USA, OR: Concentric Brewing Co. launched by three partners in Portland
Three men with a passion for home-brewed beer opened a new pint-lovers’ destination earlier this year just east of the iconic Arrigoni Bridge in Portland, the Middletown Press reported on June 15.
Concentric Brewing Co. is so-named for the three co-owners’ sense of having a “common center,” according to financial planner Dave Peichert, who runs the business with Middletown firefighter Drew France and physical therapist Brian Aida. They opened in February — during the global pandemic.
All three live in Portland.
Peichert said he and his business partners’ common center is a love for brewing beer. “It was a group of home-brewers that got chatting about putting a business plan together and did it,” he said. “It’s years in the making, and we’ve had partners come and go.”
The group started out showcasing their beer at brew fests around the state. After years of planning, the endeavor led to the Feb. 3 opening at 91 Main St. in Portland.
Opening up during a pandemic, Peichert said, was “pandemonium.” Business would be slow when they expected it to be busy and vice-versa. He chalks that up to people’s changing patterns during COVID-19.
“Our first experience without masks and all those restrictions was Memorial Day weekend — when it was like 50 degrees and rainy,” he said. “So, everybody was inside and we had a fantastic day. It was probably the second busiest day we had since opening.”
Fans of the process will not be disappointed when they walk into Concentric. With the right side of the space dedicated to brewing, customers will have a good view of where the magic happens.
“We wanted the taproom to show off the production side, because people love local, and they love to see where things are made,” Peichert said. “It’s a 10-barrel brewing system.”
Piechert said he and the other owners are very receptive to customer feedback, and are “always looking to change and have varieties.” He noted that Concentric’s IPA, The Core, and its Portland Pilsner are fan favorites. They offer 13 types of beer and will keep trying new things, he said.
The toughest part about getting started, Peichert said, was securing a building. The group originally identified a place by the train station in Berlin, and were even set up to get a grant from the town, but had to walk away because they could never meet eye-to-eye with the landlords.
“So, we went to Middletown and met with another landlord (for a property) near Eli Cannons,” he said. But that also fell through, Peichert said.
That’s when the three found the ideal location, he said, at a former warehouse space for Promold Plastics. It had the perfect amount of space and parking, however, the inside of the building was not ideal, Peichert said.
“When we got here, it was stark white,” he said. “We were able to tone it down with wood tones and by painting the ceiling. We wanted a warm feel. A lot of the buildings we had looked at were brick or new industrial.”
Pierhert said much of the wood in the brewery, including that used to make the unique circular bar in the center of the taproom, is reclaimed from the Thrall Farm in Windsor.
Peichert said he hopes to provide people with a warm, comfortable space to drink and eat. He noted that the brewery partnered with Hotdogs in the Hallways, a gourmet hot dog company in Portland, to sell food at the brewery.
“One of my favorites is BLT dog, with bacon, lettuce and tomato with a drizzle of mayo on top,” he said. “There’s a lot of toppings on top of these dogs you wouldn’t expect — like bacon, peanut butter and jelly, or a Reuben hot dog.”
There are plans to continue using the outdoor space they have as well, Piechert said. For example, he’d like to see people bring blankets and chairs during sunny days to sit on the grass or play cornhole.
“Come, relax with friends, and have some good beer and a fun time,” he said.
15 June, 2021
