RIP Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson the master of beer knowledge passed away on the evening of August 30th 2007. Michael Jackson, died at his London home. He was 65 and had been suffering from Parkinson's disease. His intrepid understanding of beer set him apart from more than 99.9% of the world. An avid proponent of innovating and thought provoking brew styles makes Jackson an iconoclastic demagogue in the world of craft beer. Nothing written here would substantiate the loss of a pioneer and connoisseur of one divine concoction!

Ninkasi presents new beer "Schwag!"

This just in from Ninkasi of Eugene, Oregon:




Schwag is the latest greatest from Jamie Floyd and the Ninkasi army. It is a new light lager that is "deliciously cheap."

According to the brewer, Schwag is currently available at Max's and Luckey's in Eugene and will be made available in Eugene only for now (sorry Portland!) According to Floyd, "(Schwag) will also be our featured beer at Eugene Celebration. So the next time you're out and you got your mind on your money and money is on your mind, drink Schwag. It's locally made, none of those nasty rice and corn fillers, and great for social nights on the town."

Montavilla Brewfest 2007 had big crowds

Well, if you missed this year's Montavilla Beerfest, you missed a party!

Steve MIchaud of Thatchers serves up some brews!

Clinton Street Brew Pub beer at Montavilla Brewfest

OK, I tried the Clinton Street Brew Pubs new beer this last weekend and there was something very wrong with it? Any other comments about it?
Cheers,

PdxBeer

Collaborator's Rawkin Bock is on the streets!

Rawkin Bock is the Collaborator that just appeared in the middle of the mad crazy beer season in July and got lost the noise. It was served without notice at the July Widmer meeting, has enjoyed positive feedback at the Gasthaus, and made a few appearances at the OBF and the Falconer Brew-Am. At the OBF it compared quite favorably to the Sprecher Maibock, and the beer may be better known to festival-goers than to some OBF members. At the Brew-Am it was anonymous, a nameless quarter barrel with a Widmer sticker and a party pump dispensing red-gold malty brew.
Now it's time for Rawkin Bock to take its bow. The second batch is out, and it was tweaked to have a slightly lighter body, though with the same chewy malty goodness of the first batch. There are no more batches coming out - perhaps this is the last ever.
Please come and celebrate yet another unique Collaborator brew. Let's drain that keg then wonder where it all went. The time and place:
North Bar, 5008 SE Division St.
Wednesday Aug. 29 6:00 pm - whenever
Rawkin Bock will also be pouring at the Montavilla brewfest this weekend along with many other tasty beers.

New Beers at Belmont Station Now over 1000 on hand!

From a Belmont Station e-mail:

Holy keg-bung! We NOW HAVE 1000 BEERS. Yep, try 3 each day and it will take you nearly a year to try them all.
Some of the new Beers with notes from BeerMaster Chris O:
Great Divide - Hades: Hades is a Belgian-style strong golden ale brewed with a rare Belgian yeast strain that gives the beer a distinctive spicy flavor and aroma. Noticeable hops and medium malt character make it an extremely well-balanced, crisp ale.
Shmaltz - Coney Island Lager: Step right up and witness the delectable alchemy of 8 malts, 6 hops, and Czech pilsner yeast. Discover the thrill of old world brewing with new world flavor.
Butte Creek - Helltown Organic Hefeweizen: This traditionally-styled (read:
Bavarian) hefe has a lemon yellow body and a rapidly-receding white cap.
Fermenting with German yeast imparts the typical banana/clove esters one would expect from the style, but it seems to lean a little more on the clove than the banana.
Butte Creek - Organic Pale Ale: The original Butte Creek Ale is being discontinued in favor of this crisp, beautifully crafted pale ale. Citrusy hops float on top of a pale, bready malt base. Dont panic, its organic!
St. Peters - IPA: This beautiful IPA is very much in line with the
English style, tending towards balance rather than the aggressive hopping rates that American IPAs have become famous for. Aromas of earth and spicy noble hops give way to a biscuity, crusty bread malt quality and a clean bitterness in the finish.
Lazy Boy - IPA: Lazy Boys first bottle release in Oregon is this tasty IPA. A dark copper color makes it one of the darker IPAs on the market, and the earthy, resiny hop profile is reminiscent of the Roots Woody IPA. Look for the blue label with a fat happy guy.
Mahrs - Weisse Bock: Weisse Bock is an increasingly popular style that is strong and very tasty; full of the fruity, spicy flavors one expects from a wheat beer, but never too heavy on the palate. This rich, dark, and enthralling Bock is refreshing and drinks so easily that one would never suspect that it weighs in at 7.2% a.b.v. If you like Schneider Aventinus, try this one on for size.
Also just in:
Fuel Cafe Coffee Flavored Stout from Lakefront in Milwaukie, WI. Yeah!
Finally a coffee brew in 6 packs. We've been looking for one since the Pipeline Porter's season expired!
Golden Valley American Pale Ale
Big Sky Trout Slayer Ale

Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale is a wonderfully hoppy experience!

