SteepleJack Brewing expands to Oregon Coast and launches new Co-Packing Facility
SteepleJack Brewing has purchased a new co-packing facility in Portland, brought on a new brewmaster, launching the new Harder Day Distillery, and is opening a new pub on the Oregon Coast.
Portland, Oregon’s SteepleJack Brewing has put their Manzanita plans to build a pub, arcade, and guest lofts on the Oregon coast on an indefinite pause. The ambitious and highly anticipated project was met with excitement and skepticism when the beautiful renderings of the proposed and approved project was announced in 2022. Development cost, nearby construction, and city parking requirements have stalled the project from moving forward - for now - as SteepleJack still owns the land.
Original renderings of SteepleJack’s plan for Manzanita pub, arcade, and lodging that have now been put on hold
However, SteepleJack owners Brody Day and Dustin Harder are not ones to give up so easily and have pivoted to purchase the former Neah-Kah-Nie Bistro on Manzanita’s quaint downtown business strip at 519 Laneda Ave Manzanita, OR, United States, Oregon 97130.
The upcoming location in Manzanita will be called SteepleJack Burgers & Beer and specialize in the same approachable but scratchmade food menu and highly drinkable beers from lagers, and hoppy beers to English-ales and pub staples but this time with the ambiance of the Oregon coast.
The former Neah-Kah-Nie Bistro will become SteepleJack Burgers & Beer
Though substantially smaller than their original Manzanita plans, SteepleJack Burgers & Beer has the feel of a cozy residential home inside a 1,584 sq. ft. structure built in 1946 with classic vintage beach house vibes. The weathered but solid wood sided restaurant is set back off the main street with a covered deck, some parking, and room for a front patio and beer garden area for al fresco dining. Co-founder Dustin Harder owns a house in Manzanita and knows the community’s desire for diversity of offerings, and casual but high quality experience that serves a broad base. SteepleJack Burgers & Beer will be a fast casual experience with an arcade for kids and lots of outdoor space. The menu will be focused on burgers as the name implies, but with a special chicken sandwich for variety, salads, and desserts, and everything made fresh daily.
Photos from the real estate broker Living Room Realty show the Neah-Kah-Nie Bistro before the property was purchased by SteepleJack. Fairly major renovations on the building begin next week! The chimney is unstable and will be disassembled with new windows and a much more open interior.
Co-owner Brody Day says, “We will reimagine the front deck and remodel the interior to be more open and filled with natural light. My focus is to bring the outside in there.”
SteepleJack executive chef Lawrence Gable is already hard at work on the Manzanita pub menu. Centered around burgers and SteepleJack Broadway’s popular chicken sandwich, the menu at the Manzanita location will be carefully curated to include some of their most popular items from all 4 Portland-area pubs.
Meanwhile SteepleJack head brewer Anna Buxton is developing a signature “Manzanita Lager” for Steeplejack Burgers & Beer’s projected March 2026 opening.
SteepleJack Co-Packing Facility for non-alcoholic brands
SteepleJack has also acquired a co-packing facility for NA beverages. The facility in inner southeast Portland was originally Alameda Brewing’s (RIP) production facility when they tried to scale up during the craft beer boom. After Alameda Brewing shut down in 2018 the facility was sold to CBD sparkling water maker Aprch Beverage. In 2022 Aprch sold the facility to Craft Canning who used it as a base of operations for co-packing their partners brands. Now the facility has come under the ownership of SteepleJack which will use it to diversify their revenue streams with branches outside of brewpubs to connected industries. SteepleJack Co-Packing will primarily be used to make other brands products, namely non-alcoholic sodas, seltzers, and other non-fermented beverages.
“We can produce as little as 100 gallon batches all the way up to 4000 gallon batches in the facility,” says Brody Day. “We can also develop new to market ideas with our team, from energy drinks, to sparkling fruit juices and everything in between we make it.”
A 15bbl prospero brewhouse that SteepleJack originally intended to brew on in Hillsboro has been moved to the co-packing facility. In the future it could be used for small batch brewing projects from SteepleJack, or for contract brewing other brands.
SteepleJack director of brewery operations, Michael Killgore
SteepleJack also recently introduced new director of brewing operations Michael Killgore. Kilgore worked for Craft Canning and brewed for Alameda Brewing back in the day, as well as stints at Backwoods Brewing, Author Mead, and Big Sky Brewing. Kilgore sounds to be the perfect fit for the expanding SteepleJack/Harder Day local empire with his experience in production brewing, brewpubs, and in packaging and non-beer fermentables made in the same facility that will now become SteepleJack’s co-packer.
Have you seen the new Harder Day Distilling spirits around town yet? This off-shoot of SteepleJack and their sister company Harder Day Coffee is a distillery located inside SteepleJack Hillsboro production facility. Their vodka, rum, and bourbon are currently appearing on SteepleJack cocktail menus and in local liquor stores. Under development is a new gin, and RTD (ready-to-drink) cocktails in trial. The sub-brand will expand into its own Harder Day Distilling tasting room located inside SteepleJack Hillsboro.
More SteepleJack news is on the way with expansion plans for 2026. As always we will keep you updated.