BY WILLIAM DEAN
Finally!
In a major boost to civic pride, Warrenton can now claim a craft brewery of its own. After several years of planning and some serious remodeling, Battery 245 Brewing Co. has arrived.
The trio of owners who double as brewers have been busy making beer, both on the premises and in a “borrowed” tank at Seaside Brewing.
Soon, the garage-style doors will roll up, welcoming the first customers. Judging by the constant stream of well-wishers, the turnout won’t be disappointing.
“Oh my God!” exclaimed Jeff Kilday, one of the owners. “People have been waiting for this for years.”
The family-friendly brewery – off East Harbor Road, within sight of Warrenton Marina – plans to make its debut Labor Day weekend with a full pub-style menu, and separate dining and bar areas. The brewery will be working with local fishermen to feature fresh fish and seafood daily.
In addition to beer, cocktails, wine, cider and house-made root beer will be available.
The beating heart is the airy taproom built around an impressive 20-foot-long elbowed bar, topped with a thick slab of old growth Sitka spruce. The tree, lost in a logging operation, was salvaged from the Lewis and Clark River, Kilday said.
The other hands-on owners are Jonathan Elliott, a longtime home brewer who grew up in Warrenton, and Michael Ljungberg, former head brewer at Seaside Brewing. Kilday has long roots in the bar/restaurant business in Oregon and previously owned the Wine & Beer Haus bottleshop/taproom in Seaside.
For the record, the first beer to be brewed was a West Coast-style IPA named Sunset Left. That’s a reference to taking a left turn at Sunset Beach, a local ocean playground. A wide range of other beers are planned, many drawn from Elliott’s cache of creative recipes.
Battery 245’s building, which previously housed an RV and boat business, has been thoroughly remodeled.
The seven-barrel brewhouse and walk-in cooler fill an old repair bay. There’s a large rendering of the historic Peter Iredale shipwreck in the spacious dining area, which seats 69 guests at tables and booths. A look-in kitchen is positioned between the restaurant and bar.
Battery 245, named after a nearby World War II artillery monument, is leasing the building from the city. Warrenton officials have been highly supportive of the project, footing the bill for a number of improvements.
In the shadow of bigger, beer-soaked Astoria, Warrenton, population 6,500, has struggled to draw visitors. The presence of a craft brewery on the way to the ocean and Fort Stevens State Park will help.
Mayor Henry Balensifer has said he hopes the brewery serves as a catalyst for efforts to revitalize the downtown area, including the marina.
For Elliott, who tried twice before to launch a brewery in his hometown, the opening will be especially sweet.
“It’s a cool thing,” he said. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”