I just tried the new Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale 2007 and is is a classic American Style IPA featuring an intense pine and citrus hop aroma. Clocking in at 46 IBUs, this great beer uses Chinook as the Bittering Hops and then add Cascades as the finishing hops. It's color is nicely copper color with a wonderful foamy head. It is now available throughout the Portland metro area. Please get out and ask for it and try it for yourself. Please let me know what you think.

Cheers,
PdxBeer

Hops in Humboldt

Summer beer festivities continue with another big weekend in the Pacific Northwest. On Saturday August 25th, Portland’s Montavilla Neighborhood will be hosting its own beer bash with good food and music. Saturday also marks the tenth anniversary celebration for Mia and Pia’s Brewing of Klamath Falls. Hop heads with some time and miles to spare can also rejoice for the fourth annual Hops in Humboldt festival in Fortuna, California.

Brewers from as far away as Hood River, Oregon; San Diego, California; and Missoula, Montana will have brews represented at this year’s event.

The event has gained quite a bit of popularity since its inception. “We definitely have breweries calling us now,” says Woody Woodward, a member of the volunteer team that puts on ‘Hops’,
“But we still go out asking great breweries if they’d come up.”
Woodward has the responsibility of wrangling up micro brewers for the event.



The festival will also cater to homebrewers who have been at the heart of the festival since the start. A “Homebrewer’s Corner” will feature by-the-gallon batches. The event will also feature an eclectic array of independent musicians as well craft merchants, food venders, and a children’s area.

Organizer David Reed says “The nice surprise is the people who are coming from four or six hours away to take in the area and the beer.”
Four to six? Try more like eight from Portland. But the scenery in the area is breath taking near the Redwood Forest and along the scenic Highway 101 on Northern California’s coast (not to mention the possibility of visiting some of the area’s best breweries if you have the time).

The festival encourages designated drivers and non-drinkers to attend. There is no admission fee for non-drinkers and free water and other beverages are available for them.

There will be a couple of ways to get home without a designated driver. A free shuttle provided by Bear River Casino will take festival goers to specified locations in the Fortuna, Hydesville and Loleta areas as well as up to the casino. The Redwood Transit System has regular service down to Fortuna from points north on Saturday. The last northbound bus through Fortuna will make a swing through the park at about 5 p.m. to pick up people heading to Eureka, Arcata and other stops for the regular $2 fare.
Pre-sale tickets are $20 and are available at Eel River Brewery and the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce office in Fortuna, the Lost Coast Brewery restaurant in Eureka, Six Rivers Brewery in McKinleyville, Mad River Brewery in Blue Lake, and the Works and North Coast Co-op’s in Eureka and Arcata or by calling 725-9261. Tickets are $25 at the event. Only persons over 21 will be sold wristbands and allowed to drink. Festival organizers ask that people leave their dogs at home for the day.

More information is available at www.HopsinHumboldt.com or by calling 725-9261 or 725-3959.

A Great Review of 20th Annual Oregon Brewers Festival from Japan!

Glenn Scoggins review of OBF

Tokyo's Good Beer Information Newsletter BREWS NEWS for August-September 2007 By Bryan Harrell "brewsnews at yahoo dot com"


Bar Beat:
Glenn Scoggins, the Bar Hunter and Brews News National Treasure, files this report from The Oregon Brewers Festival, July 26-29 in Portland, Oregon

