Oregon’s craft cocktail scene is hitting a new stride. The next-gen mobile bars are making use of horse trailers, food carts and other modes of transportation to bring craft cocktails and local brews to thirsty event goers all over the state. Their top mixologists, local ingredients, and high style are drawing crowds. Mobile bars are just getting rolling….on AND off the grid.
Read on for our list of top mobile bars with craft cocktail vibe that are making a scene of their own in Oregon. Wave when you see them on the road!
Spirit Haus Saloon – Eugene
Jovie Belisle, owner/operator of traveling beverage company Spirit Haus Saloon, honed her craft at notable Oregon establishments such as The Observatory in Portland, and Marché, Bar Parlieu, and George + Violet’s Steakhouse in the Eugene-Springfield area. Wildcrafted, personally grown, or locally sourced herbs are just some of the ingredients found in her craft cocktail creations.
Her newest roadshows are on trend with social distancing and event restrictions. A mobile tap cart arrives fully stocked with beer options, craft cocktails, coffee, wine, and bubbles. For stay-at-home customers seeking creative libations, check out her zero contact garden-to-glass cocktail mix delivery service. Pre-mixed, filtered and ready to add you favorite local spirits, The Empress, The Placebo and The Almanac are juicy and spirited mixes of citrus, herbs, sweeteners, and other local ingredients.
Silver Julep – PDX
Launched by beverage industry veteran Kate Bolton, the Silver Julep rolls up to events in an eye-popping silver Airstream trailer and gets the cocktails flowing. Repurposed in high style, it has become an essential part of small intimate gatherings as well as large outdoor events across the Pacific Northwest. The sister company of Mint & Mirth, Bolton’s elite cocktail catering and event company, Silver Julep goes one step further with party service off the grid.
Local partnerships with Oregon distillers (Wild Roots Spirits and Portland Bitters Project, among others) and local farms, such as Baird Family Farms and Abbey Road Farm, made craft cocktails by Silver Julep a true local service.
Update: Bolton has closed the Silver Julep as of September 2021, but the famous Airstream is available event rentals.
ROAM, The Mobile Bar Company – Grant’s Pass
ROAM is an upstart gourmet food and liquid catering company specializing in signature custom cocktails (think “his, hers and ours”) served from a 1960 Fireball Travel trailer turned boutique, vintage-style mobile service. Owner Heather White, a veteran of the Southern Oregon hospitality industry, is now past her second event season and has already earned fans for her kombucha-based Moscow Mule.
To meet the needs of socially distanced events, corporate meetings, and celebrations in 2020, White launched her first sister service, Wildly Platter Company, a modern and elevated way to eat with Grazing Boxes, Grazing Platters, and Grazing Tables. Delivery, pick-up, & on-site builds are available.
Currently sourcing ingredients from Sugar Blossom Farm in Murphy, Oregon, ROAM also uses Rogue Creamery cheeses and Taylors Sausage meats in their abundant grazing packages. White’s future plans include even more local sourcing and crafting her own “grazing” recipes.
Twist, Cocktail Catering Co. – Bend
For Stephanie Anderson Stroup, Twist was the result of attending numerous events over the years and finding that the bar always seemed an afterthought—despite living in a state where cocktails and beer take center stage anywhere else. She decided that Twist would do things better and launched her unique mobile bar, Decanter Mobile Tap Room, in 2008 with a repurposed horsebox trailer from the UK.
In addition to providing speedy service with a charm, Stroup sources ingredients from local distilleries that match her brand of craft cocktails. On the horizon are plans to grow her own botanicals for garden-to-glass seasonal flavors.
TAPS Mobile Pub – Bend
TAPS Mobile Pub offers a range of mobile bars in different sizes to fit the event, with bartenders trained and certified by OLCC. You can even rent the pub and be your own bartender. Although ciders and kombucha have become popular, TAPS recognizes that local craft beers are usually guest favorites.
Since hitting the road in 2014, TAPS has become a favorite at Bend’s best events and concerts and anywhere else an outdoor venue can be enhanced with a craft beer, cider and wine. Look for their original mobile pub at NWX Farmer’s Market in Bend. They also serve the beer and cocktail crowd with their for-rent Mini Pub and Tiny Bar self-service units.
The Tipsy Mule – Eugene
The Tipsy Mule may be petite but it’s big on hospitality credits. Longtime veterans of bar and dining service at Eugene’s notable Marché Restaurant, Danny Barnum, mixology winner of the 2017 Food Scene Eugene and runner-up at 2017 Bite of Oregon, and his partner Marisa Messick, take their newly outfitted rig to special events and weddings.
The Tipsy Mule creates classic and custom cocktails with a fresh twist, such as a Spicy Coconut Margarita and Blackberry Bourbon Smash. Staying local, seasonal, and sustainable with cocktail ingredients from Adkins Blueberry Farm, Me and Moore Farms, Long Table Farm and Crater Lake Spirits, among others, makes The Tipsy Mule a true example of Oregon’s values.
Bonus! Craft Cocktail Recipe for Watermelon Mint Margarita
Top image credit: Twist Cocktail Catering Co.
First published June 25, 2018 and updated July 28, 2020 with new images and content.
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