Oakridge Now Has a Brewpub!


Back when Oakridge was primarily a down-on-its-luck Oregon timber town with no more mills and no jobs to speak of, a few lonely visionaries saw the town's potential as a recreation center. With its 300+ miles of singletrack trails leading down from the ridges and out along its web of river valleys, Oakridge was a dream for adventurous mountain bikers who craved thrills in the mostly old-growth forests there. There was one major problem with that vision - there was no place to go at night and hang out with other athletes of the outback.

Well, now there is.

This was a major stumbling block for those of us who wanted to promote Oakridge as a town based on a burgeoning new IT economy based wherever its participants felt at home. If your favorite off-work activity is cycling, hiking, skiing, kayking, or fly-fishing - and you can do your work from anywhere in the world - Oakridge could hold its own with Bend, Crested Butte, or even Moab, if only it had a few of the key amenities enjoyed by those pioneers of the
new economy. Attracting other visionaries who could sustain themselves until their recreation-oriented businesses could catch on took a number of years, but now the key piece of the amenity puzzle has dropped into place. It has everything we dreamed of when we wished for it 10+ years ago.

The Brewers Union Local 180 is:

Off Hwy 58, with a sidewalk cafe' to take advantage of the glorious sunny days. On a quiet street, away from disruptive traffic.

An unpretentious, friendly pub where hand-crafted local ales are sold.

Live music by professionals and amateurs. "Etoufee'", a Eugene-area favorite, is based in the Oakridge area and will play there occasionally. Gary Battles is another Eugenean who has relocated to Oakridge and plays regularly at the pub.. There are others.

As far as I can discern, there is no "Country Music" of the Nashville variety played here, thankfully.

Good, wholesome food is served, as well as good coffee.

Witty conversation is possible with the people who own and operate the Brewers Union 180. This was a hard-to-
find treat in the oldstyle Oakridge drinking establishments like the Corner Bar and Timber Jim's. ("Did you get your elk this year?")

Families are welcome. Smokers are not.

Come and see what's up in Oakridge these days. New homes are being built to take in the sunny mountain views.

(Property values are the most reasonable in Lane County.) Cottage industries are thriving.
And the human-powered recreation industry has come of age.

Come on up and enjoy a day of skiing, riding the trails or the traffic-free paved forest roads, or just for a look around. Stop by the Brewers Union when you're ready to
unwind before going back to your motel or out to your campsite up Salmon Creek.

For a preview of why I'm so excited about this, visit: http://www.brewersunion.com/

Read Brewpublic's more professional review: http://brewpublic.com/?s=brewers+union+local+180&x=18&y=11