Two of the most awaited reopening’s in Portland are this week as both Belmont Station and Ruse Brewing open their taprooms again for enjoying beers on-site. Oregon bars and restaurants have been closed for indoor service since November 18th, but as of February 12 Multnomah County (Portland) eased restrictions to allow them to operate at 25% capacity inside. Some, including Ruse, Belmont Station and others like Assembly Brewing and Wayfinder have remained closed.

Ruse Brewing is blessed with a spacious and underused lobby in their mixed-use building, the Iron Fireman Collective, but has never had an option for outdoor seating. As such, the taproom has only been open for 3 weeks over the past 12 months and has not served on-premise at all since 11/13. This Thursday, March 4th that all changes as Ruse Brewing opens their taproom for seating in their most expansive and spaced arrangement ever.

“We feel with the temps getting warmer we will be able to have our big taproom barn doors open along with the the lobby door and the 2 large garage doors in the loading dock,” says Ruse co-owner/brewer Devin Benware.

Utilizing the Shopkeep mobile POS app, customers can view the menu and purchase from their phone without coming face to face with a bartender or exchanging cash or card. Orders will go directly to the pourers with a table number and the staff will deliver it to the drinker and limiting the chance of exposure to customers and staff.

The Ruse Taproom will be split into four semi-separated spaces with 3-6 tables in each area. The primary taproom area across from the bar, the side seating near the taproom entrance, and he building lobby of the Fireman Collective each will have 3-4 tables, 10-12 between them. For the first time expanded seating will go out onto the loading dock area outside of the brewery, that space will have the most air-flow and space for 5-6 more tables. All together totaling about 40-45 seats for brewery guests.

Ruse does not have a kitchen but will be having regular pop-up guests like Bhuna Indian and Ninth and Fitzwater sandwiches. “Our goal is to have food options as many days as possible,” says Benware.

Group sizes are capped at 6 people as all of Oregon is under that restriction. Minors will be allowed in the main taproom area until 7pm and in the lobby/loading dock area until 9pm. And, well behaved dogs are welcome.

Ruse Brewing Taproom will be open starting 3/4 and the hours going forward are Thursday - Friday 3-9pm, Saturday 1-9pm, and Sunday 1-7pm at 4784 SE 17th Ave, Portland, OR 97202.

Belmont Station has reopened their Biercafe for both outdoor and indoor seating at limited capacity. One of the west coasts best bottle shops, the biercafe is also world-class and often featured one of the very best taplists in Oregon when we could all gather and enjoy draft beer at a bar. This will be the first time you can have a beer on-premise since the short window they were allowing outdoor-only seating before the holidays, and the first time you can sit indoors since last March of 2020.

All seating is first come first serve (no reservations or waiting list), and the bar will only be taking plastic (no cash), with in-person order at the bar service. The staff will be cleaning every table between use and marking them “clean” or dirty between seatings and asking customers to bus their own tables. As is expected during these times everyone will be required to wear their mask when not seated, but the one major change to remember is that the cafe will now be 21+ only for the first time, atleast for now.

Bottle Shop & Bier Cafe Hours (Bier Cafe as of March 1, 2021):

Open Seven days a week 12pm - 9pm