(Photo courtesy of Ochoco Brewing Co.)
New Prineville Location and Off-Site Production Facility Opening up Vistas
Ochoco Brewing Company recently celebrated Central Oregon Beer Week at its new restaurant and taproom in Prineville almost exactly a year after a name change from its original moniker as part of a move to better reflect community connections.
Owner and head brewer Joe Barker, along with partner Uriah Dombrowski, moved the previously named Solstice Brewing from its former brewpub site on Main Street to a nearby vacated steak house a block north with a significantly larger kitchen allowing expanded dining choices. They secured a separate production site which has opened up opportunities for wider distribution including 22-ounce bottles and cans.
The new restaurant has a full bar, expanded range of tap handles, from eight to 16, and a revamped menu to allow Chef Jeff Batty the opportunity to show off his repertoire and provide catering services.
Cool features flanking the bar include a nautical looking authentic Western safe and black and white photographs of notorious local characters as well as the original Ochoco Brewery circa 1890.
Barker opened Ochoco Brewing Company (then called Solstice Brewing) in 2011.
He said: “I had been a home brewer in Portland before that and I really enjoyed making good quality, tasty beers. At first Solstice was just a brewpub, but by the end of 2012, we were fully operational and making all of our own beers.
“I grew up in northeast Oregon in a small town called Summerville, which is near La Grande. When I came to Prineville for the first time, it really reminded me of Summerville. It had that small town feel where you’re always running into people you know and everybody says hi to each other at the grocery store.
“At about the same time, we were looking to move out of Portland. Prineville was attractive because it was very affordable and it needed a brewpub.
“We make good quality beer from solid recipes that appeal to a broad spectrum of people. Prineville is newer to the craft beer scene, so we stick to what people like and are familiar with. On average, we brew about 16 different beers at a time and eleven of those are on tap at the new brewpub.
“I would describe our menu as high quality pub food. Our Executive Chef Jeff Batty has been with us for over three years and we’re always growing and tailoring the menu.
“Our kitchen uses as many fresh, local foods as possible and we support businesses like Prineville Beef Company, Dancing Cow Farm, Timber Creek Farms, Flying Pig Hops, and Big Ed’s Bakery. We’re mostly known for our ‘hand-patted’ burgers and we get a lot of positive feedback about our food.
“People come for the live entertainment. We have open mic night and a blue grass/country jam session.”
As for the Brewery’s future, Barker said: “With the addition of Uriah and Brie Dombrowski as partners, we have more bandwidth, so big plans have been put in the works.
“In the short term, we want to get the new brewpub location operating at capacity and make it the ‘go-to’ spot in Prineville.
“We have moved production to a new brewery space that’s bigger and has quadrupled the capacity so we have the ability to produce larger quantities of beer, so it can be bottled or canned and distributed outside of Central Oregon. We’d like to see Ochoco sold statewide and in surrounding areas like Washington and California.”
Barker said he decided on the name change to Ochoco Brewing Co. to link the craft brewery more closely with its Crook County origins.
The first brewery in Prineville, established in 1882 at Fourth and Main Streets, was called the Ochoco Brewery, according to Jon Abernathy’s “Bend Beer: A History of Brewing in Central Oregon.” That building burned down five years later and the relocated brewery went out of business in 1890.
“We’ve been blown away by the growth and reception of our pub here in Prineville,” Barker added.
Ochoco Brewing Company
380 N. Main St. in Prineville
Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and breakfast Friday-Sunday.
541-233-0883
