A new Bavarian experience on the corner of Jackson Avenue and 1st Street is available to any-and-all lovers of beer, wine and central-European food. Introducing: Beerhaus Tap House.

Beerhaus is owned by Kyle Larkin, a diehard Beaver fan and Portland native who was inspired by the Portland-area restaurant Gustav’s and wanted to bring a central-European experience to Corvallis, Ore.

“My goal was to entice people with our variety, quality and our atmosphere,” Larkin said. “However, keep the price point the same [against other local bars and pubs].”

The variety at Beerhaus is no joke. At the bar they have 38 taps and a wall of wine behind them. 

“We have at least six rotating beer taps from Germany at all times,” Larkin said. “I also have three Belgian taps that I bring in from Belgium. And then the rest of my taps are a variety of different IPAs, pails, lagers, pilsners, ciders and sours; those are from all over the country, but predominantly the West coast.”

The Executive Chef and General Manager of Beerhaus, Samuel Rincon, joined in June of 2021. Rincon brought along with him 16 years of experience in the food industry and his expertise as a professional chef.

“I’m very happy that I was able to put all my creativity and knowledge and experience into the business to see it reaching new levels every couple of weeks,” Rincon said.

So far, Rincon said he has had a fantastic time running the day-to-day at Beerhaus. 

“My favorite thing about running the Beerhaus kitchen would be the opportunity to make our own stuff to engage with the community and really hear what they wanted us to make… whatever I come up with, I have to make sure it works within the system in the kitchen; it’s a very small kitchen, and we have to be very proficient with what we have in the space,” Rincon said.

That community interaction is something Rincon and Larkin both love. Larkin is frequently seen in Beerhaus floating between groups, checking in on them. 

“[My favorite part of the job is] making sure that customers have everything that they need, really trying to go over and beyond for the customers to really meet their expectations, but exceed when trying to deliver new experiences for the customer,” Larkin said.

Rincon relies on the community to give him feedback on what they do and do not want to see out of Beerhaus. The tap house’s vegan option, the “Notwurst,” was designed in concert with the voices of the community.

“We wanted to kind of stay away from impossible meat [in the Notwurst],” Rincon said. “Just because the community kept telling us that they did not like impossible meat for whatever reasons. They were saying there’s a lot of places that have impossible meat or veggie burgers, but they just don’t really taste good… [The Notwurst is] the one everyone seems to love.”

Samuel Freeman-Stiller, an OSU alumni, says that there is “always an interesting experience” to be had at Beerhaus. Freeman-Stiller was amazed by the 38 taps on-hand and how knowledgeable each of the bartenders are of each beer and wine on selection.

Beerhaus, having only been open for four months, is continually evolving. 

“[Something we hope to improve is] our curb appeal,” Larkin said. “A lot of people don’t know we exist because our entryways are otherwise hidden. A lot of people drive by and they simply don’t see it. And so I think improving the external facade, and creating more of a welcoming exterior space—that’s really what I’m excited to do in the future.”

Larkin and Rincon both noted their main goal with the outdoor dining was to prepare for the winter. A large canopy will likely be erected, heaters will be placed beneath the canopy and they will focus on getting the aesthetic and lighting just right.

“We tell people that we are the heart of a lion, because we’re trying to be true and genuine in everything we do,” Rincon said. “And then we tell people, ‘it’s great food, great beer, great experiences.’ Those are the three things we work on… It’s all a secret ingredient. And most of you don’t know what the secret ingredient is—but the secret ingredient is love. We care about what we do. And that’s a big thing with a lot of restaurants, they really don’t care. They’re trying to put out food and make some money. But we care a lot.”

No matter what, Rincon said the customer will always come first at Beerhaus. 

“Life is rough,” Rincon said. “It’s rough. You know, people work, they go to school, they got kids—whatever the deal is, life outside the door is rough. When people come out, they come out for a reason because they want to take the edge off. They want to have a good conversation. They want to have some good beer, they want to have some camaraderie. We want people to come to the door…and just have a good time here. And then be excited to come back next time.”