Old Standby Brewing, Zoiglhaus brew up some good with Dortmunder for Doernbecher

Ryan Holt started brewing in the ‘90s with his brother in Long Beach — the one in California. When he moved to Oregon in 2006, he kept brewing small batches in his Salem garage. As a longtime school teacher, learning was important to him, and he honed his craft to the point he eventually began holding brewing and beer-style classes once a month at Salem Ale Works for homebrewers and industry folks.

Holt had left teaching to work in the family business — selling auto parts online. The classes scratched an itch for Holt — they were a way for him to stay connected to his community.

“I’m selling auto parts online, and now I’m just on the phone and in Zoom meetings,” he told me during an interview this week. “There’s zero human contact. I went from working with kids and parents 24/7 to nothing. So I thought, how can I get back to the community? The beer classes helped.”

In the process he was still brewing on his own, and the beer from the nanobrewery he had started, Old Standby Brewing, was so good it grew popular among locals, who would come to his house and want to buy it. But the operation wasn’t licensed to sell, so he landed on a (legal) idea: If people made a contribution to a nonprofit, he would give them free Old Standby Brewing beer equal to the value of their donation. Bring a receipt, get some beer.

“I always enjoyed working with the community and working with kids, and when I stopped doing that I had this void I wanted to fill,” he says. “So I thought, how can I make something that combines the things I do and do something for people in need?”

That question has turned into a reality: “Brewlanthropy: Together We Can Brew Some Good.” That’s the tagline for a program the 47-year-old has built, in which he organizes then makes collaboration beers with commercial breweries, which then donate proceeds to a favorite charity. Holt initially reached out to industry friends and acquaintances on the resource side and got eager commitments to supply raw materials to the project, including from Imperial Yeast, LINC Malt and Yakima Valley Hops. Then he cold emailed breweries. “I started sending out some wild emails to breweries, and they were actually getting back to me.” He was off and running.

The latest is Dortmunder for Doernbecher with Zoiglhaus Brewing and founder Alan Taylor. The lager is being released and will benefit OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

“I love Zoiglhaus’ model,” Holt said. “They have community tables, they’re a lager house. So I reached out to Alan, and he called me right back. We hit it off right away and planned the beer.”

With Taylor’s German-style expertise, they decided on a dortmunder, and Doernbecher was a natural fit. Dortmunder for Doernbecher this week came available from Salem to Seattle and throughout Portland at Zupan’s Markets, Basics Markets and Market of Choice, plus at Zoiglhaus on draft and in cans. People can also request their local pubs and watering holes buy kegs from Maletis Beverage.

Holt says he lets the breweries decide how much to donate and to whom. “I didn’t want to put pressure on breweries, so I’ve never put a dollar amount on these beers,” he says. “I’ve tried to make these collabs as stress-free as possible for everyone involved.”

Other Old Standby Brewing charity collaborations:

• Xicha Brewing in Salem for Family Building Blocks: Keeping children safe and families together.
• Ex Novo Brewing in Portland for Oregon Children’s Theater: Creating exceptional theater experiences that transform lives.
• Ninkasi Brewing in Eugene for The White Bird Clinic/CAHOOTS: A collective environment organized to enable people to gain control of their social, emotional, and physical well-being through direct service, education and community.
• Bearded Tang Brewing in Stanton, California, for The Dream Street Foundation: Providing camping programs for children and young adults with chronic and life-threatening illnesses.
• Parallel 45 Brewing in Independence for Creating Opportunities: Supporting children and adults with disabilities, their families and communities, in creating opportunities together.
• Silver Falls Brewing in Silverton for The Jason Franz Grant Fund: Giving back to the community through mentoring and encouraging youth through outdoor sports.
• Cascade Lakes Brewing in Bend/Redmond for Bend/Redmond Habitat for Humanity: Expanding opportunity for home ownership in Bend and Redmond.

Upcoming collabs being planned include Ale Apothecary in Bend, Gilgamesh Brewing in Salem, plus another Portland effort to support the Women’s Craft Fermentation Alliance.

