Alter Ego Cider opens a taphouse today at 2025 SE 7th Avenue in Portland’s Central Eastside neighborhood. The taphouse serves seasonal and local ciders, beer and wine, and is now open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday.
Alter Ego Cider is a small-batch, artisanal cidery owned and operated by winemakers. Co-Owners Anne Hubatch and Kevin Bates and Cidermaker Robert Lauer work together to produce food-friendly ciders using distinctly wine-like techniques for greater capture of aromas, depth, and texture. Each cider is made from Pacific Northwest-grown apples, with two flagship offerings—The Brut and The Guardian Angel—as well as seasonal ciders highlighting flavors such as strawberry, black currant, and lime.
“The taphouse will serve as a space for us to share our flagship ciders and smaller, experimental batches, in addition to some exciting collaborations with other local makers,” says Alter Ego Founder Anne Hubatch. “The vision for this taphouse has been in the works since we first launched Alter Ego five years ago, and we’re excited to see it come to fruition.”
The comfortable taphouse seats 18, with minimalist design elements that combine modern with rustic, including a zinc bar and cherry wood wainscoting. Outdoor seating is also available, accommodating another 30 guests. Adjoining the taphouse is the cider production space and Helioterra Wines, Hubatch’s winery.
