Spring has sprung and is already starting to give way to summer in the Pacific Northwest. Cider news is abundant, arguably this being ciders biggest time to shine as last year’s harvest and winter slumber begins to show it’s bounty. Sadly the latest fresh pressing of cider news is is a good news and bad news story, with some exciting flavors, partnerships, and events coming up, but also a series of closures and consolidations.

La Familia Cider closes Portland taproom

La Familia Cider was founded in 2017 by the Gonzalez family, first-generation Mexican immigrants. La Familia offers distinctive hard ciders inspired by aguas frescas—fresh fruit beverages popular in Latin America. In June 2024 La Familia took over the former Portland Cider House location at 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd operated by Portland Cider Co. and made it into their Portland satellite location. As of March 31st, La Familia closed this location as they shift the business teasing something new to come.

Portland Cider Co. Taproom/Restaurant Closes

Portland’s largest cidery, and the third largest in Oregon, has down-sized over the past few years from 3 taprooms to zero with the closure of their restaurant at their main production facility in Clackamas. Shortly after celebrating their 13th anniversary, Portland Cider made the tough decision to wind down the taproom to focus on making more cider and digging deeper into distribution and presence in the market.

The Place no longer a place

Portland’s go-to place for cider closed in February. The Place was a gathering spot for cider fans locally, and visitors for abroad. Known for their wide selection of ciders from across the world, and as a community Hub for fans and was a big hit for the industry. The Place replaced Bushwhacker Cider in the same space at 1212-D SE Powell Blvd. Bushwhacker was the first cider Bottleshop and taproom, and made their own cider, and The Place carried on that legacy. With the Portland Cider House closing a few years back, and the recent closure of Cider Bite, there aren’t many places to find a wide array of ciders from different providers.

American Cider Association announces new leadership and restructuring

There are big changes at the national cider industry trade group the American Cider Association. Longtime ACA leader Michelle McGrath stepped down to work in Salmon-Safe in late 2024 and the board launched a search for a new CEO, eventually hiring Monica Cohen from outside of the industry in January 2025. Only 15 months later, Cohen is out.

The ACA is transitioning into a staff-led operating model led by the board. “This transition includes a staff-led operating model with clear ownership across key areas, along with an updated approach to how we deliver CiderCon® to better meet the needs of our membership” wrote the ACA in a newsletter addressing the changes.

The operational changes will reduce cost during a time of hardship felt across the broader alcohol and fermentation industries as consumption declines. The ACA’s biggest event, CiderCon®, will also change “to better align with industry needs and ensure long-term financial sustainability. The event landscape is changing, and we are making meaningful updates to how CiderCon® is structured so it can continue to deliver value to members.”

2 Towns Ciderhouse

Big changes and wins for Corvallis, Oregon’s 2 Towns Ciderhouse are afoot.

• Seattle Cider Co. Acquisition

  You probably already heard the big news about Seattle Cider Company being acquired by 2 Towns but if not you can read the refresher here and we have a few updates. Seattle Cider has closed both their taproom and production in Seattle, most (all?) of the staff have been laid off as the production has moved to Oregon.

• Peel Out cider radler

  Peel Out is a limited-release grapefruit radler, a style that is typically associated with beers and is typically part lager and part juice or soda. In this case Peel Out is built on a base of fresh-pressed Northwest apples with bright grapefruit and a splash of California blood orange for a crisp, spritzy sipper just in time for summer. ABV: 6%, available in 16 oz cans (4-packs) and draft (½ bbl, ⅙ bbl)

Tieton Cider releases Imperial Pink Guava in 19.2oz cans

Tieton Cider Works, fruit growers and cidermakers from the east side of Washington’s Cascade mountains announce their latest release: Imperial Pink Guava, now available in 19.2oz cans.

Crafted from our own fresh-pressed apples and blended with guava puree, this tropical high-ABV cider contains no additives – just real fruit flavor.  The inspiration came from the Seattle Cider Summit’s 2025 Fruit Cider Challenge, where participating cideries experimented with fruit purees from Oregon Fruit Products. After rave reviews from festival goers, we figured it was time to bring a tropical fruit cider to a wider audience.

"Imperial Ciders are a major force in the Northwest,” says Kevin Marshall, Director of Sales. “Nearly half of all regional cider sales now come from higher-ABV offerings. This one has big flavor and strong category momentum.”

Now in our 18th year of cidermaking, innovation remains at the heart of what we do.  Imperial Pink Guava is our first tropical-inspired blend, crafted with the same farmer-first philosophy that defines every cider we make.

Lost Lake Cider Launches Limited Edition Cherry Tangerine for Spring

Lost Lake Cider, the Seattle-based craft cidery known for fruit-forward flavors has a new rotating series release available on draft and in 4-pack 16 oz cans at select retailers for a limited time.

At 6.8% ABV, Cherry Tangerine pours a slightly hazy, bright red hue and opens with an aromatic burst of tangerine, lemon, and orange layered with stone fruit and cherry notes. The flavor follows with mild sweetness, a light sour edge, and zero bitterness, keeping things crisp, refreshing, and wildly drinkable.

“Cherry Tangerine is exactly what we set out to create with Lost Lake in terms of something bold, refreshing, and just a little unexpected,” said Matt Lincecum, Owner and Founder of Lost Lake Cider. “It’s fruit-forward without being over the top, super drinkable, and made for those moments when you’re out chasing spring sun, grilling on a patio, or just finding quality time to enjoy the season with friends.”

Pandemic casualty Alter Ego Cider is back from the dead

The 2014 founded Portland cidery was a pandemic era casualty but has recently been revived under new ownership. Winemaker Anne Hubatch started Alter Ego as a side project to her Helioterra Winery, but Hubatch who moved home to Wisconsin in 2025 has sold it to two longtime fans and friends who are keeping the ownership female. Read more about the big transition and happy comeback story here.

West Linn Cidery and Pub announces new 65-acre apple orchard and brewery

2018 founded Willamette Ale & Cider House has been a popular pub in West Linn, Oregon known partially for their housemade ciders under the Queen Orchard brand. Recently the owners have rebranded to Ale & Cider House and expanded into their own brewery and house beers under the name 7 Bev, and launched their own 65-acre apple orchard. At their orchard, they have roughly 7,000 cider-specific apple trees with big plans for the future. Read the full story here.

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Son of Man Cider celebrates with new flavors, collaborations, and events

Its looking like a very big year for Cascade Locks, Oregon based Son of Man Cider which is rolling out more new flavors and collaborations then ever before.

• pFriem + Son of Man Extexo

  Son of Man has been the cider of choice at pFriem Family Brewers for years, so it was about time they went all in on an exclusive collaboration flavor.

• Extexo pFeast dinner at pFriem

  To celebrate pFriem and Son of Man's collaboration Extexo cider they will be throwing a pFeast at pFriem Milwaukie on Tuesday, May 26th! This will be a multi-course event with some plated dishes, some family style dishes, and many delicious beverage pairings featuring cider, beer, and cocktails. Tickets are $140 per person and available here.

• Champagne Reinette release party

  A new Sauvingon Blanc inspired cider flavor bursting with flavors of green grape, lychee, pear and green melon. No added flavors. No added sugar. No commercial yeast. No pasteurization. No forced carbonation. No velcorin. Just apples and time.

• Official Cider of Portland Pickles

  The Portland Pickles, the beloved collegiate summer baseball team and a cultural cornerstone of the Rose City, has partnered with the Son of Man Cider. Their Basque style ciders are light, bone dry and bright making them perfect for a ballgame. Throughout the summer season their premium, adjunct-free cider will fill the bleachers at Walker Stadium, quenching sunburned fans’ thirst. 

Bauman’s on Oak

• Expanded Spring hours

  Bauman’s Cider’s Portland taproom is now open 5-days a week with the return of Sunday hours. Now you can stop in for the diverse lineup of ciders and fresh food menu from 4-9pm Wednesday - Friday, 12-9pm on Saturday, and 12-7pm on Sundays.

• New Cocktail Menu

  Bauman’s on Oak has added apple and fruit forward spirits to their beverage list and a new menu of cocktails in addition to cider by the glass, bottle, or flight, as well as local craft beer and wines.

Alchemy Cider’s new flavors and partnerships

Portland, Oregon’s newest cidery has a witchy-magical tone that extends from their brand to their inner Eastside taproom and playful concoctions and events.

• Ginger Cult Leader collaboration with Ginger Cult hard ginger beer makers

  Alchemy’s spring/summer seasonal is a collaboration with local brand Ginger Cult on a cider made withfresh-pressed ginger juice and a bit of bright mango for a semi-dry but spicy and slightly tart crushable cider on tap and in 16oz cans.

• Queen of Cydonia bottle release

  This very limited edition special release cider comes from a blend of Brown Snout, Foxwhelp, early Russets, Somerset Redstreak and Yarlington Mill apples, this blend is backsweetened with foraged quince (Cydonia oblanga). It's bright and tart with punchy acidity and beautifully soft tannins.

• Jupiter Hotel partnership

  Alchemy has partnered with nearby Jupiter Hotel to offer their hard ciders in the rooms or from the front desk.

Salmon Safe Wild Salmon Festival

On Sunday, May 31st from 1-5pm Alchemy Cider is hosting the first annual Wild Salmon Festival featuring a list of local vendors of cider, beer, wine, food and spirits at a family-friendly event. Salmon-Safe is a fantastic organization promoting safer farming practices to protect our native waterways. Some of the activities include fly casting lessons, crafts for kids, and local food and sampling. Expect guest cideries Bauman’s, Raw Cider, Heartland Ciderworks, Kristof Farms, and breweries Living Haus, Lazy Days, Allgood. Plus local farms and Tuff Talk Distilling. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door with proceeds going to Salmon-Safe. Read all about the Wild Salmon Festival here.

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Yonder Cider’s Spring and Summer Seasonal Flavors

Seattle and Wenatchee, Washington-based Yonder Cider has some fresh seasonal cider flavors available.

• Phinneywood

  It’s not too late to get Yonder’s seasonal collaboration cider with Ken's Market - Phinneywood. This cider features bright and zesty lemon and juicy strawberry with subtle notes of basil for a balance of flavors designed to pair well with sunny and warmer spring days and nights. 6.9% ABV, available on tap, in 4pks to-go, and online

• Hot Yonder Summer

  Originally crafted as a small-batch collaboration with our buddies at Chucks Hop Shop (formally known as Hot Chuck Summer) we bring you a cider that's packed with the flavors of juicy peach, zesty lemon and refreshing mint, this cider is the ultimate thirst-quencher for those sun-soaked days. Tart and juicy all at the same time, this one has our favorite flavors of the season packed into one seriously fun can. ⁠6.9% ABV

Bull Run Cider releases fresh flavors

At Bull Run’s newish Forest Grove taproom shared with Pelagic Brewing they have new 16oz cans available for $69 a case and limited draft.

• Cherry Blush Cider is a co-ferment of sweet cherries and dessert apples. It has a kiss of cherry sweetness up front with a bit of bittering tannins on the mid palate and a crisp dry finish. Cherry Blush has a beautiful blush color to it. Their tip of the hat to rose style wine

• Brambleberry and Blueberry Lemon Ciders are two of Bull Run’s most popular releases with fresh batches out now.

L1 Certified Cider Guide™ in-person Certification and Sensory Workshop

Start your cider certification journey with the only global gold standard cider certification program, Certified Cider Professional™. Certified Cider Guide™ is the first level of certification in the program, and is a prerequisite for moving on to advanced levels of certification.

This immersive, hands on certification workshop includes Certified in-person training, an instructor-led tasting experience, a downloadable study guide, and the online certification exam fee. 

April 27th 1:00-5:00PM

Bauman's On Oak, Portland, Oregon

Price: $185 Non-members, $135 ACA members 

From Nuremberg, Germany the BarthHaas group has launched a campaign on producing non-alcoholic beer and published the first in a series of papers

Non-alcoholic beers are experiencing strong global growth. Health-conscious lifestyles, particularly among younger generations, along with a growing desire for moderate alcohol consumption have given demand a significant boost. What was once a niche category has evolved into a relevant and dynamic segment of the international beverage market.

