Thirty Years of Brass!

By Gary Corbin

The Horse Brass turns 30 on Nov. 1, and owner Don Younger plans to entertain you the best way he knows how: with “lots of really good beer!”
Ten breweries are brewing special beers for the party. One is Laurelwood, brewing a Belgian Wit designed by home-brewers in the Oregon Brew Crew. Rogue Ales is brewing up a special batch of Imperial Younger Special Bitter. If you’ve enjoyed Rogue’s YSB, “this is YSB squared,” Don says.

Don Younger in white t-shirt at the Horse Brass (lower left) & Sign outside of Horse Brass(Upper Right)

Photo by Gary Corbin

The other breweries and beers remain secret for the time being. “I never tell people what I’m gonna do,” Don says, “but I’ll tell you this: People are raiding their cellars and dipping into stashes.” Making an analogy to movies, Don said this party “will not be a chick flick … maybe more of a horror movie!”
No matter. It’s easy to find out for yourself: Go down to the Horse Brass (4534 S.E. Belmont St.) for the party. It starts Friday, Oct. 27, and runs until Nov. 5. There will be a music marathon on the final day of the party, consisting of bands that have played there over the years.
The Horse Brass opened Nov. 1, 1976, with a full liquor license during a transformational time in pub and tavern life in Oregon. Before the early 1970s, Oregon was tavern-only — beer only except in hotels and restaurants.
Pubs weren’t even allowed to have windows. “Windows changed everything,” Don explains. “That brought in a better class of people. Mainly, women!”
Don should know. He’s been in the bar business for 40 years. One of his earliest establishments, the Bear Paw, is still open near the east side of the Ross Island Bridge. Others, such as Strawberry Fields in Orient, Ore., have gone by the wayside. “That place was great,” Don says. “We rocked hard. If you wanted a cop, you had to call one. Otherwise they weren’t going to come around.”
The Horse Brass is best known for three things: great beer, darts and smoke-friendliness. First, the beer. The HB sports 53 taps, eight of which are rotating among “guest” breweries. The other 45 rotate beers from single breweries, and a large chunk of them are Oregon-based.
That doesn’t mean you’ll have heard of them all. The Brass is known for introducing new breweries and beers to its clientele.
Few had heard of Terminal Gravity before it went on tap at the Horse Brass. Hair of the Dog had one its first taps there. Caldera was once a guest tap and is now one of the 45 regulars.
One reason the taps rotate so much is that the customers demand it. “We’re a neighborhood pub,” Don says with obvious pride.
As with all of his many pubs, the customers drive the pub’s direction. “We have 30-year customers, three to four dozen 25-year customers, and more 20-year customers than I can count,” he says. You’ll find many of them playing darts, practicing for the many tourneys held there, or playing pinochle, cribbage and backgammon.
Smokers know they’re welcome there. A smoking ban would be “the end of pubs as we know them,” he says. “People don’t understand — the corner bar, the mom-and-pop pub, goes away. It’s a culture change. Public places, yes, I agree — ban smoking there. But the corner bar is sacred ground.”
Even so, several years ago Don installed a new heavy-duty ventilation system to reduce the smokiness.
Asked if he’d still be at the Horse Brass to celebrate its 40th anniversary, Don says with a chuckle: “I hope so. I’m not going anywhere.”

Beer News:

One gone and one to go! It appears as though Yamhill Brewing Company on SE Yamhill and 9th Avenue has closed it’s doors and is for sale. It is always a sad thing to see in Beervana. It also has been announced that one of our favorite watering holes, the Rose and Raindrop will be closing down at the end of 2006. Unconfirmed reports say that it will end up being a financial institution in the future. We are looking for the new beer pubs and taverns that are opening. Please let us know at Guest on Tap if you hear about new places in the area. Email us at Dave@guestontap.com

Better News: New Beers: Deschutes Brewery has released this year’s Jubelale which is beginning to appear around town on draft and even cask at little places like the Horse Brass Pub. Other great beer sightings include BridgePort’s Ebenezer Ale, Caldera Brewing’s Pilot Rock Porter, Baryn Brewing’s Octoberfest, and a great Imperial IPA from Great Divide Brewing Company.

The Party starts Saturday! A Big THREE- OH! The Horse Brass Birthday Bash starts this Friday, October 27th and goes to November 6th at the Horse Brass (4534 SE Belmont Portland, Oregon 97215 USA (503) 232-2202) for more info go to: http://www.horsebrass.com/brasstacks.html

"An Evening with Ebenezer" combined with a handcrafted BridgePort ale. Enjoy a sumptuous holiday feast with Ebenezer Scrooge, and support a local child in the process. BridgePort Brewing Co. presents the fourth annual "Evening with Ebenezer." The event will take place on Dec. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Heritage Room at the bridgeport brewpub + bakery, located at 1313 NW Marshall St. Tickets cost $50 per person, with proceeds benefiting the Franny Fund, a community trust that helps pay for the uninsured medical treatment costs for Franny Cabler, a local six-year-old with cerebral palsy. The event is limited to ages 21 and over. For reservations or additional information, call Christine Bradbury, 503-241-7179.

Fearless Brewing Company’s Third Annual Holiday Hop on November 11 starting at 6:30 pm until 9:00 pm. This is an event that beer lovers will not want to miss. Says brewery owner Ken Johnson, "It is a great way to learn more about beer and impress your friends with your knowledge". The HOLIDAY HOP will feature live music, guided beer tastings, brewery tours and a smorgasbord of beer friendly appetizers. Tickets to the HOLIDY HOP are $7.00 Fearless Brewing Company is located in Estacada, Oregon. The address is 326 South Broadway. Phone: (503) 630-BEER (2337) http://www.fearless1.com/