Astoria, Oregon is getting it’s sixth brewery when Fort George Brewing alumni’s Dave Coyne and Nathan Lampson open Obelisk Beer Co. Coyne is the barrel whisperer at Fort George and has built a reputation for his innovative experiments (the recent barrel-aged hard seltzer and pickle wild ale to name a few) and giant boozy treats like the Matryoshka Imperial Stouts. At Obelisk Beer they will create an “oak-inspired monument to beer.”

The name Obelisk Beer is “a nod to the Astoria Column, which isn’t technically an obelisk, but we don’t always need to conform to style guidelines,” says Coyne.

Lampson brings years of beer marketing experience to tell the story of the beer and curate the on-site taproom.  The planned tap list includes sessionable pub style and lager beers, nuanced mixed culture ales, decadent spirit barrel-aged concoctions, and beers redolent with a pungent hop aroma. 

Coyne has amassed a following for his bold and story-driven beers at Fort George. Obelisk Beer will expand on his experience and use experimental and historical processes for timeless styles as well as unconventional ingredients in more innovative creations.

“Fort George always provides ample creative freedom,” says Coyne of his most recent employer. “We wanted to build our own monument to beer, and create a space with a sense of reverence of the history, community, and beverage that we love being a part of. Working on this smaller scale will enable a more intimate relationship with our beer. It’ll open up possibilities for sourcing high quality, regional ingredients to support our local economy and create a diverse tap list.”

The oversized 10 BBL brewhouse will be immediately at home in the building and Obelisk Beer has a long list of beers they are dying to make, with new to them ingredients, unusual aging vessels, and trying new processes on existing beer or delving into brand new flavors. But for now they are keeping those plans secret before they take shape.

The 5,000 sq. ft. space they take up residence in at 598 Bond St, Astoria, OR began its life as a Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Co. distributor in the 1940s.  It was later purchased, owned, and operated through three family generations as Columbia Fruit and Produce. Obelisk will start off filling the building with a collection of various spirit barrels, foeders and puncheons for mixed culture beers with an opportunity for 3,500 sq ft barrel cellar on site or off site storage.

The on-site taproom will strive for a cozy and family friendly atmosphere, but will not have a kitchen and instead open for various pop-up food providers or trucks outside. One of their core tenants will be to support the community. Nathan and Dave have served on boards of Astoria non-profits, helped with fundraisers, volunteered at local events, and want to use brewing as a platform to help organizations raise funds and promote volunteerism.

Obelisk Beer Co. plans to open in 2022. Future progress and more information is available at obeliskbeer.com