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An Oregon City brewery has traded its signature red barn for a beer garden.
Bent Shovel has leased an outdoor space at the Viewpoint Restaurant and Lounge on South Springwater Road just seven minutes from its original location, which doubles as the owners' home.
"We'd like to thank the kind folks at the Viewpoint for stepping up and helping us out as one small business to another," said Rick Strauss, who co-owns the brewery with his wife, Shelly. "We have really missed our customers these past two week and can't wait to see everyone gather around the bonfire for a pint."
In October, traffic congestion in their rural neighborhood forced Rick and Shelly Strauss to shutter their patio and tasting room. News of the closure came amid a wave of breweries calling it quits, including Lompoc, Rock Bottom and Coalition, but the Strauss want to stress that business is solid and their 10-barrel system will continue to pump out a range of styles, including their signature Black Spade Stout.
Related: Lompoc Brewing, One of Portland's Oldest, Is Shutting Down
Rick Strauss made batches as a home cook for nearly a decade and won Best in Show at the Cheers to Belgian Beers homebrew competition in 2011. The prize allowed him to scale up and work on Block 15's professional brewhouse in Corvallis. Bent Shovel eventually came to fruition in 2015.
The family- and pet-friendly beer garden will operate through winter and spring while the Strauss' continue to search for a permanent home.
Related: Bent Shovel is Over the River and Through the Woods in a Barn