As this beer style gains popularity, consumer expectations regarding quality are rising accordingly. Drinkers expect the same depth, balance and overall enjoyment they associate with alcoholic beers and are unwilling to compromise on flavor. This places increasing demands on breweries, as producing a truly excellent beer without alcohol is among the most technically challenging tasks in brewing. Without alcohol as a carrier of flavor, every ingredient, every process step and every decision in the brewing process is fully exposed.

Two white papers at the core of the campaign

To better reflect the growing importance of this category and to support brewers in achieving the best possible results, BarthHaas is now placing non-alcoholic beers at the center of a comprehensive campaign. Throughout the year, the company will regularly publish in-depth information on their production.

“We provide brewing know-how, sensory tools and dedicated hop solutions to deliver precisely what is often missing in non-alcoholic brewing,” explains Dr. Christina Schönberger, Product and Education Expert at the hop specialist BarthHaas.

At the heart of the primarily digital campaign are two in-depth white papers. Part 1, which has just been released, focuses in detail on flavor optimization and is now available as a free download from the BarthHaas website. Part 2, to be published in summer, will address dealcoholization technologies.

Flavor and mouthfeel often require improvement

“Non-alcoholic beers can taste sweet or unfinished. Without ethanol, bitterness, sweetness and aroma can quickly become unbalanced,” says Dr. Christina Schönberger, who will also appear regularly in expert interviews as part of the campaign. Such beers often stand out for a thin mouthfeel and poorly integrated aromas. In addition, the absence of alcohol as a stabilizing factor increases the risk of microbiological contamination, which is another common challenge in practice.

With Part 1 of the new white paper, How to Optimize Flavor in Low- and Non-Alcoholic Beers, BarthHaas provides its customers with a valuable, practice-oriented guide. It shows how to improve balance, body and aroma and how to optimize flavor, process control and stability in a targeted manner. The content is scientifically sound and firmly grounded in brewing practice.

Webinar offers practical insights

In addition to the white papers, BarthHaas will regularly distribute further materials via its LinkedIn campaign and related newsletters. On June 11, a free webinar entitled Modern Brewing: Flavor and Stability in Non-Alcoholic Beer will address this highly topical subject. The compact session provides a practical overview of the key success factors throughout the entire process. Topics include the development of a balanced aroma profile, ensuring microbiological stability and meeting regulatory requirements.

Comprehensive information on non-alcoholic beer and its production, access to the download of Part 1 of the white paper and registration for the webinar are available on the BarthHaas website: https://www.barthhaas.com/resources/non-alcoholic-brewing

About BarthHaas

BarthHaas is one of the world’s leading suppliers of hop products and hop-related services. The family-owned company specialises in the creative and efficient use of hops and hop products. As visionaries, instigators and implementers of ideas, BarthHaas has been shaping the market surrounding a unique raw material for over 225 years.

The new location - Claim 52 Bayfront - carries added significance as the oldest Rogue pub, as well as the first place legendary brewmaster John Maier brewed Rogue beer when they opened in Newport in 1989.

Claim 52 Brewing Bayfront public house officially opened to the public with a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 20th, 2026.

This story was originally published on February 24th 2026, and updated on May 20th 2026.

The reclamation of the former Rogue Ales empire is well underway. With the recent reopening of Rogue’s Pier 39 Public House in Astoria and the everything-goes public auction of equipment and hard assets, we will continue to see more remnants of the craft beer pioneer preserved for new generations.

Claim 52 Brewing of Eugene, Oregon is one our industry’s current success stories. Founded as a nano brewing operation built around styles like Kolsch in 2012, the brewery grew in reputation as well as in breadth of styles by embracing Belgian-style ales and briefly operating an Abbey-inspired taproom in Springfield. A few years later Claim 52 became one of the first pacific northwest breweries to turn their focus to the NE-style Hazy IPA with “Fluffy IPA.” For the past 14 years Claim 52 has consistently stayed on top of trends like fruited and smoothie sour with their “Stuffed” and “Thicc” series, while never forgetting their roots in timeless European-classics. Under new ownership by early 2024, Claim 52 continued to dial in their flagships while developing new ones, and relocated from their kitchen and taproom on Willamette St. and began consolidating a new brew house with a new kitchen at 232 Lincoln St, 97401 in the Whiteaker neighborhood of Eugene.

Claim 52 Brewing owner Jeremiah Marsden is a veteran homebrewer and former owner of a chemistry and pharmaceutical manufacturing company from which he currently leverages his past successes into the noble pursuit of craft beer. Since taking over as owner, Marsden has brought on general manager Jeremy Zollman, and brewers Aaron Brussat and Breann Goulette. Partnering with acclaimed kitchen ‘Seasoned’ at their new location has brought a new level of food quality and tons of space for expansion with the in-the-works installation of a 10 barrel brewhouse.

Rogue Ales Bayfront Public House (748 SW Bay Blvd, Newport, OR, United States, 97365) was the first Rogue Brewing location in Newport, opened shortly after their original pub in Ashland, Oregon was washed out in a flood. Rogue first brewed here out of a small system in the back before they rented the larger property owned by the Port of Newport for their production facility. The Bayfront building is a landmark anchoring Newport’s bustling Bayfront strip where galleries, seafood markets, pubs, restaurants, and tourist attractions bustle with traffic. Mo Niemi (1912–1992), founder of world famous Mo’s Restaurants, was Rogue’s first landlord in Newport and surrogate mom. The Mo’s family still owns the property where the pub currently sits vacant but with occupied apartments above that are said to be haunted by Mo’s benevolent ghost.

“As soon as I heard the news of Rogue closing I contacted the building owner (the Mo's family) to see about expanding into that building. They were very happy to have a brewery interested in the spot since it serves the whole bayfront community,” says Claim 52 owner Jeremiah Marsden.

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Marsden has a life-long affection for the Oregon coast and specifically for Newport as his family has been visiting for decades and owns a home in town where they split life between Eugene and Newport. With the closure of both Rogue locations in Newport, as well as Newport Brewing Company’s almost simultaneous closure, there is a lack of craft beer options in town. The huge summer tourist season, and busy waterfront location, is also popular with locals and the space has enough room for events, live music, and more regular activities to activate the community.

Claim 52 Brewing has also been slowly working a nautical theme into their brand by coincidence. It started with the label art on Claim 52’s Fluffy hazy IPA depicting a giant octopus taking down a ship. More recently Marsden has been integrating the nautical elements in further, like the pirate ship on their flagship “Admiral Red” and the ufferfish on “Fluffiest.” You will also notice art like octopus light fixtures and bulbs all around the brewery’s pub in Eugene. The expansion to Newport almost seems like the unexpectedly perfect fit for Claim 52’s next evolution.

“Rogue has always had a special place in my heart as some the first craft beers I'd had from Oregon,” says Marsden. “It is actually a little surreal that I will be operating my own taproom out of the historic location. I also had a deep respect for John Maier and his creativity as a head brewer.”

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Rogue’s legendary brewmaster John Maier created their most iconic recipes like Dead Guy, Shakespeare Stout, Hazenut Brown Nectar, Brutal Bitter, and Old Crustacean Barleywine retired back in 2019 and settled in Eugene where he currently resides. Maier and Rogue have a deep connection with Eugene as well, as their 2014 closed brewpub was formative for a nascent community of budding beer nerds and homebrewers many of whom later went pro.

“Both Jeremiah and I joined the Cascade Brewers Society homebrew club around the same time - 2008-ish - when the monthly meetings were held at Rogue’s Eugene City Brewery / Track Town Ales location,” says Claim 52 head brewer Aaron Brussat. “Rogue, with John Maier as a member and friend of many in the club, was really generous to the CBS, going so far as to purchase a 1-bbl pilot system for us to use for educational purposes.”

Part of the appeal of the former Rogue location is that it is so turnkey and already has that lived-in brewpub atmosphere and clientele that Claim 52 hopes to bring back and cultivate even deeper roots in the community.

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“We want to maintain much of the original feel from Rogue. The taproom will have 3 connected dining areas and two areas for private events as well as the iconic bar,” says Marsden.

Claim 52 Bayfront will be the brewery’s first foray into a full cocktails and spirits bar with a curated selection of whiskeys, as well as real table service waitstaff and both adult 21+ and kid/family friendly areas. The pub has something for everyone: big screen tv’s and projectors in a game room with pool tables, and an enclosed open air beer garden. Claim 52 will also operate the kitchen themselves with familiar classic elevated pub food like burgers and sandwiches, classic Oregon coast specials like *Claim Chowder, and Fish & Chips. Pizza will also eventually be added on to the menu, and Claim 52 also hopes to turn back the clock to revive some of the favorites from their former Eugene Kitchen location.

The space has received a glow-up with fresh paint, new sunset murals, and an expansion of Claim 52 Brewing’s nautical theme, with some remnants of Rogue like an old flag that still hangs above the pool table and vintage bottles, that makes the pub already feel right at home in Newport. Claim 52 Bayfront soft opened to the public on May 16th 2026 which is 37 years to the month when Rogue Bayfront first opened in May 1989.

Claim 52 Brewing Bayfront Public House

748 SW Bay Blvd, Newport, OR, United States, 97365 claim52brewing.com/

Hours/Days: 11-9 Sun-Thurs and 11-10 Fri-Sat.

All-ages / family friendly, event space for live music and private events. 35 taps that include house beers, guest ciders, kombucha, and wine along a full bar with curated spirits.

Celebrate Oregon Beer has announced the 2nd annual Oregon Homegrown statewide collaboration that celebrates a single hop varietal each year. For the 2026 Oregon Homegrown, the featured hop is the iconic, extremely well known, but arguably old school hop variety “cascade.” But to make things interesting, this field to glass showcase will highlights the new and mostly unknown “deep cut” phenomenon that has brewers and hop growers re-evaluating everything they thought they knew about Cascade hops.

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“Deep Cut” Hops

Each brewery has created a different kind of beer using Crosby Hops’ “Deep Cut”  Cascades, an innovative version of the iconic variety left on the bine longer into late September to create more modern “juicy” flavors and aromas. Crosby farmers allow Estate Grown Cascade cones to fully mature and develop a higher total oil content (up to 3.0 ml/100 g or 2x the industry average Cascade oil). The result is a vivid evolution of Cascade bursting with mandarin, peach, and grapefruit, all layered over subtle pine and resin tones without any onion/garlic characteristics.

Oregon Imperial Yeast

Of the half-dozen national labs producing brewing yeast,  two are located in Oregon—including this year’s partner, Imperial Yeast. With this special  collaboration, drinkers can actually taste the “Oregon” in their beer. 

The Hop That Built Craft Brewing 

Cascade’s origin story starts in 1956 in Corvallis, Oregon, where USDA plant researcher Dr.  Stan Brooks was trying to breed a mildew-resistant hop variety domestic brewers could use  in place of European imports. Unfortunately, when researchers released the result of  Brooks’ efforts in 1972, newly-named Cascades were too expressive for domestic lagers. 

Its unmistakable floral and grapefruit character — clean, bright, and undeniably  American — was nothing like the mild European imports. That turned out to be a stroke of  luck. Within a few years, a small smattering of breweries on the West Coast opened, and they  loved Cascade. Oregon’s beautiful new hop would send American brewing on a completely new trajectory. 

“Cascade hops are one of Oregon’s most amazing treasures,” said Celebrate Oregon  Beer’s Jeff Alworth. “They are flat-out one of the best varieties in the world. But even  more than that, they had such a huge influence by helping kick-start American craft  brewing and sending us down a road that would lead to all the hop-forward beers  we now make.”  

Participating Breweries and Their Beers:

Arbor Lodge Rarität HefeWeizen (citrusy hefeweizen), 5%.
A hefeweizen style beer dry hopped with Deep Cut Cascades, Azacca, and Cashmere to provide Mandarin/grapefruit flavors below the banana esters. Great with a zest of lime or orange. 

