MacTarnahan's Brewing Company
A pioneering Portland, Oregon craft brewery that operated under the MacTarnahan's name from 2004 to 2013.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Portland Brewing Company was an influential early craft brewery based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1986 by Fred Bowman, Art Larrance, and Jim Goodwin, it became part of the city's formative independent brewing movement and helped establish Portland as a significant American beer center. Robert Malcolm “Mac” MacTarnahan invested $25,000 in the young company and became one of its principal financial supporters. The brewery's relationship with MacTarnahan shaped its identity. In 1992, Portland Brewing introduced MacTarnahan's Amber Ale in his honor. The beer became the company's flagship offering and eventually provided the basis for a broader labeling and naming strategy. When the brewery encountered serious financial difficulties in 1998, MacTarnahan purchased approximately $3.5 million of the company's debt in exchange for stock, helping stabilize the business. Portland Brewing subsequently used MacTarnahan's name prominently on its products. Portland Brewing expanded through consolidation in 2000, when it merged with Saxer Brewing Company of Lake Oswego, Oregon. In 2004, the 88-year-old MacTarnahan sold the company to Seattle-based Pyramid Breweries. The Portland facility was renamed MacTarnahan's Brewing Company and continued producing the existing portfolio, including MacTarnahan's Amber Ale and other specialty beers. MacTarnahan died later that year. The brewery then passed through several layers of ownership. Pyramid Breweries was acquired by Magic Hat Brewing Company in 2008. North American Breweries acquired the combined business in 2010, and Florida Ice & Farm Co., a Costa Rican beverage company, purchased North American Breweries in 2012. In 2013, the Portland operation announced that it would return to the Portland Brewing Company name, ending the formal MacTarnahan's branding period even though the MacTarnahan's beer legacy remained associated with the brewery. Portland Brewing's portfolio included amber ale, Scottish-style ale, cream porter, and other craft beer styles. Its beers received recognition at competitions including the Great American Beer Festival, the World Beer Championships, and the World Beer Cup. One of its more unusual releases was Governator Ale, an American extra special bitter introduced in 2004 around Arnold Schwarzenegger's election as governor of California. The beer was made as a novelty tribute, but production ended soon after Schwarzenegger's attorneys objected to the name and marketing concept. After more than three decades of operation and several ownership changes, Portland Brewing Company announced on January 8, 2021, that its brewery would cease operations. The closure ended the company's role as an operating Portland brewery. MacTarnahan's remains principally significant as a historic brand identity and flagship beer line associated with one of Portland's early craft-brewing pioneers.
History
Portland Brewing Company was established in Portland, Oregon, in 1986 by Fred Bowman, Art Larrance, and Jim Goodwin. The company emerged during the early expansion of American craft brewing and became part of Portland's developing reputation as a beer-focused city. Investor Robert Malcolm “Mac” MacTarnahan contributed $25,000 and became a major supporter of the brewery. In 1992, the brewery named a beer MacTarnahan's Amber Ale in recognition of its backer. The amber ale became the company's signature product and increasingly linked the brewery's consumer identity with MacTarnahan's name. Financial pressure became acute in 1998, when MacTarnahan acquired $3.5 million of company debt in return for stock. This intervention helped the brewery continue operating and led to more prominent use of MacTarnahan's branding. Portland Brewing merged with Saxer Brewing Company, based in Lake Oswego, Oregon, in 2000. Four years later, MacTarnahan sold the business to Pyramid Breweries of Seattle. The Portland facility was renamed MacTarnahan's Brewing Company, while its established products and brewing activity continued. MacTarnahan died later in 2004. The company subsequently became part of a sequence of larger brewing groups. Pyramid Breweries was acquired by Magic Hat Brewing Company in 2008. North American Breweries acquired that business in 2010, followed by the acquisition of North American Breweries by Florida Ice & Farm Co. in 2012. In 2013, the Portland brewery announced a return to the Portland Brewing Company name. The brewery produced a range of traditional and contemporary craft beers. Its known products included MacTarnahan's Amber Ale, Noble Scot Scottish-style Ale, and BlackWatch Cream Porter. Products associated with Portland Brewing received medals at the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Championships, and the brewery also received a silver medal at the 2016 World Beer Cup. The company attracted attention in 2004 for Governator Ale, an American extra special bitter developed around Arnold Schwarzenegger's election as California governor. The beer used a fictional producer name, “Pumping Iron Brewing,” and packaging depicting a generic bodybuilder rather than Schwarzenegger's actual likeness. Even so, Schwarzenegger's attorneys objected to the use of the “Governator” concept and asserted concerns involving his publicity rights. Portland Brewing, which had recently been acquired by Pyramid, discontinued the beer shortly after its launch. On January 8, 2021, Portland Brewing Company announced that the brewery would cease all operations. The closure ended the company's active brewing presence while leaving MacTarnahan's Amber Ale and the MacTarnahan's naming period as important parts of the brewery's historical identity.
