Astoria Brewing Co.
Astoria Brewing Co. Taproom: 1196 Marine Drive • Astoria
Wet Dog Café: 144 11th Street • Astoria • wetdogcafe.com
• STORY: HEATHER DOUGLAS | PHOTO: CARL EARL
he Allen family’s Wet Dog Cafe & extended family is Shaun Barrick, head brewer.
Brewery opened its doors 22 years At 21 he became passionate about home brewing
ago – long before the craft as a side hobby. Deciding to take things to the next
brewing industry hit Astoria full level, he gained serious experience at Alaskan
force. Serendipitously, in 2012 the Brewing and Ninkasi in Eugene – one of the
family felt the purchase of the old biggest craft breweries in the Northwest – before
“Andrew and Steve’s” Restaurant was meant to landing at Astoria Brewing Company in Astoria.
be: father Steve and son Andrew spent almost two
Barrick enjoys his job: “It’s this amazing
years renovating the location into a 15-barrel place where creativity and science collide. You
brewing system to add to their original 4-barrel get to be an artist in some ways and an engineer
system at the Wet Dog.
in others. For me, it’s a good mix of intellectual
In 2008, The Astoria Brewing Company passion and creativity.”
became a forerunner again when they earned the
“Sessionable” is a beer term describing brews
title of the 2nd Brewery in the State of Oregon to that are low alcohol, and not as aggressive on the
add solar energy to its operation. The Wet Dog palate. They are Barrick’s favorites and he also
brew pub uses solar heated water stored in 1,500 enjoys offering other sessionable beers like a
gallon tanks in the basement.
“kolsch” – a German style cross
Owner Karen Allen said, “The
between an ale and a lager that
Wet Dog’s brewery is the only one
The Wet Dog’s finishes crisp and clean like a lager
in Astoria that operates all of its
typically does.
brewery is the
heated water through solar
Now that Astoria has become a
power.”
beer
destination, Barrick notes that
only one in Astoria
Allen said “using less energy
Wet Dog’s sessionable beers are
that operates all highly appealing to a wide variety
means cleaner, greener beer.”
Besides efficiency, The Wet
of beer drinkers. The Wet Dog’s
of its heated
Dog prides itself equally on being
popular beer – the “Strawberry
water through most
family-friendly for their customers
Blonde” – is a uniquely bright and
by offering a classic brew pub
crisp fruit forward beer with a
solar power.
experience. “Our main goal is to
flavorful finish.
be family-friendly,” said Allen.
He added “most of our beers like
“We continue to add merchandise for our beer our lagers are a good entry point into the Astoria
enthusiasts and tourists; we also offer not only top mecca of beer that we have around here.”
notch beer and quality food, but an overall
The Wet Dog’s “extended family” branches
experience that will be remembered.”
out to Astoria’s brewing community as well; they
Head Brewer Shaun Barrick added, “We are recently collaborated with the new Reach Break
family-friendly, super local and give people a low Brewing on an Imperial India Pale Lager called
key place to hang out and have some good beers.” “Disassemble,” which was available as a limited
Beer is also featured in The Wet Dog’s Brew time keg release.
Pub food, and recipes that contain beer are by far
“One of the super fun parts of this industry is
the most popular, like their halibut, cod and being able to collaborate in a small town like this.
salmon fish and chips — hand dipped with beer The brewer community in Astoria is super
batter made from their beer.
friendly. We’re all different in our own ways but
Family tradition is strong at The Wet Dog. All we bond over our love of beer. I really enjoy
seven of the Allen children have worked in hanging out with other brewers,” said Barrick.
various capacities within the business. “Just this
Astoria Brewing Company also engages with
past summer our oldest grandchild was here to the community; some of the events they sponsor
work, learn and support us,” said Allen. “We are are the Pacific Northwest Brew Cup 5k and the
also proud of our employees, who we refer to as Great Columbia Crossing, and has provided the
our extended family; many of them have worked beer garden for the Scandinavian Festival for the
for our family for years. We could not be past 15 years.
successful without them.”
“We try to engage with our community
A fairly new member to the Wet Dog’s whenever we can,” said Barrick.
T
NOW POURING AT ASTORIA BREWING CO.:
Lincoln Lager: 4.9% ABV • 10 IBU
Strawberry Blonde: 6.1% ABV • 10 IBU
Da Bomb Ale: 5.2% ABV • 17 IBU
Old Red Beard Ale: 5.4% ABV • 3 IBU
Bitter Bitch Imperial IPA: 6.2% ABV • 100+ IBU
Solar Dog IPA: 6.2% ABV • 69 IBU
Poop Deck Porter: 6.2% ABV • 35 IBU
Volksweissen: 6.3% ABV • 13 IBU
Trolley Stop Stout: 6.7% ABV • 40 IBU
4 • Craft Beer 2017 • www.dailyastorian.com
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