When we came to Oregon my eyes were wide with anticipation for 2 main reasons. Fish. And Beer. It seems though that now microbreweries are becoming more ubiquitous in today’s hipster laden culture. Seeing through which ones are worth the time and which ones aren’t can often be as difficult as choosing between delicious adult beverages at the breweries.
In a town of only 80,000 people to have 20 microbreweries at our finger tips is a bit overwhelming, but in the most awesome and hoppy way. When trying to branch out from the crowd and the norm a sure fire way for a brewing company to attract fishermen and outdoorsmen is to name their operation after a popular fishing spot.
Once I became enamored with the Metolious River and got to know many of its best access points, I quickly found this brewery and decided it was in my best interest to try it out.
Trevor Hawman and his wife had been brewing beer in their basement and the reception was positive, so what is the next natural step in this progression...do it full time!
Trevor had been working in construction and after giving some beer he had brewed to a friend the brewery was closer than he imagined. That friend gave the beer to a new restaurant in town, he also owned a retail space that is now the brewery itself. From around 50 barrels a year in 2012 to expecting around 330 barrels this year Bridge 99 is pushing its way into the competitive central Oregon microbrew market.