The Brew SitePress Release: MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company Turning 21 Years Old
This is pretty cool. MacTarnahan’s is one of the “old guard” in Oregon and this Mac’s Madness party on the 14th sounds like a lot of fun. Congrats Mac’s!
Birthday Celebration Featuring Portland Favorite MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale
Portland, OR — March 1, 2007 — MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company, an affiliate of Pyramid Breweries Inc., today announced the reintroduction of the award-winning MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale to mark the Company’s 21st birthday. The Company also invites new and old friends of Mac’s to attend “Mac’s Madness”, a MacTarnahan’s 21st birthday celebration on March 14th at the MacTarnahan’s Taproom in Northwest Portland.
“MacTarnahan’s is a Portland original, a pioneer, and one of the most loved brews in the booming craft beer category,” said Scott Barnum, President and CEO, Pyramid Breweries Inc. “Our goal is to get better beer lovers in Oregon and surrounding areas to discover or rediscover this truly great brand. Mac’s has been kind of ‘low-key’ the last couple of years and so we’re celebrating its 21st birthday with a big bang! Now that Mac’s is of ‘legal age’, we’re giving the brand some new clothes and some spending money to mark the occasion.”
Starting this week, MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale will be sporting new “clothes” — a redesigned label and new packaging — designed by Portland’s Sockeye Creative, the agency of record for MacTarnahan’s Brewing. The new packaging features a diagonal banner with the distinct red MacTarnahan’s logotype displayed on a forest green and craft tan background, accompanied by a stamp stating, “Portland’s Original Amber Ale”. The award-winning recipe for MacTarnahan’s will remain the same.
The new packaging also highlights the Beer and the City behind it:
- The Beer: Bold. Complex. Hoppy. Portland’s pride and joy. Perfectly balanced with fresh Cascade hops. And Award-winning: a gold medal in 1992 and a silver medal just last year at the Great American Beer Fest — the grand daddy of all U.S. beer competitions.
- The City: Considered to be the epicenter of the American craft beer resurgence, Portland, Oregon is home to more breweries than any other city in America. Founded in Portland in 1986, MacTarnahan’s Brewing was one of the first craft brewers in the city. Today, MacTarnahan’s Brewing is located in Northwest Portland on a beautiful three-acre facility.
“It’s important to let everyone know that despite a new set of clothes, we are keeping our award-winning recipe,” said Tom Bleigh, Head Brewer, MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company. “MacTarnahan’s remains dedicated to maintaining the integrity of a true Northwest Portland Original. Mac’s Amber Ale uses a balance of caramel malts and assertive Cascade dry hopping to create a distinct citrus-floral aroma, with a crisp, smooth finish.”
MacTarnahan’s will put some of its 21st birthday money towards innovative marketing efforts starting in March including: “Mac’s Madness” at the MacTarnahan’s Taproom, grocery store sampling throughout the Portland area, a co-promotion with a local gourmet pizza restaurant, an on-premise promotion at MacTarnahan’s Taproom and participation in the Spring Beer Festival in Portland April 6-7.
Everyone is invited to attend “Mac’s Madness” at the MacTarnahan’s Taproom in Northwest Portland on Wednesday, March 14th. More details about the celebration can be found at: www.macsbeer.com.
About MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company and Brands:
Founded in 1986, MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company is a pioneer in the craft beer category and was one of the first craft brewers in Portland. Formerly Portland Brewing Company, MacTarnahan’s is located in Northwest Portland and is an affiliate of Pyramid Breweries Inc. The Company also has a fine pub-dining restaurant called the MacTarnahan’s Taproom. The Taproom is located on the same beautiful three-acre site along with our craft brewery and its traditional German gas-fired brewhouse where MacTarnahan’s unique, award-winning line of beers are brewed including: MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale “Portland’s Original Amber”, Oregon Honey Beer, and BlackWatch Cream Porter.
Contact: Jane Rauckhorst, Media Relations 415-519-7176
Three things I pity:
1. That PBCo is no longer independently owned.
2. That Brett Porter, one of Oregon’s best brewers, is no longer there.
3. That it’s no longer PBCo. (McTarnahan’s is fine, but Portland Brewing is finer.)
On that last point, I recall Fred Bowman, a founder of Portland, telling the story that back in the early days of Portland microbrewing, he saw Dick Ponzi, founder of BridgePort downtown one day and told him he’d just registered the name "Portland Brewing." Ponzi made a Homer-like "D’oh!" He thought it was a great name. And now it, and the brewery, are no longer Portland institutions.