PORTLAND, Ore. — Alter Ego Cider opens a taphouse at 2025 SE 7th Avenue in Portland’s Central Eastside neighborhood. The taphouse serves seasonal and local ciders, beer and wine, and is now open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday.
Alter Ego Cider is a small-batch, artisanal cidery owned and operated by winemakers. Co-owners Anne Hubatch and Kevin Bates and Cidermaker Robert Lauer work together to produce food-friendly ciders using distinctly wine-like techniques for greater capture of aromas, depth, and texture. Each cider is made from Pacific Northwest-grown apples, with two flagship offerings—The Brut and The Guardian Angel—as well as seasonal ciders highlighting flavors such as strawberry, black currant and lime.
“The taphouse will serve as a space for us to share our flagship ciders and smaller, experimental batches, in addition to some exciting collaborations with other local makers,” said Alter Ego founder Anne Hubatch. “The vision for this taphouse has been in the works since we first launched Alter Ego five years ago, and we’re excited to see it come to fruition.”
The comfortable taphouse seats 18, with minimalist design elements that combine modern with rustic, including a zinc bar and cherrywood wainscoting. Outdoor seating is also available, accommodating another 30 guests. Adjoining the taphouse is the cider production space and Helioterra Wines, Hubatch’s winery.
Alter Ego’s taphouse features twelve taps of cider and guest offerings, including a snakebite made in collaboration with Level Beer, an exclusive six-barrel cider from Bauman’s Cider, and Montavilla Brew Works’ Flam Tap IPA.
Seasonal ciders from Alter Ego include Camellia Noir, made with cranberries and black tea from local teamaker Tea Chai Té, The Strawberry Margarita, made with strawberries, lime and sea salt, and The Brew, a cold brew cider made in collaboration with Cascadia Coffee Roasters. Wine and cider-based cocktails are also available, including a “cidermosa” served on weekends, made with Alter Ego’s The Brut cider and a splash of fresh orange juice.
The taphouse offers light bites and invites guests to bring their own food, with menus from surrounding restaurants available for to-go orders. The taphouse and production space also serve as venues for tasting events and dinners with local guest chefs.
Alter Ego Cider will host a grand opening party on June 23, coinciding with the cidery’s fifth anniversary and Oregon Cider Week (June 20-30, 2019).
Details:
- Address: 2025 SE 7th Ave., Portland, OR 97214
- General inquiries: drinkcider@alteregocider.com
- Phone: (503) 819-7014
- Website: www.alteregocider.com
- Social: @alteregocider
- Seats: 18 inside, 30 outside
- Owners: Anne Hubatch and Kevin Bates
- Cidermaker: Robert Lauer
- Taphouse Manager: Gemma Fanelli Schmit
- Hours of operation: Wednesday – Friday 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- Saturday 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- Sunday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
About Alter Ego Cider
Alter Ego Cider, an artisanal cidery owned and operated by winemakers in Portland, Oregon, produces food-friendly ciders using Northwest-grown apples. Acting on a desire to experiment with new flavors and ingredients not found in wine, friends and winemakers Nate Wall, Kris Wall, and Anne Hubatch launched the cidery in 2014, with co-owner Kevin Bates joining the team in 2018. Alter Ego’s flagship ciders and small-batch seasonal offerings are made using white winemaking techniques and slow, cool fermentations to develop nuanced and elegant aromatics and flavors. Cidermaker Robert Lauer brought his extensive winemaking and cidermaking background to the team in 2018, employing both traditional and modern techniques to capture depth and texture for well-balanced, engaging ciders. Alter Ego Cider opened their SE Portland taphouse in June 2019.