In a city whose beer scene grows more competitive each day, it’s still possible to find a fun, easygoing place that feels like it’s off the radar—a place without distraction where you can hoist a freshly made pint, chew on a good bratwurst, and sit outside on the sidewalk under an emerging spring sun. Such is the case with Second Profession Brewing, a newish spot that I was able to wander into without any preconceived notions or expectations. By reading this review I guess you won’t have the same luxury, but I’m confident Second Profession can live up to the modest amount of praise I’m about to bestow upon it.
Second Profession Brewing opened in the former BTU Brasserie space in October 2017, and since that time it has settled into its role as a welcoming hangout in the Rose City Park neighborhood. You can see the seven-barrel brewing system from the street—owner/brewer Charlie Goman bought it complete from BTU, but the recipes are all Second Profession’s own. The name comes from Goman’s career change, but also refers to a saying that brewing is the world’s second oldest profession (we all know what the first one is).
The bright main room is painted in basic black and white. There’s a small private room off to the left, and a hallway that passes the kitchen to access the outdoor seating. There’s a clean, slightly industrial feel to the place—more like a modern coffee shop than a wood-beamed brewpub—and you order all of your food and drink, coffee-shop style, from the central bar that dominates the room. (Although the efficient staff may come around and ask how you’re doing as they clear off your empties.) Loud conversation has a tendency to bounce off the hard surfaces, but the room is designed in a way that allows for a few nooks and crannies. If things get too boisterous inside—as they did on a recent visit, when the screeching of a post-work group in the smaller private room carried out into the main room—the outdoor seating, along Northeast 59th, is spacious and calm in good weather.
