Alter Ego Cider's New SE Portland Taphouse Opens Today
5-year-old brand Alter Ego Cider opens its long awaited new taphouse at 2025 SE 7th today, and will be open Wednesday through Sunday from here on out. Alter Ego is the successful cidery owned and produced by Helioterra Wines at the same place where the new taproom is opening in Portland.
Alter Ego Cider is in the midst of expansion; in addition to the taphouse they recently launched a year-round line of hard cider in cans. Alter Ego is still a small-batch, local operation, owned and operated by co-owners Anne Hubatch and Kevin Bates, and joined by Cidermaker Robert Lauer.
Alter Ego Cider's Taphouse is small, located in a commercial garage space across the street from Groundbreaker Brewing, near The Beermongers and Baerlic Brewing. Though the interior is a tiny, minimalist, and bright space reminiscent of a wine tasting room with just 18 seats, it has outdoor seating for another 30 in picnic tables out front. Inside, they will serve a selection of their ciders made from Pacific Northwest apples with a rotating and seasonal selection of fruited ciders with flavors like strawberry, black currant, and lime.
Behind the zinc bar and cherrywood wainscoting, Gemma Schmit runs the taps and takes her experience from Reverend Nat's Cider (and more recently Culmination Brewing) as the taproom manager.
The taphouse features twelve taps of cider and guest offerings, including a snakebite made in collaboration with Level Beer, an exclusive limited cider from Bauman’s Cider, and Montavilla Brew Works’ Flam Tap IPA. Seasonal ciders from Alter Ego include Camellia Noir, made with cranberries and black tea from local teamaker Tea Chai Té, The Strawberry Margarita, made with strawberries, lime, and sea salt, and The Brew, a cold brew cider made
in collaboration with Cascadia Coffee Roasters. Wine and cider-based cocktails are also available, including a “cidermosa” served on weekends, made with Alter Ego’s The Brut cider and a splash of orange juice.
“The taphouse will serve as a space for us to share our flagship ciders and smaller, experimental batches, in addition to some exciting collaborations with other local makers,” says Alter Ego Founder Anne Hubatch. “The vision for this taphouse has been in the works since we first launched Alter Ego five years ago, and we’re excited to see it come to fruition.”
Alter Ego's flagship ciders and small-batch seasonal offerings are made using white winemaking techniques; cooler fermentations that bring out more nuanced flavors.
The taphouse offers light bites and invites guests to bring their own food, with menus from surrounding restaurants available for to-go orders. The taphouse and production space also serves as a venue for tasting events and dinners with local guest chefs.
Alter Ego Cider will host a grand opening party on June 23, coinciding with the cidery’s fifth anniversary and Oregon Cider Week (June 20 - 30, 2019).
Address: 2025 SE 7th Ave., Portland, OR 97214
Phone: (503) 819-7014
Website: www.alteregocider.com
Social: @alteregocider
Hours of operation: Wednesday - Friday 4 pm - 9 pm
Saturday 12 pm - 10 pm
Sunday 12 pm - 7 pm
ABOUT ALTER EGO CIDER
Alter Ego Cider, an artisanal cidery owned and operated by winemakers in Portland, Oregon, produces food-friendly ciders using Northwest-grown apples. Acting on a desire to experiment with new flavors and ingredients not found in wine, friends and winemakers Nate Wall, Kris Wall, and Anne Hubatch launched the cidery in 2014, with co-owner Kevin Bates joining the team