Brewing Connections: Ponderosa Beer + Books
Jessie Polin’s innovative fusion of craft beer and literature
Jessie Polin, founder and owner of Ponderosa Beer + Books. // Photo by Kristina Gray
By Isabel Hyde
Located by the waterfront, just minutes from the heart of downtown Bellingham, lies a beautifully brewed concoction of community, craft beer and love for literature and discovery. Ponderosa Beer + Books, founded and owned by former musician Jessie Polin, is more than just a taphouse – it’s a vibrant, welcoming spot where sounds of glasses clinking, pages turning and people connecting blend together to create a perfect melody.
Jessie started to develop her passion for craft beer while working as a professional flutist. In 2013, she began splitting her time between Seattle and Boise, Idaho, to play with the Boise Philharmonic Symphony and Orchestra. It was during this time — and with the help of her orchestra friends — that Jessie was first exposed to a large array of different beers.
By the time Jessie started to seriously consider leaving music, her interest in beer had increased significantly. With the goal of finding something that allowed her to continue doing her own thing, Jessie began developing a vision that combined her newfound love for craft beers with her longtime love of books. She had in mind a place where people could come together to enjoy a finely-brewed drink, while discovering more about the world of beer through literary works.
On July 2, 2022, Ponderosa Beer + Books opened its doors and came to life.
Walking into the taphouse feels like entering a little oasis. The high ceilings do a lot to open up the space, and allow for a balcony with room for additional seating. Windows stretch around three sides of the building, letting natural sunlight flow in to paint everything in its path. Shelves filled with books and a variety of plants are strategically placed around the room, adding splashes of color to the white walls. Behind the bar, 16 taps line the wall, each of them ready to dispense a unique, high-quality beer or cider.
“Quality is the top thing. I really won't put anything on that I don't stand behind,” Jessie said.
To encourage people to try new brews, Jessie prioritizes bringing in a broad array of fun, interesting beers, and mostly steers clear of trendy IPAs.
“I think that a lot of people think they don't like beer because, in the Northwest, if you start at a young age, you usually just think that beer is IPA. If you don't like that, that's okay, but it doesn't necessarily mean that you don't like beer,” Jessie said.
By offering different styles, Jessie hopes to help those who may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with beer and beer culture explore new flavors and possibly discover a love for craft brews.
Jessie’s personal go-to picks are pilsners and dark lagers.
In addition to beer, Jessie tries to have three or four ciders available on tap at any given time. She said that since she’s never been very serious about cider, this part of the journey has been extra exciting, as she’s gotten to discover even more new styles and flavors. Her favorites have been on the brinier and funkier side, and she particularly enjoys a good Spanish-style cider.
To support her secondary goal of helping others expand their knowledge of beer and other drinks, Jessie decided to stock the establishment with beverage-related books. She focuses on stocking books that are written by women and other underrepresented people in the food and beverage industries, and wants to ensure that the material remains accessible to all readers.
“There's a whole category of beverage books that are pretty technical and meant for professionals,” Jessie said. “I'm always trying to look for things that make it fun and approachable and have really good knowledge.”
The taphouse’s shelves currently consist mostly of beer, wine, cider and cocktail books; however, Jessie is working on bringing in more food-related books, with the hopes of eventually expanding her collection even further.
In addition to its delightful brews and literary treasures, Ponderosa Beer + Books has also become something of a community hub. Jessie’s commitment to fostering a welcoming space has led to regular events, from maker’s markets to hosting the Silent Book Club’s Bellingham chapter.
“I love Silent Book Club so much,” Jessie said. “Everybody brings a book of their choice and reads for an hour, and then the second hour is just unstructured book chit-chat and socializing. It's really fun because everyone's on their own reading journey and you get to hang out with other people that like to read.”
The taphouse has also put on several wine tastings and food pairing events. The latter are especially memorable for Jessie as they involve a collaborative effort with other business owners.
Together, Jessie and Nancy Stuart, the founder and owner of Saltadena Bakery and Cake Shop, have put on several beer and cream puff pairings over the last year.
“Not only are these events a fun way to flex different creative muscles, but they're also a great way for us to introduce new customers to each other's businesses and show support in the process,” Nancy said. “I also just love watching someone in their element, and Jessie is so good at pairing beers with the cream puff flavors that I put together.”
It hasn’t been all sunshine and cream puffs for Jessie, though. From dealing with permits and construction issues to navigating the complexity of being a female entrepreneur, she has seen her fair share of challenges.
“I think, just like any woman that's ever tried to be in charge of anything will tell you, sometimes it's difficult to convince people that you know what you're doing and that you have the authority to decide,” Jessie said.
She added that customers don’t typically assume she’s the owner of the taphouse, and tend to turn instead to her male employees. Jessie hasn’t been alone in this experience. Karolina Lobrow, co-founder of Otherlands Beer, had faced similar preconceptions as a fellow female business owner in the beer industry. Neither woman views this unfortunate trend as an especially significant challenge, but they both did note their annoyance with it.
Despite these obstacles, being a female entrepreneur in the beer industry comes with some unique advantages as well. Jessie believes that her life experiences have helped her be more creative in developing a space that’s welcoming and inviting, especially to those who may be intimidated to enter a taphouse because they don’t like or know much about beer.
“It's harder to imagine that [space] when every space is always for you. It’s hard to imagine being inclusive when you don't really know what it feels like to not be included,” Jessie said.
This sentiment was echoed by Karolina. She said being a female equips her with a unique lens through which she can view and develop her brewery’s atmosphere and products.
“You can use your own experience to create a space that's different,” Karolina said. “One of the things I think Jessie does well and that we really try to do [at Otherlands] is create a really beautiful, cozy, comfortable space.”
Both Jessie and Karolina highlighted the importance of creating inviting spaces that ensure a feeling of comfort and security for all patrons.
Jessie’s advice to aspiring female entrepreneurs reflects her own journey of determination, willingness to adapt and learn, and recognition of the value of connections and teamwork.
“There's definitely so much about Ponderosa that would not exist if not for all the help that I have,” Jessie said.
She credits a lot of Ponderosa Beer + Books’ success to the teamwork that went into making her vision a reality, as well as to the many relationships she’s developed since opening.
“I think one of the best parts about this has just been connecting with other women business owners in Bellingham,” Jessie said. “There's an enormous network of women out there who want to help other women figure out how to do stuff.”
Since its opening, Ponderosa Beer + Books has become a center of unique connections and shared experiences. A vibrant, welcoming space where the art of craft beer intersects beautifully with a passion for exploring literary works, the taphouse stands as a testament to its founder’s innovation and dedication.