Distribution Partnership: Clear River Beverages

After nearly two months of being unable to distribute into areas of Minneapolis, St. Paul, South and East Metro Areas, and Southeastern Minnesota, we’re pleased to announce a partnership with Clear River Beverages! From their countless years of experience serving the Minnesota beer market, to their attentiveness to the customers and markets they serve, we’re very excited to be teaming up with them.

Starting as early as next week, you’ll begin to see more product hitting shelves across the areas listed above.

We apologize for the disruption in service, especially ahead of the holiday weekend, but rest assured, we’re nearly back to serving these areas.

On ahead,

Jeff Vondenkamp
Owner

Year Seven / Anniversary Week

Join us the week of April 15th as we celebrate our seventh trip around the sun! From startup, to our fire, to a rebirth, to continued growth around the region - we're excited to celebrate all of our amazing staff, customers, distributors, retail partners, and collaborators. We've got a number of events, beer releases, and discounts planned, so be sure to come and see us.

Tuesday from 6-8 is Portage Trivia: Take your best guesses as we test your knowledge at Portage's previous seven years. Prizes for all who can get the most answered correctly.

Wednesday from 2-8 is Anniversary Pint + Pie: Our best neighbors at Village Square Pizza and Cafe will be serving up some limited release pizza recipes. We'll be releasing Family Recipe, our oatmeal chocolate cookie pastry stout. Inspired by our family's generations old cookie recipe, this stout is packed with chocolate, vanilla, oats, and coconut. Enjoy this paired alongside a birthday dessert that's being made for the week by Walker Bay Coffee.

Thursday is Beer Brats + Bingo from 6-8: We've got a special round of bargo planned with special Portage prizes, along side Every Piece Matters Maibock brats being served up from our new neighbors at Meat Boutique. Every Piece Matters was brewed with our buds at Bemidji Brewing, and was made with a myriad of specialty German malts and was fermented on yellow birch wood.

Friday is the Year Seven Anniversary Party: Come celebrate Portage's seventh year, as we throw a day long party. Enjoy all of our new releases for the week, including Year Seven, Super Hop Blend NE DIPA made with Citra Cryo, Mosaic Cryo, Amarillo Cryo, Riwaka, Nelson, Cashmere, and Sabro hops for a super juicy complex of tropical and citrus aromatics. Wear any piece of Portage gear to receive $1 off beers all day.

Saturday is Brunch at Portage from 11-3 and Live Music by Kelley Smith from 2-4: Come by to enjoy our only brunch of the year, with special food items from Village Square Pizza and Cafe, coffee, and limited beer cocktails. Our favorite local musician Kelley Smith will be kicking things off on our patio (weather permitting) at 2PM!

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Anniversary Beers

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We're Hiring! / Packaging Technician

The Packaging Tech is charged with supplying all of our customers with packaged Portage Beer. From putting high quality beer safely into packaging, to learning the ins and outs of the mechanical systems that power our packaging team, this position plays a vital role in helping us deliver customers with the Portage product experience. More than anything, we are looking for a candidate interested in the brewing process, who proactively looks for process improvements, works hard day in and day out, and collaborates well with all staff members.

How To Apply: Email your resume and a bit about yourself to jeff@portagebeer.com and we’ll be in touch to schedule an interview.

Responsibilities:

• Operations of canning and bottling line to meet weekly packaging requirements

• Learning the mechanical ins and outs of our canning and bottling lines

• Thorough cleaning and upkeep of packaging systems

• Cleaning and filling kegs when needed

• Helping with cleaning and maintenance projects as needed

• Working closely with Assistant Brewer to ensure beer is packaged on-time

• Managing quality assurance processes of packaged beer within the brewery

• Working proactively to further educate yourself on the beer brewing process

• Assisting occasionally at taproom events and offsite brew fests

• Assisting occasionally during staff meetings for related production trainings

• Practices good manufacturing processes and safe handling of chemicals

Qualifications:

