Fort George Brewery + Public House
1483 Duane Street • Astoria • fortgeorgebrewery.com
• STORY & PHOTOS: HEATHER DOUGLAS
urveying the bustling Lovell
Brewery of the Fort George
Brewery and Public House on
a Monday morning in late
summer, Jack Harris would
have never imagined that the
small family-friendly brewery he and co-owner
Chris Nemlowill conceived of would blossom
into three restaurants, two breweries, and a
production facility in a short 10 years.
The Fort George celebrated its 10-year
anniversary earlier this spring. Harris, a
longtime resident of Astoria , and Nemlowill,
who moved to Astoria when he was 2, joined
forces to transform the Fort George Building –
which also housed the newly opened Blue
Scorcher Bakery – into The Fort George
Brewery. They opened their doors March 11,
2007.
As popularity increased, The Fort George
quickly outgrew its original 10-year business
plan and ended up purchasing an entire street
block – housing a production canning/bottling
area and Lovell Showroom. In 2011, “The
Taproom” was added; in 2012, a wood fired
pizza restaurant completed the restaurant on
the top floor of the Fort George Building. A
slice of old Astoria – a section of the Astoria
Column stairs – during the 2012 renovation
added a bit more history to the already historic
name and location.
Harris reminisces “testing” out the Astoria
Column stairs before they were actually
installed in the Public House.
“We saw sections of the old column stairs
sitting in an empty city lot; we inquired and got
permission to use them. We tested them out by
running beer, hot soup and other items on a tray
up and down the new column steps. What we
didn’t account for was all the people we had to
pass on the way up and down,” laughed Harris.
While the Fort George originally wanted to
combine the upstairs and downstairs
restaurants, logistics forced them to stay
separate. All three eating spaces – Upstairs
Pizza, The Public House, and The Lovell
Taproom – all have their own unique menus
and specialties.
Harris credits his partner Nemlowill for his
visionary tendencies, a knack for striking up
deals, and his ambition in business. “We
originally started out with 12 employees and
now employ 120 people,” said Harris. “We
distribute on the coast as well as Portland and
as far as Boise, Idaho.”
Harris said “we never want to rest on our
laurels. We never want to be satisfied with
what we have – we strive for constant ethic of
self-improvement – we don’t want to simply
coast on our success so far.”
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8 • Craft Beer 2017 • www.dailyastorian.com
While Fort George still
has the beers they made
their name on like “Quick Wit,”
“Vortex IPA,” “1811 Lager,” “The
Optimist,” and “Cavatica Stout,”
the brewery prides itself on
experimenting and creating
new and unique flavors.
While The Fort George still has the beers they
made their name on like “Quick Wit,” “Vortex
IPA,” “1811 Lager,” “The Optimist,” and
“Cavatica Stout,” the brewery prides itself on
experimenting and creating new and unique
flavors.
Lately, head brewer Michal Frankowicz has
been enjoying “The Sweet Virginia Series,” which
is bottled and sold typically as a to-go item.
Frankowicz pointed out that the specialty beers are
a chance to try something different and for brewers
to get creative. Sweet Virginia – Fort George’s
original brewing system – is a place to test out
everything from barrel aged beers to sour beers to
unusual IPA blends.
“In late September, we will release the
“Belgian Style Quadrupel” and “Wheat Wine,”
from the Sweet Virginia Series. Both will be
available for a very limited time in house on tap”
noted Frankowicz.
Over the years, The Fort George has offered
unique events like block parties featuring outdoor
music, Sunday night music (never a cover charge)
and festivals like the Festival of Dark Arts in
February each year – an event typically sold out
Cavatica Stout
8.8% ABV
IMMENSE, CAVERNOUS, INKY
Mighty, bold, black as night, our house
stout has gained a reputation for being
contagious among the locals. This is no dry
Irish anything, rather a strapping American
Double Stout with a sweet undertow and
addictive hint of bitterness. Watch for
special editions aged in rum barrels and
other variations. The name honors this
brewer’s affinity with literary arachnids; the
Latin root of Cavatica is cave, abyss, or dark
place. Be forewarned, this beer will stain
your clothes. Just like a stout should be.
months in advance. Their menu also
accommodates special diets and maintains a dog-
friendly area on an outdoor seating porch along
with a rose garden up above on Exchange Street.
Harris and Nemlowill are thankful for how far
they’ve come. “Without all the amazing people
behind us, Chris and I would just be standing in
two empty buildings,” said Harris.
NOW POURING AT FORT GEORGE BREWERY + PUBLIC HOUSE
Suicide Squeeze *Special Edition • 7.2% ABV
Quick Wit • 5.1% ABV
Fresh IPA • 6.4% ABV
Plaid Scotch Ale • 7.0% ABV
Spruce Budd • 5.7% ABV
Magnanimous IPA • 7.0% ABV
Shady Grove • 6.5% ABV
Matryoshka • 12.0% ABV
3-Way IPA • 7.0% ABV
May the Oats be with You • 7.35% ABV
Galaxy Quest • 8.0% ABV
Sunrise Oatmeal Pale Ale • 5.5% ABV
1811 Lager • 5.1% ABV
Coffee Girl • 8.6% ABV
Big Guns • 4.2% ABV
Sucker Punch • 4.07 % ABV
The Optimist • 6.2% ABV
Beta IPA
Vortex IPA • 7.7% ABV
Kentucky Girl • 12.5% ABV
Cavatica Stout • 8.8% ABV
Craft Beer 2017 • www.dailyastorian.com • 9