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Beer and more – Silver Falls Brewery’s community spirit earns a toast

February 2022 Posted in Community

By James Day

Andrew Fox was in the landscaping industry. Eric Druliner worked in law enforcement. They shared a love of beer – and of Silverton.

The result: Silver Falls Brewery, which joined the local craft beer scene in 2015 in a converted pole barn in Druliner’s backyard and now occupies a gleaming structure in downtown Silverton.

But it’s not just a brewery. The company – and its employees – has very quickly entwined itself into community life in Silverton, with the result that it has been named Silverton Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year and will be honored Feb. 26 as part of the Silverton Community Awards night.

“Part of our mission statement is to be involved and give back to our community,” said Druliner, whose roots in Silverton go back nearly 35 years.  “When we were asked to take over the beer garden at Homer Days, we didn’t hesitate. We were honored to be a part of Homer.”

“Building a brewery gave me an opportunity again to be a part of our amazing community that I was so passionate about. It also gave me the challenge to be innovative. Operating a brewery is not just about brewing beer, it’s about community. So, that is why we like to say we are ‘bringing craft beer and the community together.’”

Silver Falls Brewery also has been involved with the Strawberry Festival, the skatepark expansion project and has supported volunteers at the Oregon Garden, according to those nominating the brewery for the award.

Fox grew up in Cincinnati and lived in Pennsylvania during and after college but preferred the small town feel and community.

“In 2002 I decided to move to Portland,” he said. “Having college friends that lived in Silverton, I was visiting a lot. When I met my soon-to-be wife in Silverton we decided that when we have children that we would buy a house in Silverton.

“The community feel of Silverton is what drew me here. Everyone helps each other out and doesn’t bat an eye. Being able to give back to the community is what we are all about and believe in. I have always loved the science of brewing and when there was an opportunity to enter into this profession I couldn’t pass it up.”

“I fell in love with home brewing over the years,” he said. “As the craft industry grew I watched how breweries make a positive impact within the community. I started brewing with friends with the intent to some day build a brewery. Some things just lined up at the right time…”

At Silver Falls’ impressive brewing facility and alehouse on Jersey Street, the employment roster ranges between 15 in the winter to 30 in the summer, with a COVID-influenced beer output of 400 barrels (each barrel is 31 gallons) per year.

The facility itself has already expanded, with the owners adding a second story and meeting rooms in 2021. The meeting rooms are in frequent use by Silverton groups, another sign of the community spirit of the brewery.

“Our goal as things get back to normal is to produce over 1,000 barrels next year,” Druliner said. 

The brewery and ale house are open Wednesday through Sunday, with Sunday featuring brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.