Cerveceria Norte or Norte for short, is a new brewery based here in Portland! The creative director of the brand is Nick Velasquez, the Assistant Brewmaster at Zoiglhaus Brewery.

Norte focuses on traditional style beer beers with a contemporary American Craft Beer vision. Using only North American malt and hops to create quality beers that are developed with a fresh eye and palate.

Join us on May 11th along with Nick to try his newest beers for one of the first times in Oregon! Both are available in cans and draft!

More about Nick Velasquez:

Nick has almost 20 years of brewing experience in the Craft Beer industry. First starting in the early 2000’s, he got his first exposure to the making beer while working in the Kitchen at Steelhead in Eugene. He was able to gain insights to the process, that when he moved back to Southern California, he was able to get hired on at BJ’s in Oxnard,Ca (his hometown).

After spending a couple years there, he stepped out of the industry for several years to work at Patagonia Corporate Headquarters in Ventura, Ca. In time, the desire to get back into the Craft Beer industry grew. He started his own brand Ouroboros Ales that he owned and operated. OA was distributed through most of the Southern California area. He then moved on to becoming the Head Brewer at Surf Brewery in Ventura. 

As life goes on he, later moved to Bozeman, Montana. There he found himself as the Head brewer at Bunkhouse Brewery. There he took the opportunity to flex his creative itches to create fun and exciting beers.

Over the years Nick knew that in time he would like to return to the Pacific Northwest, where he missed the culture that the area has to offer. Moving to Portland in January of 2020(!), he was hired on at Widmer. After a short stay there, he was hired on as the Cellar Manager at Great Notion.

In an effort to further his career opportunities, Nick took on the role as the Assistant Brewmaster at Zoiglhaus. It is here where Norte was born.

Nick is excited bring Norte to life in the PNW, one the best craft beer scenes in the country.