First Look at Threshold Brewing & Blending- Now Open in Montavilla
The long awaited Threshold Brewing & Blending (one of our most anticipated new Oregon breweries of 2019) has finally opened in the Montavilla neighborhood of southeast Portland. As we first reported on Threshold in November 2017, the 10bbl brewing project from David Fuller and Jarek Szymanski will focus on hazy IPAs and farmhouse ales and hopes to have a strong barrel program as well. It's fitting that the first three beers out of the gate are a hazy/juicy IPA called Day Runner, a double hazy called Fuzzy Face, and a Grisette brewed with the Nordic Kveik yeast from Imperial called Jens Bailed Grisette.
Threshold Brewing & Blending is just a couple of doors off of the busy SE Stark strip of restaurants, shops and bars that includes Roscoe's, The Country Cat, and Montavilla Brew Works. Threshold is actually on the same block as Montavilla Brew Works, just around the corner from Stark and facing SE 79th. Both breweries have 10bbl systems, small taprooms, and brew primarily for their own locations, but the similarities end there. MBW focuses on mostly classic English, German and American pub styles, with scarcely a hazy or wild/mixed fermentation ale in sight. MBW is 21+ only; Threshold is very kid friendly, though neither offer a food menu at this time.
Fuller, Szymanski, and their partners and friends have worked hard to turn an empty auto garage into a production space with a taproom in the front. By paneling the taproom area with salvaged wood, they have managed to cover up the more industrial and concrete structure, but it's still a pretty bare bones space. With three house brewed beers on tap, Threshold has filled the rest of the taps with six drafts of well respected locals plus cider, kombucha, and wine. Pours are available in 4oz tasters, 10oz or 14oz glasses and growler fills. Beer is also available in pre-filled 32oz crowlers to-go, and there are kiddie friendly bottles of soda, milk, kombucha and even all-ages snacks like cheese sticks and crackers.
Fuller, Szymanski, and their partners and friends have worked hard to turn an empty auto garage into a production space with a taproom in the front. By paneling the taproom area with salvaged wood, they have managed to cover up the more industrial and concrete structure, but it's still a pretty bare bones space. With three house brewed beers on tap, Threshold has filled the rest of the taps with six drafts of well respected locals plus cider, kombucha, and wine. Pours are available in 4oz tasters, 10oz or 14oz glasses and growler fills. Beer is also available in pre-filled 32oz crowlers to-go, and there are kiddie friendly bottles of soda, milk, kombucha and even all-ages snacks like cheese sticks and crackers.
Threshold is still soft opened, and more progress is to be made not only on the beer lineup but also the decor and food are in the works. The brewery hopes to add a functional kitchen to offer small plates and host pop-up dinners with different chefs, similar to what Culmination Brewing is doing with regular weekday pop-ups. Currently you can find about six seats at the bar and a handful of picnic tables for groups, with a kids play area in the corner and a roll-up garage door for when it's nice outside. Threshold has a stout in the tanks now and is working on sourcing a local coffee for blending, and many more brews are on the way that may warrant another visit once the brewery announces a grand opening. One of the bonuses of visiting early is that you are sure to be served by one of the two owner/brewers, who are working the taproom themselves for the first few months until they get their feet under them with the brewing schedule and day jobs. For now you can expect limited hours Wednesday through Sunday.Follow Threshold Brewing on Facebook and on Instagram.
Threshold Brewing & Blending403 SE 79th Ave, Portland OR 97215
Sunday: Noon - 7 PM
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wed - Thurs: 3 PM - 9 PM
Fri - Sat: Noon - 10 PM
