Monday 27th of July 2009 01:44:36 PM

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"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale
A tale of a one-man crew
Who couldn't find an island
Someplace where he could brew."

With apologies to Sherwood Schwartz who created the show & wrote the theme song, this little brewery has had quite a battle.

Joel Vandenbrink had a home near the Seattle Center (think Space Needle!) a year ago then had to re-locate further East near the Woodland Park zoo to an Activ-Space, one of those multi-unit storage facilites which cancelled his lease forcing him to find yet another home. But now Joel and his Two Beers seem settled in Seattle, about two miles south of SafeCo Field in a land of industrial buildings.

His Grand Opening was held on a hot Saturday (well, hot for us Pacific N'Westers is anything over 82 degrees!) and by the turn-out, he and his beers have got a lot of fans. Even folks from over the mountain at Cashmere Brewing brought their barbeque and spent the afternoon cooking up sausages, dogs and burgers.

Only 4 on tap for the moment but there will be more to come, he says. That's good because Joel has a plan.

His family has a history of drinking problems and, being a Pastor as well as a brewer, he wants to plow some of his profits-to-come back to what he calls the "under-belly of alcoholism" and help fight the disease that eventually took his grandmother. Another plus? The plastic cups he uses are made from corn and therefore, completely compostable. No trash. Those are causes anyone can contribute to and it's all the easier with the product Joel puts out.

A Blonde, Immersion Ale, Echo IPA and Crooked Belgian Wit were the offerings -- all completely drinkable although none outstanding or unique. He has produced a Jive Espresso Stout as well and intends to "walk the line between good and bad" with other receipes as he looks for bring in the working crowd from the neighborhood.

So Joel and his band of holistic miscreants finally have their own little island were the atmosphere is sit-back-and-relax. A place to practice is mantra: "Life looks better after 2 beers."

Not a bad way to end any working day.

I think I might have even spotted Mary Ann and the Professor under a canopy!