Popular Fat Head’s Brewery Is Closing, But a New Brewery Will Take Its Place

Since opening in the Pearl District in 2014, Fat Head’s Brewery, an Ohio transplant, has shaped up as an all-around great brewery, serving beers on 42 taps and some really massive sandwiches, but despite its popularity, it will close its doors in Portland in early 2018, according to a press release.

The reason for the closure is listed simply as a “consensus” among Fat Head’s and its Portland franchise partners to terminate the business agreement. So get inside for one last round or 20 before the end of the first quarter of 2018 (March 31), but note a new brewery is on its way.

Von Ebert Brewing will replace the 278-seat Fat Head’s Portland, New School Beer reports. It comes by way of Tom Cook, who owned the Fat Head’s Portland franchise, so he’s already highly familiar with the venue’s capacities. He plans to release as many as 100 beers a year, featuring the brewing talents of current Fat Head’s Portlander brewer, Eric Van Tassel, and former Commons Brewery head brewer, Sean Burke.

And here’s one more nugget tucked into all the news: Cook has also bought Ringside Grill, which recently shuttered on its romantic property adjacent to a golf course on the border of Gresham in Northeast Portland. Cook plans to open some form of brewery in its place.

• Fat Head’s Brewery [Official]
• Von Ebert Brewing [Official]
• Von Ebert Brewing will Open in former Fat Head’s Brewing Space [New School Beer]
• Ringside Grill Is Closing This Month [EPDX]