- 2021
Brewing operations cease
[1]Portland Brewing Company announced that its brewery would end all operations.
- 2016
World Beer Cup recognition
[1]A Portland Brewing beer received a silver medal at the World Beer Cup.
- 2013
Return to Portland Brewing Company name
[1]The brewery announced that it would resume its original Portland Brewing Company name.
- 2012
Florida Ice & Farm Co. acquisition
[1]Costa Rica-based Florida Ice & Farm Co. acquired North American Breweries.
- 2010
North American Breweries acquisition
[1]North American Breweries acquired Magic Hat's business, including the Portland brewery.
- 2008
Pyramid acquired by Magic Hat
[1]Magic Hat Brewing Company acquired Pyramid Breweries, bringing the Portland operation into a larger brewing group.
- 2004
Acquisition by Pyramid Breweries and MacTarnahan renaming
[1]MacTarnahan sold the company to Pyramid Breweries, and the Portland facility adopted the MacTarnahan's Brewing Company name.
- 2000
Merger with Saxer Brewing Company
[1]Portland Brewing merged with Saxer Brewing Company of Lake Oswego, Oregon.
- 1998
MacTarnahan restructures the brewery's debt
[1]MacTarnahan purchased approximately $3.5 million in company debt in exchange for stock, helping the brewery recover from financial difficulty.
- 1992
MacTarnahan's Amber Ale introduced
[1]The brewery introduced MacTarnahan's Amber Ale in honor of major investor Robert Malcolm “Mac” MacTarnahan; it became the flagship beer.
Products and positioning
Regional Pacific Northwest craft brewery with a strong Portland identity, emphasizing traditional ale styles, local brewing heritage, and the legacy of backer MacTarnahan.
Amber ale · 1992
MacTarnahan's Amber Ale
Introduced in 1992 to honor investor Mac MacTarnahan, this amber ale became the brewery's flagship product and the central beer associated with the MacTarnahan's identity. Its prominence helped turn the investor's name into a consumer-facing brand used on brewery labels during the company's later history.
Scottish-style ale
Noble Scot
Noble Scot was one of Portland Brewing's recognized traditional-style beers. It represented the brewery's interest in malt-forward ale styles alongside its better-known amber ale and porter offerings.
Cream porter
BlackWatch Cream Porter
BlackWatch Cream Porter was part of the brewery's dark-beer portfolio. The product extended Portland Brewing's range beyond amber ales into a porter style and was among the beers cited in descriptions of the company's historical lineup.
American extra special bitter · 2004
Governator Ale
Governator Ale was a novelty American extra special bitter produced in 2004 after Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor of California. It was packaged in 22-ounce bottles and marketed under the fictional name Pumping Iron Brewing. Production ended shortly after release following objections from Schwarzenegger's attorneys concerning the beer's name and publicity implications.
Marketing campaigns
- 2004Governator Ale launch
California · United States
The brewery created Governator Ale as a humorous tribute to Arnold Schwarzenegger's election as California governor. The packaging used a generic bodybuilder image and a fictional brewery name rather than Schwarzenegger's likeness, while the product was positioned as a serious beer as well as a novelty.
Outcome. The release was distributed in California but was discontinued soon afterward after legal objections from Schwarzenegger's attorneys.
Brand decisions
2021
Closure of brewing operationsOtherBackground
The brewery was owned by Florida Ice & Farm Co. after a series of acquisitions involving Pyramid Breweries, Magic Hat, and North American Breweries.
Action taken
Portland Brewing Company announced that the brewery would cease all operations.
Aftermath
The announcement marked the end of Portland Brewing's operation as an active brewery.
2013
Reversion to the Portland Brewing Company identityStrategyBackground
The brewery had operated under the MacTarnahan's name since its 2004 acquisition by Pyramid Breweries.
Action taken
Management announced that the operation would resume using the Portland Brewing Company name.
Aftermath
The MacTarnahan's naming period ended as the formal facility identity, although MacTarnahan's Amber Ale remained part of the brewery's historical legacy.
2004
Sale to Pyramid BreweriesM&ABackground
MacTarnahan sold Portland Brewing Company after years of involvement as a financial backer and shareholder.
Action taken
Pyramid Breweries acquired the company and renamed the Portland facility MacTarnahan's Brewing Company.
Aftermath
The business continued operating under the MacTarnahan's identity until announcing a return to the Portland Brewing Company name in 2013.
Sources1 sources
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