Spotlight: Kings and Daughters' New Hood River Taproom
Kyle Larsen and Kacie McMackin founded Kings and Daughters in 2021, when it was very difficult for any breweries, much less a start-up. Fortunately, Kyle had a lot of varied experience in the beer industry. He got his start as a brewer at Full Sail 18 years ago, when it was one of Oregon's largest breweries. He then spent seven years as Double Mountain's head brewer just a few blocks from Full Sail. Kyle and Kacie went on a grand adventure brewing in a small village to the southwest of London for three years after that.
Over the fifteen years he worked at other breweries, Kyle was able to get an insider's look at a large production brewery, a bustling brewpub, and a small English brewery where drinkers prize balanced, low-alcohol beers. When he and Kacie returned to the US, they had a wealth of experience to draw on.
Kings and Daughters
If you've had the good fortune to encounter a Kings and Daughter's beer, you might be able to identify some of the influences of Kyle's earlier stops. They make lagers, an English mild ale, and a number of hoppy variations. A perfect example of a Kings and Daughters beer is Queens and Sons, which they call a "soft IPA." Made to pale ale strength, it is indeed soft on the palate, but also soft in the sense that a jasmine blossom is--gentle, welcoming, and lush. This really gets to the philosophy of the brewery, which Kacie and Kyle created as an alternative to the more common beardy, muscular craft brewery presentation.
"Our approach to our brand has always been with the goal of offering our customers a "permission slip" in the form of beer, to be present and connected," Kacie said. "We love making beers that are more sessionable, this is reflective of our time spent in England and the pub culture we fell in love with while living there."
The couple had always planned to open a pub from the start, but various challenges delayed this project--until a few weeks back when they opened the doors to their new Hood River taproom, evocatively called The Walled Garden
The Walled Garden
Longtime fans of Kings and Daughters may recognize the phrase "the walled garden," which has appeared in their beer descriptions in the past. It's a reference to the secluded gardens they enjoyed in England, so it was a perfect choice for the sanctuary they hoped to create in Hood River.
"A lot of our inspiration was children's books (Anne of Green Gables, Beatrix Potter's books)," Kacie said, mentioning their four kids. "We were drawn to creating a more feminine, softer aesthetic with our offerings. We wanted The Walled Garden pub to feel welcoming, feminine, cozy, soft, and inviting--so people feel at home in it."
Kings and Daughters operates their own food truck, and the menu features sandwiches and salads. You can buy cans on-site, as well as browse a selection of boutique items for sale. For four years, finding a Kings and Daughters beer has been a catch-as-catch-can experience, but no more. Now you can enjoy one any time you visit Hood River.
The Walled Garden
Location: 416 Cascade Ave, Hood River, OR 97031
Hours: Open at noon, closing at nine on weekdays, 10p on Fri-Sat; closed Tuesdays.