• 1-2 years of homebrewing or commercial brewery experience is preferred

• 1-2 years of manufacturing experience is preferred

• Ability to stay organized and manage departmental duties is required

• Ability to adopt and use Google Suite is preferred

• Ability to manage, write, and respond to emails is required

• Ability to access computer or smart device is required

Compensation:

• Hourly Pay of $17.50 Per Hour

• Ideal start date of Monday, March 11th

• Proposed 8-16 Hours Per Week

• Proposed Schedule Thursdays and Fridays

• Regular opportunities for promotions

• Free Portage Merchandise and Beer

• Required PPE Included

• Paid travel and hotel accommodations when approved for travel to events

Alcohol Responsibility:

• The candidate must fully understand that they are a representative of not only Portage Brewing Company but of the craft beer beverage industry, and all employees are to conduct themselves within the limits of the law and with concern to the education of responsible consumption. This includes alcohol consumed during working hours, trade shows, and festivals. Any poor reflection or legal matters that arise due to poor judgment may be dealt with by means of disciplinary action or termination.

Disclaimers:

• This job description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks and duties

• Employment offer subject to background check

• Portage Brewing Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Snow Ride, Nordic Pilsner + Launch Ride Event

YOUR POST WINTER ADVENTURE BEER IS HERE.
MADE IN COLLABORATION WITH OTSO CYCLES.

It's that time of the year to grab your bike and take a ride. Yes, we’re seeing once in a lifetime levels of warmth and low snow accumulation, but all that means is you have fewer excuses not to get outside for some adventure.

Based in Minnesota, OTSO’s crew knows exactly what it means to design for the volatile conditions of Minnesota. Whether on snowy forest trails, gravel roads, or city streets, an OTSO bike will inspire you to achieve your best in whatever way you ride.

We partnered up back in December to brew Snow Ride Nordic Pilsner, a beer that celebrates Minnesota’s cold and some unique foraged ingredients. Brewed with juniper and cardamom, this lager showcases an absolutely crushable profile, perfect for quenching any post ride thirst you may have.

Join us on Saturday, February 10th for the official launch party, where we’ll be riding bikes at 1PM, followed by a giant Portage tap takeover afterward at Busters’s on 28th in Minneapolis. We plan to ride the beautiful Minnehaha Creek, rest for some trailside beverages, then pedal back to enjoy the rest. We’re super excited to be partnering up with Busters on 28th for the first time, and look forward to knocking back some suds after a beautiful afternoon outside. RSVP at the link below, and as always, hope to see you.

Draft List:

• Snow Ride, Nordic Pilsner (4.8%)

• Lakefellow, Juicy IPA (5.5%)

• Lost 40, DDH NEIPA (7%)

• Allora, Blood Orange Ginger Sour (6.2%)

You should try Sauna Water.

In case you haven’t heard of Sauna Water, here’s everything you need to know. The idea was conceived over a year ago, when our interest in craft brewing aligned with our own sauna practice. Cedar + Stone Nordic Sauna is a movement we’ve been following for years, so we reached out. From that first meeting to everything you’ll sip on today, this partnership has taught us what it means to be more than a brewery that just makes beer.

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THE HEALTH BENEFITS FROM SAUNA ARE REAL

Another motivation that’s surfaced since creating Sauna Water, is giving consumers space to be more mindful about their health and wellness, while still enjoying something that's been thoughtfully crafted. Our hope is to inspire more people to take that space, and maybe even try sauna for the first time.

"Many people need alcohol to be a social lubricant, helping them feel comfortable in social settings. One of the beauties of sauna is that it is not only a physical health benefit but it also provides a low-stress and easy social environment to connect with other people."

- Justin Juntunen, Why Sauna and Dry January *Just Make Sense*, Cedar and Stone

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HOW WE MAKE SAUNA WATER

Sauna Water as a beverage, is brewed with a lot of ingredients you aren’t seeing regularly in consumer products, including foraged spruce tips, cardamom, juniper, all spice, and lemon peel. The sparkling nature of this product gives it a zip, boasting big citrus flavors, and all kinds of botanical aromatics to wake you up. There are a number of health benefits from Sauna Water also, including vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants, and anti-inflammation.

