The last time the Washington Beer Blog told you anything about Josh Pfriem was back in October of 2009. We reported that Josh was leaving Bellingham’s Chuckanut Brewery and relocating his family to Hood River, OR where he had accepted a position with Full Sail Brewing. Today we learn that he will soon open his own brewery.
According to a report in the Hood River News, Josh Pfriem, Ken Whiteman and Rudy Kellner expect to start pouring beers at their new brewery and tasting room this summer. The Pfriem Brewing Company recently signed a five-year lease with the Port of Hood River and is now entertaining bids to build-out the space.
By the way, Pfriem is pronounced “freem.”
The new brewery and tasting room will be on the waterfront in the Halyard Building–a light-industrial, commercial property constructed by the Port of Hood River in 2010. The location is across the street from Hood River Waterfront Park at 1000 East Port Marina Drive (map).
Josh Pfriem told the Hood River News, “Our focus is definitely going to be on making and distributing craft beers, but we also want to have a relaxed space for people to hang out, enjoy the location and have a beer. We’ll be right across from the waterfront park, and we definitely want to take advantage of that with a friendly, family atmosphere.”
Along with serving beer at its waterfront tasting room, the new brewery plans to distribute beer across the Northwest, primarily distributing kegs but also 750 ml Belgian-style bottles.
Ken Whiteman told the Hood River News, “We’re looking to do something different. We’ll have some classic Northwest beers, but our focus is going to be on traditional Belgian style, which is pretty unique for the Northwest.”
The Washington Beer Blog loves Hood River. It is one of our favorite Northwest beer-cations. Pfriem Brewing will be Hood River’s fourth brewery, joining Full Sail Brewing, Double Mountain Brewing and Big Horse Brewing. Just across the river in Washington, there are two more breweries (Everybody’s Brewing and Walking Man Brewing).
Read our previous stories about beer touring in and around Hood River.
Read the original about Pfriem Brewing story at the Hood River News.