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Time to hunker down with a cozy stout named Wintering from Kings & Daughters Brewery in Portland, Oregon.
“Unique and special enough for a holiday evening, classic enough for an every-night at home, this smooth stout hints at coffee and chocolate, with a touch of vanilla.”
Last year I finally visited one of the two Function PDX locations in Portland. And they are banging in the first half of 2025 with doubled up tap takeovers….
…and you are seeing correctly, there is a lot of SoCal represented. So let your PNW friends know they can taste some of the same beers that we are lucky to get.
With the news of Portland getting a WNBA franchise, time to turn attention to re-creating another PNW grudge match. Blazers vs Sonics. Ever since the Thunder came into being because of duplicitous Oklahoma ownership, basketball fans have lost a rivalry game. With the Ducks running for the money train, the UofO – OSU game has lost its luster and we could use an old fashioned derby game.
The other near lock for a new franchise (with LeBron’s backing) is Las Vegas. That tracks too because that city has been real vocal and supportive even with the bastard step-children franchises from their relationship with Oakland.
But I would like to see a franchise added to the Eastern Conference and it might raise some eyebrows but Puerto Rico would be someplace to look at. There would be expat fans and it would balance out the lone Canadian franchise. More importantly it could use a boost that the NBA could bring and there is no reason why the NBA or the NFL can’t use their power to build up instead of always choosing cities with that already have a lot of sway.
For beer, get yourself a couple beers each of Oregon beers and Washington beers. Pick one style, like pilsner of West Coast IPA or stout and get a friend to help you blind taste test and see what the rankings are.
Two items are now on the to-do list now that the WNBA has announced that Portland will be getting a reincarnated franchise.
First is a real kick ass name. The NWSL Thorns is great because it is a riff on the City of Roses and also matches up with the woodsy Timber name for the MLS team. Please do not try to bring back the generic Fire or Power names from the past.
Pioneers is good but a little to spot on though I would take it in a pinch. I prefer Pathfinders but maybe take a cue from the minor league baseball franchises like the Hillsboro Hops or Portland Pickles or Salem Marion Berries. Or keep the T going from Timbers, Thorns and Trailblazers and go with Thunderbirds or to riff off the Portlandia statue, Tridents.
Once someone more Gen Alpha than me figures that out, our breweries need to make a signature beer for the team. Considering that Portland is a great coffee city, I suggest a Golden Coffee Stout. Something smooth and rich but with a nice topnote of java to give it a little burst. If the team does go the T route than TIPA becomes a frontrunner.
Narratives, whether true or false, can be powerful. Many American cities have been painted with a broad brush of “unsafe” or “uncool” even if the day to day is not much different.
Portland, my hometown neighbor to the north, has endured a bit of bad press you could say but during both of my visits this year, it has seemed just as filled with beer, good food and frustrating parking as any city one lives in or visits.
So I am glad to see Old Town Brewing go to bat and stand up for the City of Roses with their recently launched Believe in Portland IPA. Which you can read more about HERE.
Since the last Portland post was menus only, I thought that I would finish up with a few pretty pics to make you want to visit…
One day left in the Rose City and after fueling up with donuts ( Delicious Donuts ) and pizza ( Pizza Thief ) there were beers to be had and a last cocktail or two.
First up was Freeland Spirits which had an extensive Pride menu for their gins and bourbons. I went with the Butterfly G&T and it came in a big ol’ glass and was a vibrant purple. The base drink was not blown away by the blackberry tea and the pea flower.
Then, down the road was Great Notion and they were brewing beer. You could smell it in the air. Malt was a’ cooking. I figured that I should get something weird so went with the Orange Creamsicle Milkshake IPA. The ice cream part came through but the orange was a little lacking.
After a break, it was time for the last beer of the trip. And finally, I got to see inside of Function PDX. This beer bar hosts a single brewery each month from outside of Oregon and this month it was Dewey Beer from Delaware. I decided to go real big and chose an 11% stout ( which made the best of July list ).
Finally, since airport security was speedee, there was plenty of time to sample some Westward Whiskey. And we got a bonus taster as well. There was a White Dog, their flagship and a cask strength as well as Pinot Noir barrel-aged version, a stout barrel version and a rum barrel version. My favorite was the Pinot. Most were a little too on the hot side. There was a little mini- cocktail too.
This second report will be more spirited than the first. We head to 23rd Avenue and gin at Aria. A lovely little spot with all sort of cocktail accoutrements. You got to taste the gin plus the summer seasonal cocktail tasters including a preview of their upcoming G&T canned cocktail.
