It’s funny how people seem to catch wind of something like a new microbrewery at the same time; in this particular case I’m referring to SKW Brewing, the new (less than a year old) ultra-micro (perhaps “nano”) brewery over in Newport, Oregon. I was completely unaware of it until last month during a trip to Lincoln City (about 25 miles north of Newport) I picked up a copy of “Oregon Coast Today” and found a feature article on SKW.

I’ve been meaning to write about it since then, and I’ve noticed just within the last couple of weeks that SKW has been getting online mentions; and then Angelo over at Brewpublic beat me to the punch and wrote up a nice review. So, better late than never I suppose.

Steve Wilson brews the SKW beers at his home on a one-and-a-half barrel system—which is about as small as you can get for commercial brewing. At the pub, “All are served in pint and quart sized Mason jars, which also serve as convenient to-go containers – just screw on the lid, and you’re ready to go. The mini Mason jars, at 4 ounces apiece, are used for a five-beer sampler order.”

As for the beers, read Angelo’s review. The other thing that stood out for me from the “Oregon Coast Today” article is the live music angle:

On Friday and Saturday nights, the pub is pumping with rock and blues acts. Steve likes to book a mixture of local bands and imported talent. On June 20, for example, the folk-country duo of James and Julz Kasner [played] the SKW. The Vicki Stevens Band, a belting blues group from the Valley, [returned] June 26, followed by Clean Slate July 3. All music starts at 7 p.m.

“The bands really like this venue because the acoustics in here are awesome. It’s all wood, and the beams baffle so there’s not an echo,” Steve said. “I’ve found that bands from Portland are a huge draw. And blues bands, people love ‘em.”

I can’t wait to check them out next time I’m in Newport.

SKW Brewing Sea Town Pub
1658 N. Coast Hwy
Newport, Oregon 97365
(541) 265-4775