Deschutes to open tasting room in downtown Roanoke

Oregon-based Deschutes Brewery plans to create a tasting room in downtown Roanoke.

Last year, Deschutes, the nation’s fifth-largest craft brewer, announced it would build an East Coast brewery in Roanoke. The $85 million project is expected to create 108 jobs and produce 150,000 barrels of beer a year. The brewery is expected to open in 2021.

In the meantime, Deschutes has leased 4,670 square feet for a tasting room at Market Station, which is scheduled to open in August. The tasting room will be located at 315 Market St. SE. at street level in what is a historic mixed-use residential, office, retail and condominium building.

“Roanoke is home to us now and we wanted to put down some roots while we plan for breaking ground on our new brewery east of town,” Nate Brocious, Deschutes’ tours and tasting room manager, said in a statement.

The tasting room will have more than 15 taps of Deschutes' beers. While details about the tasting room are being finalized, the space will likely include both indoor and outdoor seating and offer food from local restaurants.

The brewery will begin hiring tasting room employees in early summer.

Bryan Musselwhite of Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group in Roanoke represented the owner of the property in negotiating the lease with Deschutes while Price Gutshall and John Nielsen of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer handled the lease negotiations on behalf of Deschutes Brewery.

Founded in 1988, Deschutes' beer is available in 29 states and Washington D.C.