Rosenstadt (or “Rose City”) Brewery brewery is product of two hobbyists turned pro: Tobias Hahn and Nick Grainer. The pair met taking their kids to German language classes at the German American School, bonding over homebrewing and a mutual appreciation of German beer styles. (Hahn grew up Freiburg near the Black Forest and Grainer's wife is German).

After a year and half of planning and recipe testing, Rosenstadt was born. Hahn and Grainer released their first beer, a Kölsch, in September, followed by a German Pale Ale this month. The brewery does not yet have a brick and mortar space, but leases space and equipment in a brewpub in Tigard. 

“We wanted to get our beer out to the masses first, just to get our brand out and get the company started,” says Hahn. “Our plans are to have a brick-and-mortar place, production facility, and taproom. The ultimate goal is to have a beer garden somewhere in Southeast. That’s what we’re still working on.”

The brewery will focus mainly on German and European style beers using newer German varieties of hops and all-German ingredients. Next on the docket: an alt, a wheat beer, a yet-to-be-determined winter seasonal.

“Ultimately, I’d like to make a German lager, a Munich Helles, or something, which you can’t do in a contract brewing situation,” says Hahn, adding he generally prefers full-bodied Bavarian lagers to the crisp Northern German ones.

To find Rosenstadt beers, visit rosenstadtbrewery.com.