Then, more gin, over at Aviation. And, of course, the special July cocktail flight which was Weapon X themed. Deadpool drinks. Leaving out the jalapeno infused Aviation cocktail the rest were fun and weird and Marvel-ous.
Right down ( Wade ) Wilson Avenue is Brujos Brewing and their gothic-witchy theme. I like a brewery that leans into their theme and Brujos does. There is a pulpit of beer to order at as well as some serious collaborations which tells you the status of this new brewery. I had an IPA done with Goal Brewing in San Diego.
Lastly was a trip to Scotch Lodge in a random building in the basement. But there was a cellar of spirits there. I had an Old Fashioned but it was no ordinary drink. The bourbon was a blend of four bourbons. It was great and the atmosphere was tres chic.
More spirits as the drive sent us to Forest Grove and Sake One where I got the Happy Lotus Sake made with Eastern Gold hops. A very gentle drink but also pretty boozy at 14.8%. Their was a distributor tasting going on at the same time and I sorta wanted to hear their thoughts.
It was a hop, skip and jump to my college town of McMinnville and the Hotel Oregon of McMenamins. Two MC’s. My lunch was better than the beer which was supposed to be a rye DIPA but seemed more a slightly rye session ale.
From there we walked a couple blocks down 3rd Street to Acorn & Oak the wine bar of The Linfield University. So, I had to have a beer. A really good Helles Lager from local ForeLand Brewing.
The last stop was supposed to be a whisky distillery but the world’s longest train was in the way so an audible was called and we headed to the Emerald Room at Aimsir Distilling for a mega spirits taster tray and vegan dumplings. Aquavit, gin, vodka and bourbon too. Appropriate for Portland, my favorite was the Rose Gin.
Summer in Portland and two vacation days that covered the spectrum of beer at five breweries. Starting at the Woostock Avenue outpost of Double Mountain. First but not last taster tray ( unless you are ranking and not going by time ).
I sampled the old school IRA, their Japanese lager, Jiro, an ESB and a pair of IPAs. Aside from Jiro, the other beers were below par to me. The IRA that I loved back in the day seemed a little mis-brewed. But it was great to be sitting outside watching the people go by in this busy section of town.
Second was a brief stop at Duality Brewing. Eagle eyed readers will remember that I raved about this brewery earlier this year and the second trip revealed another set of interesting stuff. Boysenberry Hazy Pale, Saison with fig leaves, and what I chose a Kveik yeast beer made with Egyptian barley. This brewery is just flat-out creative.
The next day was a trip to Mount Angel and the Abbey on the hill. Down at the bottom is the Benedictine Brewery. This is a lovely spot with two covered picnic table seating areas and an indoor area. Overlooking a bit of hop fields across the street. Which was already partially harvested.
Flight two time and these beers were solid to great all around. The St. Michael Helles was my favorite, followed by the Half Cloak Belgian single. There were dark beers aplenty and the table quickly agreed that the St. Gabriel Dubbel. It was a great melding of space, beer and divinity and it was real popular, filling up within the first hour.
Then it was a short hop ( sorry ) to Crosby Hop Farm and their beer garden in the hop field, TopWire Beer Project. Operating on the premise of pouring beers made with their hops. Which is how I could be sitting between rows of hops drinking a beer from Chicago, Anti-Hero IPA from Revolution Brewing.
Just a great spot to enjoy a beer and the variety was fantastic. Pilsners, hazies and even an amber ale. I mean who brews that anymore? And I love that it is a summertime treat.
Last stop of a full day was Little Beast on Division for their Tart Ale take-over and BBQ. I had a strawberry lemon sour that was like drinking lemonade. A small pour was what I needed though later I thought that I should have gotten their Japanese rice lager.
Busy, busy and still three days of drinking to do.
For me, May Gray and June Gloom are the best time in SoCal but I know that I am in the minority and that most people love the sun. Whichever Angeleno you are, please make July – Visit a brewery month. It is really needed beer fans.
~ e-visits to (3) new breweries in my home state of Oregon
~ special featured reviews of barrel-aged beers from Lough Gill Brewing in Sligo, Ireland
~Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads The Napoleon of Crime by Ben MacIntyre
~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Finally! A Show About Women That Isn’t Just a Thinly Veiled Aspirational Nightmare
~ Sports & A Beer returns with Sports and climate change
~ New Beer Releases and Best Beers of the Month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.