Two small-town folks, one big-time dream
In 2001, Doug Ellenberger packed up his 1987 Volvo Station Wagon and made the haul from Indiana to Hood River, Oregon, following his love of craft beer and mountainous terrain. He brought with him a few duffel bags belongings and a load of knowledge from his time brewing for Lafayette Brewing Co. He landed himself a job at Full Sail Brewing, honing his craft. One year later, in 2002, Christine McAleer left her life and career as a social worker in West Virginia to pursue her passion for the outdoors, landing her in the great Columbia River Gorge. One seasonal gig after the other, she found herself at Full Sail Brewing, where she met Doug.
Friends at first, it didn’t take long to turn into something more (especially at the rate Doug likes to share terribly corny jokes). They fell in love, not only with each other, but with a mutual dream of owning a business that would reflect their desire to provide innovative brews, locally-sourced food, and – most importantly – a place for friends, family, and strangers to connect and find a sense of home. Six years and a whole lot of footwork later, Everybody’s Brewing was founded in White Salmon, WA.
“The beginning stage definitely had its challenges, but we had wonderful people helping us. The community embraced us more than we ever could have dreamed. We began with 12 employees, including myself and Dougie. We worked every position: dishwashing, brewing, packaging, cooking, serving, you name it. We did whatever we needed to make it happen.” Christine reminisces, “We’ve been blessed to meet truly amazing people within our community and our staff. Everybody’s always had a family-like feel with our team members; without them, none of this would have been possible. Fast-forward 10 years: we now own a beautiful, new building, have a team of over 70 incredible staff members, and are selling beer in three states, still with the full support of the community. It is unbelievable to think how fast time has flown by.”
Everybody’s embodies just what the name suggests; a beer and a place for everybody. A lot of folks capitalize on the exclusivity of their product or location, but not us. We believe in the power of the shared human experience and strive to provide that to all, be it with a laugh and fresh pint at our pub, a six-pack split between friends on the river, or a bottle of your favorite brew after a long, hard day.
