5 Questions for George Johnson, Oregon’s First and Only Black Brewery Owner/Brewer
Today is the first annual national Black Brewers Day! The new initiative was announced just yesterday by the National Black Brewers Association, with the goal to spotlight black brewers in our communities and what that means to us. On short notice, we were able to track down Oregon’s only black brewery owner/operator George Johnson, who was on a train from Seattle to Portland at the time but was able to carve out a few moments to answer our last minute questions for #blackbrewersday.
George Johnson is the owner/brewer/pizza chef of Portland, Oregon’s Assembly Brewing. The 15bbl inner southeast brewpub in the Foster-Powell (FoPo) neighborhood is a lively space that visually stands out for the detailed wraparound interior mural depicting the brewing process inspired by Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry Murals, and on outdoor mural on the east side of the building depicting a rising phoenix. Backed by his Detroit roots, George Johnson came to Assembly with a proprietary dough recipe after spending a week training with legendary 2012 World Pizza Champion and legendary Detroit-style Pizza master Shawn Randazzo. But it wasn’t until Johnson had moved to Boulder, Colorado as a teenager in the 90’s that he first had his first craft beer ‘aha’ moment.
“I wasn't a fan of commercial beer and then I tried a Bell's Third Coast Old Ale and I instantly fell in love with craft beer, a couple of years later I bought a book and a homebrew kit,” says Johnson.
After graduating from the University of Colorado, Johnson moved to Portland in the late 90’s with a band he was in called Feral and decided to settle here and call the pacific northwest home. 25 years after discovering craft beer as a teenager, Johnson decided to put himself through the American Brewers Guild’s Intensive Brewing Science and Engineering courses. Obtaining a BJCP, beer judge certification, he interned at Hopworks Brewery before starting Assembly Brewing in 2019 where he earned the distinction of becoming Oregon’s first black brewery owner and operator that we know of. However, on the surface it’s never played a big part into what Assembly Brewing was all about.
Q: I always feel uncomfortable asking people questions like whats it like being a female brewer, or a black brewer in this case because I don’t like to put people into those kinds of boxes. But how do you feel about those kind of questions and how underrepresented people can be supported and highlighted?
Johnson: I've been Black my whole life, I really didn't think about it. It was just about the beer. That being said, there is a lack of diversity in the business and spotlighting underrepresented peoples can inspire others to take part in the industry.
Q: What is the industry doing right and doing wrong as far as diversity and representation, and how can it do better?
Johnson: I think people should hire more people of color, but in a town like PDX it can be hard. Right now it's hard to hire anybody. Other than that I can't really pinpoint the rights and wrong about the industry. I think every company is different and it's unfair to generalize. I think the problems with inclusion in this and other industries are just a reflection of the culture that we have been brought up in and that is a can of worms that I'm not prepared to take on.
Q: How do your Detroit roots inform Assembly Brewing?
Johnson: The Pizza and the mural inspiration came from Detroit and that's about all. Considering that I've lived in PDX longer than Michigan, Portland is my culture. The beer was initially inspired by Colorado, because that is where I started homebrewing and going to/working at breweries, but I've had more Oregon beer than any other.
Q: You are one of the few Black Brewers in this industry, and one of the few if not only black brewery owner in Oregon. What does that mean to you, and say about the industry?
Johnson: Currently, I don't know of another Black brewer in Oregon and I do think that's crazy. For me it just puts a lot of pressure on me. I (hopefully) falsely have the feeling that if I mess it up it will reflect poorly on others that look like me. The MB2A is getting started and hopefully together we can make a difference in the industry and increase awareness.
Q: What are your goals for the future, things that you would like to accomplish in this industry and as a brewer/owner?
Johnson: I would like to open another location in another part of town. Other than that, I'm a simple guy and have no plans for world domination.
Assembly Brewing is known not only for their no-frills approachable beers, but also the brewpubs strict adherence to staying 21+ only with no children allowed. You also won’t find them cutting any corners except for squares on their Detroit-style Pizza, the website proclaiming the traits of an authentic Detroit-style Pizza:
Square (rectangle really)
Pepperoni is placed on the dough for maximum flavor
Wisconsin Brick cheese is used
Carmelized cheese fuses to the edge of the dough
Sauce is on the top
Dough has 70% Hydration
Crispy on the bottom, light and chewy in the middle
ASSEMBLY BREWING
6112 SE Foster Rd, PDX, OR 97206
Hours of Operation:
11am to 10pm Daily
21+ all times