, cutting through the wall with an electric saw and eventually resolving the leak.
“I totally thought I was gonna get fired” said Colton.
“That story is so good”, added Jake. “That day Colton called me and– I’m not sure if you can use this– but the direct quote was ‘If you ever think you f***ed up at work... just know that you did not f*** up as bad as I did today’”.
Minor floods excluded, we are fortunate to have employees like Jake and Colton, who consistently put in the time and effort it takes to raise the bar for the restaurant industry. If anything remains true, it’s that these two keep this place pretty interesting.
Jake Hacker (back) rests a hand on Colton Phillip’s (front) shoulder
HOPS:
Hersbruck
MALT:
Karamel Pils, Pilsner, Vienna
HOPS:
H. Blanc
MALT:
Pilsener, Munich, Chocolate, Carafa, Roast
Now available at all three Aslan locations and at Elizabeth Station! A premier PNW bottle shop, Elizabeth Station has a killer selection of just about any beer you'd want. Grab a pint, peruse their selection, and enjoy beer bliss.
HOPS:
Mandarina
MALT:
2-Row Pale, Caramunich, Wheat