“For me, it’s simple: Portage’s Sauna Water surprised me. It’s not like anything I’ve had before.” - Nissa Mitchell, Racket 

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WHERE TO FIND SAUNA WATER

Falling Knife Brewing Collaboration

LONGEST WAY HOME WOOD AGED DARK LAGER IS HERE.

The fine folks at Falling Knife Brewing helped us immensely through our fire rebuild, donating an entire walk-in cooler to us, and we’ve been counting down the days until we could make beer together. Longest Way Home, Wood Aged Dark Lager is now available. Inspired by extensive time huddled around campfires in the dead of winter, this beer was designed to awaken your senses.

Using a complex bill of Vienna, Munich, and smoked malts, along with our tried and true Czech Saaz hop, and finally cold fermented on maple wood. This beer exemplifies what Portage is always trying to do, brew products that are equally complex and crushable. Expect notes of warm bread, subtle smoke, and wood tannins.

Find Longest Way Home wherever you like to buy Portage Beer.

Q4 Brand Calendar Released

Well, we’ve never done this before. For the first time, take a sneak peak at the remaining beers we’re releasing this year. From core products like Coffeecake Pastry Blonde and Pine Line West Coast IPA, to experimental lagers an IPAs, to limited bottle releases - we’ve got a bit of something for everyone. Mark your calendars.

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Seasons Change

Seasons Change is upon us. Leaves shifting, malty lagers flowing, scratchy sweaters coming out of storage. Celebrate with our seasonal lager and event happening this Saturday at the brewery.

Seasons Change Oktoberfest (5.5%) is a beautiful medley of German malts, and Czech Saaz hops, followed by a spunded fermentation with our house lager yeast. Aromatics of warm cookies, baked bread, subtle spice fill the glass.

Scroll down to find a store near you.

Where To Find Seasons Change

Come To Our Oktoberfest Party, This Saturday

Rock The Block 2023

Festival season is back at Portage, as we welcome back Corey Medina & Brothers and The Cropdusters to help us Rock The Block. Join us next Saturday over Memorial Day Weekend for a day of live music, block party eats, fresh beer, and more. This event is free to attend and welcome to all. Hope to see you!

Honest Organic IPA Collaboration

Honest IPA is a product of clean and simple parts. A collaboration with Honest Studios in Minneapolis. Using all organic malts and hops, means we were able to brew a beer that’s unique to us and worth really sharing. Citra, Mosaic, and Idaho 7 hops blend perfectly into a medley of citrus and tropical fruits, followed by subtle aromatics of spruce. An approachable West Coast IPA that’s got nothing to hide. Find Honest IPA now, wherever you like to buy Portage Beer.

six waves, portage anniversary week

Earth has spun the Sun once again, and we're still here. It's been six years since we cracked our first beer and so much has happened. So many memories, some proud one and some awfully painful ones, but we couldn't be more thankful for each of you for supporting our journey.

Join us the week of April 19th, as we showcase what we love to do most - releasing experimental beers, inviting great musical friends Kelley Smith and Cropdusters to play, hosting Portage themed Pint + Pie and Trivia events, throwing a plant and brunch party on Saturday, launching our Summer apparel line, and offering deep discounts on things throughout the week. Come and see us in North Country.

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THE BEERS

Tickets On Sale / Drew Peterson with Kelley Smith

TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR:

On Saturday, March 25th, get inside the lyrical minds of Americana singer-songwriters Drew Peterson and Kelley Smith, during an intimate performance inside our taproom. Join us for our last private concert of the year, as Peterson and Smith to do what they do best - highlighting unique lyrics and connecting with you through stories and songs. Tickets are selling fast, so be sure to snag yours and come North for this experience. Doors at 6PM, show start at 7PM.

