THIRSTYGROWLER
Photos by William Dean
LEFT: Tracy Phinney has a ready smile at Reach Break Brewing. MIDDLE: Heather Miller works the taps at Buoy Beer Co. RIGHT: Kathleen Rooen pours a beer at the Astoria Brewing Co. taproom.
The art and wisdom of Astoria’s beertenders
Locals tell of time spent
learning, sharing
BY WILLIAM DEAN
What’s great about beertenders? The
exquisite detail in which they can tell how
the booze they pour is made. In Astoria,
their contribution to the thriving craft beer
scene is vital, an ingredient almost as essen-
tial as hops and malt.
These folks don’t just fill glasses, they’re
also teachers and tour guides. In the city’s
taprooms, they stand ready to answer ques-
tions about each style of beer. They pour
samples with a smile because they know it’s
an important part of discovering the world
of brewing.
The best beertenders, like the trio below,
have a passion for craft beer that nearly
matches that of the brewers themselves.
Heather Miller, Buoy Beer Co.
Looking back, Heather Miller is aston-
ished that she’s been sharing the art of
handcrafted beer for more than 20 years.
For Miller, the profession started acciden-
tally, with a job at Deschutes Brewery in
Bend. At the time, she was more interested
in the benefits package than the beer.
“I knew nothing about craft beer. Abso-
Brews & News
After the partial collapse of Buoy Beer Co.’s building on the waterfront in Astoria last month,
the craft brewery has calmed beer lovers’ fears by opening a summer pop-up pub downtown
in the Astoria Food Hub building on Marine Drive. In a sign of solidarity, some local breweries
have added Buoy beers to their taps. Fort George Brewery went even further, pledging to help
with production in any way.
lutely nothing,” Miller said. That quickly
changed, thanks to brewing classes, count-
less tastings and a desire to find the right
words to convey the essence of each beer to
the casual drinker.
As she and her husband traveled across
the Northwest, she worked at breweries in
Portland and Seattle. Her first job in Astoria
was at Fort George Brewery. Most recently,
she’s been at Buoy Beer Co. since 2017.
One of her skills is quickly sizing up
what kind of brew a person would enjoy
if they’re new to craft beer. A gentle ques-
tion or two followed by a sample. The best
part of the job? “Meeting new people every
day,” she said.
Tracy Phinney,
Reach Break Brewing
They aren’t customers to her. “This is
my house, and they are my guests,” Tracy
Phinney said. “As soon as someone walks
in the door, I immediately say hello.”
Phinney has honed that welcoming spirit
as a beertender for the past five years, most
recently joining Reach Break Brewing in
May 2020.
Through conversations with brewers and
some reading on the side, she’s learned a
lot about the art of brewing. When a spe-
cial beer is released, she quizzes the brewer
about ingredients and flavors. Before she
pours it, she samples it.
Steering people to the right beer is one
of the most satisfying parts of her job. “We
need to be able to describe the beer to our
guests,” Phinney said. “A lot of the peo-
ple who come in here have never been to a
brewery before,” she added.
Kathleen Rooen,
Astoria Brewing Co.
Generations of her family have lived
in Oregon, stretching back to some of the
state’s first pioneers. But somehow the
state’s embrace of craft beer escaped Kath-
leen Rooen, that is until 2014, when she
joined Fort George Brewery.
“Zero,” Rooen said of her beer knowl-
edge at the time, “I really had no clue about
it.” She’s been learning ever since, both
by talking to brewers and devouring books
on the subject. Today, she works at Asto-
ria Brewing Co. as both a beertender and
manager.
“This is my living room, and I want
you to be comfortable,” she said of her
approach. “I want you to learn about beer.”
Rooen took time off to welcome a baby
when Fort George closed due to the pan-
demic but was lured to Astoria Brewing
Co. last year by the prospect of reimagin-
ing its downtown taproom as a craft beer
oasis.
Besides being something of a beer
ambassador, Rooen takes pride in serv-
ing people varieties they’ll love. She often
starts with a seemingly backward question,
asking “what beer don’t you like?” Then
there’s the sample or two, and the smiles.
William Dean is an author with a pas-
sion for craft beer. His suspense novels,
“The Ghosts We Know” and “Danger-
ous Freedom” are available in bookstores.
Contact him at williamdeanbooks@gmail.
com.
THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022 // 7