Backwoods Brewing Is Opening a Portland Pub in Former Pearl Tavern Space
Carson, Washington's Backwoods Brewing Company is coming to Portland with a pub opening in NW Portland's Pearl District in the former home of Pearl Tavern. Backwoods Brewing is a Washington-based brewery with a popular family friendly pub in Carson that focuses on pizza and NW ales. They plan to bring their vision of a pub to the corner of NW 11th & Everett Street.More from an announcement:“We have a lot of visitors stop by our pub in Carson to experience the backwoods scenery, as well as the delicious food and beers we have to offer,” said Jim Waters, owner of Backwoods Brewing, along with his wife, Debbie Waters. “We look forward to bringing that same backwoods culture to Portland.”
Backwoods Brewing is about to enter its 7th year of business, and is ranked in the top 25 largest breweries in the state of WA, according to WA Beer Blog. However, there are still plenty of people who have yet to try their beer or visit the pub in Carson. “Our hope is that a pub in the Pearl will make it easier for folks in the Portland metro area to experience the same Backwoods hospitality that so many have already found after a good hike out in the Columbia River Gorge,” continued Waters.Backwoods’ Pearl location will boast their seasonal, special release and core brews, such as Logyard IPA, Copperline Amber and Blueberry Wheat. It will also feature local ciders and wines on tap, as well as a vast selection of spirits for craft cocktails.Like Backwoods’ Carson pub, the food menu will focus on sourcing local ingredients and producing as much hand-made goods as possible. “We understand that this isn’t Carson, and the selection in Portland is vastly larger in comparison,” said Steve Waters, CEO of Backwoods Brewing. “We will keep true to our priority of using top-notch local ingredients, and will aim for a menu that stays true to who we are at Backwoods: fun, delicious, and appealing to all ages.”When asked whether he thinks Portlanders will enjoy Backwoods’ backcountry feel and homestyle hospitality, CEO Steve Waters replied, “I think we’ll really resonate with the Portland crowd. We learned a long while ago, through interactions with hikers, bikers, and campers we see in Carson, that there’s a really broad appeal to our rustic style. We’re finding out more every day that there’s a little bit of Backwoods in everyone.”
Kurt Huffman, owner of ChefStable Group and part owner of Pearl Tavern, is happy to be passing the space on to such an exciting local brand. “We love Backwoods and we couldn’t feel better about who will be taking over this amazing space. Ryan [Magarian, fellow owner of Pearl Tavern] and I are already making plans to come have a beer and see what Backwoods has done with the space once they open.”Magarian also recently posted on Facebook that he expects Backwoods’ new location to “offer the neighborhood a super awesome place to enjoy each other’s company and some rad beverage and food to boot.”Backwoods Brewing is excited to join some great breweries from the Northwest, such as Deschutes, Rogue and the newer Von Ebert brewery, all of which are located in the Pearl District. When asked about the increasing number of breweries in Portland, Kevin Waters, Brewmaster for Backwoods, commented, “Good beer is good beer no matter what, and our corner of the Gorge is becoming well known as a mainstay on many tap lists in the Portland area as it is. We’re excited to show everyone what we’re all about!”
Backwoods is aiming to open doors at the new location late June/early July. In the meantime, they’ll be transforming the space to have that backwoods feel that so many people have come to know and love from their experience with the original pub in Carson. The Carson location will remain open and continue to serve its local customers, as well as the many visitors that come out after a hike or camping trip.When the new Pearl location does open, it will welcome all ages, and offer both lunch and dinner menus. Hours of operation will be 11:30 – 10 PM, Sunday through Thursday, and until 11 PM Fridays & Saturdays.
About Backwoods Brewing Company - Backwoods Brewing is located in the heart of the Columbia Gorge, in the small town of Carson, WA. It was founded by the Waters family in 2012, as a single-barrel brewpub. They now operate on a 20-barrel system in their newer Stevenson facility, kegging, canning and bottling beer for the WA/OR markets. Their focus is on balanced beers, such as the flagship Logyard IPA. Backwoods works with local producers to source their hops, grain and yeast. The brewpub in Carson is open daily, from 11:30 AM - 9 PM, and welcomes all ages.