Northwest Brewery has a lot to celebrate.

And from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, the Pacific-based brewery plans to toast its second anniversary with a three-band, two-food, truck extravaganza.

“What we normally do is make the whole parking lot a beer garden, with a stage in the middle,” said CEO Greg Steed.

The business launched in Pacific five years ago as Trade Route Brewing. Steed and Dan Anthony took it over two years later and set to work, determined to use their extensive experience in the beverage industry to catapult the small brewery into the big time. Carried on the strong backs of brands Hoppy Bitch IPA, Joker Amber Ale and Mango Weizen, Northwest Brewery has since established its niche in the crowded, craft-brew industry.

Today, Oregon, Idaho and Washington residents can find Joker and Mango Weizen in local grocery stores.

All told, the brewery offers more than a dozen different beers, including Bad Panda ginger pale ale, Hawk One lager – a tip of the helmet to the Seahawks – and Bourbon Barrel Local Ink, a limited edition brew available only in its tap room.

“We make so many beers now that our business is so diversified that we don’t want to chop one,” Steed said. “They’re all doing well. Our business plan is to build each different brand, rather than just umbrella-ing them under Northwest Pale Ale or Northwest IPA. That game plan is really working for us.”

Northwest also busy brewing up Whip Ale, a pale ale produced in collaboration with Michael Wilton, lead guitarist of legendary Northwest heavy metal band Queensrÿche.

The brewery has come a long way.

“There were three 15-barrel fermenters when we took over,” said Anthony, the brewery’s chief operating officer. “Now there are two 15s, seven 30-barrel and three 60-barrel fermenters.”

“We produce almost as much in a month now as we did in a year when we bought the place,” Steed said. “We’re just shy of that. The first year we did 635 barrels.”

Northwest produces more than 500 barrels a month, about 6,000 a year, Steed said.

And there is more growth on the horizon. In the works are plans to move their brands into the Arizona market ,and possibly into North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.

Anthony and Steed mean to stay rooted in Pacific.

“We’ve got a lot of vertical room to grow. We’re working with our landlord on how to maximize what’s here,” Anthony said. “We’ll be here for a while.”

“We don’t want to leave the area for a lot of reasons,” Steed added.

Northwest Brewing Company’s taproom, at 1091 Valentine Ave. SE, is open from noon to 10 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays; from noon to 11 p.m. Fridays; and from noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays.

For more information, visit www.northwestbrewingcompany.com, or call 253-987-5680 .