Did you know that Frelard Tamales used to be just a tamale shop? That’s right—a few years ago, Osbaldo Hernandez and his husband, Denny Ramey, sold their delicious steamed corn husks only at farmers markets and online. In 2018, they settled into (confusingly, from a geographical perspective) a small takeout window near Green Lake, where they wowed customers with their tamales, including vegan options—the sweet potato mole is incredible—and even dessert tamales. It was one of the best Mexican restaurants in Seattle, despite not being a full-fledged restaurant.

But now, like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, Frelard Tamales has closed the window and reemerged in Fremont not only as a full-fledged restaurant but also as a brewery, the second location of the couple’s El Sueñito Brewing. The restaurant part of the business is still called Frelard Tamales, but the menu has become much more extensive. “We’re now going to have tacos, salads and really tasty, crispy nachos,” Hernandez says. “We’re not just offering Aqua Fresca anymore, but also our own beer, cocktails and some non-alcoholic options for the people who don’t drink.”

Hernandez traces this phase of the business back to 2020, when Ramey decided to quit his job in pediatric cancer research at Seattle Children’s Hospital and get a master’s degree in brewing to turn his hobby of brewing beer into a full-fledged career. Three years later, the couple opened the first El Sueñito location in Bellingham, and as of August 9, there’s one in Seattle.

Emma Lee Photography

The new brewery is a short walk from Ballard’s vaunted Brewery District, but a few things make El Sueñito unique. First, while the brewery’s most popular style is an IPA — “People from the Northwest love their West Coast IPAs,” Hernandez says — it specializes in its Mexican lagers. There’s a light one called Alebrijes, as well as a dark lager called Conejo Azteca. “This is just perfect for any season,” Hernandez says. “It’s dark, so you can drink it in the winter and feel like you’re in season, but it’s also so light and fresh that you can drink it all summer long.”

The second thing that sets El Sueñito apart is that it claims to be the first gay-owned Mexican brewery in Washington state—a big deal, since brewers are stereotypically portrayed as straight white men. “We’re excited to change the landscape of the industry a little bit,” Hernandez says. “And I think it’s resonating with a lot of our customers—we get a lot of queer and BIPOC messages about how excited they are to see this here, and also how the brand represents them. We’re excited about what we’re working toward.”

Frelard Tamales and El Sueñito Brewing are located at 106 North 36th Street, near First Avenue Northwest. They are open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.