Leikam Brewing

What happens when a CPA-turned-brewer and a community organizer decide to start a brewery?

You get Leikam Brewing.

Founded in 2014, Leikam is a certified kosher, family-owned and operated 5BBL brewery in Southeast Portland. We started brewing in our backyard, grew into our first retail location on 58th and Burnside in 2019, and then—like so many small businesses—had our plans dramatically rearranged by the pandemic just six months later. In 2021, we moved production into our Burnside taproom and community space, where the brewery continues to evolve.

But Leikam has become much more than a place to make and sell beer.

From the beginning, we wanted to build a business rooted in our values: hospitality, community, generosity, Jewish culture, and tikkun olam—the idea that we all have a responsibility to help repair the world. A portion of our profits supports nonprofit organizations we care about, and our space regularly welcomes musicians, chess players, book clubs, artists, community groups, and anyone looking for a place to gather.

As a kosher brewery, Leikam has also become an unexpected doorway into Jewish life. We host Shabbat gatherings, holiday celebrations, Jewish cultural events, music, food, classes, and conversations alongside the everyday business of serving beer. I’ve seen firsthand how a brewery can become a place where people encounter Jewish culture without needing to walk through the doors of a traditional Jewish institution—and where Jewish people can bring their full selves into a public, welcoming space.

And yes, I do a little bit of everything. I’m the janitor, webmaster, head of marketing, HR department, event planner, problem solver, and occasional emergency plumber. Running a small business has been an extraordinary education in entrepreneurship and resourcefulness. There is nowhere to hide when something breaks, a plan changes, or you realize you are the person who has to figure it out.

Those roles have strengthened skills I use throughout my work: strategic thinking, project management, building a shared vision, managing limited resources, navigating uncertainty, and—perhaps most importantly—removing obstacles so that good ideas can actually happen.

I’ve also loved becoming part of Portland’s broader brewing community. I’ve served on the Oregon Brewers Guild board and have been deeply involved with our local Pink Boots Society chapter, connecting with and supporting women and nonbinary people in the beer industry.

Leikam has taught me that entrepreneurship and community building aren't separate things. A business can be financially sustainable and values-driven. A brewery can be a gathering place. Jewish life can happen in unexpected places. And sometimes, the best way to build community is simply to make room at the table.

Also, although Oregon's official beverage is milk, I remain convinced it should be beer.