Portland Brewing to close in February after 34 years of business

One of the mid-1980s innovative class breweries that helped put Portland on the map as a beer mecca is closing its doors forever.

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

“We would like there to be an alternative. The history of the Portland brewery and its brands has made that decision very difficult,” said Rich Andrews, CEO of FIFCO USA, in a press release. “It just didn’t make sense anymore to sustain the operation given the brand footprint, the competitive landscape of craft beer and the capital investments needed to update the brewery.”

Although the Portland Brewing and MacTarnahan’s brands are coming to an end, Pyramid will live. But these beers will not be produced locally – their new brewing center will be in Rochester, NY

Florida Ice & Farm Co. account WW made no decision as to what will happen to all Portland Brewing equipment, including exclusive copper tanks near what used to be the entrance to the brewery.

The news comes a little over two years after Portland Brewing abruptly stopped service at its Northwest Portland restaurant and tavern. In another post on social media announcing this change, the company cited the city’s challenging restaurant market as the main reason for the closure. Brewing continued, and customers were able to obtain barrels and boxes through sales at the docks or packs of six at traditional retailers.

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

Over the years, as the beer scene in the city and state exploded with producers and drinkers eager to explore, instead of remaining loyal to any brand, Portland Brewing’s relevance has diminished. A wave of sales has also not helped his identity. Pyramid Brewing bought Portland in 2004, and not long after that it was taken over by Vermont’s Magic Hat Brewing. In 2010, North American Breweries acquired Portland, which was then bought by Florida Ice & Farm Co., based in Costa Rica, two years later.

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

Staying relevant in a highly competitive market with changing consumers has been a challenge for several long-standing breweries. BridgePort Brewing also underwent a restructuring in 2017, albeit more dramatically, with the dismissal of 13 brewery employees and the installation of a pilot system. It closed two years later.