247 Days Later: Into The Freeze

Doesn’t it only seem fitting to end 2020 with some Game of Thrones sounding shit like “the Freeze?”

First came the virus, then the shutdown, marches for social justice, the arrival of federal officers, the re-opening of Multnomah County, the second wave of the virus, wildfires & hazardous smoke, another re-opening of businesses, continued marches & protests, businesses pivot to winterized outdoor seating, the election & subsequent refusal to concede, a third wave of the virus, and now we enter what’s been termed The Freeze.

It’s been the year from hell in Portland. Yes, everyone in America is hurting and struggling as a result of a pandemic which continues to rage around the globe. And while this town has done relatively well in terms of staving off the Coronavirus, the impact of protests, dangerous air quality, weather, and now another shutdown has required a series of pivots in order for businesses to survive.

The last time I updated this series was in July, 135 days ago. I’ve been spending my time writing for work, doing what I can to support our small business and the small taprooms & bottleshops who sell the beer & cider our company distributes to them in Oregon. Since July, a number of breweries and taprooms have closed, some never to reopen again. Yet despite all these hardships, new businesses continue to open, while others have needed to expand and adapt what space they have – indoor and outdoor, to stay busy.

In light of Governor Brown’s mandated 4 week “freeze” on dining & drinking service in Multnomah County, slated to begin Wednesday, it felt time to get things updated since our local establishments need our support, now more than ever.

For the first time since May 21st, I’ve done an update to the list of PDX Metro Breweries & Taprooms I created early in the pandemic. Each location that has closed, opened, expanded, and/or adjusted its operations has been updated. Feel free to reach out if I got anything wrong or missed anyone and I’ll gladly get it corrected. Vancouver area breweries and taprooms, where on-site consumption isn’t restricted if done outdoors, will be updated later this week.

Please do all you can to support these local businesses who’re offering orders to-go and/or home delivery service. I can only hope that everyone is taking these safety precautions seriously, for if we look out for each other’s safety by wearing masks to curb the spread of this virus AND support small businesses, hopefully we can end this Freeze sooner than later.

Be safe, take care, and support your local community. Much love.