Brewing community
North Jetty Brewing
is a popular spot
among locals, visitors
BY CAITLIN SEYFRIED
Leadbetter Red. Yellow Boots Kolsch.
Spirit Fingers IPA.
Local fans and frequent Long Beach
Peninsula visitors might recognize the
offerings of North Jetty Brewing in
Seaview.
The sense of community in the small
craft brewery is clear from the moment
you walk in the door. The names of North
Jetty’s “founders” — local residents, busi-
ness owners and visitors who helped open
the business — cover the taproom’s walls.
Owners Michelle and Erik Svendsen are
proud of the business, which has evolved
since starting in 2012 as a component of
local restaurant The Lost Roo, to their cur-
rent location with a 10 barrel brewhouse
and taproom of their own.
“In any given week, returning custom-
ers and locals are probably 40% of our
sales,” Erik Svendsen said. “For instance,
right now I can name everybody out there
(in the taproom), first name, last name,
what they do for a living … It’s first and
foremost a gathering spot.”
The owners are done expanding for
now. The size of the small brewery allows
them to maintain a deeper connection with
customers.
North Jetty’s head brewer, Kirk Hurd,
keeps a pulse on their customer’s tastes.
“Kirk’s really good,” Michelle Svend-
sen said. “He sits in the taproom and talks
to customers and asks them questions
about the beers on tap, what they want to
see.”
Cans of North Jetty beer are in regional
distribution through several distributors
including Fort George Brewery, which has
helped get their brews out to restaurants,
retailers and customers during fluctuating
COVID-19 restrictions.
“We’re also distributing in Portland,
so we’re constantly listening for the new
things coming around,” Hurd said. “We’re
reading and looking at where the market is
going and what hops are coming out next.
Because we’re a small brewery in a small
community, I think of my customers …
What would they order one or two pints of
and what can I do to push their tastebuds a
little bit to do something new and different
that they’ll also enjoy? We take all those
6 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Michelle Svendsen
Becca Stanley is named best bartender in the 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards.
things in and formulate a recipe and then
let the yeast do it’s thing.”
While good beer can speak for itself,
customer service and the folks pouring in
the taproom also make this brewery the
unique community watering hole that it is.
“I don’t think I would know half the
people in this community if I didn’t
have this job,” said beertender Kristin
Hammond.
Beertender Becca Stanley started at
North Jetty in May 2017. Stanley is this
year’s 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards “Best
Bartender” recipient.
“Becca always thinks about the big pic-
ture, what’s best for North Jetty Brewing,”
Erik Svendsen said. “In the time she’s been
here, (she) has really grown into a cus-
tomer service person. It’s more than ‘My
job is serving beer.’ She thinks ‘My job is
to create an atmosphere for the customer
so that they want to be here.’”
When COVID-19 hit, Stanley stepped
up to run North Jetty’s social media to
keep customers updated. The Svendsen’s
and Hurd praised Stanley’s talents of main-
taining control over the taproom while also
making customers feel welcome.
“She’s very good at customer service
but she’s also looking out for the safety
and wellbeing of all customers,” Hurd said.
Under current occupancy restrictions
in Pacific County, the taproom can seat 12
people. A few tables outside and a walk-up
order window stretch that capacity.
“We put that in three or four years ago
now. It used to be stuffy in here. We put
that in without knowing that it would
be the reason we could stay open at one
point,” Hammond said.
Customers can walk up and order drinks
and food to-go through the pull-up win-
dow. Options include cans, growler fills
and hot pretzels.
The Svendsen’s eyes are set on safely
reestablishing the taproom.
“Summer’s going to be slamming. It’s
going to be big,” Erik Svendsen said.
“We have our seventh anniversary party
in mid-April,” Michelle Svendsen added.
“Last year, it was just Erik and I handing
out cupcakes from the roll-up window and
selling beer from there because the tap-
room was closed.”
Erik Svendsen and Hurd are plan-
ning a “lucky number seven” beer for the
anniversary.
“We’re glad to still be open and thank-
ful for the people that have been here,”
Hurd said.