Baerlic Why Rye? (rye lager), 5%.
Description to come

BearKat Cascade Berry Lager (wheat lager), 5.1%.
American wheat fermented with lager yeast and a light marionberry addition on the cold side, hopped with Deep Cut Cascades.

Block 15 Devil’s Staircase (Pacific Northwest pale ale), 5.7%.
Pacific Northwest pale ale featuring Crosby Deep Cut Cascade, Crosby Estate Comet, and Chinook.

Breakside Untitled (American pilsner), 5.3%, 31 IBUs.
Contemporary American pilsner with Crosby Deep Cut Cascade.

de Garde Deep Green (dry-hopped spontaneously-fermented ale), 5.5%.
Barrels of spontaneously fermented wild ale aged 3-5 years, brewed with Oregon malt, raw wheat and aged Oregon hops, then dry-hopped with ‘Deep Cut’ Cascade from Crosby. 

Evasion Liberty at Risk (Anchor Liberty Ale homage), 6.3%.
An Anchor Liberty tribute APA/IPA with Deep Cut additions at 30 minutes, 45 minutes, whirlpool, and dry hop. 

Ferment Forest Gnome IPA (Belgian IPA), 6.8%.
A unique and enchanting IPA featuring Deep Cut Cascade hops and a yeast strain little-known in these parts (Imperial Gnome

Heater Allen American Zoigl (traditional American lager), 5.5%, 30 IBUs.
American amber lager made with corn adjunct Oregon-grown Goschie Farms Promise malt.

Kings and Daughters Sentinels of the Sea (IPA), 5.7%, 60 IBUs.
American Style IPA featuring Deep Cut Cascade CGX, Crosby Estate Grown Chinooks, and Indie Strata.

Occidental Northwest Pilsner (hoppy pilsner), 5%.
Pilsner dry-hopped with Crosby Deep Cut Cascade.

Steeplejack Homeslice McGee (WC Pale), 5.6%

West Coast pale ale with Deep Cut Cascades and Mosaic hops. 

Sunriver Green Label, Deep Cut Version (American pale ale) 5.6%, 40 IBUs.
Classic APA with Crosby Deep Cut Cascade T-90 and NUVO CGX, including Oregon-grown Goschie Promise malt for a clean and balanced palate with grapefruit, pine, floral, and citrus.

Von Ebert Predicting the Past (Australian XPA), 5.3%.
Aussie-style XPA with Deep Cut Cascade, Citra Cryo, and Chinook. Notes of Sweet citrus, complex floral notes, papaya, and baking spice.

Wayfinder Same Same but Different (pale mild), 4.3%.
A British-style golden mild ale with Deep Cut Cascades and Crosby CGX.

Where to Find Them: Tap Takeover Events 

Oregon Homegrown beers will be featured at five tap takeover events across the state,  giving drinkers the chance to try multiple collaboration beers side by side: 

• The BeerMongers — Portland, May 27 

• Bridge & Tunnel — Astoria, May 29 

• TopWire Hop Project — Woodburn, June 6 

• Bier Stein — Eugene, June 12 

• River’s Place — Bend, June 16 

More information at celebrateoregonbeer.com.

About Crosby Hops 

Crosby Hops is a family-owned and vertically integrated hop grower, processor, and  merchant based in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Sourcing from their fifth-generation farm  with Estate Grown varieties and longstanding independent growers across the globe, the  company provides discerning brewers access to a diverse selection of the finest hops on  Earth. 

About Imperial Yeast 

Imperial Yeast was founded in 2014 with the goal to support brewers worldwide. Their  passion for yeast and fermentation has only grown since they opened their doors in  Portland, Oregon and in 2020, they opened our production facility in Philadelphia, PA to  better serve East Coast customers. 

About Celebrate Oregon Beer 

Celebrate Oregon Beer is dedicated to establishing Oregon’s reputation as one of the world’s  premier beer regions. Founded in 2024, the organization is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit. The  organization has the support of the Oregon Brewers Guild and Oregon Hop Commission, and  its Board of Directors is composed of brewery owners and hop growers.

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Brewer and brewery founders Darren Provenzano and his wife and veteran beer industry pro Ny Lee are turning their sporadic Tale of Us Pizza pop-up series into a permanent custom built food truck at the popular N. Portland German beer bar and food truck pod Prost!

The Provenzanos first met in Vietnam where Darren won multiple accolades while brewing for Heart of Darkness Brewing and Ny worked at local craft breweries. They moved to Portland, Oregon in 2020 when the pandemic scuttled plans for a new brewery they were planning to open in Saigon. Together they developed the concept for Fracture Brewing as a merger between Vietnamese and West Coast cultures. What started as collaborations and one-off beers brewed at Culmination Brewing morphed into a partnership with restaurateur and investor Kurt Huffman and his Chefstable Group. Fracture Brewing officially launched as a standalone new concept and brand in 2022 with Provenzano at the helm of brewing operations and Lee as a creative force. A year later Fracture Brewing won a silver medal at the Oregon Beer Awards, but Darren and Ny ended up leaving the business shortly thereafter.

In the past few years, Darren has explored winemaking, and was the head Brewer for ForeLand Beer, while Ny is a bartender and manager at Loyal Legion’s beer Hall in Beaverton. Since leaving ForeLand in early 2025, Darren was ready for a new challenge.

“Fermentation naturally led me toward dough,” says Darren. “Honestly, pizza was always kind of there. I grew up around cooking and spent a lot of time with my grandmother, who cooked constantly, especially for big family gatherings on weekends. She’d make Sicilian style pizza at home, and I think without realizing it at the time, that became part of the foundation for everything I’m doing now.”

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Ny, a native of Vietnam, balances out Darren’s “back of house” presence in baking and fermentation with a hospitality forward friendly face to the business paired with a love of food and culture.

“Growing up in Saigon there honestly wasn’t a huge pizza culture, although there’s definitely a cool younger generation there now doing really thoughtful Neapolitan style pizza,” adds Ny.

Tale of Us Pizza started as a pop-up in August 2025 and has appeared at numerous breweries and taprooms since their initial debut at a winery, and including stops at The Beermongers, Threshold Brewing, Everywhere Beer Co., and Von Ebert Brewing to name a few.

“What started very casually eventually became something we felt had a real identity behind it. At that point, we realized it had the potential to grow into a brand of its own,” says Darren about their big upcoming move from sporadic pop-ups and private events and into a full-time job with their upcoming food truck opening at Prost!. “We’re excited to be joining something that already feels like a real institution in Portland and to be alongside such a talented group of operators there.”

Beer, and Darren and Ny’s background in service and fermentation still plays very heavily into Tale of Us Pizza’s business model and creativity.

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“I think in both beer and pizza there’s a tendency for people to jump straight into complicated hybrid fermentations or highly technical processes without first understanding the foundation underneath them,” says Darren on his brewing based approach to pizza. “Brewing also taught me the importance of taking detailed notes, staying observant, and trusting the process. There are endless theories, trends, and dogmas floating around in both fields, but at the end of the day you still have to develop your own understanding through repetition, adjustment, and experience.”

Their pizza is a mish mash of Neapolitan and Sicilian, with a swerve into Trenton and a spin around party cut Tavern-style pizza. On their website Tale of Us Pizza describes their pies as having their heart in Italy but but with a wandering soul that takes them to Tunisia, toward Morocco—in search of warmth, spice, and balance. The Sicilian influence comes more Darren’s heritage and the ingredients he grew up with like anchovies, breadcrumbs, olive oil, and various Sicilian slices and baked dishes always being on the family table.

“We’re not necessarily trying to chase one particular pizza style. Through the process, we naturally ended up with something closer to a thin and crispy Trenton-style bar pie more than anything else,” says Darren.

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Trenton-style pizza is a much much lesser known regional style of pie that emerged from New Jersey’s Trenton neighborhood of Chambersburg that historically had a large population of Italian-Americans. Trenton style has thin crust like a Chicago Tavern-style pie, and is brushed with olive oil which helps with crunchiness and creating a char along the edges. Like a traditional Detroit-style, crushed tomatoes are layered on top of the cheese instead of under it. The tomatoes take center stage unlike the cheese on a Detroit, fresh and mildly salted or seasoned helps them shine. By layering the cheese first, the Trenton-style retains a cracker like chrunchiness by preventing the juices from the tomatoes from softening it or making it soggy.

Tale of Us Pizza often has creative, unusual, and enlightening ingredient and flavor combinations in addition to classics like Margherita and Pepperoni. The “Costa Bebop" pie combines classic California plum tomatoes with classic Caciocavallo Italian semi-hard cheese with mozzarella from small PNW artisan creamery Ferndale Farmstead, then adds onion-anchovy conserva, sardines, parsley and high quality olive oil. The “Maruzza” is a savory veggie pie with a tamarind-beet reduction over bufala fresca, mushrooms, chives, smoked mozzarella, and a drizzle of olive oil.

“Brewing also taught me the importance of taking detailed notes, staying observant, and trusting the process,” says Darren on developing their pizza’s through trial and error and many nights making pies for friends. “There are endless theories, trends, and dogmas floating around in both fields, but at the end of the day you still have to develop your own understanding through repetition, adjustment, and experience.”

With the success of Tale of Us Pizza pop-ups, Darren and Ny had been keeping their eyes and ears open for a permanent location before they saw Prost! German beer bar’s social media posting about an opening for a food truck in their surrounding cart pod. “We already frequented Prost quite a bit and felt it would be a really natural fit for us,” says Darren.

They’ll be moving into an 8x16 pizza trailer built specifically around the workflow of the business. During the pop-ups they have been using Gozney Arc XL ovens which under the hood are Neapolitan-style ovens designed for shorter, high-heat bakes. They worked well, but required a constant watchful eye to manage the flame. In the new food truck, they have worked the design around a centerpiece double deck Moretti Forni P110 GA gas oven, which will help handling volume with consistency and maintaining and even perfecting the style of pizza they want to continue making.

Tale or Us Pizza recently pulled up their new food truck in the Prost! Marketplace lot and passed their final inspection, which means an opening day is just around the corner. For now just Darren and Ny will be running things day to day, so its a great time to stop in and grab a beer at Prost! or Bloodbuzz and meet the people behind the operation before they get too busy to run it all themselves.

“The timing feels great. The weather is turning, the city starts coming alive this time of year, and with the World Cup around the corner and all the events Prost has planned, it’s going to be mental in the best possible way,” adds Darren.

Tale of Us Pizza is soft open for evenings Wednesday through Sunday from 4-9pm (or until sold out) until they get comfortable with the flow and then will expand hours and days in June and begin opening for Sundays and lunch service as well. Find them at the Prost! Marketplace beer garden and food trucks at 4237 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97217

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Yakima, Washington’s Bale Breaker Brewing has acquired Seattle, Washington’s Cloudburst Brewing

Steve Luke is moving to Mangawhai Heads, a small township on the northern part of the Mangawhai Harbour in New Zealand’s Northland region. Luke founded Cloudburst Brewing in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood in 2016 after leaving Elysian Brewing. Luke’s wife, Holly, a now former federal public service employee, took a job opportunity in New Zealand that neither could refuse and they have decided to see what the clouds are like in the southern hemisphere.

“Bale Breaker has acquired us 100%,” confirms Steve Luke from the Sip Magazine offices patio over Lake Union. “It is a feel good acquisition, there are no other good words to describe this kind of partnership positively.”

Technically, Cloudbreaker LLC has acquired Cloudburst Brewing and that is a wholly Bale Breaker owned entity. 

“They [Bale Breaker] knew Holly [Steve’s wife] and I were moving to New Zealand first, and I was like ‘do you guys want to run Cloudburst? And they were like NO,’” says Luke with a laugh.

“The true story is that when he asked if we wanted to take over and run Cloudburst, it was like ‘uhhhh no. But I can be a sounding board about how you might want to sell it.’” clarifies Bale Breaker co-owner Kevin Quinn, as he sits with Meghan Quinn, and brewmaster Kevin Smith, discussing the upcoming acquisition with New School Beer and Sip Magazine.

