1992 – Mt. Hood Brewing Co.
Not to be confused with the original pre-prohibition era Mt. Hood Brewing which operated in Portland from 1905 to 1913, the Government Camp-based Mt. Hood Brewing was founded in 1991 by R.L.K. and Company, the same owners as the famed Timberline Lodge since 1955. For more than three decades the Mt. Hood Brewing Co. has been a favorite destination for skiers, snowboarders, and outdoorsmen visiting Oregon’s scenic Mt. Hood.
Mt. Hood Brewing released their first beers in 1992 from a new 10bbl brewhouse under original brewmaster Jon Graber. Mt. Hood Brewing flourished as one of the region’s first best breweries that offered strong styles of the time like the flagship Ice Axe IPA, and smoky and bold Pittock Wee Heavy. Mt. Hood Brewing tap handles like Hogshead Oatmeal Stout were staples at the early Portland beer bars such as Horse Brass Pub and Produce Row, often they were the only craft beers available and prized among discerning beer nerds. Neither massive snow banks nor wildfires have stopped Mt. Hood Brewing from staying open, weathering changing tastes and modern styles to keep classic and timeless beers on tap.
2018 was a big year for Mt. Hood Brewing, their parent company, decided to refocus the brand on draft beer sold through their own establishments such as Timberline Lodge and a brand new Mt. Hood Brewing satellite taproom in Portland at the Tilikum Crossing. The brewery itself was also scaled up to double production, with a new buildout onto the existing brewpub where they added two fermentation tanks, brite beer tanks, dry and cold storage. Mt. Hood Tilikum Station is an intimate location near OMSI and the train tracks with part of the dining room inside of two converted rail cars. Tilikum has its own identity that stands out from the original pub in Government Camp, in Portland they sling Neapolitan-style pizza with NW grown wheat flour and dough that’s fermented for 24 hours and cooked to char in a wood-fired oven. Both locations retain a devoted following to this day.
