About a year and a half after opening its doors, The Outskirts Brewing Co. is beginning to hit its stride.

The casual yet classy restaurant, bar and brewhouse in Selah has already cemented itself in the Yakima Valley’s hometown business culture, welcoming loyal patrons from both sides of the mountains to their scenic grounds.

The Outskirts has also built a reputation for its live music scene, just as much as it is food and drink, with regular performances on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. Ample outdoor seating and a spacious dining room have all contributed to making The Outskirts a place where people want to gather with old friends — “or make some new ones,” as their website proclaims.

All of these amenities have combined to make The Outskirts one of the best new eating and drinking establishments in Central Washington.  

“We just want to keep growing organically and see how far we can go,” said JT Wattenberg, the head brewmaster who has been with the team since the business opened in May 2023. “I’d say we might even be a little ahead of schedule. We’ve had amazing support from the local community, and we’ve also been seeing more people from around the Northwest stopping by.” 

The Outskirts is owned and operated by Yakima Valley natives Joe Catron, Patrick Gasseling, Chase Webster, Josh Johnson, and Cody Beebe. The concept for the business began with a shared vision to create a gathering place for their hometown community. 

The team broke ground in May 2022 on a three-acre lot on State Route 823 commonly referred to as “the old red barns.” The property, just past the turnoff to Golf Course Road, is home to a century-old red barn and workshop that was incorporated into the redesign. The main red barn was converted into a continuous 6,200-square-foot facility and is now home to a Northwest-inspired restaurant on one side and a bar on the other.

“We’re trying to do things a little differently,” Beebe said in early 2022 when the project first got underway. “We’re really trying to focus on the community and the surrounding areas so we can become a place where people want to congregate. Our goal is to create an entirely new experience for people here in the Valley.”

All aspects of the business plan seem to be taking shape exactly as the ownership team had hoped, but one area that is really beginning to take off is the brewery. Wattenberg, who has been a professional brewer for 15 years, has spearheaded an eclectic beer menu that is catching the eye of local, regional and national judges. 

Not only did the Canyon Crusher Pale Ale win its division at last year’s Fresh Hop Ale Festival in Yakima; The Outskirts was ranked No. 4 in the Best New Brewery category by USA Today.

“That’s kind of our claim to fame,” said Wattenberg, who just returned home from the Great American Beer Fest in Denver. “Winning awards is a great way to get noticed, but that’s not what’s driving this. We just want to make really good beer, and we hope that speaks for itself.”

The Outskirts expanded its brewing operation this summer, increasing its potential output by four times with three 15-barrel tanks and three 30-barrel tanks.

They have also started canning a number of varieties — including the award-winning Canyon Crusher — selling four-packs of 16-ounce cans out of the taproom. The brewery’s other top-seller, Barn Raiser IPA, is also available in cans, along with a blonde ale, pilsner and West Coast IPA. 

Meanwhile, The Outskirts has been getting its name out there in local restaurants and taprooms, securing more than a dozen accounts with businesses such as The Kiln, Provisions, The Public House of Yakima, and Second Street Grill. They’re also beginning to build traction in the Tri-Cities and Ellensburg.

So far, the reviews from the local beer-drinking community have been very favorable.

“These varieties are our flagships right now, so we’re going to market them first and possibly expand our selection of cans later on,” said Wattenberg, who came over from Yakima Chief Hops, where he worked in research and development. “We know we’re making good beer, and our goal is to make the Valley proud.”

Wattenberg said the next year is also going to feature some new collaboration beers with established local breweries like Single Hill and Bale Breaker. He explained that the brewery culture is all about sharing the bounty.

“The best thing about the beer industry, in general, is that it’s so collaborative,” Wattenberg said. “We all understand that the better the Valley does, the better we all do.”