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ABOUT DREW PETERSON:

Drew Peterson tackles his musical endeavors the way he was taught while growing up on a farm in rural MN - hard work and a lot of practice. With over 20 years under his belt, Peterson incorporates clever, dry humor and thought-provoking lyrics into heartfelt and unforgettable performances. Peterson has built a unique brand that transcends the genre. Drawing on influences from John Prine, Tom Waits, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, among others, Peterson offers the world upbeat tunes with a soft- spoken gravitas that belies his years. For more information about Drew Peterson and his work, visit drewpetersonmusic.com.

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ABOUT KELLEY SMITH:

Smith is a guitar picker with an old-timey voice. Her first record, Moon Child, comes across as a mid-life coming-of-age story. As an insomniac, Smith wrote this first batch of songs by moonlight. They evoke a sense of belonging, juxtaposed with escapism, as she croons about long-term love, grief, and her draw to the night sky. Adventures in Americana says, ”Her authentic, rootsy sound, falling somewhere between country, folk, bluegrass and old time music, is a pitch-perfect vehicle for the themes she explores in this five-song EP.”

In a short while, Smith has become a regionally recognized folk artist, sharing stages with Minnesota greats like Charlie Parr, Dave Simonett of Trampled by Turtles, Wild Horses, and Drew Peterson. The Current's Radio Heartland included her album Moon Child in their “best of 2022” list, and it was nominated for album of the year by Blues and Roots Radio.

Sauna Water, Botanical Sparkling Water

A collaboration between Cedar & Stone Nordic Sauna and Portage Brewing.

Bringing you the first of its kind, a sparkling botanical water designed to celebrate sauna culture in all forms. The ingredients used in this rehydrating beverage were inspired by our experiences in Northern Minnesota’s winter cold and the countless hours of time spent inside saunas that always followed. Aromatics of fresh spruce and awakening spices, with a thirst quenching acidity of citrus fruits to keep everything in balance.

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Hey Duluth, Better Together Pastry Stout Is Coming

We’d like to announce a collaboration we’ve been working on that celebrates community and craft. We teamed up with our friends at Dovetail Cafe, Almanac Coffee, and the Duluth Folk School to curate a beer and release event that impartseach of our passion projects.

Join us in Duluth on Saturday, December 3rd, from 3-10 as we kickoff our project. Enjoy a taste of our beer, sip and sway to live music by Slabtown Ragband from 5-7PM, take advantage of some relevant beer/coffee flash tattoos by Voyager Tattoo, and stick around for a Tamarack Dance at 7:30PM. We're also hosting a raffle which will include Almanac merch, Portage merch, Dovetail merch, and a free hand-crafted pie! $5 cover for the event, to help cover bands that will be performing.

Onto the beer, we'd like to introduce Better Together. It's a pastry stout inspired by Dovetail's famous chocolate chip cookie with a tasty cup of Almanac Espresso on the side. We utilized a myriad of malts and adjuncts to produce a smooth and decadent stout, filled with notes of rich coffee, chocolate, and vanilla.

Seasons Change Oktoberfest Is Here

Join us for our inaugural week of Fall celebrations. Leaves are in change, Seasons Change Oktoberfest has landed in four packs across Minnesota, and we're throwing one heck of a party at our brewery tomorrow. Read on for details about the beer and be sure to join us in North Country tomorrow.

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Find Seasons Change Oktoberfest
in 4-Packs

This beer exemplifies Fall perfectly with notes of warm bread, subtle malt sweetness, and a crisp roasty finish.

Check out our retail store locator link below to find a store near you. ABV: 6.2%

Portage Beer Locator

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JOIN US TOMORROW FOR OKTOBERFEST

Live Music / Oktoberfest Lager / Wet Hop IPA / German Foods / Limited Edition Glassware

Hey Minneapolis, We're Hiring!

