Santiam Brewing, Salem OR

28 June 2023

I had seen a sign for Santiam as I drove through Salem to Gilgamesh Brewing, and after checking out their website, decided to swing by on my way to the hotel. It wasn’t easy to find; thanks to Apple Maps navigation cues, I did locate it tucked back behind a bunch of other buildings. You wouldn’t recognize this as a brewpub, would you? Although maybe the outdoor space would give it away.

Inside, you find an interesting space with a decor that tries to be very British-influenced. I rather wish I’d been hungry because there was a lot on the menu that really intrigued me! Still, it was good just to be there for a bit. I didn’t get the Welsh flag into these photos, but it was there along with a lot of other stuff.

The flight, from left to right, is this:

Spitfire ESB (Extra Special Bitter, 6.2%) – This was good, but not as good as I’d been expecting. ESBs definitely vary a lot, though, so others may find this right to their liking.

Ecotopia IPA (IPA, 6.7%) – Nothing particularly stood out about this one.

JFK American Lager (Lager, 4.5%) – The bartender told me this was his favorite, but admitted that he likes the lighter stuff. For me, it was good and maybe even my second favorite of the flight.

Infiltrator Pilsner (Pilsner, 5.5%) – Now this was one fine beer! I loved it and would have taken a crowler if it had been available; I just couldn’t justify buying a four-pack of cans and letting them ride in the car for a few days. The flavor was perfect and this was one I could easily drink all day.

Bloody Hell (Double IPA, 8.5%) – I suppose I chose this one as much for the name as anything else, plus I was curious whether I could taste the Blood Orange in it. I could, but it wasn’t enough to make me love this particular beer.

If I ever make it back to Salem, I may come here again to try the food, if not necessarily the beer. Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with this artwork from a tap right in front of where I was sitting: