Steve and Laurie (Petroff) Light, co-owners of Fifeteen Mile Ventures, stand in front of the main components of an eight-vessel brewery in The Mint, where they hope to begin production as Freebridge Brewery in October. The tasting room, formerly operated by Erin Glenn Winery, is scheduled to open in January of next year. Mark B. Gibson photo
Steve and Laurie (Petroff) Light, co-owners of Fifeteen Mile Ventures, stand in front of the main components of an eight-vessel brewery in The Mint, where they hope to begin production as Freebridge Brewery in October. The tasting room, formerly operated by Erin Glenn Winery, is scheduled to open in January of next year. Mark B. Gibson photo
Freebridge Brewing is taking over The Mint downtown The Dalles.
Steve Light of Fifteen Mile Ventures LLC is setting up a full brew line on the production floor of The Mint, 710 E. Second Street, and will be reopening the tasting room. “We are hoping to begin production in October, and launch the tasting room in January,” Light said.
Federal and state license requirements are the bigest reason for the delay in opening, he added, and the production space has yet to be engineered and setup.
Once open, the brewery will feature its own Freebridge brews and offer locally-produced guest taps, as well as wine and, hopefully, hard cider. “Hard cider is pretty popular here locally,” Light said.
The Columbia Gorge has a variety of brews and wines, Light said, many of which are very popular.
The brewery is co-owned by Light and Laurie (Petroff) Light. Laurie was born and raised in The Dalles, the daughter of a multi-generation wheat farm near the Deschutes River.
It’s there that the name of the brewery has its roots: Freebridge was the first bridge over the Deschutes River, which was crossed by the Oregon Trail.
Local legend holds that the “Freebridge” was blown up by the Moody’s, who ran a toll bridge near the mouth of the Deschutes. “That’s the story, anyway,” said Laurie.
The feud, if feud there was, is apparently long since resolved as one of the wines the brewery hopes to feature is from local winery Moody Toll Bridge.
“We will be choosing what’s popular in the area,” said Light, who plans to feature additional gorge grown products in the future.
Freebridge is installing tanks manufactured by J.V. Northwest of Canby, an eight-vessel system designed to brew 10 barrels at a time. Although the tanks are on site, the facility has yet to be engineered and setup has yet to begin.
The tasting room, which seats about 45, will overlook the production floor and will be open daily. A small space is planned to allow for music, events and future expansion.
Erin Glenn Winery, which operated the tasting room until 2010 and has continued to host events at The Mint, will be moving production to the winery, said owner Tim Schechtel.
“We are helping with the transfer, the power and plumbing and logistics of the installation,” he explained. “They are taking over the production area and the tasting room.”
The Mint is located not far from Defiance Brewery, a new craft brewery and taproom planned at 208 Laughlin Street downtown The Dalles.
A request by Defiance Brewery to establish a brewery was approved with conditions by The Dalles Planning Commission June 4.
Light is pleased to see the brew industry grow so quickly. “I think it’s great,” he said. “It brings more recognition to the community, it’s another reason to come to The Dalles.”
The styles of each brewery is different, he added. “It’s great having two.”
In the first year of production, which is expected to begin in October, Light, although has received formal brewing education through OSU, will have a professional brewing consultant as well as assistance from JV Northwest to help fine tune the process.
He and his wife are pleased, and a little anxious, about the venture.
“We came back to The Dalles about four years ago, and now we are investing in The Dalles,” explained Laurie Light.
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