Combined, Cloudburst Brewing and Bale Breaker Brewing have been the almost undisputed industry leaders of Washington hoppy beers. Bale Breaker being owned by the family behind Loftus Ranches hop farm with straight from the field access to hop varieties like Simcoe®, Citra®, and Mosaic® and countless other new and developing cultivars. And Cloudburst, a hop obsessed brewery that rarely makes the same pale ale twice and one of the pioneers of the not quite hazy and not quite clear contemporary American IPA category.

The partnership / slash acquisition makes a lot of sense for a number of reasons, not just their combined hop acumen. Bale Breaker Brewing is one of Washington’s largest craft brewers, producing around 22,000 barrels of beer a year from their Yakima based production facility and a much smaller amount from their shared Seattle taproom/brewery with Yonder Cider. Bale Breaker’s chief output is in 12oz cans widely available in grocery stores in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and with an emphasis on core, dependable, year-round flavors. Cloudburst on the other hand is small, making only about 2,000 barrels a year and self-distributing it in primarily just Seattle with a very limited amount of 16oz cans and draft with almost no overlap in beers and at a rate that almost no brewery in Washington can compete with.

“Internally we were talking about it and it and thinking about how Cloudburst is so important to craft beer, and Washington beer. The biggest thing that gave us heartburn about taking it on was the state of the industry right now,” says Kevin Quinn. “But the more we thought about it, we thought we would be the best people to do this…and then when we saw the books we were like ‘wow.’”

“There were other people who knew I was moving [to New Zealand] and were interested in acquiring Cloudburst, and when Bale Breaker came back around and asked if it was too late, I was like ‘almost,’” says Luke.

According to Luke, Cloudburst has been profitable since the beginning partly because of their zero growth policy and a DIY approach to doing everything in-house. That has meant Steve Luke taking on all sorts of roles that would usually be done by an employee, like balancing the books, art direction, writing all the beer recipes, and even running the social media.

The commitment to staying small has ironically taken a toll on Steve Luke personally. By selling ownership to Bale Breaker the Cloudburst brand will remain small and relatively independent, but grow production by outsourcing the sole flagship beer “Happy Little Clouds” Pilsner [multiple time GABF and World Beer Cup award winner] to Bale Breaker’s larger brewery, leaving Cloudburst Brewing’s brewery to continue to focus on constantly rotating small batch beers. 

“Getting my creative energy back is a big priority,” says Luke. “I feel like it has waned over the last couple years. If anything now I will get more creative with names and recipes.”

“The final thing that got us to commit to it is agreeing to keep everyone at Cloudburst still on, including Steve,” says Bale Breaker brewmaster Kevin Smith. “That’s the hard thing about acquiring the brand, Steve Luke is Cloudburst and Cloudburst is Steve Luke, if you take away that person it’s like what do you have? So we were like ‘if we take away all the things you dont like will you stay on and do the fun shit?’”

Cloudburst Brewing will remain the same according to both parties. Steve Luke, from a beach in New Zealand, will still write all the beer recipes and oversee the fun stuff like their popular and occassionally unhinged and controversial instagram account. All the employees and both Cloudburst locations will be retained, even self-distribution will remain under longtime manager Noah Schellhammer who will be the hands on GM. 

“We put no shackles on Steve,” adds Meghann Quinn. “This is the best case scenario because it's friends helping friends out. For Cloudburst you are aware of who we are and who is behind it the entire time.”

“Going with a family [Bale Breaker and the Quinns] that know Cloudburst through and through and will take us even with our instagram being as crazy as it is, was huge in making the decision on who we might sell to,” says Luke. “Holly and I can't run a small Seattle brewery from New Zealand.”

Cloudburst will continue brewing all of their beers in-house except Happy Little Clouds, and Bale Breaker has no intention of changing the recipes, hop varieties, or brewing processes.

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“The way Cloudburst is set up is they brew new recipes every single brew time unless Steve is feeling lazy,” says Bale Breaker’s Kevin Smith with a laugh and a lighthearted jab to Steve. “If we move everything over to Yakima that's going to change the flavors and that’s not what we want. Bale Breaker uses 95-98% of the hops that we grow but we dont have any desire to change what Cloudburst uses.” 

The more things change, the more things stay the same. The major benefit to Cloudburst consumers is no foreseeable price increases which with the cost of ingredients constantly ratcheting up was coming in the near future.

“The economies of scale will be much better for Cloudburst. They [Bale Breaker] get to play with the same ingredients, the same hops, but currently I pay atleast $3 more per pound more than they do,” says Luke. “Our margins have been down the last 3 years just because we are absorbing all these costs. At some point the consumer is going to say this is just too much. So we just take hits and take hits and take hits. We were at a pretty close point of raising prices and how often can you do this before people say ‘no’.”

The benefits include contracts and storage of cans by Bale Breaker, bookkeeping, human resources, even a real brewing lab for quality control and better sensory evaluations that Luke has been craving for improving their beers and systems.

“It’s not cost cutting, it’s cost saving,” adds Meghan Quinn. “I hope that a month from now it's old news and people dont even notice the difference.” 

“I have been tired for so long, something had to give and it has been my physical and mental health beyond everything else. And that is what it's like when you are a perfectionist that has trust issues. I would love to hand off this stuff to other people that I truly fucking trust. And there are only so many places where that can happen. It's like handing off my baby, and you want to keep it in the family. Cloudburst can actually be run better without me doing all the things I felt like I had to do,” says Luke.

But what is Steve Luke going to do now besides zooming in to the brewery from a beach and dreaming up new Kiwi themed memes for instagram?

Well, he will still come back to Seattle 3-4 times a year and is fully committed to ensuring Cloudburst is still Cloudburst and the beer tastes the same. But after taking a year or two off from full-time running a brewery, Luke fully intends to open a new brewery in New Zealand.

“I told my wife that they would find me dead of old age on a brewdeck and I intend to keep that promise.” - Steve Luke

Featuring Cideries and Breweries Sourcing Salmon-Safe Certified Apples, Hops and Barley

In honor of International Wild Salmon Day, Alchemy Cider Co. is hosting cidermakers, brewers and farmers to present the Wild Salmon Festival on May 31 from 1 PM to 5 PM in the parking lot of Alchemy Cider Co.’s tasting room in Southeast Portland. Tickets are $10 in advance ($12 on-site) and include samples from participating beverage producers and a 4 oz. Alchemy Cider Co. glass. The event is family-friendly, and kids can attend for free. In addition to cider and beer, there will be vendors sampling and selling cheese, farm products, wild salmon and native plant starts. The Traveling Typist will be on-site for inspired poems on a topic of your choice, and Grayling Education will be demonstrating fly fishing casting at 2 PM.

This event is a benefit for Salmon-Safe, an Oregon based non-profit organization that works with farmers to support farmer-led efforts to protect wild salmon and healthy rivers. The beverage producers at the festival all have one thing in common—their cider or beers were all produced using Salmon-Safe certified ingredients: apples, hops and barley. Salmon-Safe certified farms are verified by a third party to enhance biodiversity, restrict pesticides harmful to aquatic wildlife, protect soil health, and preserve water quality. In Oregon, 80% of the hop acreage is Salmon-Safe Certified, making Oregon one of the most sustainable hop growing regions in the world. 

Participating vendors include:

• Alchemy Cider Co.

• Bauman’s Cider

• Heartland Ciderworks

• Kristof Farms

• Raw Cider Co.

• Allgood Brewing Company

• Hopworks Brewery

• Lazy Days Brewing

• Living Häus Beer Co.

• Tuff Talk Distillery

• Kenai Red Fish Company

• Westwood Farms

• Salmon-Safe

• Pleasant Valley Cider Apples

• Deck Family Farm

• A Friend in Cheese

• Pond Hag Natives

• The Traveling Typist

• Grayling Educatio

More information can be found on the event page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/salmon-safe-wild-salmon-day-food-beverage-festival-tickets-1988350665365 or questions can be directed to michelle@salmonsafe.org.

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Alchemy Cider Co. opened in August of 2025 in inner SE Portland. Their taproom has a dark, mystical aesthetic that is unique, yet comfortable and inviting. They have hosted a wide range of community-focused events since opening late last year. Among their cider lineup are five ciders made with Salmon-Safe certified apples from Pleasant Valley Orchard in Sweet Home, Oregon. Learn more at https://alchemy-cider.com.

Salmon-Safe was founded in 1997 and has become one of the nation's leading ecolabels with more than 115,000 acres of farm and urban lands certified in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, British Columbia and, most recently, Japan. Through peer-reviewed certification and accreditation program, they are leading the movement to implement farming practices and developments that protect water quality, maintain watershed health and restore habitat. Learn more at SalmonSafe.org.

Stevenson, Washington’s Walking Man Brewing, the oldest microbrewery in the Columbia River Gorge, is entering its next chapter as Tabatha Wiggins finalizes the purchase of the remaining ownership interest from founder and original brewmaster Bob Craig.

Walking Man Brewing is known for its independent spirit, welcoming atmosphere, and a lineup of beers that balance tradition with evolution. Early recipes—including Walking Man IPA, Cherry Stout and Homo Erectus Imperial IPA—remain part of the brewery’s story, alongside a rotating selection of new and seasonal releases.

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Wiggins, who became a partner in 2014, manages operations and leads the team in shaping the guest experience. With more than a decade of hands-on work refining how the business runs, improving the space and adapting to a changing industry, she remains focused on preserving the welcoming spirit that defines the small-town brewpub. 

“Walking Man has always been about people—our team, our regulars, and the community that’s supported us along the way,” said Wiggins. “I’m incredibly proud to carry that forward and excited to continue creating a place people feel connected to, while building on what’s already here in thoughtful ways.”

While ownership is now fully consolidated, the guest experience remains unchanged—familiar faces, a dog-friendly beer garden, live music, and a welcoming space for both locals and visitors. Walking Man Brewing remains focused on balancing its roots with new ideas while staying true to its identity.

“I’m proud of what Walking Man has become and confident in where it’s headed,” shares Craig, in support of the transition. “It’s in good hands.”

To mark the occasion, the community is invited to the brewpub for a casual midweek gathering. Guests are encouraged to stop by, raise a glass, and be part of this next chapter on Wednesday, May 20, 4:00–7:00PM at Walking Man Brewing located at 240 SW 1st Street in Stevenson, Washington.

Featuring Hetty Alice Brewing’s Gavin Lord on the mic and produced and directed by co-owner Giselle Lord, the video was produced at pFriem Family Brewers and features Josh Pfriem, Annie Pfriem, and Ferment Brewing’s Jenn Petersen, among others.

Way back in 2013 the video BrewMama by Giselle Kennedy Lord won first place at the Dogfish Head Beer Off-Centered Film Fest shorts competition.

In honor of Mother’s Day enjoy this music video tribute to all the hoppy brewmama’s out there.

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N. Portland beer bar and pasty tavern Saraveza opened a secondary concept called the Bad Habit Room in the back of their shared building with red e café roasters below upstairs apartments. For years the Bad Habit Room was a popular weekend brunch spot in the Humboldt neighborhood while hosting private parties and operating as an expanded annex for Saraveza events. But as with many things it never really came back after the pandemic kept the space closed for years.

The Bad Habit Room reopened as a Speakeasy-style cocktail bar and small plates restaurant with serious loungey date-night vibes in 2022. When that concept didn’t fully take off they shifted to more casual service with Tavern-style pizza and a late night arcade. On Thursday, March 4th, Saraveza announced Bad Habit would close as of April 1st, but in a surprise twist the space will become a vinyl Kissa lounge and the Bad Habit brand will live-on as a Tavern-style pizza concept that is currently running the kitchen at Living Haus Beer and for Saraveza.

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Chef Jacob Flanagan developed the Bad Habit Room’s Tavern-style Pizza in 2022 when the thin, crunchy, bite size “party cut” style of pizza popularized in dive bars of the Midwest and East Coast was just beginning to gain traction locally. The pizza has proven popular enough that they now serve it regularly at Saraveza, and the concept will now continue outside the confines and keep the Bad Habit Room brand name alive.

