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Washougal’s Recluse Brew Works makes list of 22 best new breweries in U.S.

Just over a year old, the Washougal brewery is making a splash among beer fans

By Doug Flanagan, Columbian staff writer
Published: January 23, 2025, 6:05am
5 Photos
Recluse Brew Works owner and lead brewer August Everson, left, and tasting room manager Richard LaRue opened the award-winning brewery in November 2023 in Washougal.
Recluse Brew Works owner and lead brewer August Everson, left, and tasting room manager Richard LaRue opened the award-winning brewery in November 2023 in Washougal. (Doug Flanagan/The Columbian) Photo Gallery

WASHOUGAL — At Recluse Brew Works’ December one-year anniversary party, Ezra Johnson-Greenough, founder of the Oregon Beer Awards, told Recluse owner August “Gus” Everson that the Washougal brewery might be receiving some special recognition.

“He was kind of dropping hints. He was like, ‘You guys might be in an article in ‘VinePair.’ You might not. I don’t know. I put some words together for you.’ I was like, ‘OK, let’s hope so,’ ” Everson said. (VinePair is a digital media company focused on wine, beer and spirits.)

Everson’s hopes came true 10 days later: Recluse made VinePair’s 2024 list of the nation’s 22 best new breweries. Recluse is one of five West Coast breweries on the list, along with Home Brew Mart in San Diego; ISM Brewing in Long Beach, Calif.; Shorthead Brewing in Tieton; and Terranaut Beer in Bend, Ore.

“I was definitely surprised. I’m really proud of the beer we’re putting out, but I definitely didn’t expect something like that. I’m definitely super proud of it,” said Everson, who is also Recluse Brew Works’ lead brewer. “We just turned a year old, and getting recognized like that feels really good and makes us feel really confident.”

If You Go

What: Reclude Brew Works

Where: 4035 S. Grant St., Suite 102, Washougal.

Hours: 2-7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; noon to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 7 p.m. Sundays.

Information:reclusebrew.works

Max Shafer, brewmaster of Pure Madness Brewery Group in Jackson Hole, Wyo., told VinePair he was drawn to the breadth of styles Recluse offered, as well as the Washougal brewery’s desire to create “beer-flavored beer for people who love beer.”

“My first (Recluse) beer was Hinterlands, their German-style pilsner, which nine out of 10 times is the style I am going to order. Hinterlands did not disappoint, so I tried a few other offerings and was very impressed with the quality and flavors coming through in their beers,” Shafer told VinePair.

Everson focuses on lagers, which are brewed at cooler temperatures and are described as crisper, cleaner and more refreshing than ales, with slightly more sugar and generally less alcohol content.

“European traditions clash with West Coast expressionism in the nature versus nurture contradictions of Recluse Brew Works,” the VinePair article states.

The article praised Recluse for creating beers that are “clear and precise like German engineering, but full of character and depth of flavors forged over years in the environment of Pacific Northwest beer culture.”

“I’m definitely happy that people are willing to drink (lagers) and seem to really enjoy them when they do,” said Everson, an Ohio native who worked as a brewer for Widmer Brothers Brewing and Wayfinder Beer in Portland before starting Recluse.

“I feel like we’ve been putting out some styles that maybe wouldn’t have been as eye-catching a couple of years ago, and people are responding. We’re still doing the IPA thing, and pale ales, and those are fun, too,” Everson said. Recluse opened in November 2023 in the Port of Camas-Washougal’s industrial park. The brewery had a successful first year, according to its owner.

“We achieved the goals that we set out to achieve,” Everson said. “I think that being part of the Northbank Brewers Alliance and the surrounding community is a huge part of why we’re successful. I mean, we’re surrounded by so many great breweries and there’s so much good beer out here. It feels good to be able to bring something to the table in a community that’s already got such great beer.”

With its founder-owner brewing award-winning beers on a regular basis, and General Manager Richard LaRue cultivating a burgeoning community of up-and-coming food-truck vendors, Recluse found a winning formula in 2024, but the brewery has even bigger plans for 2025, Everson said.

“We’re just trying to build on the momentum we have,” Everson said. “I think that what we have at the taproom is special, and I think that we can build on that and make it a little bit more robust, so we’re working on that. … Most of our business is wholesale, so we’re trying to expand our footprint in Clark County and Skamania County — we self-distribute there. We’re working on distributor relationships in Seattle and Portland. We’re just trying to get in more bars and be around (more) events.”

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