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Editor’s note: This is a re-publication of Oregon Brews and News, a weekly newsletter rounding up Portland and Oregon beer and brewery news. It is sent to subscriber’s emails at noon every Thursday. To subscribe, go to oregonlive.com/newsletters and sign up for Oregon Brews and News.

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Big changes at Hopworks (not Urban) Brewery

New branding, new name, new beers — that’s an overhaul going on at Hopworks Brewery. And delete that email you just started to send me, because that’s not a typo — the former Hopworks Urban Brewery has deleted the “Urban” from its name.

“After 15 years of having two names, and probably confusing a few folks along the way, we have decided to drop ‘Urban’ and call ourselves simply ‘Hopworks Brewery,’” founder Christian Ettinger says. “When we started our journey, we packed ‘Urban’ into our name to get the HUB acronym. But I have always answered the phone, ‘Hopworks, this is Christian, how can I help you?’ Brewpubs have always been the HUB of the community and we are proud to carry on that tradition.”

The Certified B Corp brewery is kicking off its 15th year with a new look as well, updating its logo and can designs. It is “retaining the traditional target, but in a natural setting evocative of the Pacific Northwest: the sun rising over a mountain, with stylized snowfields in the shape of the letter H.”

The changes come as Hopworks prepares to host its Salmon-Safe IPA Festival on April 22 to celebrate its milestone anniversary. And it’s introducing two new flagship beers that honor the Hopworks mission and history: Overland IPA and Beer Time Pils. Plus, Ace of Spades Imperial IPA has been elevated to year-round flagship status.

Overland IPA (6.9% ABV, 60 IBU) is a modern West Coast IPA, “golden in color, with notes of citrus and dank pine, and a clean, bitter finish,” the brewery says. The can art depicts a charging bison, once a decisive indicator of the health of the Western prairie. And Beer Time Pils (4.9% ABV, 38 IBU) is about enjoying the destination, wherever it may be, the brewery says, describing it as “a well-crafted classic German-style Pilsner with a herbaceous, crackery taste and a crisp, dry, floral finish.” The art on the can features the vintage “BEER TIME” clock that hangs from the side of Hopworks’ Powell brewpub, with wings to serve as a reminder to stop in for a pint because, as they say, time flies.

All of Hopworks’ packaging is receiving the updated art treatment, and beer fans will find the new look on retail shelves on a rolling basis over the next few months. Hopworks beer can be found at retailers throughout Oregon, Washington and Northern California, and on draft at Hopworks locations on Southeast Powell Boulevard in Portland and on Southeast Mill Plain Boulevard in Vancouver.

Portland Cider returns Original Gold for 10th anniversary

Portland Cider Co. on Saturday will begin “Ten Days of Ciderbrations,” a celebration to mark the cidery’s 10th anniversary. The company began with a small Oregon City storefront and now has three locations: its production facility and tasting room in Clackamas, and tasting rooms in Portland and Beaverton.

“Ten Days of Ciberbrations” will begin Saturday and Sunday, April 1-2, at the Portland Cider House on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, which is celebrating its own eighth anniversary this weekend. Other cider-centric events will round out the 10 days, including bingo night, a cupcake-and-cider pairing, and a single varietal cider night, then culminating with the Hillsboro Hops’ pre-opening game party on April 10. The Hops are also celebrating their 10th season, and as a team sponsor, Portland Cider is offering its Squeeze Play cider exclusively at Ron Tonkin Field during Hops games. A full list of the month’s celebratory events can be found at PortlandCider.com/10years.

To mark the anniversary, Portland Cider is bringing back the original flagship and its most-awarded product, Sorta Sweet, under a new name: Original Gold.

Co-owners Jeff and Lynda Parrish also plan for a May reopening of the Clackamas location as a full-service restaurant after it had been closed for renovations. New ciders are being developed, and the owners are looking forward to warm-weather outdoor events and festivals.

