SakeBrooklyn Brewing Co. will open a brewery and public-facing taproom in Gowanus next year.
Photo courtesy of Property Markets Group
A Brooklyn craft sake maker is bringing production and pours under one roof in Gowanus.
SakeBrooklyn Brewing Co., a Brooklyn-based craft sake brand, has signed a lease for about 6,500 square feet at 500 Degraw St., where it plans to open a full-scale brewery and public taproom in early 2027.
The deal was brokered by Igloo, a real estate firm active in shaping the Gowanus retail corridor. Recent tenants in the area include Focal Point Brewery, Brooklyn Builders Studio and BYOB Naturale Wine & Spirits at 420 Carroll St.
The new space will combine sake production with a public tasting room, allowing visitors to sample traditional and experimental styles while observing the brewing process. The taproom will also serve small plates designed to complement the drinks.
In a statement, Co-Founders Leslie and Dutch Fox said their goal is to “bring a social, more shared way of enjoying sake to American drinkers, without compromising on quality or tradition.”
“We’re creating a space where people can discover sake in a more intuitive way — whether it’s their first time trying it with friends or they’re deepening their appreciation for the craft,” they continued. “Gowanus felt like the right place to introduce that experience.”
The neighborhood has undergone a large transformation following its rezoning in 2021, which has ushered in thousands of new residential units and a growing wave of restaurants, bars and other retail concepts. This stems in part from the Gowanus rezoning agreement, which included a Business Improvement District to support longtime residents alongside new development.
Since the Gowanus rezoning five years ago, the neighborhood has created a BID to ensure development for all types of residents.File photo by Susan de Vries
“Residential density in Gowanus is arriving at scale, and thoughtful retail activations are being planned across the neighborhood to support that growth,” Adam Joly, Managing Director at Igloo, said in a statement. “Concepts like SakeBrooklyn don’t just fill space — they create destinations. This is exactly the kind of experiential, culture-driven use that defines great neighborhood retail.”
SakeBrooklyn aims to expand sake’s appeal beyond its traditional niche in the United States by blending Japanese brewing methods with an American craft beverage approach. The company says its focus is on creating a more approachable and social experience around sake culture.
The brewery will open inside Society Brooklyn, a mixed-use development from Property Markets Group that includes two residential towers totaling 517 apartments. The project also features ground-floor retail space along Bond, Union and Degraw streets, as well as a public plaza facing the Gowanus Canal.