More brews, food on tap in Clark, Skamania counties
Popular breweries, taprooms to expand locations, offerings
By Rachel Pinsky, for The Columbian
Published: April 7, 2023, 6:01am
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A bartender pours a taster of a beer at Vice Beer in east Vancouver. Vice plans to open a taproom in downtown Vancouver, as well. Top: Beers sit on the bar at Vice Beer in east Vancouver. (Photos by Taylor Balkom/The Columbian files)Photo Gallery
Local brewers are branching out with new breweries and taprooms throughout Clark County and spilling into Skamania. Opening more taprooms gives these businesses a higher percentage of the profit per pint along with space to establish their brands through decor and food.
In downtown Vancouver, newbie Vice Beer and Hazel Dell favorite Brothers Cascadia are opening additional venues.
Vice Beer plans to open a taproom with its characteristic retro vibe in a compact space at East Seventh and Main streets, where Vice will offer 10 taps and an arcade cabinet with 100 classic video games from the 1980s and ’90s. The small space doesn’t have a kitchen, but Slow Fox Chili Parlor is conveniently located next door. Vice expects to open in this additional downtown spot in early May or late June.
Sadly, Mav’s Taproom (108 W. Evergreen Blvd.) is closing, but Brothers Cascadia plans to move into that spot in May, where it will offer an extensive food menu.
Downtown Washougal and the Columbia River Gorge have two new taprooms from Vancouver-based Trap Door Brewing and Port of Washougal-based 54-40 Brewing.
Trap Door recently moved into the space at 1834 Main St. in downtown Washougal that formerly housed Amnesia Brewing and then Logsdon Farmhouse Ales. This new family-friendly taproom and production brewery has a fully stocked bar of wine and spirits as well as a kitchen serving starters like beer cheese fondue ($10), salads ($9-$11) and pizza ($15-$23).
Washougal-based 54-40 Brewing opened the Beer Lodge at 310 state Highway 14 in Stevenson. The new taproom serves crushable favorites like Kascadia Kolsh and 1862 Mexican lager as well as starters ($8), sandwiches ($12), salads ($6-$8) and unusual pizzas like the Kevin Bacon Ranch with housemade ranch topped with chicken, bacon and green onions ($18.99-$28.99).
Heathen Brewing and Backwoods Brewing Co. are opening spots in northern Clark County.
Heathen expanded its production brewery in Salmon Creek (2225 N.E. 119th St., Suite 109) to include a full kitchen serving soup ($5.75-$7.15), salad ($10.75-$16.50), beer snacks like Cajun pickle fries ($13.75) and smoked wings ($12.75), as well as pub favorites like burgers ($13.50-$18.75) and mac and cheese with bacon, red peppers and grilled or crispy chicken ($18.75).
Carson brewery Backwoods plans to open a new taproom in Ridgefield with a pilot brewhouse for development of new recipes and small batch beer, probably sometime next year. This third location (Backwoods also has a spot in Portland’s Pearl District) sits on 1 acre and includes two floors of indoor dining as well as an outdoor patio. Food will include a mix of pizza, burgers, wraps and salads.
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