“Our new chef, Vinny Manna, is passionate about bringing our quality-first cider together with a food menu that matches that expectation, to create a wonderful experience all around from the food to the space,” Lynda Parrish says.

Original Gold as Sorta Sweet has won nine gold medals in regional, national and international competitions. Made with 100% Northwest apples, it is a classic American cider with a medium-dry finish, juicy apple freshness and moderate sweetness. It returns to the year-round flagship lineup and will be found on tap at establishments in the Portland area and in 16-ounce cans at retailers in Oregon, Washington, Northern California and Colorado.

Chill N Fill adding food cart pod

North Portland taproom Chill N Fill, known for its selection of craft beers, wine and ciders, has announced the construction of a new food cart pod. The pod is scheduled to open later this spring or summer and will feature eight food trucks or carts. Customers will be able to eat inside or outdoors and have access to restrooms at the family-friendly establishment, which welcomes all ages and dogs. After opening in 2014, Chill N Fill has expanded to a total seating area of about 4,000 square feet, along with additional outdoor seating and a heated patio. “We’re thrilled to bring this exciting addition to our customers and the neighborhood,” says Chill N Fill’s co-owner, Paul Moglia. “Our new food cart pod will offer a variety of great food options, beer and a fun and inviting atmosphere.” 5215 N. Lombard St.

Heartland Ciderworks takes its first steps

A few weeks ago I spent a couple of days at the Northwest Cider Symposium in Tacoma. Amazing event — I learned a ton about cider and the industry, and came away with an idea or two for good articles. Keep an eye out for those down the road.

But while I was there, a young man strode up to me, introduced himself and slapped a bottle of his cider into my hand. “Andre, I’m Eliseo Bell-Uribe, and I’m starting up my own cider company, Heartland Ciderworks. Would you try this?”

How do you say no to that kind of determination? Turns out that drive is what landed the Salem resident as a cellarman at Bauman’s Cider, the award-winning cidery in Gervais, after he got started in the industry on the non-production side of things at E.Z. Orchards. Bell-Uribe, who began as a cider homebrewer, says he has learned a ton from the crew at Bauman’s, which he describes as “such a great learning environment.” He’s currently scrapped his plans to use his degree for a career in economic development and at this point is a cider start-up in the truest sense — his first production batch was 250 gallons and is currently carbonating. He said he hoped to start knocking on a list of Salem establishment doors very soon to start selling kegs, then he hopes to bottle in May.

Right now Heartland is offering one blend, called Avalon, which is a traditional, dry cider without flavor additives — “just apples, with a little hint of sweetness,” Bell-Uribe says. I enjoyed it — it was crisp, dry and very drinkable. Next year he hopes to do four blends, all of which will be on the dry, less-sweet side. So if you start seeing Heartland Ciderworks around town, you’ll know Bell-Uribe is making strides with his side hustle.

What to do, what to do?

Lil’ America grand opening: The food-cart pod adjacent to Fracture Brewing in Southeast Portland holds its official grand opening on Saturday, April 1, at 1015 S.E. Stark St. The newest cart, crab boil-focused The Drip’n Crab, will celebrate its first weekend at Lil’ America, a pod featuring carts owned by BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ chefs, curated by the restaurant group Win Win. Expect music, food and drink specials, PDX Bubble Unicorn from noon-2 p.m., a set by DJ K Marie from 2-5 p.m., and a drag show at 3 p.m. This is a free, family-friendly event, and dogs are welcome on a leash. No tickets necessary. The Fracture taproom will be open. Other carts include FryBaby, Hawker Station, Los Plebes, Speed-O Cappuccino, Maukulit, Bake on the Run, and The Drip’N Crab.

Cask Fest Spring 2023, Away Days Brewing: The Southeast Portland brewery hosts its twice-a-year celebration of cask-conditioned beer, featuring breweries such as Nebuleus, Upright, Level, Machine House, Obelisk, Gigantic, Steeplejack, Foreland and Away Days itself. The ticketed early session is sold out, but the public is welcome, no tickets required, from 2-8 p.m. Saturday, April 15, 1516 S.E. 10th Ave.