Far Cry hifi listening bar is created by Colin Anderson, a name that may be familiar to followers of Portland’s indie rock scene as a founding member and drummer from The Shaky Hands, a now defunct band that had great success with Seattle indie label Kill Rock Stars. “The Shaky Hands happen to be Portland's best rock band,” wrote Willamette Week in 2008. “Original drummer Colin Anderson left the band earlier this summer, forcing the Hands to retool their songs and their sound—no easy feat considering Anderson's versatility and importance to the new record, where he seems almost psychically linked to singer/guitarist Nicholas Delffs and the rest of the band” said Michael Mannheimer in review of their album Lunglight.

Anderson is taking inspiration in the famous Jazz Kissa bars popularized in Japan to create a vibey ambient atmosphere at Far Cry that emphasizes intentional, meditative listening with a layout built around speaker placement, and minimizing noise. The musical tastes will emphasize Jazz, but swerve into experimental ambient, post punk, electronic music and other hybrid genres. The inspiration for the name “Far Cry” is referencing a 1962 album of the same name by Eric Dolphy, not the popular video game.

“I’m shooting for an environment that isn’t for everyone, but will hopefully be fully loved and embraced by the kindred spirits that are passionate about exploring and engaging with unconventional music. The seekers. I have always loved the strange, unique businesses I’ve visited in larger cities, and I’m aiming for this to be along those lines,” says Anderson.

Anderson grew up in Mendocino County, in a really small town called Philo. His father was a carpenter and cabinetmaker, and that is where Anderson picked up the trade that he has been working in for the past 18 years as a carpenter and cabinetmaker. He will be personally designing and building all of the seating and tables, with the layout built around speaker placement, and minimizing noise.  With some experience working in the industry as a prep cook at points, Far Cry will be his first transition into the bar business.

“The goal for the atmosphere is inviting and comfortable, while being emotionally and intellectually engaging. I want people to feel at home. I’ve been collecting art and objects to fill the space over the last few years, and am going to try to make the space feel lived in from the get go. The focus is music, so the goal is to keep talking at a lower level, so as not to compete with the tunes. A hard concept for many Americans, but seems to work in Japan!” says Anderson.

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Anderson has been building an impressive” sound system over the last 5 years that will come into play at Far Cry. Most of the gear in the bar will be vintage Hifi, from the era when listening to recorded music was central to most homes. Some of the special pieces are:

• Turntables-Garrard 301, Garrard 401, thorens td-124(all classics, from the 50s and 60s)

• Preamps- Dynavector dv-3000 gold, pass labs xp-30

• Amps-Dynavector dv-8250 

• Speakers-electrovoice Georgian 400, Altec model 19

• Tonearms- Dynavector dv-505, SME 3012, Sorane sa 1.2

“I will be building out sound treatment for the space, to increase clarity, and reduce unwanted reflections. I’m very happy with the sound of my system, and the sound profile is personal to me, so I feel that hiring someone to tell me how it should sound would be counterproductive,” says Anderson.

Bad Habit Room was never a craft beer bar, but always had some good beers and a very respectable wine list, cocktail menu, and small plates. Far Cry will do something similar with the bar program with a curated wine list, and great cocktails at multiple different price points to make for both affordable and higher end options.

Will Stenberg, a working Hollywood writer, musician, and longtime childhood friend of Anderson, will head up the curated bar program at Far Cry and writes, “Far Cry will be a funky, eclectic, bohemian space, far removed from the modern world of tech lords, AI, and mass consumption, where people can come together, put down their phones, enjoy cocktails and listen to records on world-class speakers: records that celebrate the messy, imperfect, beautiful best of humanity.”

Far Cry HiFi Bar plans to open in July 2026 at 5433 N Michigan Ave, follow along at @farcryportland.

Seattle will host six matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Lumen Field beginning June 15, including four group stage games, a Round of 32 match on July 1, and a Round of 16 match on July 6. Details behind all of the beer gardens and pop-ups are still being announced as SeaTac plans to greet visitors and provide multiple hubs for gatherings.

Métier Brewing Company at Angle Lake — BullpenSite 
2825 S. 200th Street and International Boulevard, SeaTac  

Adjacent to the Angle Lake Station, the Bullpen site — recently acquired by the City and now in transformation — will serve as a cornerstone of SeaTac’s FIFA footprint. In partnership with Métier Brewing Company and Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, the site will feature community programming, food, and entertainment with programming on Sundays and Thursday. Capacity for about 180 people. Hours of operations are from approximately 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Stoup SeaTac City
18400 International Boulevard, SeaTac

Located in the Old Bank Building at 18400 International Boulevard, Stoup SeaTac City will serve as a central gathering place throughout the tournament. The site will officially open June 1 and operate daily through at least July 19, with the potential to extend operations through the end of 2026.

The activation site, adjacent to the DoubleTree Hotel, will feature daily match viewings on a large screen, alongside a lineup of local food trucks, live entertainment, and community-focused programming. With a capacity of approximately 250 guests, Stoup SeaTac City is designed to offer an inclusive, energetic environment for fans to come together and celebrate the world’s game.

“Being part of this moment for SeaTac—and for the broader region—is incredibly meaningful to us,” said Co-Owners Brad Benson, Lara Zahaba and Robyn Schumacher. “We’re honored to create a space where community, culture, and soccer intersect in a way that reflects the spirit of this global event.”

Stoup SeaTac City will also serve as the city’s primary Friday and Saturday hub during the World Cup period, with expanded programming and increased activity expected on those days. Operating hours are anticipated to run from approximately 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

This initiative is part of a broader effort by the City of SeaTac to activate public spaces, support local businesses, and welcome an international audience. In addition to the Old Bank Building site, the City has designated two other activation areas featuring food, entertainment, and community events, one of which - the Bullpen at Angle Lake - will be operated by Métier Brewing Company, another vibrant Seattle Brewery and friends of Stoup Brewing. 

Following the conclusion of the World Cup, the City plans to continue investing in these spaces, with long-term community development and programming envisioned as part of a post-FIFA legacy.

More details, including a full schedule of events and programming, will be released by the City of SeaTac in the coming weeks. Find the current info here https://www.seatacwa.gov/our-city/fifa-world-cup-2026

]]>Beyond the Label: Decoding the Modern Drinker’s Decision at the Beer Coolerindustry newsopeningoregonEzra Johnson-GreenoughMon, 04 May 2026 10:06:18 +0000https://newschoolbeer.com/home/2026/5/cliffs-moves-from-wonder-ballroom-to-former-assembly-brewing-pizza-annex-space5f5a624a96e5374cbcece43b:5f5a62b291ba5c4d86b4bdc8:69f53085c0d5c40e645331f2Cliff’s, a beloved Eliot neighborhood pub in the basement of the Wonder Ballroom, has now reopened in the former Assembly Brewing satellite location in northeast Portland.

Husband/wife owners Josh and Sierra Luebke opened the original Cliff’s in 2019, taking over the downstairs Wonder Ballroom bar from Bunk Sandwiches where Josh was working already as their longtime chef and manager. Sierra, a veteran bartender and manager of Hale Pele Tiki Bar and Pope House Bourbon Lounge, held down the front of the house and built up a strong neighborhood clientele that didn’t rely on inconsistent concertgoers. So it was heartbreaking when Wonder Ballroom owner Mike Quinn decided to not renew their lease at the end of 2025, reportedly to open a venue exclusive bar in the same space. Cliffs closed their original location at the close of 2025 and began looking for a new space.

“While we were sad to leave our cozy little basement, we realized (once we took everything out and repainted), that the cozy welcoming vibes were because of you and us and not the actual space,” said Sierra Luebke.

Judging by the attendance and enthusiasm shown by the public on the first day of their soft reopening on April 22nd, the new location has been extremely well received garnering lines and a long wait list to get in.

The space is scarcely recognizeable from its former status as Assembly Brewing’s Pizza Annex, a location which outlived the original southeast Foster road brewery and served primarily as a takeout Detroit-style pizzeria with limited seating and beers on tap. The Luebkes have nearly completely re-envisioned the space with a hunting lodge meets dive bar meets kitschy New Orleans cocktail bar decor bathed in warm lamp lights.

Aesthetically the new Cliff’s is covered in Bauhaus and Pulp posters, vintage paintings of the northwest, old beer signs, mirrors, lighted classic beer signs, and an assortment of globes. From the walls, archways, and shelves, a collection of “unhinged taxidermy” peers down upon the patrons.

“We’ve set up all the tables and booths and while the layout is obviously different, we actually have more seating both at the bar and tables!” says Sierra Luebke. “And this summer, y’all are in for a real treat! Inside the restaurant, the Alberta facing windows completely accordion open, and for the really hot days, we have AC! We also have a courtyard patio with almost double the tables of the last patio. It’s completely tucked away from the street and we can’t wait to fill it with plants and cafe lights and create a real New Orleans vibe for you all. Josh keeps bringing up a water feature...”

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I’ve heard the returning Friday Night Fish Fry ($25 served in house only 5-9 every Friday) from the original Cliff’s is a cant miss if that is your type of thing. The special (which they recommend showing up early or pre-ordering) is fried wild Canadian Walleye, house potato pancake with sour cream, Supper Club Salad with house ranch dressing, and slaw.

We tried the Cliff’s Nachos which had already become a cult favorite. Its easy to see why these are so popular, from the housemade chips to the gigantic proportion as large as your head. The well stacked and layered platter has charred green chili cheese sauce, pinto puree, Queso Fresco & Queso Oaxaca, fried pepitas, shredded cabbage, radish, charred corn, pickled onions & jalapenos, sour cream, and salsa. You can choose between keeping it vegetarian with guacamole ($17), or add steak ($27), or the option we chose for smoked pork ($18).

We also tried the Cliffs Caesar Salad (small $8 / large $14) and added smoked fried chicken ( +$7) instead of boquerones ($4). Wow this was a huge salad, this would be more than a full meal for one person, and enough to share with 3-4 people as a side or appetizer. The fried chicken was a new to us take, typically a ceasar has grilled or blackened chicken breast, but these were thick and thick breaded crunchy strips. Each was heavily smoked with intensity that I imagine will be a love it or hate it feature depending on your tastes.

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Cliff’s isn't a taphouse, or a cocktail bar per se, its more of a neighbors pub but with charm, hospitality, and excellent food and drink that don’t attempt to be any one thing.

• Shots, Jello-Shots, Scoots, mid-west classics like Malort, a house Manhattan and Margarita, plus Slushees, Side Pipe, and Iceberg floats. Enjoy with Modelitos, or a side car.

• A spirits menu is broken down with sections for Whiskey, Rum, Tequila & Mezcal, Gin, & Vodka.

• Wino’s can choose between a Red or white from Spain, a Rose from Italy, or a can of bubbly Brut.

• If beer is your thing (likely so if you are reading this) they have the good stuff and the cheap and light stuff.

• Drafts from pFriem, Recluse Brew Works, Baerlic Brewing, and Stevens Point Brewery. Cans or bottles: Budweiser, Heidelburg Lager, San Juan Seltzer (peach rose or Rainier cherry) Stiegl Radler, and High Life by the bottle.

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Cliff’s is soft opened now with days/hours soon to expand. For now you can visit them Wednesday through Sunday from 4pm - 11pm at 2934 NE Alberta.

Craft brewing has expanded well beyond traditional beer, with a growing number of breweries dedicating production lines to zero-alcohol recipes. For Canadian consumers exploring mindful drinking, understanding how brewers develop flavour without fermentation helps identify better products on the shelf. This guide covers the brewing techniques, ingredient strategies, and quality benchmarks behind today's best non-alcoholic craft beers.

How Craft Breweries Develop Zero-Alcohol Beer Recipes

Producing a convincing zero-alcohol craft beer requires more than removing ethanol from a finished product. Brewers balance recipe design, equipment selection, and sensory testing to deliver a drinking experience that holds up against traditional options. Retailers like Upside Drinks carry a curated selection of non-alcoholic beer from breweries that invest in these production methods, giving Canadian consumers direct access to the results of this craft evolution.

What Brewing Methods Do Craft Brewers Use to Remove Alcohol?

