This Is the Year of Beer Bar Transformations

Like Bazi Bierbrasserie and Fat Head’s before it, Uptown Market has gone through a name-changing transformation: Beaverton’s first brewery has become Binary Brewing, with a new staff including Lompoc alum Conor Quinn. New School reports that the new head brewer is Roger Wood, a home brewer who spent 30 years in software security. “Uptown tried to do everything and did nothing very well,” Uptown Market managing partner Josh Johnson told the beer blog. “We are now focused on creating quality malt focused beer with a nod to our past.”

Earlier this year, two other big beer spots went through their own switch-ups: Ohio-based outpost Fat Head’s in Portland became locally owned Von Ebert Brewing, featuring beers from The Commons star brewer Sean Burke. Now, that same brewery is already expanding, opening an East Side location at the Glendoveer Golf Course, featuring a wider selection of mixed-culture and sour beers. Meanwhile, Barry Bialik slowly transformed the former Bazi Bierbrasserie into a location of his Belgian-friar-themed brewery Thirsty Monk, which was originally founded in North Carolina. The transitions have been well-received overall; Willamette Week describes Von Ebert as “every bit as good as it was in the rust belt era.” According to an albeit more questionable source, Yelp, the response is similar. “Von Ebert is a much better evolution of Fatheads,” user Julia D. writes. “Good choice to break off, everybody.” Thirsty Monk is getting similarly positive reviews: “This is my favorite new pub in town and it’s ideally located right off of Hawthorne,” user Liz L. says. To try the latest, visit Uptown Market, located at 6620 SW Scholls Ferry Road.

• Uptown Market [Official]
• Uptown Market [Facebook]
• Binary Brewing Takes Over from Uptown Market [New School]
• Thirsty Monk to Take Over Portland’s Bazi Bierbrasserie [Brewbound]
• Von Ebert Brewing announces Grand Opening in former Fat Head’s Space [New School]
• Fat Head’s Replacement Will Open With Around 30 Beers [EPDX]
• Prolific Brewery Von Ebert Will Open its Second Location Early This Summer [EPDX]
• North Carolina’s Thirsty Monk Brewery Expands to Portland [EPDX]
• Fat Head’s Brewery Owner Reopened the Former Portland Outpost With a Simpler Look and a New Name: Von Ebert Brewing [WWeek]