Delivering the Brewer’s Intent

Located in the South Lake Union, North Belltown area of Seattle, husband and wife duo, Rich Powell and Karrie Stewart were inspired by the beauty and functionality of the TeKu Glass and aim to elevate the beer scene in Seattle. They have taken their love of beer and high quality standards to create a space for the ultimate experience in beer tasting, shopping, and sharing. TeKu Tavern prides itself on being knowledgeable proprietors of beer; ensuring proper storage, care, and presentation so it can be enjoyed as intended by the product's creators.

TeKu Tavern offers 50 taps and seating for up to 180. Guests can shop the 23 fridges of products to find just the right beer to take home or enjoy on-site, at any of the long, communal beer hall tables. The beer menu is organized by flavor profiles, rather than style to help easily guide consumers along to flavors they already enjoy or to those that wish to explore for the first time. Whether you’re a novice or veteran beer drinker, TeKu Tavern strives to be a place to experience great quality beer from around the world and to educate consumers on all the great things about beer.

You know what pairs well with great beer? Games! We also have an expansive and ever-growing game library full of a variety of board games for you to borrow or purchase. We foster a strong community of craft beer drinkers and gamers looking for a 21+ environment to enjoy a variety of games including tabletop board games, Dungeons and Dragons, and Magic the Gathering. We are in fact the only 21+ establishment to carry Wizards of the Coast products!

Located between South Lake Union and Belltown, TeKu Tavern is changing the scene for Seattle beer lovers.

TeKu Tavern is a bottle shop and taproom specializing in the sale and presentation of well-crafted beer. Inspired by the TeKu, a beer glass designed to be both elegant and functional serving as an industry standard for sensory evaluation, TeKu Tavern seeks to bring you the very best beer experience.

Whether you're looking for a place to hang out for happy hour or an exotic beer to enjoy at home, TeKu Tavern has what you need. Our knowledgeable staff will help you navigate our 50 draft lines and extensive bottle list to find the right beer for you.

Phone

(206) 466-1764

Location

552 Denny Ave
Seattle, WA
98109

Hours

Mon-Tue 12p–10p
Wed-Thu 12p–11p
Fri-Sat 11a–12a
Sun 11a–10p

Patio Closes 10pm Nightly

Our Team

Karrie Stewart & Rich Powell
Owners

Karrie, a former Flight Test Engineer for Boeing, and husband Rich, a Product Manager for Amazon, developed their own passion and high standard for beer quality through years of exploration and beer-specific educational events from coast to coast and internationally. Both are Cicerone certified beer servers and Rich has received his Associates in Brewing Technology from the Siebel Institute in Brewing Technology. The beer-centric couple share a passion for quality and educating others, because that’s how they fell in love with craft beer. They’re taking this to the next level in creating a place where everyone can learn something new about the art of beer while enjoying one and sharing the experience with others.

Kona Pup
Her Majesty

Kona is the resident Tavern Dog! She enjoys chasing her toys and doing tricks for treats (especially pretzels). She lives a Ruff life hanging out at TeKu Tavern everyday, where she gives love and affection while convincing customers to give her treats!

Kyle Vormestrand
Craft Beer Aedile

Kyle comes to us from an academic background, specifically trained as a Classical Archaeologist. After finishing his M.A. In New Orleans, he directed his passion for learning from all things ancient to craft beer. His craft beer enthusiasm blossomed while working at Toronado and continues to do so with us here at Teku.

Johnny Schneider
President of the Beer Fan Club

I always realize my favorite brews are tied to the company or venue just as much as unrivaled flavor. This is because I was pulled into the craft beer world through sharing bottles with friends. My passion for beer is driven by curiosity. With new breweries popping up everyday, there is always another bottle to open with great company.

COREY LEITCH
CHIEF ZACH GALIFIANAKIS IMPERSONATION OFFICER

My wife and I moved to Seattle this year from Southern California, where we both grew up. After years of working as a professional musician and a general manager for a instrument retailer/repair shop I jumped ship and joined the beer industry here. I have had an obsession with craft beer since college and generally my tastes lean towards the sour beer world. I initially worked for Elysian Brewing but have found a happy home at TeKu Tavern. When I am not at work I can either be found brewing beer with my cats or playing music. I can also frequently be found being mistaken for Zach Galifianakis for some reason.

SHAWNA CORMIER
THE BEER MUTANT

I’ve made it my life’s mission to bounce from brew to brew, in search of the ever-flowing fermented fountain of yum. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, I’ve lived in New York, New York and Denver, Colorado. In Denver, I was Events/Promotion Coordinator at Black Shirt Brewing Co. As a Certified Cicerone® and BJCP Judge with an MFA in Acting, I’m always trying to act my way out of a paper six-pack box. It sometimes works—I won Beer Drinker of the Year in 2016. My parents are very proud.

AUBREY DURAND
THE 12 YEAR OLD

Originally born in Rhode Island, I grew up on Bainbridge Island. After attending high school in San Francisco, I made my way out to Colorado, where I studied neuroscience and music while developing a love for craft beer. After graduating, I explored the California wine world while bartending at Wine Down in San Francisco before returning home to the PNW and finding a beer-happy home at Teku Tavern. My favorite food is cheese.

JESS PICKETT
THE BEER FRÄULEIN

Atlanta bred, Austin citizen, Australian expat and now Seattle transplant, I’ve been making my way around the country and globe, strategically taste testing all that the beer world has to offer along the way. My love for craft brews began during my Texas residency while working at Uncle Billy’s Brewery and Smokehouse. A few of my favorite breweries include Terrapin Beer Co. in Athens, Mountain Goat Beer in Melbourne and TRVE Brewing in Denver. I’m stoked to have the hopportunity to be learning the beer bones of the PNW craft brewery scene at TeKu! Also a frequent user of puns.

FAQs

WHAT IS A TEKU?

TeKu is the name of a beer glass designed by Teo Musso of Baladin Brewery in Torino, Italy and sensory expert Lorenzo Dabove (working under the alias 'Kuaska'). The name of the glass is an amalgamation of its creators names, 'Teo' and 'Kuaska'. Inspired by the ISO glass used by the wine industry, Musso wanted to create a glass that could serve as an industry standard for the sensory experience of beer. Recognizing the effect that size and shape of a vessel have on the drinker's perception, he created several prototypes and teamed with Kuaska to evaluate them. The resulting creation, the TeKu glass, is both beautiful and functional.

CAN I ENJOY A BEER WHILE AT TEKU? WHAT ABOUT BOTTLES/CANS TO GO?

Yes; at TeKu Tavern you can enjoy an amazing craft beer, cider, or mead on draft. We support up to 50 taps through our custom built draft system. In addition, the space flows to table seating, and our retail selection, supporting up to 140 people at any given time.

Our retail section is made up of 23 fridge sections, supporting those same taste formats: beer, cider, sake, mead, and even a small N/A (non-alcoholic) selection. As a tavern, we have the ability to present tastes to go, from our retail selections, and you can also choose to enjoy a bottle, or can, on site, delivered through industry standard corkage.

DO YOU FILL GROWLERS? WHAT ABOUT CROWLERS?

Most taps will be available for growler fills. A crowler system will be added in the near future. We also sell 32`oz and 64`oz growlers in the shop (which come with a discount on your first growler fill).

DO YOU SERVE FOOD?

Yes! We serve a small selection of snacks including Meat and Cheese packs, Adult lunchables, crackers, chips, landjaeger, and a few other items. We also welcome patrons to bring food in from our many neighboring restaurants. Food can be a pivotal part of a great beer experience. Ask your bartender for a recommendation for a beer that either complements or contrasts your particular dish.

ARE MINORS ALLOWED?

TeKu Tavern is 21+. We are considered a Tavern under the WA State Liquor Control Board, which restricts us to only allowing patrons over the age of 21.

DO YOU SHOW SEAHAWKS GAMES? WHAT ABOUT SOUNDERS AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL?

Yes, Seahawks games will be played on a pull down projector screen and adjacent TVs in the Beer hall. We open at 10am on Sundays for early game viewing. We will also be opening early on Saturday’s for College Football viewing. The following schools will have priority for viewing: Georgia Tech, Purdue, UW: Huskies, & Michigan. Sounders / Mariners games will also be showcased on the projector.

Can I reserve tables for SEAHAWKS GAMES?

Yes, half of the beer hall tables, 3, and half of the bar tables, 4, are reservable for Seahawks games. Email info@tekutavern.beer or call no more than 1.5 weeks ahead of the game you want to reserve a spot. The remaining tables and the entire bar is first come first serve. There is a minimum of 8 people per group to reserve a beer hall table, groups smaller than 8 can reserve bar tables.

CAN I RENT OUT PART OF TEKU TAVERN FOR A GROUP?

Yes, contact us for booking tables, the full beer hall, or entire shop for events.

WHERE CAN I PURCHASE A TEKU GLASS OR OTHER MERCHANDISE?

TeKu glasses and other merchandise can be purchased at TeKu Tavern or via our online shop.

ARE ALL BEERS SERVED IN A TEKU GLASS?

No, beers will be served in the appropriate glassware to accentuate the appropriate color, aroma, and flavors of the particular beer. About half of the beers will be served in the TeKu glass, or upon request.

HOW DO I FIND OUT WHAT EVENTS AND SPECIALS ARE HAPPENING AT TEKU TAVERN?

On our Calendar, or by signing up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page.

WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT ARE ACCEPTED?

Cash, Credit/Debit Cards [Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express].

WHERE CAN i PARK?

Street parking exists on Taylor Ave, adjacent to the business, along with other side streets North and West of TeKu Tavern. There is also a U-Park parking lot directly across the street, at the intersection of Denny Way, Taylor, Vine St.

I WANT TO WORK AT TEKU TAVERN, HOW DO I APPLY?

You can fill out an application and send it to us. Openings will be posted when available Here

DOES TEKU TAVERN HAVE ANY GAMES OR OTHER THINGS TO DO WHEN WE VISIT?

Yes! We are all game nerds as well as beer nerds. We have a large board game library for you to borrow from, including classics like Codenames, Dominion, and Cards Against Humanity. We welcome all kinds of games to be played on our tables be it Dungeons and Dragons, Magic the Gathering, or any other table top games!

DO YOU SELL GAMES?

Yes! We sell all of the board games we carry as well as Dungeons and Dragons product and Magic the Gathering! We are in fact the only 21+ establishment to carry D&D or Magic!

CAN MY DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS GROUP OR OTHER GAMING GROUP USE YOUR TABLES?

Nothing goes better than beer and games, we welcome any gaming groups looking for refreshments as they battle through any dungeons!

DO YOU EVER HAVE GAME NIGHTS OR GAME EVENTS?

We host Dungeons and Dragons nights as part of our brewers nights regularly as well as casual Magic the Gathering events.