Most craft breweries rely on 1 of 2 core approaches: removing alcohol after a full fermentation or limiting alcohol production during the brew itself.

Vacuum distillation heats the finished beer under low pressure, allowing ethanol to evaporate at temperatures that protect hop oils and malt character. Reverse osmosis passes the beer through a membrane that separates alcohol molecules from the liquid, then recombines the filtered product with water to restore body and carbonation.

On the other side of the spectrum, arrested fermentation stops yeast activity before significant alcohol develops. Brewers control temperature, yeast strain selection, and sugar availability to cap ethanol output while retaining sweetness and mouthfeel.

Each method produces a distinct flavour profile. The choice depends on the beer style the brewery targets and the sensory characteristics it prioritizes.

How Do Brewers Preserve Flavour in Zero-Alcohol Beer?

Flavour preservation starts with recipe design. Brewers select specialty malts with higher caramel and biscuit notes to compensate for the body that alcohol typically provides.

Dry hopping after dealcoholization adds fresh aroma compounds without introducing bitterness that might overpower a lighter base. Late-addition hops and hop oils deliver citrus, pine, or tropical fruit notes that mimic their full-strength counterparts.

Water chemistry adjustments play a supporting role. Mineral additions like calcium chloride or gypsum sharpen malt sweetness or hop crispness, depending on the target style.

Some breweries also introduce natural adjuncts (fruit purees, spices, or lactose) to build complexity that bridges the gap left by absent ethanol warmth.

What Ingredients Make a Great Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer?

Which Hops and Grains Work Best in Alcohol-Free Brewing?

Hop selection in non-alcoholic brewing leans toward aromatic varieties. Citra, Mosaic, and Galaxy hops deliver bold tropical and citrus notes that stand out in a lower-gravity liquid. These varieties compensate for the reduced malt backbone that zero-alcohol recipes produce.

On the grain side, brewers favour Munich malt, Vienna malt, and crystal malts for their depth. These grains add caramel sweetness and toast character that give the beer body without relying on alcohol for mouthfeel.

Wheat and oats are common additions. Both contribute a smooth, creamy texture that rounds out the drinking experience and creates the impression of a fuller beer.

What Role Do Adjuncts and Botanicals Play in Zero-Proof Recipes?

Adjuncts extend what grains and hops alone can achieve. Lactose adds residual sweetness and a silky finish, particularly in stout and porter styles. Fruit purees (mango, raspberry, passionfruit) bring natural sugars and acidity that brighten lighter styles like wheat ales and sours.

Botanicals offer another dimension. Coriander, chamomile, and citrus peel appear in Belgian-inspired zero-alcohol beers. These ingredients create aromatic complexity that keeps each sip interesting without adding alcohol.

The key is restraint. Too many adjuncts mask the base beer character. The best non-alcoholic craft brewers treat adjuncts as accents, not foundations.

How Does the Brewing Process Differ From Traditional Beer Production?

Vacuum Distillation vs Arrested Fermentation: Which Method Wins?

Vacuum distillation produces a cleaner, more traditional beer flavour because the base recipe undergoes a full fermentation cycle. The brewer builds the complete flavour profile first, then removes the ethanol. The trade-off is equipment cost: vacuum systems and reverse osmosis rigs require significant capital investment.

Arrested fermentation is more accessible for smaller breweries. It demands precise temperature control and careful yeast management, but the equipment overhead is lower. The resulting beer tends to be sweeter and lighter-bodied, which works well for wheat beers and session-style ales.

Neither method is objectively superior. Vacuum distillation suits hop-forward styles where aroma preservation matters most. Arrested fermentation works better for malt-driven or naturally sweet styles. Many mid-size breweries now use both methods across their non-alcoholic portfolio.

What Quality Controls Do Breweries Apply to Non-Alcoholic Batches?

Quality control in zero-alcohol brewing mirrors traditional production with a few additions. Breweries test alcohol content at multiple stages to confirm the final product stays below the 0.5% ABV threshold (or 0.0% for certified alcohol-free labels).

Sensory panels evaluate each batch for off-flavours that dealcoholization can introduce. Common defects include a watery mouthfeel, cooked-corn notes from heat exposure, and a flat hop profile from membrane filtration.

Shelf stability testing is stricter for non-alcoholic beers. Without alcohol acting as a natural preservative, breweries rely on pasteurization, sterile filtration, or both to prevent microbial growth during storage.

Why Are Canadian Craft Brewers Investing in Alcohol-Free Lines?

What Consumer Trends Are Driving Zero-Alcohol Demand in Canada?

The sober-curious movement has shifted from a niche lifestyle choice to a mainstream consumer trend. Surveys show that a significant portion of Canadian adults are actively reducing their alcohol intake, with younger demographics leading the change.

Dry January participation grows each year, and many consumers continue reduced drinking habits beyond the challenge month. This sustained behavioural shift creates year-round demand for quality alternatives.

Health and fitness communities have accelerated adoption. Non-alcoholic beer fits into post-workout recovery routines and active social lifestyles where consumers want a beer-like experience without the dehydration or caloric load of traditional options.

How Does the Non-Alcoholic Segment Fit Into a Brewery's Product Strategy?

For craft breweries, non-alcoholic options open distribution channels that traditional beer cannot access. Gyms, wellness cafes, and corporate event caterers are increasingly stocking alcohol-free craft beer.

The margins on premium non-alcoholic craft beer are comparable to (and sometimes higher than) traditional craft beer. Consumers expect to pay full price for a well-made product, which makes the segment financially attractive for breweries that invest in proper production techniques.

Non-alcoholic lines also strengthen brand loyalty. Consumers who enjoy a brewery's regular offerings can stay within the same brand on days they choose not to drink, rather than switching to water or soft drinks.

How to Evaluate Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer Quality

What Should Consumers Look for on the Label?

The label tells you more than the brand name. Start with the ABV declaration: "0.0%" and "less than 0.5%" are 2 different products with different brewing processes.

Check the ingredient list for natural components. The best non-alcoholic craft beers list water, malt, hops, and yeast as primary ingredients, with minimal artificial additives or flavourings.

Look for a "best before" date. Non-alcoholic beer has a shorter shelf life than its alcoholic counterpart, and freshness directly impacts flavour quality. A product sitting on the shelf past its peak loses hop aroma and develops stale notes.

How Do Tasting Notes Compare Between Alcohol-Free and Traditional Beers?

Side-by-side tastings reveal that the gap between non-alcoholic and traditional craft beer has narrowed significantly. Modern zero-alcohol IPAs deliver hop bitterness and citrus aroma that come close to their full-strength versions.

The most noticeable difference is mouthfeel. Alcohol contributes body and a warming sensation that non-alcoholic beers replace with malt sweetness, carbonation levels, or lactose additions.

Aroma is where the best non-alcoholic craft beers shine. Dry hopping and botanical additions create a nose that's often indistinguishable from a traditional craft beer. The experience starts strong and holds through the finish.

Practical Ways to Enjoy Zero-Alcohol Craft Beer

Best Food Pairings for Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer

Non-alcoholic IPAs pair well with spicy foods. The hop bitterness and citrus notes cut through the heat of Thai curries, buffalo wings, and jerk chicken.

Wheat-style zero-alcohol beers complement lighter dishes: grilled fish, fresh salads with citrus dressing, and soft cheeses like brie or camembert.

Dark non-alcoholic stouts and porters match rich, savoury foods. Grilled red meat, smoked brisket, and dark chocolate desserts all benefit from the roasted malt character.

When Does Alcohol-Free Beer Make the Most Sense?

Weeknight dinners are an obvious fit. A non-alcoholic craft beer delivers the ritual of opening a cold one after work without affecting sleep quality or the next morning's productivity.

Social gatherings where driving is involved benefit from having a quality alcohol-free option. Designated drivers and sober guests can participate in the same drinking experience as everyone else at the table.

Athletic events and outdoor activities (hiking, cycling, camping) are natural occasions. Non-alcoholic beer provides hydration, flavour, and a social drinking element without the dehydration effects of alcohol.

Frequently Asked Questions About Zero-Alcohol Craft Beer

Is Non-Alcoholic Beer Truly 0% Alcohol?

Not always. Most non-alcoholic beers contain less than 0.5% ABV, which is the legal threshold in Canada. Products labelled "0.0%" have undergone additional processing to remove virtually all detectable ethanol. Check the label for the specific ABV claim.

Does Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer Have Fewer Calories Than Regular Beer?

In most cases, yes. Removing alcohol eliminates a significant calorie source, since ethanol carries 7 calories per gram. A typical non-alcoholic craft beer contains 50 to 80 calories per 355 mL can, compared to 140 to 200+ for a standard craft beer.

Can You Find Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer From Canadian Breweries?

Canada's non-alcoholic brewing scene is growing. Several Canadian craft breweries now produce dedicated zero-alcohol lines, and online retailers specializing in alcohol-free beverages carry a wide selection of domestic and imported options.

Bellingham, Washington’s Kulshan Brewing Company is expanding its lineup of non-alcoholic options  with the distribution launch of its Zero to Hero NA IPA, alongside the introduction of additional NA offerings across their 3 taprooms. 

Originally released as part of Kulshan’s Brewer’s Select series, Zero to Hero has been reimagined with a  fresh look and is now available in a new 12oz 6-pack format. The non-alcoholic IPA delivers bright hop  character and fruit-forward flavor while maintaining the balance and drinkability Kulshan Brewing is  known for. 

Brewed with Citra, Mosaic, Nectaron, and Galaxy hops, Zero to Hero showcases vibrant tropical notes  of passionfruit, guava, mango, and peach, layered with subtle citrus and light bready malt character. 

Kulshan Brewing continues to invest in the growing non-alcoholic beer category, offering a flavorful,  thoughtfully crafted option that doesn’t compromise on character. Additional NA offerings will continue  to roll out throughout the year. 

For more information, visit kulshanbrewing.com or follow @kulshanbrewery on social media.

Arch Bridge Taphouse that helped revive Oregon City’s craft beer scene, is turning 11.

Beer bars and bottle shops can be found pretty much everywhere around the Pacific Northwest, but it takes a certain level of comfort, curation, community, and culture to make a truly great one. You could call this the 4-C formula of a great beer bar and bottle shop. There are loads of places that possess one or more of these. However, only a select handful truly exemplify all of four Since opening in 2015, the little beer bar and bottle shop named after the signature bridge that crosses over the mighty Willamette River just feet from its door has brought all of the Cs together. 

Beer lover Gene Gilgorea established Arch Bridge Taphouse in Oregon City’s historic Bank of Commerce building with the intention of bringing some of their favorite beers to their small town in Portland’s backyard and hopefully making it past the one-year mark. “We were so new to this, I think we were just hoping to make it through our first lease! Most of our expectations revolved around breweries we wanted to get on tap, and what we could do to make that happen. I remember getting [Block 15] Sticky Hands was high on the list,” reflects Gilgorea, who originally opened Arch Bridge with Todd Gienger before assuming sole ownership in 2023.

Now, over a decade in, Arch Bridge is gearing up to celebrate their eleventh anniversary. During that time, their small and cozy bar has become not just a local mainstay, but a favorite for beer lovers around the state who consistently stop in. This may be due to the laid back vibe, friendly bartenders, the always-spinning vinyl records that give the bar its soundtrack of punk, indie and classic rock,, or the fact that one of only four municipal elevators in the world is stumbling distance from the bar (and it sure is fun to ride after a couple of beers). This is the kind of place where you want to sip a beer while watching the rain fall on a gray winter day or kick back on a lazy Sunday afternoon while the summer sun washes over the tap room. You get comfortable and next thing you know, hours have gone by, and you find yourself thinking how freaking nice it would be to live just around the corner. The regulars who stop in each day as well as those of us who go out of our way to stop in can all attest to this. These are the hallmarks of a top-notch beer bar.    

At the core of Arch Bridge’s magic is a taplist and to-go selection that consistently wows, the result of a passion and obsession on the part of collective curation by Gilgorea, and bartender and “taplist artist” Franny Lewis. There may not be an exact formula to pulling off a taplist that consistently excites all kinds of beer drinkers, but it takes a deep knowledge and dedication. This has been one of the biggest draws for Arch Bridge throughout the last eleven years.   

