Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.(External photo attribution at the end of the post #)

I’ve mentioned previously that my affinity for dive bars transcends breweries and brewpubs because they generally have more character and history.  There are exceptions.  For example, check out the Beerwanderers blog published by my friend, Rich Carbonara in Munich, Germany.

Rich is an American living in Munich with his wife, Doreen.  He’s the founder of the beer hiking tour guide service Beerwanderers.  His first book is Beer Hiking Bavaria which details 50 great hikes from all around Bavaria.

Each hike features a brewery and a suggested after-hike beer.  When Janet and I return to Germany, one of Rich’s tours will be a top priority for our trip. (#1 – #2))

Let’s view one of numerous examples of the breweries Rich features – Stefansbräu Brewery – it’s in Dinkelsbühl – an historic walled medieval town dotted with half-timbered houses and intact tower gates in Central Franconia, a region of Germany that’s part of the state of Bavaria. (#3)

Unfortunately, we haven’t traveled to Bavaria, but just looking at the photos and descriptions of the quaint, picturesque and often historic breweries in Rich’s blog makes me yearn for some of that ambiance in the Pacific Northwest where breweries often are in modernized and sleek quarters without much personality.

Obviously, there are many exceptions.  I have posted about Steeplejack Brewery’s NE Portland location in a reconditioned historic church.  Baerlic Brewing’s SE Portland Brewery and Taproom, and Little Beast Brewing – another SE Portland establishment with great character are two other examples. You can see from the photos below that these interesting and inviting establishments deserve mention.

The Story

There’s a new one on my list and we had a wonderful visit there two weeks ago.  Pfriem Brewing is a great story – opening in 2012 in Hood River on the beautiful Columbia River.  Janet and I love their beer and their facility.  As stated on their website:

“In 2011 Josh Pfriem was well on his path to becoming a master brewer, but that path veered dramatically the day he was introduced to Ken Whiteman and Rudy Kellner at a child’s birthday party. The three went on to form the brain trust that would eventually create pFriem.”

What began as a small company has garnered a big reputation throughout the Northwest based on their excellent beer.  Most recently they were awarded three gold medals at the 2025 World Beer Cup for their Hazy IPA, Cold IPA and Pale Ale.

The World Beer Cup, held in Indianapolis on May 1st, is one of the most prestigious competitions in craft brewing where “a panel of 265 judges from 37 countries evaluated 8,375 entries from 1,761 breweries.” Brewers’ Association

And in the 2025 Oregon Beer Awards, they were recognized as both the Large Brewery of the Year and the Regional Brewing Company of the Year for Central Oregon. (#4 – #5)

Pfriem Brewing’s New Milwaukie, Oregon Tasting Room

The City of Milwaukie, in the 2020 census, had a population of 21,119 and was founded in 1847 on the banks of the Willamette River (one of the few major rivers in the world besides the Nile, that flow north) It’s a suburb of Portland – located six miles south of downtown Portland.

Perhaps I’m biased, but notwithstanding the glowing description in the “Visit Milwaukie” website below, it is not a location one would target for a visit. Quite frankly, the downtown is not very vibrant and it doesn’t have the rich history and geography of Oregon City – down the Willamette River about seven miles south.

“Discover the hidden gem of Oregon—Milwaukie, a vibrant community brimming with local charm, diverse businesses, and unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re a visitor or a resident, Milwaukie has something for everyone. From unique shops and delicious dining to exciting activities, explore what makes our community special.” (#6 – #7)

After eighty-five years, the City outgrew the structure housing City Hall, the library and its fire station – built in 1947 for approximately $32,000…with the aid of a $13,800 grant by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). 

The plan was to transform it into a brewery, a restaurant, and a bakery. Milwaukie selected Henry Point Development for the project. (#8 – #9)

A new City Hall about two blocks from the original was dedicated in October 2023.  The July 2024 opening of Pfriem and Keeper Coffee “dedicated 87 years to the day of the original building” (according to New School Beer) will perhaps be a renaissance, of sorts, for downtown Milwaukie.

