Ruse Brewing opens Crust Collective in Northwest Portland
Ruse Brewing opened its original location in Southeast Portland in 2018, co-founded by Shaun Kalis and Devin Benware. It was immediately a hit with the local beer hounds. Fast-forward a few years, and you will find the crew and Ruse Brewing falling deeply in love with deep-dish, Detroit-style pizza, going deep into their appreciation and understanding of the style. At one point, that passion even took the brewery’s founders to Detroit to examine the style firsthand. That penchant for pizza eventually spawned a pop-up kitchen at the taproom, which has since become a permanent fixture. (All images from Instagram.)
A good brewery approaches its beer with passion and pride. When a brewery decides to extend its focus to other things and stake its reputation on something like pizza, there is value in approaching it with the same kind of passion and pride. Serve pizza that deserves to sit side-by-side with your beer. Ruse Brewing approaches the pizza with the same verve it approaches its beer.
In 2022, Ruse Brewing’s beer + pizza concept materialized across the Columbia River when the company opened a taproom and pizzeria in Vancouver, Washington. Dubbed the Crust Collective, Ruse Brewing’s first satellite taproom opened as part of the city’s waterfront revitalization project. The sleek, modern pizza and beer joint boasts a view of the river and the Interstate Bridge.
On Saturday, December 14th, Ruse Brewing opened a third location. This time, the company brings its Crust Collective concept to Portland’s Slabtown neighborhood. The new Detroit-style pizzeria and taproom is located in the former home of Please Louise (1505 N.W. 21st Ave.) Breakside Brewery and Great Notion Brewing operate locations nearby. Also, Brujos Brewing is not far away. A Proper Pint taproom is also nearby.
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Please Louise was a restaurant focused on pizza, salads, and other comfort food, as well as beer, wine, and cocktails. For Ruse Brewing there was value in moving into an existing business compared to starting from the ground up. “This was our first time taking over an existing restaurant and definitely learned a lot along the way,” Devin Benware, one of the founders of Ruse Brewing, told The Oregonian/OregonLive. “We are super stoked for our new team and really excited to already be meeting the new regulars as we get settled into the neighborhood.”
“Shaun and I were looking all around the Portland area for a second Crust Collective location for well over a year,” Benware added. “When we saw this space for sale on the corner of 21st and Quimby, we both knew it was the spot.”
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Along with Ruse Brewing’s beers, the new Crust Collective location offers a full bar, including cocktails. Along with that, salads and some sandwiches. Also, dog-friendly patio seating for 50 people. Follow Ruse Brewing’s Crust Collective on Instagram to stay informed.
