Portland Brewing closes in February after 34 years of business

One of the pioneering classes from the pioneering class of the mid-80s that helped put Portland on the map as a beer mecca closes its doors forever.

Mary Beth Popp, vice president of brand and corporate communications for the company that owns Portland Brewing, Florida Ice & Farm Co., tells WW that the pandemic was not a factor, unlike so many other closures we heard about this year.

“We wish there was an alternative. The history of the Portland brewery and its brands has made it a very difficult decision,” FIFCO USA CEO Rich Andrews said in a press release. “It just didn’t make sense anymore to maintain the business, given the brand footprint, competitive art beer landscape and capital investments needed to update the brewery.”

Although the brands of Portland Brewing and MacTarnahan are coming to an end, Pyramid will survive. But the breweries will not be produced locally – their new manufacturing center will be in Rochester, NY

Florida Ice & Farm Co. tell WW it made no decisions about what would become of all the Portland Brewing equipment, including the distinctive copper tanks near the taproom entrance.

The news comes just over two years after Portland Brewing abruptly discontinued service in its Northwest Portland restaurant and tap room. In another post on social media announcing the change, the company cites the city’s challenging restaurant market as the main reason for the closure. Brewery continued, and customers could get barrels and suitcases through dock sales or six-packs at traditional retailers.

Portland Brewing, founded in 1986 by Art Larrance, Fred Bowman and Jim Goodwin, opened during Oregon’s beer boom in the 1980s, which also marked the beginning of Widmer Brothers, BridgePort, McMenamins, Full Sail and Deschutes. The brewery’s original location was in the Pearl District, but it moved to its longtime home in Northwest 31st Avenue when it needed space to grow.

Over the years, as the city and state’s beer scene exploded with producers, and drinkers were eager to explore rather than remain loyal to any brand, the importance of Portland Brewing has waned. The spate of sales did not help his identity either. Pyramid Brewing bought Portland in 2004, and not long after, it was snapped up by Vermont’s Magic Hat Brewing. In 2010, North American breweries acquired Portland, which was bought two years later by Florida Ice & Farm Co., based in Costa Rica.

Portland Brewing revamped its logo and packaging about six months before mooting its restaurant in 2018 and even held a launch party to showcase the new look and names, such as Ink & Roses IPA.

It has been a challenge for several years of breweries to remain relevant in a very competitive market with volatile consumers. BridgePort Brewing also underwent a restructuring in 2017, albeit in a more dramatic way, with the layoff of 13 staff members and the installation of a pilot system. It closed two years later.