Head brewer Hollis Wood at Skookum Brewery is leaving Arlington for a job at Ever Grain Brewing in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. (Andy Bronson / Herald file)

Head brewer Hollis Wood at Skookum Brewery is leaving Arlington for a job at Ever Grain Brewing in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. (Andy Bronson / Herald file)

Drink This: Skookum’s head brewer is heading to the East Coast

After 10 years with the Arlington brewery, Hollis Wood will work for Ever Grain Brewing in Pennsylvania.

Since taking over Skookum’s day-to-day brewing operations nearly a decade ago, Hollis Wood has helped take the Arlington brewery to new heights.

He’s now taking on a new challenge on the East Coast.

Wood recently took a brewing job with Ever Grain Brewing in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. Located about two hours west of Philadelphia, Ever Grain is a five-year-old brewery with a new 17,000-square-foot brewing facility and restaurant with plans to grow.

“I came to a point where I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next and where I was going,” Wood said. Before taking the job with Ever Grain, he contemplated opening his own brewery in Snohomish County. “I really wanted to continue to grow as a brewer and take that next step. I’m excited to grow and learn.”

Under Wood’s guidance, Skookum became one of the premier breweries in the state. Always a hometown favorite, Skookum earned a place on the radar of hardcore beer nerds for its groundbreaking milkshake and fresh hop IPAs, true-to-style lagers and a barrel-aging program that churned out bourbon stouts, barleywines and saisons.

“We’ve had a lot of success here,” Wood said. “I appreciate everything they’ve allowed me to do.”

Skookum owner Ron Walcher said that when he brought Wood on, he asked him to improve on existing recipes and experiment, taking Skookum’s lineup further into other styles and techniques.

“The past 10 years has shown he was quite successful,” Walcher said. “He will definitely be missed.”

Wood said that the Ever Grain team is excited to leverage his expertise in creating a barrel program and increasing distribution opportunities in surrounding metro areas like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New York City and beyond.

“It’s amazing how many distribution opportunities they have compared to here,” Wood said.

Wood is leaving the Skookum brewing team in good hands. Max Neumann and David Kolbe, who have worked with Wood over the past four years, will take over brewing leadership responsibilities.

“Will there be changes? Probably,” Walcher said. “We’re OK with that.”

Hurry in to Skookum and pick up a four pack or grab a pint of some of Wood’s final Skookum fresh hop creations, including K’POWW, Temple of Bloom, Wetside Connection and Rising Bines.

Temple Distilling celebrates 6 years

Lynnwood’s Temple Distilling has a lot to be thankful for as it nears its sixth anniversary. The distillery has expanded its tasting room hours to 4 to 7 p.m. Fridays and noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and will begin making bourbon and single malt whiskey in its facility soon.

Temple plans to celebrate its six-year anniversary on Nov. 6 at its taproom and will release its Woodcut Barrel-rested Gin, Batch No. 5. Because of COVID, this batch rested in barrels for two years — 15 months more than the previous batches.

Temple owner AJ Temple said that the distillery’s whiskey warehouse should be online soon and that Temple will begin making bourbon and single malt whiskeys to join its lineup of gins and limoncello.

Edmonds taproom wins design award

Opening in the midst of the pandemic, Leftcraft has stood out from the crowd with a diverse menu of craft beers and cocktails, plus a food menu of locally sourced bites. The design of the downtown Edmonds taproom is also turning heads.

Leftcraft was recently named the winner in the Casual Restaurant category at the 17th annual Hospitality Design Awards. Leftcraft, which features concrete walls and floors and a tongue-and-groove Douglas fir ceiling, was designed by Seattle architecture firm Graham Baba Architects.

The firm describes the taproom as “casual and approachable, yet distinct from local restaurant and bar establishments.”

Narrative opens Bellingham location

Narrative Coffee is planning to open a second location in Bellingham next month, according to a post on Instagram. The Everett coffee shop founded by Maxwell Mooney will take over a cozy spot next door to the Elizabeth Station taproom and bottleshop at 1400 West Holly St. in Bellingham.

A nationally ranked barista, Mooney’s philosophy is that a cup of coffee should reflect the bean’s true nature as a seed of a tropical fruit.

Talk to us

More in Life

Budget charges $250 for calibrating a camera. Is that legit?

Budget sends Tony Parise a $250 bill for recalibrating a camera on the windshield of his rental car. But he says nothing happened to it. Does he still have to pay?

In this side-by-side image, the Totem Diner and Pacific Stone Company signs put on a flirty display for all to see Wednesday, March 22, 2023, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Signs of love on Rucker Ave: blushing rocks, scrambled eggs, a coffee date

Messages on display on Totem Family Diner and Pacific Stone Co. signs reveal “secret crushes.” More updates expected.

Comedian Jeff Dye is scheduled to do a show March 25 in Everett. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Comedian Jeff Dye does a set in Everett on Saturday. And country star Tracy Byrd performs locally Friday.

Some of the brightest spots in my garden right now are my clumps of mixed crocuses. (Getty Images)
Lessons spring from what does and does not winter over

Taking stock of how your garden fared through the cold, wet months will help you plant for the future.

Antique mocha ware, made in England to export to the United States and Canada in the 18th and 19th centuries, caught collectors’ attention in the mid-20th century. Like many mocha pieces, this colorful mug is decorated with several patterns.
The name for decorated pottery like this can be deceiving

Mocha pottery is made from clay and features colorful patterns painted over a white glaze.

The 2023 Infiniti QX60 is powered by a V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. (Infiniti)
2023 Infiniti QX60 offers luxury at an attractive price

All four trim levels of this mid-size SUV come generously equipped with premium features as standard.

Kyle Galvin, who has worked for Bluewater for more than 4 years, makes cocktails on July 10, 2020 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Where to go for the best cocktails and spirits in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied, here are the results.

Who has the best patio in Snohomish County?

You voted, we tallied, here are the results.

Give your home some extra love with a deep clean this spring. (Jennifer Bardsley)
Roll up your sleeves and tackle these 15 spring cleaning steps

A lot of work? Sure. But it beats paying $800 for a cleaning service to do all this stuff.

Lyft charged her $150 for mud stains in a car. But she didn’t do it!

Debbie Kim is shocked to find a $150 charge from Lyft on her credit card. What did she do — and is there a way to undo it?

What to do when a co-worker makes you miserable

It’s counterintuitive, but you need to get to know that person better. You don’t need to be friends — just understand them better.

Brian Geppert holds a birdhouse made of skis at his home in Lynnwood, Washington on Saturday, March 11, 2023. Geppert started a recycling program for the greater Seattle area, which has saved hundreds of skis from their demise. He turns the skis into functional art for the home, such as coat racks, bottle openers, bookends, shelves, candle sconces, toilet plungers, beer flights, and more. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Boeing engineer turns old ski gear into household essentials

If Lynnwood’s Brian Geppert isn’t on the slopes, then he’s turning skis into coat racks and bottle openers.