E-Malt.com News article: USA, OR: Coin Toss Brewing to join Oregon City’s craft beer scene soon

Oregon City’s beer scene is expanding again with Coin Toss Brewing Co. slated to open in early June at 14210 Fir St, Suite H (off Beavercreek Rd., just west of Highway 213). Coin Toss joins the newish Oregon City Brewing, Arch Bridge Taphouse and the upcoming Bent Shovel Brewing. Coin Toss is the vision of local radio personality Tim Hohl, who, like so many pioneering craft brewers before him, is taking his passion for homebrewing to the next level, The Daily Meal reported on March 10.

The 1,400 sq. ft. facility will house a brand new 10-barrel brewhouse, including four 10-barrel fermenters, all fabricated by Practical Fusion, stainless steel tank fabrication experts based in Portland. The brewery will eventually include a taproom, slated to open in July, that will serve the brewery’s flagship Black Hole CDA (Hohl’s most popular homebrew), as well as an IPA, a Golden Ale and a Stout.

Perhaps most interesting will be Coin Toss’ rotating “Heritage Series” that will feature a regular selection of beers brewed using historical recipes. Hohl recently brewed a small beer based on a recipe found in a journal entry belonging to George Washington, using ingredients that closely resembled those of America’s founding father.

“The more time I’ve spent telling stories about the craft beer industry, the more I’ve wanted to be a part of it,” said Hohl, who has been homebrewing for 20 years. “The people, the creativity, and the collaborative spirit are an inspiration. Plus I love history and the idea of merging it with my love of craft beer. I can think of no better place to do that than historic Oregon City.”

Hohl will serve as head brewer, with input from local brew guru Dave Fleming, who has served as a mentor to Hohl since he decided to take his homebrewing to the next level. The two first brainstormed the idea of collaborating on a new brewery while brewing together at Lompoc Brewing back in 2012.

Despite his passion for brewing, Hohl has no plans of leaving his current job as News Director and host of “First Edition,” the morning news show on KPAM radio in Portland; he’ll just be a bit busier than usual. This is good news for the brewing community that enjoys his “Beer Geek” segment every Thursday morning.

In order to develop an inventory, Hohl has already begun brewing at several area breweries and will debut two of them at the Spring Beer & Wine Festival in April at the Convention Center: Black Hole and George’s Honest Ale, the inaugural beer in the Heritage Series. His goal is to have his beers on tap at a number of area establishments in Oregon City, Lake Oswego and West Linn prior to the brewery opening.

Coin Toss Brewing Co. is named for the historic 1845 coin toss between Asa Lovejoy (from Boston) and Francis Pettygrove (from Portland, Maine) for the right to name the city that is today known as Portland, Ore. Pettygrove won, two-out-of-three. The coin toss took place at the Ermatinger House, which still stands at the corner of Sixth and John Adams in Oregon City.


11 March, 2015