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“I probably spend too much time thinking about it and tweaking lineups, but it’s really important to me to have a taplist that is exciting, and has something for everyone,” says Gilgorea before adding, “Ideally I want to have some balance to my list. Of course you need lots of hoppy things, and we are known for having a nice sour selection so we keep a few of those on, but for the other spots on the tap list, that might be the only thing representing that flavor profile so I need to make sure they are outstanding beers. Honestly there is no secret, I just find breweries I really like, and buy whatever they make.”

If you’ve never spent time at Arch Bridge, a quick look at their Instagram confirms that this isn’t your average beer bar but rather one that is run by true beer nerds. On any given day you will find an almost perfect balance of hazy and west coast IPAs, crispy lagers, classic styles, and rare barrel-aged offerings from Oregon and beyond. So much variety seems like an easy sell with today’s craft beer drinkers, but that wasn’t the case when Arch Bridge opened eleven years ago and Gilgorea knew there would be some risks involved. It was here that he cultivated the vibe and community of Arch Bridge.

“When we opened, we knew that we would be introducing styles and breweries that not everyone in this community was familiar with, so we wanted to make sure we took time to answer questions, give samples and create an environment that encouraged people to push the boundaries of their craft beer journey. Another challenge we faced coming in as a couple of industry nobodies, it took a while before we could even get the beer we really wanted. Luckily we found some folks along the way who believed in what we are doing and helped us get our hands on some pretty incredible beers early on.”  

During its eleven years, the bar has become a part of the community, one that has grown both in population and in terms of eclectic brewery offerings. Just down the street you can find the bustling Oregon City Brewing Company.While Arch Bridge becoming a destination beer bar has certainly been a contributor to Oregon City’s beer scene, Gilgorea sees it as a rising tide lifting all boats. “The beer scene here has grown incredibly in the last eleven years. In addition to the new breweries and taprooms that have opened, I see more craft beer on taps at neighborhood bars and restaurants as well! There are also a wider variety of styles being served all over. I recall early on we were known around town as the place that had those weird sour beers, and now the folks down the road at Oregon City Brewing have won multiple awards for their sour program.”  

Arch Bridge has always made some significant and welcome changes recently, most notably with the expansion of their taproom to include additional seating, darts, and space that is often occupied by local bands playing bluegrass, Grateful Dead tunes, and other music. The bar has also taken food matters into their own hands, initially launching with a small menu of smash burgers, fries, and tots before adding a handful of sandwiches made with high-quality ingredients. Gilgorea is especially proud of the smashburger made in-house with an attention to detail that is earning it a strong cult following. There will even be a special sandwich for the party with a housemade chicken patty slathered in red and green pesto. 

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As is tradition, the Arch Bridge team worked with one of their favorite breweries (helmed by proud Oregon City residents, no less!) to create a speical anniversary collaboration. The Grand Fir Brewing beer is a 7.3% West Coast IPA with Simcoe, Citra and Nectaron and dry-hopped with Simcoe Cryo, Citra Cryo and Nectaron. 

“We decided to call it Cornucopia because it turns out group of slugs is called a cornucopia of slugs. Whitney and I are both big fans of banana slugs, so it just seemed to fit. The brew day and dry hopping smelled incredible and I really can't wait to try the final product,” says Gilgorea. “They are making such outstanding beer, and their IPAs in particular are on a different level right now. Whitney and Doug are just the best people you could ever meet, and they have always been so kind and supportive of our silly little taproom.”

When looking back on the last eleven years, Gilgorea is quick to say it has been a blur before showing his true colors as a beer nerd. “I mostly remember ‘beer milestones’ like our first Cantillon keg (Fou’ Foune), getting Pliny the Elder for the first time was a big moment. I remember our first big pre-opening line for Bourbon County Rare was a pretty cool feeling. Archiversary 3 when we had a line clear to the elevator was awesome (and stressful).” 

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On Saturday, April 25th, Arch Bridge will celebrate yet another beer milestone with its Archiversary blowout featuring a massive taplist of sought-after brews. If you can’t pick up on the team’s excitement from the Spinal Tap-themed posters (photoshopped posters are a favorite way to get the word out about events at Arch Bridge) plastered around their taproom and social media feed, Gilgorea shares his own thoughts on what to expect. 

“The biggest challenge in throwing these events every year is trying to top the taplist from previous years. I don't know if this one is  "better" than last year but it's pretty epic already, and there are a few beers I am giddy about!!,” says Gilgorea. 

This year they will also have a bottle pour station with some ridiculous pours Like; Quadruple Barrel ADWTD, Double Barrel Darkstar, Rusty Nail & BBOMB, Cantillon, Drie Fontenin, de Garde, and whatever else they can find in the cellar that excites them.

Arch Bridge Taphouse 11th Archiversary

Saturday, April 25th, 2-10pm
Arch Bridge Taphouse, 205 7th St, Oregon City, OR 97045

The World Beer Cup is the most prestigious beer and cider competition in the world, held annually in conjunction with the Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®. The 2026 awards ceremony was held on April 22nd in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A total of 353 medals awarded to 273 producers worldwide

Philadelphia, PA. • April 22, 2026—The World Beer Cup® (WBC) today celebrated three decades of brewing excellence by awarding 353* medals to breweries and cideries across the globe.  

Organized by the Brewers Association (BA)—the not-for-profit trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers—the 2026 World Beer Cup, now in its 30th year, recognized the very best in beer and cider across 118 categories, while continuing to set the global standard for technical excellence, innovation, and creativity rooted in both tradition and progress. 

“Thirty years in, the World Beer Cup remains a powerful reflection of how far global brewing has come—and where it’s headed,” said Chris Williams, World Beer Cup competition director. “Even in a year that challenged beverage alcohol producers to evolve, this year’s winners demonstrated that innovation, precision, and passion for craft are stronger than ever.” 

An international panel of 255 judges from 50 countries evaluated 8,166 entries using rigorous, blind-tasting protocols. The 2026 competition brought together 1,644 breweries representing 50 nations, underscoring the event’s role as a truly global benchmark for quality. 

The World Beer Cup awards ceremony capped off the Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where between 7-8,000 brewing, fermentation, distilling, and packaging professionals gathered for education, collaboration, and connection across the beverage alcohol industry. 

World Beer Cup Competition Statistics

• 17th competition (skipped 2020; annualized starting 2022)  

• Entries:  8166 

• Breweries:  1644 

• Countries:  50 

• Top 5 entering countries: United States, Japan, Canada, China, Brazil 

• First-time brewery entries:  295 

• Judges:  255 

• International judges:  128 

• Judge countries:  37 

• Judging sessions and days:  14 sessions and 7 days 

• Style categories:  113 beer | 5 cider 

• Beer styles: 186 (includes all subcategories)   

• Avg number of beers in each category:  69 

Winners in Top 5 most entered style categories: 

Category 114: West Coast-Style India Pale Ale, 293 entries 

• Gold – Project Alpha 81, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO 

• Silver – Mosaic Madness, Crystal Springs Brewing Co., Louisville, CO 

• Bronze – Electric Eagle, Firestone Walker Brewing – Propagator Marina del Rey, CA 

Category 113: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale, 274 entries 

• Gold – Because Science, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR 

• Silver – Bolo Season, Zilker Brewing Co., Austin, TX 

• Bronze – Shifted Visions, everywhere, Orange, CA 

Category 112: Classic India Pale Ale, 205 entries 

• Gold – Immutable Dawn, ISM Brewing, Long Beach, CA 

• Silver – Hop-Fu!, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA 

• Bronze – Shred IPA, Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA 

Category 43: German-Style Pilsner, 201 entries 

• Gold – 801 Pilsner, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT 

• Silver – Southern German Style Pilsener, Craft Beer Base, Osaka, Japan 

• Bronze – Pilsner, Hop Dogma Brewing Co., Half Moon Bay, CA 

Category 45: Munich-Style Helles, 156 entries 

• Gold – Wander Back Lager, Wander Back Beerworks, Vineland, NJ 

• Silver – Lager, Noble Twist, Saugatuck, MI 

• Bronze – Kirkland Signature Helles Lager, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR 

*Out of a total possible 354 awards, 353 were awarded. A bronze was not awarded in Category 75, Belgian-Style Witbier. 

OREGON 29 MEDALS:

No/Low-Tannin Cider

Bronze - BrightCider, 2 Towns Cider

Silver - Cosmic Crisp, 2 Towns Cider

Experimental Barrel-Aged or Specialty Cider

Gold - The Bad Apple, 2 Towns Cider

American-style Wheat Beer

Bronze - Summerfield Wheat, Grand Fir

Field Beer

Silver - Upp yours, Upp Liquids

Tea Beer

Bronze - Breakside White Tea Lager, Breakside Brewery

Chocolate Beer

Bronze - Cocoa Cow, Sunriver Brewing

Honey Beer

Silver - Hachimitsu Mai, Deschutes Brewery PDX

Session India Pale Ale

Silver - Breakside Total Entertainment Forever, Breakside Brewery

Experimental Beer

Silver - Karo Ya Maro, Terranaut Beer

Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer

Silver - Sensationator, Deschutes Brewery PDX

Kellerbier or Zwickelbier

Gold - Kellerbier, pFriem Family Brewers

Rice Lager

Bronze - Japanese Lager, pFriem Family Brewers

Italian-style Pilsener

Gold - It's A Me Mario!, Breakside Brewery

Munich-style Helles

Bronze - Kirkland Signature Helles, Deschutes Brewery

International Dark Lager

Silver - Secret Secret, Wayfinder Beer

American Light Lager

Silver - Clubhaus Lager, Von Ebert Brewing

West Coast-style Pilsner

Silver - Cold Cutz, Grand Fir Brewing

Australian-Style Pale Ale

Gold - Breakside Hello My Alien, Breakside Brewery

International Pale Ale

Gold - Breakside Bayside, Breakside Brewery

Belgian-style Spontaneous Sour Ale

Gold - Spontanee, pFriem Family Brewers

Belgian-style Quadrupel

Silver - Pour Pour Pitiful Me, Monkess Style Belgian Ales

English-Style Pale Ale

Bronze - Famous Fanny, Worthy Brewing

English-style Brown Ale

Bronze - Before the Break, Worthy Brewing

British-style Imperial Stout

Silver - Reduction Ratio, Upp Liquids

American-style Amber/Red Ale

Bronze - Diablo Rojo, Boneyard Beer

American-style Strong Pale Ale

Bronze - Pink Sky, Grand Fir Brewing

Strong Red Ale

Bronze - Cannonball, Migration Brewing

Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale

Gold - Because Science, Bend Brewing

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WASHINGTON 25 MEDALS:

Tannic Cider

Bronze - Excelsior Imperial Apple, Schilling Cider

Fruited Cider

Gold - Moon Berries, Schilling Cider

Silver - Excelsior Imperial Blackberry, Schilling Cider

Botanical or Spiced Cider

Silver - Basil Mint, Seattle Cider Co.

