Introducing Gold Dot Beer, a new brand from the brewer couple behind Heater Allen

The heritage brewery has a shiny new sister

You may have already noticed, but there’s a new name showing up on taps around town and new cans in the fridges each emblazoned with a shiny gold medallion. Is it a gold medal? Perhaps it’s the moon? A modernist twist on a gold star? The interpretation of the name is up to the drinker, but Gold Dot is a home-grown brand and McMinnville’s newest voice in craft beer. 

Gold Dot Beer was born of the collective talents of Heater Allen brewer Lisa Allen and her partner Kevin Davey, who was the founding brewmaster at Wayfinder Beer in Portland. The couple debuted the first Gold Dot beers to the world in March of 2023, all while quietly transforming the space at their home brewery Heater Allen to accommodate production for both brands and a taproom open year round. 

Since 2017, Lisa has been the Heater Allen’s head brewer. Her father, Rick Allen, launched the brand in 2007 as McMinnville’s only brewery devoted specifically to making unfiltered pilsners and other lager beers in traditional German and Czech styles. At the time, he chose McMinnville because of its water quality. Since then, Heater Allen has maintained a loyal regional fandom and distinguished itself in the Oregon craft brewing scene for its focused approach. Lisa continues Rick’s original vision forward stewarding the brand into the future along with Kevin; in late 2022 the couple purchased a majority share of the brewery. 

The couple, who met through the beer industry, are now co-brewers managing production of Heater Allen’s familiar lineup. Launching Gold Dot represents a way to develop creatively and brew beers that don’t fit into the Heater Allen portfolio. 

“We’re not going to stop making our legacy beers, and we’ll still be inventing new Heater Allen beers as well,” Kevin explained, “but the Gold Dot brand is me and Lisa going toward, together.” 

“It’s kind of common in the wine world,” adds Lisa, “for a winery to have two labels and sometimes the same winemaker is making both labels.” For them, Gold Dot represents a channel to play with some new styles without fundamentally changing the focus of Heater Allen. 

That doesn’t mean you should expect to see a passionfruit sour or a hazy IPA in the lineup anytime soon; like Heater Allen, Gold Dot focuses on restrained, traditional styles, but the beers that Gold Dot has debuted thus far do break from the Heater Allen mold. 

“We’re in the same mindset as a lot of the local winemakers. We want to make beers that taste great that don’t rely on hype,” said Kevin. 

Their flagship beer is a crystal clear helles lager sold in a powder blue can. Staggers & Jags is a cold IPA that’s dry, bitter and intensely hoppy, with a refreshing finish. There’s also their Blue Label Dark Lager, a Dunkel bier, and an export lager, a slightly stronger version of their helles. At the brewery there’s more on draft, including some experimental and small batch beers that they’re playing with. 

A major change in the physical space has opened up new possibilities at their Tenth and Alpine brewery. A longtime winery tenant departed the space, kicking off a massive renovation where step by step they’ve reorganized refrigeration, added and plumbed new tanks, and carved out a footprint for a year round taproom. 

“We’d never done a tasting room, not really.” Kevin said, “We had a little tasting room that was open three days a week in the summertime.” 

Now they welcome beer lovers to try brews from both labels five days a week. There’s a roll-up door and a dog-friendly (and kid) friendly patio with a sun shade framed by shipping containers. 

The sweet, malty aroma of fermentation sets the tone for the space, portending many more delicious brews to come.

Emily Teel (she/her) writes about cooking and dining and develops recipes on behalf of national brands. Mom to a toddler, she’s also an avid gardener and loves to forage for mushrooms and berries in the Pacific Northwest.

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