In 2012, thirteen years ago, pFriem was founded in Hood River, Oregon, with a seemingly simple premise: to brew excellent beer and create community around it. 

In 1938, work finished on a brand new building that would house City Hall and a fire station for Milwaukie, Oregon. For 85 years, it did just that, the art deco architecture adding some flair to the day-to-day operations.

Over the years, pFriem grew into the household name it is today, not by jumping on each new brewing trend or opening up a parade of satellite locations, but by taking their time creating beer they were proud of, sharing it in their Hood River tasting room, and sending it out into the world of bars, bottle shops, and grocery stores when the moment was right. Some of their beers sit in barrels for months or years, just waiting for their moment.

pFriem’s founders were also waiting for their moment. For years they’d thought about adding another location. They didn’t want to copy and paste the Hood River tasting room. 

That location pays tribute to the natural beauty and uniquely Gorge vibe around it, it wouldn’t seem right to try to transplant that magic to another place. So they kept their eyes open, believing they would know it when they saw it.

In 2023, just six miles from Portland, Milwaukie buttoned up the old City Hall building, moving into a new one nearby. But the building wouldn’t be empty for long. pFriem’s leadership did indeed know it when they saw it.

When the doors finally opened once again this spring, there were no forms to fill out and no fires to fight. All the care that goes into making excellent beer also went into honoring the historic building while creating a place that would create community. Co-founder Rudy Kellner hopes that the tasting room will be a place people want to hang out, play a game with friends, or catch up with co-workers. Maybe it’s just the right stop after a soccer game with the kids. Maybe you’ll be there often enough that they’ll name your table or chair after you. “We want it to feel like Milwaukie’s living room,” says Kellner.

Still, it’s likely that you’ve never been in a living room where a fire pole has been fitted with state-of-the-art Czech beer taps. Your living room probably doesn’t have murals and rotating art created by local artists. Most living rooms don’t have three bars complete with pFriem’s new draft cocktails (two with beer elements), made with precision and balance, a carefully curated selection of wine, cider, and non-alcoholic offerings, and great beer, of course. You can borrow this living room anytime you want.

Once you’ve made yourself at home, you might get hungry. The menu includes elevated pub food sure to satisfy. You’ll want to keep an eye out for additions, compliments of the talented culinary team. You can bet that soon you’ll see tributes to the Bing cherry, which was first cultivated in Milwaukie.

Thirteen years after beginning the pFriem journey, the vision is essentially the same: brew excellent beer and create community around it. Whether that’s brewing with fresh hops and sipping the results with a view of the Hood River waterfront or barrel aging beers in repurposed barrels and welcoming friends into a reclaimed building in Milwaukie. Along the way, they’ve continued to embrace a certain truth—sometimes beers, friendships, even buildings, only get better with age. Swing by the Milwaukie tasting room and see for yourself.