Classic Non-Alcohol Ale or Lager

Silver - NA Dark, Fremont Brewing

Gluten-Free Beer

Gold - It Came from the Haze, Ghostfish Brewing

International-style Pilsener

Gold - Birkebeinerpils, Victor 23 Brewing

Rice Lager

Gold - Exquisite Taste, Cloudburst Brewing

Hoppy Lager

Silver - Rancho Cowabunga, Grains of Wrath

Czech-style Pale Lager

Bronze - Chuckanut Pilsner, Chuckanut Brewery

International Amber Lager

Silver - Yinz Jawn Pennsylvania Lager, Lucky Envelope Brewing

Munich-Style Dunkel

Silver - Chuckanut Dunkel Lager, Chuckanut Brewery

Gold - Bru Ski Patrol, Dru Bru

Contemporary American-style Lager

Gold - Adams Pilsner, Single Hill Brewing

West Coast-Style Pilsner

Gold - Long Time Sunshine, Cloudburst Brewing

Barley-Wine Style Ale

Gold - Three Ryes Men, Reubens Brews

German-style Koelsch

Gold - Chuckanut Kolsch, Chuckanut Brewery

Berliner-Style Weisse

Silver - Disco Lemonade, Aslan Brewing

German-style Altbier

Silver - Lithium, Resonate Brewery

Belgian-style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale

Gold - De Rode Duivels, Elliot Bay Brewing

British-style Imperial Stout

Bronze - Touch of Chaos, Formula Beers

Old Ale, Strong Ale or Aged Beer

Silver - Old Scrooge, Silver City Brewing

American-style Pale Ale

Silver - Mosaic Pale, Stoup Brewing

Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale

Bronze - Cloud Piercer, Icicle Brewing

Imperial India Pale Ale

Bronze - D.R.E.A.M., Trap Door Brewing

Just as Superman’s alter ego is Clark Kent and Peter Parker’s is Spider-Man, Alter Ego Cider was winemaker Anne Ebenreiter Hubatch’s beloved side project to Helioterra Wines. The alter ego cider taproom closed amidst the pandemic in 2021, and the cidery was officially retired in 2023. When Anne Hubatch moved to Wisconsin in 2025 that seemed to be the end of the story for the beloved Portland cidery. But in a Hollywood-esque reboot, the AlterEgo Cider mantle has been picked up by two new Portland entrepreneurs who have relaunched the brand with a fresh new enthusiasm and look. Alter Ego is back in action.

Alter Ego Cider has been acquired and revitalized by local entrepreneurs and best friends Michelle Faris and Margaret Drew who are committed to honoring the cider’s heritage while keeping it women-owned and infusing it with fresh energy and a unique perspective. Faris and Drew have been lifelong friends since childhood with careers outside of the industry but deep connections inside the craft beer and cider community.

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Michelle Faris is an investor/part-owner of Uptown Market Beer Co. and other Portland and Seattle area taprooms and bottleshops with her husband Stuart Faris. For years Alter Ego was basically the house cider at Uptown Market, and that is where Faris and Drew first fell in love with the brand and got to know founders Anne and Kevin. 

“When we learned they were planning to close their operations, all of us were devastated. We reached out to explore the possibility of continuing the brand and from there, everything came together naturally,” says Faris.

Until recently Faris’ primary career was as a buyer and product line manager with experience in merchandising for Columbia Sportswear, Nike, and Adidas. The combination of expertise in consumer behavior and product positioning, building, and scaling, and the changing demographics and interest in alcoholic beverages makes for a formidable skillet.

“I feel fortunate that my background provided me a strong foundation, which I’m now applying as I transition into the cider world. Now I am immersing myself in the cider world/community, pairing what I’ve learned over the years with a growing understanding of the product and process,” says Faris.

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Margaret Drew has a background in graphic design and experiential design, with a focus on storytelling and the human experience. She’s always been drawn to how brands connect with people on an emotional level, how environments, visuals, and interactions come together to create something memorable, which plays an important role in shaping this venture. 

“So while we’re new to cider-making itself, we see that as an opportunity to learn from experienced makers while bringing a fresh perspective on…what a modern cider company can be,” adds Faris.

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Alter Ego Cider’s original three flagship cider recipes are back too: ‘Brilliant Brut,’ a clean, crisp expression of apple; ‘Dark Royale,’ a rich and smooth black currant offering; and ‘Guardian Angel,’ a layered brambleberry blend of apple and blueberry, accented with subtle notes of pomegranate. The ciders are even produced in the same location as they were previously, made in the Columbia River Gorge with all Hood River apples. But why bring back a defunct brand and recipes rather than create something entirely new?

“Acquiring an existing brand allowed us to step into something with history, infrastructure and a foundation we could thoughtfully evolve, rather than spending years trying to get to that same starting line,” says Faris. “We felt that giving an existing brand a second life was meaningful, especially after the loss of so many incredible businesses during the pandemic. We were drawn to honoring what came before while reimagining what the brand could become. The recipes were of course also artfully crafted from a Winemaker's acumen, and the nuance of flavors are part of what set this cider apart for us.”

They kept the name for a reason. Alter ego is defined as “one’s secondary self” the part that explores, experiments and expresses. However, it also carries another meaning: “an intimate or trusted friend,” a definition that felt especially fitting for the duo. “We’ve been best friends since birth and Alter Ego reflects that bond. Equal parts Rachel & Monica, Meredith & Cristina, laughter and loyalty,” Faris and Drew note on their website.

Through its “Good to the Core” mission, 2% of sales will go back to the community by supporting local organizations. Its first partner, ALS Northwest, holds a personal connection for the new owners. With every sip, Alter Ego Cider Co. helps support those facing the disease while contributing to vital research working toward a cure.

Looking ahead the partners plan to expand their flavor offerings and develop their own recipes while keeping their eyes open to potentially open a novel Tasting Room experience. “For now, our focus is on getting this cider back into the hands of cider lovers while continuing to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the category,” says Faris.

Alter Ego Cider is making a splash with their relaunch by partnering with the Portland Cherry Bombs FC and the Portland Bangers FC. These are Portland’s newest USL League Two women’s and men’s pre-professional soccer teams kicking off their 2026 season at Lents Park this May. In addition to finding their ciders at all home games Alter Ego is self-distributed in Oregon and now available at Market of Choice.

Current Locations:

• Montavilla Brew Works

• Schilling Cider House

• Uptown Beer Co.

• Level Brewing (Multnomah Village Location)

• Binary Brewing 

• Lone Wolf Watering Hole

• 45th Parallel Wines

• Proper Pint

• The Civic Taproom

• Pine Street Taproom  

• Prime Taphouse (Hillsboro and Beaverton Locations)

• Turner Pizza & Taphouse

• Market of Choice (Cedar Mill)

For more information, visit www.aecider.com and/or follow @alteregocider on Instagram.

Tiny Giants Brewing is growing, one of our most anticipated new Oregon breweries or taprooms of 2026 has opened their first brick-and-mortar location in Portland’s Woodlawn neighborhood at 6719 NE 18th Ave. 

Founded by former Fracture Brewing head Brewer and Cascade Brewing alumni Steve Beaudoin, Tiny Giants first launched one-year-ago initially producing all of their beers at the no longer in use Gorges Brewing location at 2705 SE Ankeny. The time between securing their own location paid off in establishing their brand in the local market with 16oz cans and draft distributed through Day One Distro.

The new permanent Tiny Giants location has a colorful open floor plan taproom shared with a 10-barrel brewing system just behind the bar. While the brewhouse is still being piped and fully installed, when up and running Beaudoin and his team that includes brewer Morgan Clark, have goals to produce about 1,000 barrels annually.

Tiny Giants location in the Woodlawn neighborhood may be familiar as it was formerly Mutantis a gluten-free brewery, and before that was Hi-Wheel Fizzy Wines. They also share the building with a location of both Tamale Boy and Ranch Pizza, which means Tiny Giants won’t need to worry about providing food for their customers, especially with the new Lil’ Barbecue at Tough Luck bar just across the street.

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“We’re super stoked to welcome people into our new space and continue building community around Tiny Giants,” said Steve Beaudoin, Owner and Brewer. 

To celebrate their one-year anniversary and their new location, Tiny Giants Brewing will host a grand opening event on Saturday, April 25, from 12 PM to 10 PM. The event invites the community to experience the new space and enjoy a selection of the brewery’s eclectic beers like a hazy IPA, 2 different West Coast IPAs, a dark lager, red ale, Japanese Lager, and more.

As of now the new taproom will operate with the following hours: 

Wednesday–Thursday: 3 PM – 10 PM 

Friday–Sunday: 12 PM – 10 PM 

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For updates and future events, follow Tiny Giants Brewing on Instagram: @TinyGiantsBrewing www.tinygiantsbrewing.com

21st Amendment Brewery will return to coolers coast-to-coast this summer, thanks to Evil Genius Beer Company. The Philadelphia-based brewer, known for its nostalgic and irreverent approach to craft beer, is continuing 21st Amendment’s legacy and beloved year-round 21A brews: Hell or High Watermelon, the cult classic that pioneered the fruited wheat beer category, both Brew Free! or Die flagship West Coast IPA and its citrus-infused variant Brew Free! or Die Blood Orange, and the award-winning retro-americana Amendment Lager. 

Founded in 2011 by Luke Bowen and Trevor Hayward, Evil Genius has spent nearly 15 years building deep distributor relationships and proving that a craft brewery can maintain a sense of humor while remaining serious about quality. Under stewardship of Evil Genius, 21st Amendment will remain the independent, craft brand that fans have come to love over the past 25 years. 

“We are taking a back-to-basics approach with no rebrands, no recipe changes, and no corporate buzzwords,” said Bowen. “21A beers have been on tap next to ours since we started. We met in person through a mutual friend and shared excitement over our love of beer. This isn’t a big beer takeover. This is about two guys who love great beer ensuring that a brand people genuinely love stays in their fridges–and ours.”

Named for the amendment that ended Prohibition in 1933, 21st Amendment was founded in 2000 by Nico Freccia and Shaun O'Sullivan. The brewery was a foundation of the craft-beer-boom of the 2000s, leading the craft-beer-in-cans movement and building accessibility for craft with its invitation to not take beer too seriously. Over its storied 25-year history, the brewery expanded beyond the Bay Area to reach status as a Top 50 U.S. craft brewery by volume. 

"We share the same core values: make great beer, and have fun with it,” said Bowen. “We looked at what Nico and Shaun had built over the past 25 years and knew it was special."

Evil Genius currently distributes its lineup, including flagship IPA Stacy’s Mom, in eight states across the North East, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. With a rate of sale growing more than 10% over the past 12 months, the brewery is positioned to grow into new markets this year as it stabilizes demand in 21st Amendment’s previous distribution footprint. 

“As we work to meet the existing demand of 21st Amendment coast-to-coast and expand Evil Genius’ footprint, we’re exploring additional opportunities and how to scale production to support beer freshness and distributor needs,” said Bowen. “With the consolidation of the industry, there is a lot of great beer and brands with rich histories at risk of being left behind. We want to prevent the industry from losing legacies. We’re open for business.”

21st Amendment is now available in California across NorCal and the Bay Area and in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York. Evil Genius will leverage 21st Amendment's existing distributor relationships to reach a coast-to-coast distribution footprint by June.

“It’s been an incredible 25-year run here in San Francisco. I’m excited to see 21st Amendment head into its next chapter with Evil Genius and to get beers like Hell or High Watermelon and Brew Free! or Die Blood Orange IPA back out to the people who’ve been missing them,” said Shaun O’Sullivan, original co-founder and former brewmaster of 21st Amendment Brewery.

As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, 21st Amendment is back to help us honor the city where it all started and the amendment that made craft beer possible. Evil Genius’ home-state of Pennsylvania is also 21st Amendment’s second-largest market, just behind California. 

Raise a pint to the freedom to brew what you want, the obligation to have fun, and the right to be original. If you’re interested in finding it, get in touch at contact@21st-Amendment.com.

About 21st Amendment Brewery

21st Amendment Brewery was founded in 2000 in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood by Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan. Over the past 25 years, it has become one of the most beloved independent craft beer brands in the country, building a national following and pioneering the craft can movement. Famous for creating iconic beers like Hell or High Watermelon Wheat and the Brew Free! or Die IPA series, the brewery established a reputation for quality and irreverence that earned it a dedicated following coast-to-coast. Celebrate the right to be original: online 21st-amendment.com, on Instagram @21stamendment, and Facebook @21stamendment.

About Evil Genius Beer Company

Philadelphia’s independent brewery Evil Genius Beer Company was founded in 2011 by Luke Bowen and Trevor Hayward. Evil Genius has spent nearly 15 years proving that a craft brewery can be serious about quality without taking itself too seriously. Its lineup of beers, including flagship IPA Stacy’s Mom, are driven by quality and personality and currently distributed in eight states across the Northeast, Mid Atlantic and Midwest. For more info, visit evilgeniusbeer.com or give a shout on social @evilgeniusbeer.