Story, Photos & Video by Don Backman for the Tillamook County Pioneer
(May 6, 2023 – Garibaldi, Oregon) – “It’s crazy that we are here ten years later,” Linsey Rogers of de Garde Brewing in Tillamook said. Standing at the entrance to the big event tent at the port of Garibaldi, Linsey was personally welcoming each of the people lucky enough to score a ticket to the tenth-year celebration. Many received heart felt hugs. “I don’t know but everyone thought we wouldn’t make it a year.” She paused to open a new box of commemorative glasses and immediately greeted more attendees.
The line for the VIP’s, those who had purchased the $80.00 tickets which allowed them to enter an hour early, stretched out across the parking area. The 800 tickets all purchased in advance had sold out in a matter of hours. Inside the tent, a rectangular center area was framed with tables. The interior was filled with bottles, kegs, and taps. The guest brewers, friends of the Rogers, represented more than a dozen breweries located in the United States and Europe.
Ehren Schmidt, from Copenhagen, Denmark brought some of his products from Europe. “This is the first time this beer has been sold to the public,” he said, speaking about a popular bottle he was pouring. “I’m friends with Trevor. They invited me to attend.” When asked about the difficulty of coming all the way from Europe with his brews, he mentioned that it was his pleasure, and that “It’s a lot easier to bring products (into the US) when you’re going to a special event.”
Highly regarded with a name known around the world in beer circles, de Garde products are very different from the run of the mill and even most micro-breweries. de Garde uses wild yeast and creates a naturally brewed product. This means brewing is a much slower process, and most breweries aren’t willing or able to wait. A quick review of international beer reviews will find De Garde mentioned highly. In 2016, de Garde was rated the 5th best brewery in the world. They were also rated as the best brewery in Oregon. Accolades continue, rated 20th in the world in 2020.
de Garde has a reputation for insisting on producing the best product they can. This means that they are keenly focused on crafting their products, and that focus means they do not produce large amounts quickly, which impacts their distribution. “We try to keep our beer going through our tasting room as much as possible,” Linsey Rogers said.
Trevor Rogers, co-owner with Linsey, explained that there were three music groups from the local music scene at the event. Mojo Holler opened the day, and Eric Sappington and Mercury Coast, plus Ben Rice and the Hustle were scheduled for later in the day. There were also local vendors present with food offerings as the Rogers wanted to keep the event as local as possible. “We have a mix of our and other brewer’s products,” they explained. “We invited our friends in the business to come and share theirs.”
“We are grateful for the support seen in the county,” both Rogers stated many times, and it was clear they meant it. Saying the event was popular is an understatement. The line for the second entrance time slot was longer than the original opening. It was visibly growing even after the event opened for those with the second time slot tickets. The beer flowed, the local food from Garibaldi’s Portside Bistro showcased their talented culinary crew.
Cheers to ten more years!
If you didn’t make it to the big anniversary celebration, the fun continues at de Garde’s Tillamook Tasting Room, open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, noon to 7 pm, and Sunday, noon to 5 pm, located at 114 Ivy Avenue, Tillamook – degardebrewing.com