First look at Hammer & Stitch Brewing, Portland’s first new Brewery since the Pandemic
From the creative mind of brewer Ben Dobler, Hammer & Stitch Brewing opens in northwest Portland this Saturday, October 10th at 11am. Focusing on clean looks, and old school simplicity, Hammer & Stitch will deliver on classic clean lagers and ales for people that still appreciate more malt driven beers.
After 25 years at Widmer Brothers Brewing, and following those up with stints as the brewmaster for Laurelwood Brewing and Mt. Tabor Brewing, Ben Dobler knows a few things about crafting balanced recipes. H&S’s lead brewer Cameron Murphy worked with Dobler at Laurelwood, and went on to brew at Von Ebert Brewing. Along with marketing manager Madison Moody and kitchen partners Grand Cru Hospitality, they make up the small team that will run and operate the taproom and it’s elevated views and pub grub
Ben Dobler (left) and Cameron Murphy (right) of Hammer & Stitch Brewing
On opening, H&S will have five beers of their own brewed in-house. The brew crew opted not to take the collaboration route in brewing up beers at friends breweries in order to fill the taps. Instead these will be the first five beers out of the gate and make up the standard year-round lineup H&S would like to see become the mainstays.
The H&S brewing philosophy is to love all styles of beer, they even have a neon sign hanging in the taproom to remind either themselves of the public of this mantra. While the standard lineup beers all only call out a generic broad style of beer and feature the same naming convention that takes inspiration from Seinfeld episode titles, ie “The” lager, the rest of the taplist will be filled in with beers that throw out those rules. Dobler expresses plans to brew a Hazy IPA next, and would like to make even more classics like Kolsch and Altbier, and more experimental stuff like light fruit beers that blend the lines between beer and seltzer.
look for Hammer & Stitch Brewing in cans by November
The Lager, 5.2% ABV
The standout beer of the initial lineup, this beer stakes no claim in particular style but delivers on crushability and flavor. The basic concept is a mash up of American adjunct lager with modern Dry-Hopped pilsners of today. It’s light on the palate, with a hint of corn in the flavor, backed up by 6-row and pilsner malts. It’s bittered with CTZ and Centennial hops, but is not bitter. Modern varieties Idaho 7 and Cashmere are used for dry-hopping and add a splash of citrus and aromatics to a very clean lager that doesn’t attempt to become what most would call “hoppy.”
The Pale, 5.4% ABV
A classic take on the 90’s style Pale Ales from Deschutes and Sierra Nevada. It differentiates itself with a more dank aroma from Chinook and Cashmere hops. Like Pale Ales were meant to be, The Pale is more of a balance between malt and hops with Munich malts giving a slightly toasty caramel hue and flavor. The Pale finishes with a full body, and candied grapefruit flavors, with pine and weedy notes.
The IPA, 6.3% ABV
The most old school of the three beers I tried on an early visit, “The IPA” is a bit heavy on chewy Crystal malts. Far from the in vogue IPA’s of today with their bright Pilsner malt based base beers, “The IPA” is a nutty and carmelly throwback to 80’s IPA showing of Simpsons Malt and Crystal 8. Ben Dobler admits a heavy hand with the crystal malts on the first batch of “The IPA” and plans to lighten it up on the second go. The hops are more modern, Chinook for bittering, but more Idaho 7 and Cashmere for flavor/aroma and the hot new Strata hops thrown in for good fruity and dank measure.
The Ale, 5.3% ABV
Frustratingly broadly named, “The Ale” falls into the realm of hoppy Amber Ale or Red. It wasn’t yet available to taste on my visit, but according to the description it’s a malt-forward beer with a PNW hop blend that contributes hints of pine and big floral notes.
The Porter, 5.7% ABV
Another beer that was not yet available to try on my visit, but should be on tap for the opening is “The Porter.” A classic style that Oregon brewers made cool in the 90’s but has since fallen off in popularity, Porter is primed for a comeback. Dark and Caramel malts along with Blonde Roasted Oats create an intricate fusion of toasted-chocolatey goodness. Dark and rich in color. Deep and complex in mouthfeel. Perfectly balanced with PNW-grown “C” hops, we carefully craft an extremely approach- able, legendary beer with an incredibly smooth finish.
The H&S taproom is off of NW Vaughn in an industrial area near the busy NW 23rd strip. The side street has lots of parking and the elevated deck at the taproom has a view to the west of the iconic Montgomery Park building. People watching, outdoor drinking, roll-up doors and an elevated pub fare menu that is family friendly. Patrons will scan a QR code at their table or from a waiting area out front, once seated it’s order service from the bar where you will receive a number and your food and drink delivered to the table.
Dobler, Murphy and Moody might even give you a socially distant ‘cheers’ if you come in to see them.
Hammer & Stitch Brewing, 2377 NW Wilson Street, Portland, OR 97210 | 503-468-5622
Days/Hours: Wednesday - Sunday 11am - 8pm.
