Ballard imbibers can be elated to hear a new brewery has opened in the so-called “Seattle Beer District” in Ballard.

Lucky Envelope Brewing at 907 NW 50th St. opened its doors and its taps last Thursday, May 7. Owners/brewers, Barry Chan and Raymond Kwan poured brews and chatted with friends and patrons lucky enough to happen upon the opening.

Chan is from Lancaster, Pa., outside of Philadelphia and has lived in Seattle since 2008.

“Of the new transplants to Seattle, I’m more of a veteran,” said Chan.

Barry was in graduate school at UCLA when he caught the beer bug. He graduated with a masters degree in structural engineering and got a job in Seattle. That’s when he bought his first beer kit.

“I caught myself criticizing a beer, and then I had a realization moment: I didn’t even know how to brew a beer, so why would I criticize something I didn’t even know how to make. So I ended up getting a kit.”

Chan said he slowly immersed himself in brewing. He read and listened to podcasts focused on brewing and learned the chemistry and biology of beer production.

“It kind of clicked with me, and I started going crazy with it.”

Kwan has an MBA from Georgetown University and met Chan in Los Angeles where he worked in finance. He moved to Seattle to work for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation around the same Chan moved to Seattle. Later Kwan dabbled in entrepreneurial ventures and start-ups in the tech industry. The two remained friends with a common passion: beer.

“We ping-ponged ideas back and forth. … I kept on bringing up starting a brewery and he (Kwan) thought maybe we should do a sports pub, but we realized we aren’t restaurateurs. The brewery seemed like a good route to go.”

The two started their plans for Lucky Envelope Brewing back in September of 2013. They found their space on NW 50th Street with what Chan says was a “string of good luck” and knew it was going to be a great fit.

So why did they choose Ballard for their brewery location?

“Ballard was at the top of my personal list just because you are surrounded by so many great breweries. Stoup, Reuben’s and Populuxe are all within two to three blocks of us. It’s a great area.

Lucky Envelope Brewing has a 15-barrel system (about 450 to 500 gallons). Chan said they can brew an entire batch in close to an eight-hour day. With their current system they are planning to produce a maximum of 3,000 barrels, but Chan said they are not producing that volume yet.

“We are taking it slow and don’t want to rush into it.”

What about the beer?

“We don’t really have an emphasis on a particular style of beer or particular region. We call it ‘culturally inspired beers,’ which is intentionally vague, but it (the beer) is inspired by pieces of our personalities and culture.”

The Thaiger Mom Belgian Trippel (Belgian Trippel infused with Thai lime leave and lemon grass) is one example of how Chan’s personality and experience influence the beer. Chan said he and his wife visited Thailand, and he was inspired by the flavors he experienced there.

“Lime leaves and lemon grass were some of the big ingredients they used in curries, and I wanted to put that into a beer.”

Chan also said their IPA is inspired by the Pacific Northwest region and celebrates the hops grown here. The flavor and aroma hops used in the IPA are Cascade, Centennial and Mosaic.

“Mosaic is probably the big sexy hop in there that makes it sing a bit.”

The pale ale is in the same tone and flavor but lighter at 5.4 percent alcohol (ABV).

In addition, Chan said that Seattle Helles Lager is a beer that makes them stand out amid the deluge of beer being produced in Ballard and Seattle.

“Not many breweries are making lagers – a lot of them are making pilsners. … I like the Munich Helles. That’s personally one of my favorite light beers to go to. It’s malt accentuated and one of those beers you can drink by the liter. You can drink it all day like they do in Germany,” Chan said and laughed, “You really can.”

Chan and Kwan are both Chinese-American, and Chan said that the name of the brewery is seeded in their heritage and culture. Their emblem, a red envelope, is symbolic for the passing of coins strung on a red ribbon from the older generation to younger generation during the lunar New Year. The coins were meant to bring good fortune. The custom has evolved into the tradition of giving money in red envelopes to younger relatives during a weddings or special occasions in hopes of helping to bring good fortune.

“It’s kind of a way for us to pay homage to our heritage without getting too crazy with it.”

With that, Chan said that Lucky Envelope Brewing has a big focus on having a family friendly environment and has a place for kids to hang. Also, both the men and women’s rest rooms have changing stations. Chan said he has a six-month-old daughter and it was important for him to make a place where everyone can feel comfortable.

“We focus on the smaller touches here and there. … Early on when we were developing the brewery, one of the top things on the brewery list was having two bathrooms.”

Under the symbol of good fortune and giving, Chan said he and Kwan are eager to share their brews and company with the community.

“When you start a business that’s kind of your dream, it kind of is -- in a cheesy way – it’s your own little package you are trying to give to people to enjoy. Beer is a good thing. I love beer because it brings people together. It’s always a great excuse to get together.”

For more info visit www.luckyenvelopebrewing.com.