First Look at Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider’s new SE Portland Taproom
Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider has opened a new inner southeast Portland taproom next to the new Farmhouse Carts at 2415 SE 35th Place. The location may seem familiar as it was not only formerly the SE Wine Collective, but appeared in our most anticipated new and upcoming Oregon breweries and taprooms of 2023 when we expected it to be the new home of Logsdon Farmhouse Ales.
In 2020 Rev. Nat’s closed their original taproom and production space in the Hollywood neighborhood, and moved their innovative and eccentric cidery to the northeast waterfront industrial district where they had room for expansion. Two years later, Rev. Nat himself aka Nat West says he has rethought the business, and is downsizing into his new location.
Rev Nat’s former taproom manager Gemma Fanelli may be back behind the bar again on some nights
A Logsdon Farmhouse Ales mural is a permanent addition to the new Reverend Nat’s loading dock area
The stress of the pandemic and too much time off led to a lot of rethinking, for small business owners and service indistry it brought about a lot of reevaluations of priorities. For Nat and others like him, it was a realization that chasing growth wasn’t going to bring happiness. Getting bigger in the years leading up to the pandemic, Rev Nat’s had a CEO, sales manager, taproom manager, and dozens of employees. West no longer had his hands on every aspect of the business to give it that personal touch that you can see and taste in the naturally fermented pineapple beverage Tepache to his Sacrilege sour cherry cider. Reopening in southeast Portland will give the brand an opportunity to reconnect with the public, and with everything that made them so successful in the first place.
“I could not be more excited to re-open a new taproom,” says Nat West. “I have so many memories of our old taproom off Broadway Ave. I remember so many Friday nights at the taproom where it was so busy that we removed the barstools from the front of the bar for standing-room only. I'm so excited to get to the end of my work day and see other work teams sharing an end-of-day drink.”
Reed Dow owns the building that Reverend Nat’s is moving into, and he built out the Farmhouse Carts in it’s former parking lot. Much of the woodwork in the cart pod he did himself, from sourcing multiple kinds of pacific northwest trees to build structures and seating, to making sure every truck has its own plumbed water, power, and even internet and gas. Turning the former SE Wine Collective space into a taproom had been part of his plan for awhile, Logsdon Farmhouse Ales was looking to move out of their expensive space in downtown Washougal and this seemed like a good fit. Logsdon was supposed to be the alcoholic drinks provider for the Farmhouse Carts, with an ordering window from the bar to the patio. Its still unclear what happened with Logsdon, but they never finished the move-in or build out as evidenced by the piles of keg shells, puncheon, and palettes of farmhouse bottles still packed into the back of the building. The Farmhouse Carts opened in January without a taphouse partner or the previously announced interior space that would provide additional seating and drinks.
Reverend Nat’s found their new building too sweet to resist. It's a chance to have a smaller but well outfitted production area with loading dock and glycol already plumbed for tanks. SE Wine Collective left some great work in the building, from the well thought out fermentation and cellar areas to the small but beautiful tasting room area. The back bar wall made of repurposed oak barrel staves is both rustic and magnificent, while the new drop down pendant lighting gives it a dramatic ambiance in the evenings.
For the first time Reverend Nat’s has full bar seating, beer on tap, and on-site food options. There is a rotating selection of 12 house cider drafts where you can find more traditional flavors like his medium-dry Revival, or off-the-wall stuff like Loquita Fresca, a cider with tepache, watermelon and chili. Some of the crazier stuff on tap include The Passion a flavor with coconut and vanilla, described as “violently sour.” Other interesting offerings include Sidra Bravo, a light and dry and slightly funky Spanish-inspired cider, and Punch, a mango, melon and ginger flavor. And perhaps my favorite, the Kankitsukami, a sweet yuzu citrus cider with a fruity tropical hot pepper kick to it.
Since they know they will be serving not only their own customers and visiting cider fans, Rev Nats is putting 5 beers on draft. The taps are covered by local friends like Rosenstadt Brewery, Old Town Brewing, Assembly Brewing, Upright Brewing, and Little Beast Brewing. Nat says he plans to keep a lager, an IPA, and something more unique on draft at all times.
The buildout is still a work-in-progress; the loading dock area is a more open casual standing space with a few tables and barrels to lean over, it will be open when they aren’t using it for production and distribution. They are in the process of putting in a hallway from the main tasting room bar area out and into the food cart pod so that people may easily carry drinks or food back and forth. In the meantime you can still walk your beer or cider out the front door and down the sidewalk a few steps and onto the patio. Mama Chow’s, Thai Burger, Sunrise Coffee Co., Bobalastic, Let’s Roll, E-San Thai, Salvi, Gyro World, and Ojo are all set-up and currently operating various hours.
Reverend Nat himself, Nat West
Reverend Nat’s new taproom allows minors inside but not seated at the bar. Dogs are allowed outside in the cart pod, and soon at the streetside seating addition. The cart pod has ADA accessible and heated outdoor restrooms, and soon there will be another set inside the building as well. Cans, 6-packs, and rare bottles of Rev Nats cider are available to-go. The taproom at 2425 SE 35th Pl is in the same building as long-running Italian/pizza restaurant Cibo, and they will be open Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 11am -9pm and 11am-10pm on Friday and Saturdays.