Root & Rye Hop Farm & Brewery Takes Flight After Crowing Hen’s Exit

CARLTON, Ore. – Shelly Bigley has spent decades shaping the Oregon brewing scene from her Portland brewpubs. Now, she’s taking on a new venture, purchasing the former Crowing Hen Brewing property and reshaping it as Root & Rye Hop Farm & Brewery. 

Bigley, who co-founded the Old Market Pub in Portland in 1994, has been running that and another business solo since the passing of her husband, Andrew, in 2021. When a real estate magazine landed on her doorstep last year, it set off a new chapter in her entrepreneurial career.

“I saw the listing and thought, ‘That’s interesting,’” Bigley said. “Andy and I had always talked about taking the next step—finding a farm-to-table opportunity. Here it was on my doorstep.”

Wasting no time, she contacted the realtor and arranged a visit. She made her first trip when the brewery was closed and later returned as a customer, observing operations from the patio.

“I wanted to sit there, watch how things worked, and walk around to see what I could do with the space,” she said. “I immediately saw the opportunities on the table and felt like it would work.”

The Purchasing Process

Bigley’s experience in the industry informed her cautious approach to the acquisition. Rather than rushing in, she ensured the business could remain operational throughout negotiations. The property was listed in April 2023 and closed in Nov. 2024.

“I had heard that when hours were sporadic, customers stopped coming,” she said. “I didn’t want to risk that happening, so I asked them to keep running the business while we worked on the deal.”

She also delayed taking over the business until all licensing—from county to federal—was secured. That process proved challenging.

“There were so many restrictions,” she said. “I wanted to do what the place across the street (Abbey Road Farm) was doing, but the county told me that license wasn’t issued anymore.”

Bigley hired a planner to navigate the regulatory hurdles, ultimately landing on a farm brewery permit. The catch? The permit required 15 acres of planted hops, which meant a significant investment beyond the one acre planted by the former owners, Michelle and Ryan Rhea, before she even owned the property.

“I went back to the former owners and said, ‘We need to get trellising installed for me to move forward,’” she said. “They didn’t want to cover the cost, so I asked my accountant if I should go ahead and do it myself. He said yes, so I did.”

The gamble paid off, and now the property now has 15 acres of trellised land and hops ready to reach new heights.

The Future of the Brewery

The newly acquired brewery houses a five-barrel system (producing roughly 10 kegs per batch), a smaller scale than Old Market’s 15-barrel system (producing roughly 30 kegs per batch). The brewing operation will remain separate, with longtime brewer Bobby Stevens overseeing both locations.

“We’re keeping the brands distinct, but I plan on selling some of the hops to Old Market,” Bigley said. “Fresh hop season is going to be wild.”

The brewery will offer consistent beers with several rotating beer styles, alongside some non-alcoholic options like hop water and housemade sodas. 

“It’s nice to have a fancy drink when you’re out with your friends and they’re having one, even if you don’t want alcohol,” she said. “Especially out here—we expect to sell a lot of N/A drinks and we want them to be as excited about that as the beer drinkers.”

Root & Rye also has a limited food menu including bratwurst, pizza, and pretzels, and the door is open for future food carts, she said. But to start, Bigley said she wants to keep it simple and then grow with the business.

Beyond brewing, she has already rebranded the space, working with designers to create custom wallpaper featuring her own artwork. The interior has been refreshed with new paint and lighting, and she plans to expand distribution by securing tap handles at local bars and restaurants.

With licensing secured, infrastructure in place, and operations underway, Bigley feels her latest project is poised to contribute to Oregon’s storied brewing landscape as the region heads into the busy tourism season. 

Bigley is no stranger to risk, having built her businesses from the ground up. Old Market Pub, launched in 1994, was funded through personal loans and credit cards, she said. Now, with three companies under her belt, she sees this latest venture as another leap of faith.

“Every business is a risk,” she said. “But I believe in what we’re doing.”

Root & Rye Hop Farm & Brewery is open Wednesday through Friday, 1 to 8 p.m., and noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, visit Root & Rye Hop Farm & Brewery’s website.