E-Malt.com News article: USA, OR: Gilgamesh Brewing relocating operations

The Turner-based Gilgamesh Brewing will relocate its operations to the site of the former Loose Ends LLC retail building at 2065 Madrona Ave. SE, Statesman Journal reported on May, 30.

What started as a 2,500-square-foot brewery in the home of the Radtke family now will occupy 18,000 square feet of spaceat the site adjacent to Pringle Creek.

Brothers Mike, Matt and Nick along with their father, Lee Radtke, started the at-home brewery in 2009 when the boys were in college, Lee Radtke said.

“There were mixed results,” he said. “Then about four years ago, they brewed some beer that was really quite good.”

Lee Radtke said that what kicked things off was his son Mike telling his brother Nick that they would brew the beer for his wedding. They made double the amount necessary for the celebration and decided to use the rest for market research.

They got rave reviews from the wedding guests and took the rest, including their flagship beer, Mamba, which is brewed with black tea and tangerine zest, to the Oregon Wine, Food & Brew Festival.

The response “was absolutely overwhelming,” he said. “We decided, ‘Let’s go for it.’ ”

Since then, the Radtke clan has gone through a variety of venues to sell its product. There was stretch of time when they filled growlers and held tastings at the Salem Public Market. They sell to local pubs, had a winter location at the Reed Opera House and most recently opened a lounge across the street from The Grand Hotel.

With an increasing customer base and need to produce more, Mike Radtke said they no longer have enough room at the Turner brewery.

“We are basically at capacity,” Mike Radtke said. “It’s time to push forward.”

The new location will allow the brewers to expand operations and have space for a brew pub and outdoor patio with Pringle Creek as a backdrop.

The family will design the pub with a 1940s vintage warehouse feel, Mike Radtke said.

His father said he and the boys will build the bar and will do most of the remodeling themselves because they all have experience with wood and iron works and working with copper.

“It’s really a part of the excitement of it all — to be able to build the bar and do the interior and exterior ourselves,” Lee Radtke said. “It’s a fortunate situation.”

In addition to the new digs, Gilgamesh also will get a High Efficiency Brewing System (HEBS) that helps reduce brewing time and requires less water and grains among other features.

Opening date for the brew pub and patio portion of the expansion is tentatively set for midsummer, Mike Radtke said.

For the time being, The Lounge in downtown Salem at 210 Liberty St. SE, Suite 150, will remain open indefinitely, Mike Radtke said.

“We’d like to keep a presence downtown,” he said, adding that it largely will depend on what happens with clientele after the new place opens for business.


01 June, 2012