Keeper Coffee is a woman-owned cafe selling local coffee and house-made pastries founded by Brittany Huff in 2019.  The Milwaukie shop is their second location and they get great social media reviews such as this recent Yelp review:

“Their southeast PDX location is great (and) this provides so many more seating and space options. The baked goods and coffee are some of the best in the Metro and the staff are awesome! Put this spot on your list of places to check out.”  (#10 – #11)

The riveting attraction of the new Priem location is that it encompasses essentially four + different establishments – each with a different feel (meaning it beckons you to return….)  As described in a 3/25 post in Brew Public:

• Three bars with 20+ taps pouring pFriem’s celebrated core beers, seasonal releases, and exclusive small-batch offerings.
• Five handcrafted pFriem specialty craft cocktails and Son of Man cider on draft.
• A spacious outdoor patio with a pergola-covered seating area.
• An upstairs event space for future brewery events, tastings, and community gatherings.
• A cozy retail and bar area inspired by pFriem’s beloved Bear’s Den in Hood River, complete with a piece of original art reflecting the surrounding area.

Besides the attractive quarters of Keeper on the first floor, the building is festooned with historic photos, art and niches which make it an adventure to explore. In fact:

“….during the retrofit, one big surprise was the discovery of a time capsule snuggled in the corner of the building, installed by the city and local Masonic Lodge in 1938.”  New School Beer

Siren Call?

While the siren call in Greek mythology refers to a powerful force that attracts someone to something, often with the implication that it may be dangerous or misleading, you won’t see Odysseus here saving his crew’s lives from the alluring vocalization. Instead, the idea of good food and beer in a warm and interesting environment is irresistible! (#12)

That said, one can imagine the many times that City firefighters responded to that resonance while occupying the upper floor in the old City Hall and slid down the fire pole to get to the trucks below.

And that image is preserved, in part, by the focus on historic preservation by Pfriem, the City of Milwaukie and the developers:

“Meanwhile, a fire pole from the original firehouse will be repurposed into a one-of-a-kind beer tap system.

Rudy Kellner (co-founder of Pfriem) says they had an overwhelming response and request from the city and the community to salvage the fire pole and use it in some way in the building. So, they repositioned the original fire pole to land on the 1st and 2nd floor bar tops and adapted it to accommodate tap lines.

‘So we’re going to be pouring beer out of a fire pole. I think we’re probably the first tap room in the world to have beer in a fire pole,’ he says.”  (New School Beer)

“….the brewery ran two glycol-chilled tap lines around the bar and up the shiny brass tube, where they meet a pair of handsome Czech side-pull faucets, which give bartenders more control to pour the perfect pint.”  Oregon Live 

Food for Thought….

Janet and I were joined at Pfriem by our friends John and Kim Limb.  I serve with John on the Abbey Foundation of Oregon Board where he is the Immediate Past President and he has been Beerchasing with me on several occasions in the past.

One review described the menu at the Tasting Room as “A thoughtfully curated food menu to complement pFriem’s beer lineup.”  The menu is not expansive and essentially standard pub food at reasonable prices.  Kim, Janet and I had delicious grilled chicken sandwiches while John enjoyed a pimento cheeseburger.  They went well with the Pfriem West Coast IPA.

The new tasting room and coffee shop are both Keepers.  Give them a try.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1 – #2.  Rich Carbonara Facebook (1) Facebook

(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10162218874320280&set=t.673215279&type=3}.

#3. Beerwanders Website (Zur Schleuse (Stefansbräu) – Beerwanderers)

#4.   Priem Brewing Facebook Page

(https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=557066749901519&set=a.557066723234855).

#5. Priem Brewing Facebook

 (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1514400151968317&set=a.1450864238321909).

#6. Wikimedia Commons (File:Milwaukie, Oregon (May 2019) – 21.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Another Believer  – 18 May 2019.

#7. Wikimedia Commons (File:Willamette River, Milwaukie Bay Park, Milwaukie – DPLA – 06f27a3bc5dcf8e4fa4294d83205f22d.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.  Creator:  Gary Halvorsen – Oregon State Archives – 17 February 2019.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (Milwaukie City Hall – Milwaukie City Hall – Wikipedia) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.  Author: PortlandSaint – 3 April 2024.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Milwaukie city hall.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Finetooth   27 May 2009.

#10 – #11. Keeper Coffee Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/keepercoffee).

#12. Public Domain –  Wikimedia Commons (File:Syreny (“Sirens”) – Wilhelm Kotarbiński.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1930. Author:
Wilhelm Kotarbiński – 1900.