PORTLAND, Ore. — June 3, 2024 — Salem-based craft cider producer La Familia Cider Company has announced the June 5 opening of the La Familia Taproom at 3638 Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard in Portland. This is the company’s second location, joining the La Familia Cider House, which has been located on Court Street in Salem since 2020.
True to its name, La Familia is a family owned and operated business to its core. Jose and Shani Gonzalez oversee the cider making and business operations, their daughter Jazzelle runs the Salem cider house, and son Jay Jay will manage the taproom in Portland.
“Jay Jay and Jazzelle have been a part of the company from the start, and they’re the more public faces of La Familia,” said Jose. “They created the vibe in our taprooms, so every person who visits us feels their influence.”
The Portland location, like the Salem one, will be family- and pet-friendly. Its 29 taps will offer 15 ciders from La Familia and other producers, and the other 14 will serve craft beers. Cider cocktails and other beverages will also be available, along with a small but satisfying menu featuring Mexican food made from locally sourced ingredients.
“I’m looking forward to welcoming all of our customers to our Hawthorne taproom, whether they’re already cider fans or just interested in trying something new,” said Jay Jay. “There’s something about connecting with fans of our family’s cider that’s really special. To pour a glass, and tell them, ‘I helped make this,’ and hear what they think is really rewarding.”
La Familia Taproom will move into the space that Portland Cider House has occupied since 2014, in an amicable handoff that reflects the two companies’ long-standing friendship.
“Our friends at Portland Cider have built great relationships with their customers on Hawthorne over the last nine years, and we plan to take great care of them, too,” added Jay Jay.
Since 2017, La Familia has been known for its unique, Mexican-inspired ciders that reflect the owners’ own heritage. The idea was sparked when founders Jose and Shani Gonzalez were enjoying some cider, and Shani mused that it would be great to have cider flavors inspired by the fruity aguas frescas that they grew up with. The idea grew from there, and today La Familia Cider produces Guayaba (guava) and Jamaica (hibiscus) ciders year-round that are sold in more than 500 retailers across the Pacific Northwest, along with seasonal releases. The company donates cider and a percentage of its profits to local nonprofit organizations that help families navigate the legal immigration process.
“We’ve been making and distributing cider for more than seven years now, and it’s just as thrilling today to see our cans on the store shelves as it was when we began,” said Jose. “Having two taprooms now gives us a chance to talk to even more of our fans face-to-face, learn more about what they want from their cider, and let them meet our cider-making familia in person.”
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