Southern Oregon Notes

So, I drove up to Southern Oregon to pick up deer meat from a buck I shot a few weeks ago (it was a big one too!) - yes, it was packaged and cared for all this time. Upon arrival I was given a bottle of Widmer's Broken Halo IPA. I'd had this before, but it was more than a year ago now, so I wasn't too surprised when I really enjoyed it. Not the biggest IPA on any shelf in Oregon, I'd assume, but a very good beer overall.

On top of that, I learned that Medford has a new brewery! Tomorrow I'll be heading over to the newly opened Southern Oregon Brewing Company to see how the beers and atmosphere are - and I promise to report back on this too. I've been hearing about this place for a few months now, opened by a couple of Southern Oregon doctors, bringing in a brewer from Deschutes and spending a whole lot of money on brand new equipment for the brewhouse. Looking forward to the visit there, as well as trying some good venison steak.

This was in yesterday's Medford Mail Tribune, the regional paper for Southern Oregon.

Southern Oregon Brewing Co. has released its first beers and has opened a tap room for public tasting and sales at its brew house. A golden ale and a porter are on tap.

Tap room hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The tap room is at 1922 United Way in Medford, behind Lava Lanes. Tasters at the 24-foot bar and tables can view brewery activity through two large plate-glass windows.

Owner Tom Hammond and brewer Anders Johansen, whose resume includes stints with Pyramid and Deschutes breweries, are brewing once a week. Southern Oregon Brewing's 20-barrel brew house is capable of producing 620 gallons per batch.

Southern Oregon Brewing's phone number is 776-9898.

A few months back they had another story, with more info on the owners, where this quote was found.

Testing the theory that it's not what you know but who you know, Hammond, 43, set out to find the right person to handle his brew. That happened to be Anders Johansen, 48, whose resume includes both stints with Pyramid and Deschutes breweries as well as a couple of start-ups.

I will be there tomorrow, and if all goes well you can read about my visit here shortly thereafter.