Follow-Up: Benedictine Brewery Thriving
Earlier this week I discussed the monks’ decision to close Spencer Brewing in Massachusetts. In that post I drew a contrast with Benedictine Brewery, just south of Portland in the hop fields of the Willamette Valley (some owned by the abbey, Mt. Angel). I thought they were doing well, but hadn’t heard directly from Father Martin, the brewer who oversees the project. When he returned from his retreat, he sent me a nice note confirming things are great there.
“For us,” he wrote “business has been good. Even during 2020, after sales initially plunged when on-site service was prohibited, bottle sales grew throughout the year and we turned a profit. In 2021, sales were up 61%. This year they are up about 10%, so far. People just keep coming. We have local regulars, but half our guests are from the broader region.”
“We are still focused on Belgian-inspired ales and Bavarian-inspired lagers. I hope to make my Scottish Ale this year, too. We have done a Belgian IPA, which has been well received. But Black Habit Dark Ale and the St. Michael Helles Lager are the best sellers, with St. Raphael Tripel settling into third place. We try to keep ten beers on tap, so there's a good variety.”
It heartens me to hear this, and I definitely need to make stop and have a pint or two of his lovely helles.