Neighbor Dudes To Open Ordnance Brewing

Neighbor Dudes is a popular Oregon-based micro taphouse chain with locations in Silverton and Hermiston. It is now turning its attention to opening a brewery called Ordnance Brewing with a tasting room and pilot brewery in Wilsonville and larger brewery in Boardman, Oregon.

Neighbor Dudes and the forthcoming brewery were launched by neighbors and friends Cherie and Mark McLeod, husband and wife Craig and Janna Coleman, as well as Craig's cousins, Mike and Gail Coleman. The first location was in Hermiston in eastern Oregon, near Pendleton and the the Washington border.

"My husband and our neighbor would go back and forth to each others house for years. We are in the country and live a couple fields across from each other. They use to always say, "I'm going to Neighbor Dudes for a beer."  My husband and I were out trying beer in another town and came up with the idea, a rough one at best. We came home and one evening while were sampling what we brought home with Neighbor Dude, we started talking about the idea and concept, and we drank enough beer that night to think this was a good idea. We decided everyone needed a neighbor dude to drink beer with. Neighbor Dude showed up the next day and asked if we were ready for a new adventure..." explained Cherie McLeod.

Originally the Neighbor Dudes planned for a third location in Portland's Sellwood neighborhood, but eventually decided to move it closer to home into Wilsonville. This spot is currently being built out and will be the home to a small pilot brewery with the larger new 8 and a 1/2 barrel brewery headed up by brewer Logan Mayfield, previously of Denver's Great Divide Brewery in Boardman, Oregon. The Wilsonville brewery/Neighbor Dudes will not be a full pub, but will operate a tasting room for in-house brews that you will be able to find at all three locations in regular rotation, along with the guest taps from other breweries.

Neighbor Dudes seem to be on an aggressive and successful growth rate after opening the first location in Hermiston in August 2013. The Silverton location opened in April 2014, and the Wilsonvile location is set for September/October of 2014. Rather than a full service location, the Wilsonville brewery will be centered around an 8.5 bbl brewery and a tasting room.

Tragically, Cherie McLeod lost her husband and partner, Mark McLeod, a few months ago after he passed away from brain trauma after hitting his head in a fall. By all accounts, he was a great guy who loved to help people and was also an organ donor; he saved 4 people and gave 2 others their sight back. Their first brew is picture above and called S.A.M. (Something About Mark)