When Rick Star and two other men decided to open the Rockfish Grill and Anacortes Brewery almost 10 years ago, they chose the name because the word “rockfish” inspired a lot of creativity. “Ideas popped up,” says Rick – like the character Old Sebastes.

Sebastes is the scientific name for the genus of fish commonly known as rockfish. The likeness of Old Sebastes appears in the logo of the Rockfish Grill and on many labels of beer brewed by the Anacortes Brewery.

The grill and brewery comprise one business entity, called a brew pub. A brew pub is a brewery with a restaurant on-site, as opposed to just a brewery which only produces beer and doesn’t serve it. Brew pubs produce smaller quantities of beer than breweries, even less than microbreweries, enabling them to be artistic and experimental and to make more complex beers. They can also rotate their beers, so their customers always have something new to try.

The Rockfish Grill and Anacortes Brewery is co-owned by Allen Rhoades, Paul Wasik, and Rick Star. Allen, the company’s president and CEO, focuses his efforts on the brewery. Paul represents the company at festivals and charity events – serving beer, of course. Rick wears the most hats, as General Manager, Marketing and Sales Director, Human Resources Director, delivery truck driver, bartender, and server.

Originally from the Seattle area, the 3 ended up in Anacortes because they bought the assets of a financially distressed brew pub here, a more resourceful and cheaper way to start a business than from scratch. With the help of Old Sebastes, they transformed the personality of the place and opened in August 2000, with 25 tables on the restaurant side and over 30 stools on the bar side.

One employee they hired immediately was Kevin Pierce, to work in the kitchen. “I asked to work in the brewery,” says Kevin, “but they kinda laughed at me.” He’d brewed beer at home, but otherwise had no experience. “But I kept putting my foot in the brewery and asked a lot of questions,” he says.

After 3 years, they finally transferred him to the brewery as an apprentice. He worked his way up to assistant brewer and brewer, earning a brewing certificate from the University of California at Davis along the way. He was promoted to head brewer last year.

“What’s distinctive about our beers is the variety,” says Kevin. “We make a lot more styles in small batches than many larger breweries.” The 7-barrel brewery makes over 25 kinds of beer, both ales and lagers. Ales, which taste malty and bitter, are fermented relatively quickly at warm temperatures. Lagers, which taste mild and crisp, require a longer time to ferment at cooler temperatures. Anacortes Brewery has separate rooms for each.

Anacortes Brewery does not bottle or can its beers, but sells it only in kegs (though half-gallon jugs called “Growlers” are available to go). Beers are distributed to over 50 establishments from Seattle to Bellingham, including several in Anacortes.

Recently they brewed one of their more unusual beers, using aged bourbon barrels they bought from a distillery in Kentucky. “We put in some weird Belgian bacteria,” says Kevin, “and it came out sour. It’s good, but I gotta say I like IPA the best.”

“Our primary motivation is love of beer and brewing,” says Rick. That said, about 80% of the company’s sales are from food. Most ingredients cooked at the Rockfish Grill are grown locally or bought from local purveyors. Many items on the menu are seafood, several are cooked with beer, and several are roasted in a wood fired brick oven, which Rick says is the only one in Anacortes. “We use apple wood,” he says, “which imparts a special flavor.”

Entrées include wood fired wild salmon drizzled with lime juice ($23.99), yellowfin tuna ($19.99), BBQ ribs ($18.99 for a full rack), and crab macaroni and cheese ($17.99). Bestsellers include fish and chips ($10.99 for 3 pieces), a variety of burgers ($8.99 to $10.29), and Rick’s personal favorite, the wood fired wild salmon sandwich with pickled ginger and roasted red pepper remoulade ($10.29).

Also on the menu are numerous starters, salads, soups, individual wood fired pizzas, and desserts, including cobbler, key lime pie, and cheesecake from Cheesecake Creations in Anacortes and ice cream from Lopez Island Creamery, including one made with beer.

There are also several non-alcoholic beverages and a children’s menu. “Lots of families come here,” says Rick.

The Rockfish Grill features live music 3 nights a week. On Wednesdays from 6:00 to 9:00 they feature local acts on a regular, rotating basis: Savage Jazz on the 1st Wednesday of the month, the Stilly River Band on the 2nd, the Spoonshine Duo on the 3rd, and Fidalgo Swing on the 4th.

On Friday and Saturday nights from 9:00 until midnight they bring in regionally- and nationally-known bands. Guests play blues, jazz, and American roots music, including bluegrass and country. For schedule details, check out the calendar on their Web site.

This summer, the Rockfish Grill will start to serve liquor. “I’m excited for it,” says head brewer Kevin Pierce. “It’s going to add options for our customers, and we may get more customers because of it. It’ll be great to see some new faces.” He’s also looking forward to distilling liquor in small batches eventually.

Meanwhile, he’s creating a special beer for their 10th anniversary, which will be served at an anniversary party in the fall. Open to all, the party will be well advertised, and Old Sebastes will be the guest of honor.

The Rockfish Grill and Anacortes Brewery is located at 320 Commercial Avenue, phone 588-1720. The Grill opens daily at 11:30 a.m. It closes Sunday through Thursday at 10:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday at midnight. 

Teru Lundsten is a freelance writer and personal historian. To view more of her work and read about the services she provides, visit BriefLives.net.