Sales & Delivery Lead Job Description

Portage Brewing Company is expanding its team in the Twin Cities, and we’re looking for a sales and delivery lead to help us get Portage Beer out to our retail partners. From coordinating beer tastings and events, to working directly with stores on order and delivery accuracy, to handling customer experience issues as they happen on the ground, this role plays a big part in helping us deliver high quality service to all of our customers across Minnesota.

A few things you’d be doing:

• Driving company van to deliver beer across Twin City and Rochester retail stores

• Work directly with retail partners to facilitate tastings and events

• Handle retail store invoicing and payment collection

• Sales delivery route planning with Sales Manager

• Attention to detail on order accuracy and delivery planning

• Advocate with retail partners on Portage quality and service standards

• Handle customer service issues and special requests

• Maintain company van cleanliness, fluids, and tire pressure while driving 

A few things we’re looking for:

• Must hold a Class D Driver’s License with clean driving and criminal record 

• Interest in craft beer and ability to educate customers about our product

• Has the ability to lift up to 50 pounds

• Is able to follow standard operating procedures and coordinate well with our team

• Has access to a smartphone, with map, social media, and camera technology

• Is able to listen well and solve customer experience issues as they happen

• Is able to troubleshoot basic mechanical issues of our company delivery van

• Has the ability to work on nights and weekends for beer events as needed

• Having prior brewery or delivery experience is preferred

• Having prior experience using Google Products Suite experience is preferred

More about the role:

• Must be 21 or older to apply

• This is a non-exempt hourly position, starting out at $17 per hour

• Weekly hours needed will range between 15-20 hours starting out

• Regular opportunities for additional hours and responsibility

• Free Portage swag and beer

• Occasional paid travel to out of market events

Alcohol Responsibility:

• The candidate must fully understand that they are a representative of not only Portage Brewing Company but of the craft beer beverage industry, and all employees are to conduct themselves within the limits of the law and with concern to the education of responsible consumption. This includes alcohol consumed during working hours, trade shows, and festivals. Any poor reflection or legal matters that arise due to poor judgment may be dealt with by means of disciplinary action or termination.

Disclaimers:

• This job description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks and duties

• Employment offer subject to criminal and driving background check 

• Portage Brewing Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Organic Strawberry Wild Sour

As the warming temperatures in Minnesota thaw us from a brutal winter, we know the season for refreshing lake swims, long bike rides, and wild sour beer is near. Since starting our mixed fermentation Saison program back in 2018, this style of brewing continues to hold its place as one of the most important beer projects we’ve worked on as a brewery. Chance, terroir, time, and unconditional patience drive this style of brewing, contrary to all of the modern techniques that control the rest of our beers. Once you’ve grabbed microbes from a blooming flower and watched it radically change wort into something packed with acidity and yeast character, your perspective on what beer can be is altered. Notes of Meyer lemon, juicy peaches, wine, and some unique funk character are typical in our wild fermentations. 

Wild flowers and berries fermenting and preparing to be scaled up at the brewery.

Wild fermentation pellicle forming on top of the beer. Pellicles allow this style of beer to pull needed oxygen into the fermentation process as needed.

Barrels housing wild beer in various stages at the brewery.

Since those early days we’ve continued to deliver beers like Effleur, our lavender and honey Saison; Tip Du Spont, a blue spruce tipped Saisons; and coming this Spring, our first all organic strawberry wild sour.

Two summers ago we were lucky enough to meet and develop a relationship with an organic fruit and vegetable farmer in Cold Spring, Minnesota. On our first visit to Produce Acres, we found rows and rows of perfectly ripe organic strawberries, raspberries, and Aronia berries we knew would be perfect for upcoming beer projects. On this particular trip, we spent hours hand-picking juicy strawberries that made their way directly into beer upon our return to the brewery. The base beer, an all-organic wild Saison brewed with mixed house cultures, sat in white wine barrels for nearly a year. The fresh strawberries were added to the base beer where it sat blending for another six months. To balance the strong notes of fruit, we blended in a small dose of Rishi’s Strawberry Shiso tea adding herbal complexity.

