Portland, Oregon – Swift Cider opened their first ever taproom this February at 100 NE Farragut Street #101, Portland, Oregon.
After years as one of Portland’s leading distributed cider producers, Swift’s jump into retail marks a major milestone: “Opening the taproom means drinkers can taste the dozens of seasonal and small-batch barrel-aged ciders that we release in limited quantities each year,” says founder and head cider maker Aidan Currie.
From their twelve taps, Swift pours a rotating lineup of their own ciders alongside craft beer, wine, guest cider taps, hard seltzer, kombucha, water kefir and CBD soda. “Our local neighborhood, Piedmont, was founded by prohibitionists, so there has historically been a limited number of bars here. We created a community space where you can appreciate great cider and all types of fermented beverages,” says Currie.
The 500 square foot taproom seats 39 in a warm industrial space notable for its timbers-trussed ceiling, stainless tanks, oak barrels, warm lighting, local art, and greenery. A discreet projector screens local sports while a shuffleboard table and stack of board games invites patrons to play. Plans are in the works to add patio seating by summertime. To complement the drinks, Swift stocks a regular menu of snackable, allergen-friendly bites and plans to run pop-up food nights to showcase their favorite cider pairings.
Swift Cider launched in 2015 and has grown into a regionally distributed cider brand in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. They have a mission to make exceptional cider with fresh, whole ingredients and inspire playful, creative communities like their namesake the Chapman Swifts. Their ciders have earned significant acclaim at the world’s largest cider competitions with 21 medals, including the Best Medium Cidery of the Year at the Portland International Cider Cup. Their normal taproom hours run Thursday and Friday from 4pm to 9pm and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 9pm.