This afternoon when The Copper Door taproom and beer store opens in Tacoma's Stadium District you may toss back pints of 7 Seas Cascadian Dark Ale, Narrows Brewing IPA, Fremont Brewing Company bourbon barrel aged Dark Star, NoLi Empire No. 8 Session IPA and Chuckanut Brewery's Dunkel Lager.

If you're the kind of person who absolutely needs to be the first person to tweet about a new place - or you're a beer geek, or you're just looking for the absolute coolest way to end the work week (unless you have plans to test-drive a Ferrari or play with live monkeys) - The Copper Door will have its soft opening today.

That's right, Tacoma. When you stand in front of Gibson's Frozen Yogurt, you will have to make a life decision. Just to its right sits 1,700 square feet of taproom space, 866 square feet of store space for 750 bottles of refrigerated brews, and the local brews listed above.

Meet owner Craig Moore.

"I lived in Portland for about 10 years and did home brewing only. It is where I learned to appreciate craft beer and its impact on the community. I feel like that is where my palette was challenged and where I formed a love for all the different styles and complexity of American beer," Moore says.

Why Tacoma?

"Having lived in this area, I was able to see the impact and development that craft beer had on Portland and Seattle. My friend started a small business in Tacoma recently and has been supported by the community both economically and his ideals. He helped me realized that Tacoma was a pearl in the Pacific Northwest and with the lower costs of starting a business there with the potential support of the residents there it was a pretty easy decision," he explains.

It's a Door for all reasons - a store to purchase a wide variety of bottled and canned beers, filling a growler of a special run or kicking back and chatting over draft brews.

I imagine Moore has seen the 253 stickers. Certainly living in Portland he knows the importance of community.

"We want to showcase all the local talent around us and have been in conversation with multiple local breweries," he says. "We are focusing on the West Coast and surrounding areas primarily. A lot of that has to do with the ability to get special runs and one offs as well. We look at the entire nation for good beer and are not limited."

The official opening will happen in a week, but he'll discover Tacoma doesn't wait. A grand opening party is in the works.

"We do have a barrel room set up and hope to have yearly release parties for the beers we age. We will be working with breweries on this idea and hopefully they will be involved in the release parties as well."

He'll discover the tight local beer community. He'll also discover how Tacoma likes its beer.

Here are the beers on tap when the copper door swings open:

1. Deschutes (nitro) - Obsidian Stout
2. Ace Cider
3. Ninkasi - Spring Reign American Pale Ale
4. No-li - Empire No. 8 Session IPA
5. Narrows Brewing - Giant Pacific Octopus IPA
6. Coronado Brewing - Islander IPA
7. Sound Brewing - Quad Pro Quo
8. Speakeasy - Betrayal Imperial Red
9. 7 Seas - Cascadian Dark Ale
10. Avery - Ellie's Brown Ale
11. Full Sail - Recipe no. 6 - Black Bock
12. Sierra Nevada Brewing - Narwhal Imperial Stout
13. Green Flash - Palette Wrecker Imperial IPA
14. Stone - Go to IPA
15. Chuckanut Brewery - Dunkel Lager
16. Fremont Brewing - Dark Star Imperial Stout

THE COPPER DOOR, 12 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, 253.212.3708, thecopperdoor.net

BEER HERE

Friday, April 4

Narrows Brewing head brewer Joe Walts hosts Skip Madsen with American Brewing for a brewer's night beginning at 5 p.m. Dark Horse Band kicks it at 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 5

The Harmon Restaurant and Brewery is one of the venues participating in the Gray Sky Blues Music Festival. From noon to 5 p.m., expect to hear Fistful of Dollars, The Mark Riley Trio, Maia Santell and House Blend, Jack Gaffney out of Boulder, Colo., and Nolan Garret. Admission is free.