Ryan Pappe Oral History Interview, February 18, 2021

Partial Transcript: Recording. Okay. Go ahead and introduce yourself.

Segment Synopsis: Ryan Pappe introduces himself and provides some background information about himself and his family. He was born in Klamath Falls, Oregon and raised in Roseburg, Oregon, a generally rural area. His father worked in construction and his mom was a stay-at-home mother. Both his maternal and paternal families were farmers, largely in the southern Oregon area.

Partial Transcript: So you moved to Roseburg. What are some of the things that you like to do when you a little kid? What are some of the memories that you have?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe discusses his childhood interests and hobbies. He notes that Roseburg was largely rural, and as a child he thought there was nothing for him to do there. He largely camped, spent time with his friends, and played soccer.

Partial Transcript: And what was happening in the Roseburg community; was this was the time when Roseburg was sort of, the mills were closing...was there, was there was a really big impact economically?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe reflects on the history of Roseburg and how it developed while he grew up there. He explains that the mill industry that contributed significantly to Roseburg’s economy and job market became less prosperous overtime and many mills closed, leading to an economic downturn. As a teenager he often traveled to the coast or to Eugene to spend time with friends rather than remaining in Roseburg.

Partial Transcript: What did you think you wanted to do when you grew up? Like when you were a man?

Segment Synopsis: After high school Pappe enrolled at Willamette university, where he pursued his interest in theatre. He was interested in set design, lighting, sound and acting. Because he was offered a scholarship contingent on his participation in the theatre program, it took up a large portion of his time.

Partial Transcript: What was Salem like at the time? Did you feel pretty isolated from the town itself, or did Willamette feel integrated into the the city?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe talks about attending school in Salem, Oregon. He notes that it was generally a small city, especially when the state legislature was not in session. He and his friends often traveled to Portland and around Oregon during his college career.

Partial Transcript: So did you start homebrewing in college, or was it after you graduated?

Segment Synopsis: After graduating college, Pappe spent two years traveling in Europe, and he recalls becoming more interested in beer and brewing traditions during that trip. After returning to the U.S., he moved to Portland, where he and his roommates began to experiment with homebrewing. He talks about the different brews he made and ingredients he used, and notes that he began sharing his brews with his friends at parties. He was working at a non-profit organization at the time, but recalls that he increasingly felt that brewing was the best career option for him, and he began to look for job openings.

Partial Transcript: So before you move to Cleveland, before we move you to Cleveland, I want to ask about as you were thinking about this as a job and a consumer, what did beer in Portland mean to you?

Segment Synopsis: Papper talks about the beer culture in Portland. He notes that beer and brewing were widely popular hobbies, and that most young people enjoyed spending time in bars. During the 1990s and 2000s craft brewing especially saw an increase popularity, and consumers became more aware of different flavor profiles and styles of beer.

Partial Transcript: When you moved to Cleveland, what was the experience like of being employed in the beer industry but being in a different place?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe was offered a job as a brewer’s assistant in Cleveland, Ohio, and decided to take it. He discusses his work as a brewer’s assistant, the learning curve he faced as a beginner in the industry, the different equipment he used, and the people he worked with. He also talks about the differences between Cleveland and Portland, noting that craft brewing wasn’t as popular in Cleveland, and that Cleveland was more suburban than Portland was.

Partial Transcript: What are some of the things you remember about the difference between homebrewing and actually working and getting paid and like being on a system that wasn't yours in your easy basement?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe discusses the differences between homebrewing and working at a professional brewery. He notes that while the process is the same, a professional brewery is much more industrialized and precise, requiring all employees to collaborate to create identical batches.

Partial Transcript: So you moved back to Centralia and the the job that you took was at a company that was not huge.

Segment Synopsis: Pappe and his wife decided that they wanted to leave Cleveland and return to the Pacific Northwest, which eventually led Pappe to take a job at Dick’s Brewing in Centralia, Washington. He explains that it was a small brewery in a small town and that the brewery was fairly new. He describes his role at the company and his relationship with the owner and other employees.

Partial Transcript: So you started as a brewer. Were you hired? Who, who wrote your paycheck? What was the name on your paycheck?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe talks about getting hired at Portland Brewing. He explains that the structure of the company was unusual, as it had gone through a few mergers and changes in ownership, and provides some background information about the management of the company. He states that because of the changes in management, most of the employees at the company were fairly new.

Partial Transcript: What was it like when you started?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe talks about the work culture at Portland Brewing when he was hired there, the different events the brewery participated in, including Oktoberfest, and the state of the brewery and its equipment. He notes that the brewery itself was in a state of semi-disrepair, and needed to be improved.

Partial Transcript: When did your family move to Portland?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe talks about moving to Portland with his family. He describes his wife’s career at Thurston Regional Planning Council and briefly discusses raising his daughter in Portland.

Partial Transcript: So you were brewer, you were lead brewer, you were head brewer...What are some points of transition or milestones that you think of during that time?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe talks about how Portland Brewing has changed since he began working there, and how his own work style as a brewmaster has changed. He talks about the different roles he’s worked over the years and notes that he encourages interactions between production workers and brewers. He also talks about some of the different beers that Portland Brewing has produced while he worked there and the popular flavor profiles they produce.

Partial Transcript: So have the people who apply for jobs and work where you are. Has that changed over the time that you've that you've been there?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe discusses the changes he’s observed in the brewing community over the course of his career. He notes that there’s now a greater emphasis on formal education rather than apprenticeship style training systems. He also notes that the brewing community is generally very friendly, which he views as very important.

Partial Transcript: I'm also curious about the thinking about, the adult thing of the Portland beer slash Oregon beer scene and what it has been like to have been in one place for so long and to have seen so many people come through...That's a question I feel like there were like maybe like 18 questions in there. Speak to the things I just said.

Segment Synopsis: Pappe discusses some of the difficulties potential entrepreneurs face when opening their own breweries. He notes that many new breweries fail, and that it’s important to quickly begin marketing products and selling them through popular distributors. He briefly reflects on how the industry has become increasingly saturated with new breweries and how that impacts competition among brewers.

Partial Transcript: So I was going to ask you, the question I've been dying to ask is, do you want to? Have you ever thought about opening your own brewery?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe explains that he doesn’t believe he’ll found his own brewery. He discusses the economic difficulties of such a task and the time constraints.

Partial Transcript: Who do you see weathering this and what do you, what do you think, like, look at your magic ball. What do you think comes out the other end of this?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe talks about the impacts of Covid-19 on the brewing industry. He notes that shutdowns and quarantines have led to the closure of many breweries. He discusses the benefits and drawbacks of selling products through market distributors and through restaurants and bars, and notes that he’s unsure how that will change after the pandemic.

Partial Transcript: Was there anything that you thought I would ask about that I didn't?

Segment Synopsis: Pappe expresses his gratitude for the experiences he’s had working at Portland Brewing and thanks the interviewer.