This was finally kegged and bottled in March, where it will naturally carbonate for up to six weeks. Expect to see this beer in bottles and on draft throughout the summer in our taproom. 

Jeff Vondenkamp
Owner, Head of Product

Year Four, Anniversary Week

We turn four this year, and instead of throwing a bash like we’d normally have you up for, this anniversary will be a whole different kind of celebration. Over the week of April 21st, we will be releasing a new beer every single day, pairing those beers with some special foods prepared by our neighbors over at Village Square Pizza, jamming to mellow live tunes, and launching some limited glassware and swag for the occasion. Details below on our calendar of events and food menu:

Please keep in mind that we are still following Stay Safe guidelines. This will be a seated event only and reservations for tables are highly encouraged as we will not be able to accommodate more than 50% of our normal capacity. Overflow tent seating will be available on Saturday on a first come, first serve basis.

In the safest way possible, we look forward to seeing you all at our the celebration of our brewery’s fourth year.

On ahead,

Portage Brewing Co.

Morning Oats, Barrel Aged Pastry Stout Release

Our very first barrel aged stout is here. Inspired by a famous oatmeal recipe that we eat at home almost every morning, this stout we're calling Morning Oats, hits on all of the sweet and savory levels.

We started first with a Heaven Hill barrel aged stout that's been patiently waiting for over ten months, lending our base beer with nuanced complexity of sweet whiskey and barrel tannin. From there, we completely coated the inside of a dry fermenter with creamy peanut butter, and bagged up a myriad of banana, cacao nibs, toasted coconut, and ceylon cinnamon, before filling stout on top of it.

The end result, a decadently rich beer driven primarily by soft notes of chocolate, peanut butter, banana, and coconut, with layers of cacao nibs, cinnamon, whiskey, and barrel char in the background. Clocking in at 10.5%, this is the first of many rich stouts with this target profile, that we plan to release over coming months.

Limited 750mL bottles available for $20 each, limit two bottles per person. We also have draft pours available for limited time.

Black Is Beautiful Collaboration

Donate to the cause

We are pleased to announce that we have officially released our version of, Black Is Beautiful, a imperial stout collaboration alongside Weathered Souls Brewing and over 1,120 breweries from 21 countries. This cause matters to us, because we believe in actively building a brewery that's inclusive for all to come and enjoy, and speaking up for causes we care about. We also believe that giving back to people in situations of dire and urgent need is something we need to do. The call for that help is loud and clear, as racial inequality and the compounding effects of coronavirus, continue to negatively impact our underserved communities in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the greater US and globe.

Some of us at Portage also live and work in these neighborhoods, and are committed to physically and financially giving our support. That's why we've selected The Sanneh Foundation as our beneficiary partner for this project. Based in St. Paul, the Sanneh Foundation mission is to empower youth, improve lives, and unite communities through the advancement of diversity, equity, and community well-being. Not only is their work for equity and equality a huge asset in the fight for change, they also have taken on an additional role by providing meals to diverse youth and their families, who have been affected by the rise in food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March, they have served over 50,000 meals to families in the St. Paul community alone, and plan to distribute another 500,000 pounds of fresh produce by the end of the summer. Their work matters more than ever right now, which is why we're giving the Sanneh Foundation 100% of the sales from this beer. We will also be accepting online donations during the project, and will be physically volunteering on the ground. 

We also chose Sanneh because one of our team members, Simon, knows Tony Sanneh personally and recommended them for this project. After a call with their team and some research into their initiatives, we knew this was a fantastic fit for Portage. Efficacy through education matters, and we cannot wait to help out.

Now, onto beer! Black Is Beautiful is a celebration of all things black, which means we'll be using a myriad of dark malts to produce a thoughtfully complex imperial stout, that was then layered in with copious amounts of toasted coconut, cacao nibs, and vanilla beans. 10.5% ABV on this one. Look forward to more updates, and ways you can help increase our impact in days and weeks to follow.

On ahead,

Jeff Vondenkamp
Co-Owner, Head Brewer