“Bottle Conditioned” screening at Wildwood: The Hillsboro taphouse on Sunday, May 21, will be an official screening partner for the Lambic documentary “Bottle Conditioned,” in which Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Jerry Franck exploresthe small Belgian community of lambic beer, looking at how brewers and blenders of different generations wrestle with tradition and the increased demand for their rare beers. Wildwood is holding screenings at 3 and 6 p.m., with presale tickets being sold at the taphouse’s April 15 Funks Not Dead event, with online tickets becoming available Monday, April 17 (password protected until then). The April 15 Funks Not Dead event has kegs tapping at 11 a.m., with a party at 5 p.m. including brewery representation from The Ale Apothecary, de Garde and Funky Fauna, plus some special bottle pours available. 9345 N.E. Windsor St., Hillsboro.

Beer of the Week

Japanese Rice Lager, Away Days Brewing, Bottleworks and Ltd Edition Sushi (5.3% ABV; 20 IBU). The Southeast Portland brewery has collaborated with Ltd. Edition Sushi, voted by the Seattle Times as Seattle’s new best restaurant, and the iconic Seattle bottle shop on a limited-run rice lager, in honor of the cherry blossom season in the Pacific Northwest. A launch party will be held at Ltd Edition Sushi on Saturday, April 1, featuring DJs and sushi snacks. Tickets available here, with a sell-out expected. The beer will go on sale in-store and online the same day at Bottleworks, then Portland distribution on Monday, April 3. Brewery notes: “A dry, crisp lager with Saaz and Huell Melon hops.”

New Releases of Note

Bauman’s Cider of Gervais has released its newest harvest series and small-batch ciders, which feature new labels that break from Bauman’s traditional aesthetic. “As we are creating a new cider, or tasting the end product, we have a vision for it, a feeling even. The opportunity to share that feeling with an artist and allow them to interpret it into a drawing or painting is an amazing kind of alchemy,” said founder and head cidermaker Christine Walter. The releases include:

• Reine des Pommes, aka Queen of the Apples, a blend of French bittersweet apples with “lavish notes of nougat, tobacco, and caramel.” Artwork by Beatrice Mandel.
• Estate Cider was fermented using apples from the Bauman’s homestead farm and white wine yeast. “It is crisp and clean with just the right amount of acid and a punchy fruit-forward aroma.” Artwork by Meridith Burchiel.
• Estate Spontaneous uses the same apples as Estate Cider and was allowed to wild-ferment with only the naturally occurring yeasts present on and in the apples. Artwork by Meridith Burchiel.
• Porter’s Perfection, Bauman’s newest single varietal release is a “zingy, fruity nectar with notes of lemons and a slight green olive brininess.” Artwork byHannah Bartlett.
• Forbidden Fruit Series features two co-ferments. The red is a co-ferment of traditional cider apples with Pinot Noir grape skins from Kristof Farms. “It is a captivating, perfectly balanced, crisp and juicy expression of the Willamette Valley’s favorite grape.” The white is a co-ferment of muscat grape skins from Paradis Vineyards with Brown Snout, Pitmaston Pineapple, and Kingston Black apples. “It feels like the last few days of summer, surrounded by warm sun and wildflowers.” Artwork by Meridith Burchiel.

Bauman’s Cider available at the Gervais farm, 12989 Howell Prairie Road NE, and in its regular distribution channels.

Blackberry Limelight, Fort George Brewery (5.9% ABV). This mixed culture ale was fermented with a blend of brettanomyces and lactobacillus to create a sour stage for showcasing Oregon native Silvan blackberries from West Union Gardens, plus a generous heap of lime zest. Brewery notes: “A deep purple beer with ruby red foam, and aroma of fresh, sun-warmed blackberries and lime zest and a flavor of rich blackberry jam and fresh, tart lime. Nicely carbonated with a tart finish.”

— Andre Meunier; sign up for my weekly newsletter Oregon Brews and News, and follow me on Instagram, where I’m @oregonianbeerguy.