Last weekend we were in Corvallis for a high school robotics tournament and managed to sneak away for a lunch at a brewery we last visited over two and a half years ago: Sky High Brewing. That last visit was in July of 2013, with friends; it was brief, and Sky High was only about a year old at that time. In that Corvallis trip write-up, I said:

Sky High turned out to be my favorite stop this trip, largely because of their unique space, though the beer was good too.

As to that space, Ezra described it well:

The building Sky High resides in is a bit strange, part warehouse and part office loft space. A small entrance way with a door to the brewery and a couple of small tables before salvaged wood steps take you up to a small balcony pub space with the brewery’s taps. Even this main bar floor can only seat maybe a dozen people.

I really liked it, it has the air of a modern speakeasy with raw, open wood and a nook-and-cranny kind of space that isn’t immediately obvious. The taproom is intimate yet inviting and oozes with that secret-hole-in-the-wall charm that gives the impression that you’ve stumbled upon something that nobody else knows about. Simple, yet effective.

The bartender-waitress was friendly and accommodating, and the beers were good. However I broke my usual pattern and didn’t order a sampler tray on my first visit to a new brewery: this time around, I knew they had just put their new beer on tap, Gose Terra Fluvia—and I’m all about the Goses lately! They have a surprisingly expansive taplist for such a new brewery, and Paul and Sandi enjoyed their beers as well (the Big Kahuna Red Ale and the other I forget). The Gose was good, cloudy, lightly tart, nicely and subtly salty. Kudos to Sky High for brewing one up.

We were on a timetable this time around, so I didn’t write up any notes, but I did get a few pictures to accompany my sampler tray and lunch, along with a few impressions. First of all, the (new since 2013!) restaurant/pub space on the third floor was fantastic, airy and open, ceiling stripped to the beams in a loft style, with ample seating among booths and long community-style tables. Window seats offer up good views of downtown Corvallis, and on the east side of the building an outdoor deck gives a hint to the (not open at the time) rooftop patio they offer.

They were offering 15 beers on tap plus a cask handle (with an ESB that I wish I’d had the chance to sample). The sampler gets you six beers, and these were what I selected:

• Bohemian Pils
• Bavarian Hefeweizen
• Mountainous Irish Stout
• Freewheel IPA
• Big Air XX IPA
• Russian Imperial Stout

The Bohemian Pils was the standout of the bunch, crisp, grainy, with a spicy snap of hops, delicious. Seek it out. The others were decent; Big Air XX IPA (a Double IPA) was my least favorite, it fell a bit flat for me on aroma and was somewhat one-note in bitterness—I don’t know if it was just past its prime or what.

Lunch was the Turkey Bacon Ranch Avocado Wrap, with a side of tots (of course; if tots are on the menu, I’ll probably be eating them). It hit the spot and was very good. My wife had the Taco Salad and really enjoyed it as well.

I’d love to check out the rooftop patio sometime, and I would definitely like to go back with some more leisure time. I’m impressed with what they’re doing there and they are a fine complement to the Corvallis brewing community.

Beers at Sky High Brewing, Corvallis