Tag: Portland

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PDX Summer 2024 – Report # 1

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.

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In the Tap Lines for July 2024

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.

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Family # 2

I will be heading north to Portland in July and one spot that is on the must stop list is the new Portland location of Salem-based craft cider producer La Familia Cider Company  The Hawthorne location, formerly the Portland Cider House, opened on June 5th. 

There will be 29 taps that will pour 15 ciders from La Familia and other producers, and the remaining 14 taps will serve craft beers. There will also be Cider cocktails plus a small menu featuring Mexican food made from locally sourced ingredients.

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Station and a Port

The last two times that I have visited Mom and by extension Portland, my first stop after acquiring the rental car has been a stop at Belmont Station Bottle Shop and Beer Bar to stock up on Portland beers.

This year Belmont Station turns 27 and they have a special IPA for the occasion…

Eagle eye beer fans will recognize that motto at the top as from Pizza Port.  Yup, a SoCal brewery got the nod this year.

It drops today so get thee to fair PDX soon.

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Old Thomasina

On my latest visit to Portland, I went to the Freeland Distillery and quite liked their gins. I missed out on trying their latest though, an Old Tom. It is their Dry Gin barrel-aged “for 6 months in hand-selected whiskey barrels from women-owned Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey.” I do like their whiskey and story as well.

Also, “This exclusive release marries the art of distillation with a cause—supporting women entrepreneurs. AND $5 of each bottle supports Re:Her.”

That is a win, win and win.

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18

Yes, I thought that the movie The Witch was great and that the goat portraying Black Peter should have won an award but what caught my eye about this Wayfinder Beer release is not the sinister connotations that abound, but rather that the style is sparkling lager.  Hope a bit makes it way to L.A.from Portland.

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Best Beers of February 2024

Well, if you read any of my Portland beer posts in the last week, then you know that this post is all about Duality Brewing in Portland.

And it wasn’t that they smashed a West Coast IPA or Bourbon barrel stout out of the park. No, they put Bergamot tea and Satsuma tangerine into a wheat beer and both featured ingredients shined like a laser, Then they took a Saison through a gauntlet of barrel aging, pine needle filtering and blending in cider and it was really excellent. Get thee to Duality!

I will say that a couple other beers deserve honorable mention. Radiant Beer Co.’s 3rd anniversary TIPA – All the Things We’ve Done was top notch and Santa Monica Brew Works Low and Slow Helles in partnership with Bludso’s BBQ was the perfect brisket accompaniment.

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Portland 2024 Beer Report – Part 2

Each time I come to Portland, I buy a four pack + as well as visit a few brewery taprooms. Each time, I try to plan the right amount so I am not leaving beers in my mom’s ‘fridge or having too many un-visited breweries.

And this year, I did good. And I really enjoyed the two new places that I visited.

First was Duality Brewing off Sandy Boulevard. Tucked away and sharing space with a food pop-up and coffee shop was a revelation. Based on two beers at least. Soft Side was a wheat beer with Bergamot and Satsuma. I posted on Instagram that I could drink buckets of it and it is true and I do not say that often, at all. Alpine Timeshare was a bourbon barrel-aged Saison filtered on pine needles and blended with cider! Crazy and it worked.

Second was Foreland Brewing’s Beer Study on Belmont. When I visited, there was a tap share with Kings & Daughters Brewing. The tap list was eclectic and fun. Zwickel, smoke and bitter. Super helpful service and half pours in literally a homey environment. Plus all sorts of outdoor seating. Atmosphere to spare and the two collaboration beers I had were spot on.

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Portland 2024 Cocktail & Spirits Report

First non-beer stop was Freeland Spirits in NW Portland near the towering Montgomery Ward blocks.

Lovely spot with nibbles and seasonal cocktails and mocktails and a little shop too with their signature bottle shape and an RTD Gin Rose and Tonic.

I sampled the “whole flight” which had three gins and three bourbons. The gins were each distinct from the previous one and I quite liked them all. The flagship gin had a mint top note. The Forest Gin despite the presence of chanterelles was very spring day in Oregon. The Navy Strength had a real punch to it and would be a boon to the G&T.  The bourbons were less impressive in contrast. I found the standard bourbon a little weak and the rye was extra malty and cereal laden.  The Cask strength was my favorite of those three.

Next stop (not the same day, don’t worry) was a trip to the Alberta bar and restaurant, the Radio Room.  A multi-level and multi-room experience with a fun cocktail list filled with creative new cocktails as well as reimagined old standbys.

Last, but not least was my first visit to Aviation Gin HQ. Since they only have a distillery license, they can only serve so much gin per person but you can get a flight of special monthly cocktails or classic Ryan Reynolds choices or just a G&T.

The candy Valentine cocktails was my choice and all but the last one was really good. The presentation was excellent and the setting and staff was really cool. Did not see any Wrexham gear though.