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Celebrate Oregon Beer Newsletter
Each Beer Better Than the Last One "Look man, [hazy IPAs] are tough to brew, they're expensive as hell, and they don't last. As a brewer-owned brewery, we looked around and nobody drank them here. I mean, there are five lagers on tap right now." When they were planning the brewery, the Koras weren't asking what was popular in Massachusetts--they were concerned with the neighborhood around them--Montavilla. (Fun fact, it's not a foreign word, and it's pronounced mont-ah vill-ah. The neighborhood was originally called Mount Tabor Villa Addition. Locals adopted "Montavilla" because the streetcar signs abbreviated the name to “Mt. Ta. Villa.”) It's one of Portland's most diverse neighborhoods, with a younger population not far below the citywide average in income. It's also one of the most intact neighborhoods, with a distinctive feel and many long-time residents. When the Koras founded Montavilla, there were no breweries in the neighborhood (three miles west, the city was saturated with them) and few good-beer options. Michael has always focused squarely on the blocks within walking distance. His two best sellers are Flam Tap IPA (a reference to his earlier life as a professional drummer) and Plywood Pilsner, named for his neighbor, a lumberyard next door. The Koras wanted regulars, and understood that a neighborhood place thrived by offering a standard line of beers to serve them.
"Innovation doesn't mean the same thing to us as it does other people. For us, it's making each successive beer better than the last one. We want regulars to say, 'The Flam Tap is really good right now!' When we do one-offs, they're accepted, they just move slower. Where we've really excelled is focusing on core beers." --Michael Kora A Whirlwind Decade "After Covic, things didn't have to be this complicated--but they are." He paused before ticking off the myriad difficulties that have become normal since Covid. "Our plan was to get through Covid, to start canning, and regroup. Then we could see what happens." For Montavilla, that meant shifting from a pub-only model to putting beer in cans. As is common in the industry, Kora was wistful about the changes in this decade. "People were excited back then. When we started, draft was nonstop--we had no interest in canning. Back in the day, doing draft-only--it was killer!" Still, the pub is the heart of the enterprise. At one point during a visit, a regular came in through the side door with his bike. He'd lost his phone. He and Michael exchanged greetings without using names, the way those familiar with each other do. When he speaks about his business, his regulars like the cyclist are topmost in his mind. Back to the Future In 2019, Michael said, “I named the brewery after the neighborhood. It’s where I live. People who come in here should feel like this is their place.” For a decade now, he has delivered on that promise and people have responded. As to the next ten years? "I still don't know if I've figured it out. everybody's asking themselves the same question--what's next?" He paused a long time and then raised his hands in the universal gesture for "who knows?" Well, you can rely on some things. As long as the Koras are brewing beer on Southeast Stark street, you can expect them to be welcoming locals, serving the beers they've grown to love, and refining each one batch by batch.
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Celebrate Oregon Beer
Dedicated to establishing Oregon’s reputation as one of the world’s premier beer regions. Sign up to hear all the latest Oregon beer news!
Celebrating Oregon Beer Your fortnightly round-up of all the beer and hop news from the Beaver State. With Thanksgiving in the rear-view mirror, we are on to the winter holiday season. That means cozy beer festivals, crafts fairs, and lots of warming winter ales and lagers. In today's edition of the newsletter, we'll discuss those winter beers, along with all the usual news and events. And if you're looking for a special gift for that beer fan on your list, be sure to check out the merch...
Celebrating Oregon Beer Your fortnightly round-up of all the beer and hop news from the Beaver State. Disastrous news arrived last Friday: Rogue Ales, one of the shining jewels among Oregon's founding-era breweries, announced it was closing. The details remain unclear, and as of this afternoon, we still haven't heard directly from the brewery. This is dark news for Rogue's employees, the cities and towns that host their breweries and pubs, and the many fans around the state and country. We're...
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