The production of microbrew beer in Snohomish County is one of the unique industries that contribute to our economy and culture of our region, with just
about 50 active microbreweries North of Seattle, and numerous beer-loving festivals and events each year to celebrate its production. I interviewed
Karen Larsen, co-founder of At Large Brewing in Everett, to learn more about their industry and their specific presence and contribution to the local
area.
What got you into brewing? We started out as homebrewers in 2011 and quickly learned we had a passion for a great tasting beer, IPA’s being one of our favorites. Several years later we decided to take that passion to the commercial side of brewing and share it with anyone else who enjoys a great tasting beer as much as we do.
Why brew in Snohomish County? We live in Snohomish County and believe it has huge potential to be a great “beer destination” and we wanted
to be a part of its growth of exactly that.
How far away are your beers sold? We keep our beers pretty close, with distribution presently. We have had a few locations in the south
end request our beer and we will be looking into accommodating these requests. But we do not have any current plans for mass distribution.
How large is your team? We are a team of three, Jim and I are the owners/brewers and we have Vincent running the kitchen. We have several
friends and family members who are more than willing to lend a hand when we reach out to them. Our goal is to grow with the demands of the company
and not over extend its potential.
Where can your beer be bought? Mostly at the brewery, but we do have a list of the few locations we distribute to on our website, atlargebrewing.com.
If you won the lottery, what changes would you make to your operation? Winning the lottery would allow us to advance to a larger system
faster than planned.Currently we have a 3 barrel system with plans to max out at a 7 or 10 barrel. We have a wide variety of beers we enjoy and love
to brew, so we do not maintain flagship beers on tap. Keeping our system smaller will help maintain a steady rotation of all these beers in addition
to new ones.
In closing, AT LARGE is open at 4 pm, Wednesday thru Sunday. Closing times vary. Because they are a family friendly business, they have a great selection
of hot dogs and sandwiches and make their own rootbeer, as well. Jim and Karen, the founders and team leaders, look forward to meeting you.
Owners and co-founders Jim and Karen Larsen pictured. Photo courtesy of AtLargeBrewing.com.
For more information about their hours, menu, family friendly atmosphere, and much more, please visit their website. If you do visit, feel free to post a picture in the comment section.