The largest beer festival in North America celebrated its 20th anniversary this summer, having grown in two decades from 13 breweries to 73 and from 15,000 participants to 55,000. It is the high point of the brilliant summer season in Beervana (known to the post office as Portland, Oregon) and deserves attention in your travel plans for 2008. I was privileged to attend this year, and was overwhelmed by the friendly welcome everyone extended to me, including casual generosity that went well beyond the well-known camaraderie of our fraternity of beerophiles. It may have helped that I wore a Popeye T-shirt (never losing a promotional
opportunity) and rarely missed a chance to point out that I had come 9000 kilometers for the event.
However, the proud hometown hosts seemed to show the same happy spirit of hospitality to everyone from across the continent who had come to Portland, which was for four days the Center of the (beer) World. The weather cooperated as well (for the 20th straight year, I was told), as the unseasonable summer rains, prompted by our mid-July typhoon in Japan, vanished on the eve of the festival. Blue skies, dominated by soaring Mount Hood, and warm sunshine were relieved by a cool breeze off the Willamette River flowing next to spacious Tom McCall Waterfront Park, the festival venue.
Portland and Oregon are the epicenter of the North American brewing renaissance. The state hosts eighty separate brewing facilities (none of them macro) employing 4200 workers, while Portland itself has 29 breweries and brewpubs, narrowly pipping Munich for the world title. Oregon craft brewers produced the equivalent of 263 million bottles in 2006 (an annual increase of 17%), and 38% of all draft beer consumed in the state is made by Oregon craft brewers, compared to a nationwide average of less than 2%. The craft beer business pumps more than $2.5 billion into the statefs economy, which explains why Governor Kulongoski proclaimed July as Oregon Craft Beer Month and enjoined everyone to observe the occasion in an appropriate manner. I, for one, needed no further encouragement!
The Oregon Brewers Festival is organized differently from many others, in that each participating brewery is limited to one beer. This deprives larger breweries of any advantage over smaller ones and forces them all to bring their very best; it also provides room for many out-of-state operations, so that local drinkers can enjoy less familiar brews from Idaho or Michigan.
Well-known names like Deschutes, Pyramid, and Red Hook shared the same trailer with BJfs Restaurant, Oregon Trail, and Montanafs Spanish Peaks\a democratic approach with the thirsty drinker the ultimate arbiter. Like all festivals, a mishmash of styles risked confusion in the throat unless one planned out an itinerary in advance (often side-tracked by intriguing discoveries). The Pacific Northwest infatuation with dynamic hops was fully in evidence, with lighter fruit beers and hefeweizens outnumbered by hoppy IPAs (21 of the total). Seventeen beers had IBUs over 60, with Bear Republicfs Racer X taking the
crown: gGotta love a brewer who packs 110 IBUs into an IPA and calls it balanced,h claimed the program.
Stone Brewingfs Arrogant Bastard has an IBU rating of 115, but Stone was represented at the festival instead by its phenomenal Vertical Epic 07/07/07, a Belgian saison gfarmhouse aleh with an aroma of citrus and ginger, finishing with cloves and cardamom. Pliny the Elder from Russian River (named after the Roman naturalist who first identified hops, it gpairs well with burgers or brieh) at IBU 92, was another throat-scraper. Diamond Knot Industrial IPA (IBU 80) claimed with justification to be gan IPA on steroids.h Rogue Imperial Porter was a meal in a glass. Once my voice was reduced to a hoarse whisper by the steel-wool effect of all those stiff Pacific Northwest hops, I sought out gentler alternatives.
Hennepin from upstate New Yorkfs Brewery Ommegang (watch for it in Japan from Andrew Balmuthfs Nagano
Trading) was another farmhouse saison, a rich golden ale with a hint of ginger snaps. Other non-hoppy favorites included Eugene City Breweryfs Honey Orange Wheat (a good substitute for breakfast), SummerAid from Portlandfs New Old Lompoc, which resembled a golden Helles, and Ballast Pointfs Yellowtail Pale Ale, a misnamed Kolsch.
The festivalfs hosts had put the lessons of the past
19 years to good effect with their seamless organization. Only $1 for a poker chip entitled one to a four-ounce sample (four chips for a full glass), encouraging adventurous drinking. (I ambitiously bought fifty but received at least another twenty as gifts, many of which I similarly passed on.) The festival was open from noon to 9:00 pm, which on weekdays meant a relaxed and uncrowded venue until early evening, when the poor schmucks with real jobs arrived. By last call at 8:30 pm, scrums had developed in front of the most popular taps, but civility and good spirits were maintained throughout. Everyone complained about the rent-a-cops from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, but I found them much less intrusive than Seattlefs Orwellian Beverage Enforcement Officers.
What to do in Portland after the festival ended (or even before it opened)? Silly question! Some of Americafs finest brewpubs are within stumbling distance of the riverside park or easily reached by the MAX light rail network and streetcars (all of which are free in the downtown area). East of the Willamette River is Alan Sprintsf Hair of the Dog brewery, responsible for some of the most distinctive high-alcohol beers in the world, including Blue Dot IPA and Adam. Nearby is the pioneering Horse Brass Pub, which introduced British pub culture to Portland many decades ago. Holding court at Horse Brass is its founder, Don Younger, who claims that hefs gan overnight success that took forty years.h While Don may give a first impression of a Hellfs Angels dropout or a roadie for the Grateful Deadfs last stadium tour, he is a fiercely intellectual thinker beneath a crusty demeanor, who can deliver an impassioned defense of Reaganite supply-side economics between drinks. He is a compulsively quotable
curmudgeon: gMake up your mind: are you a public house or just a restaurant with booze? I donft want to run a restaurant. People come to drink, and then they get hungry. Give the customers what they want.
But how to educate them to know what they want? Itfs not about the beer, you idiots\itfs ALL about the beer. If you have to ask what that means, youfll never understand the answer. When business gets bad, donft water the ketchup\get better ketchup. 95% of pubs go out of business; I just stay in the other 5%.
I give people stuff they want, and they give me money.h (However, like so many others I met in Portland, Don refused to let me pay for my drinks.)
West of the river, in the historic Pearl District, are BridgePort Brewing, the cityfs oldest brewpub and one of the festival founders, located in a former rope factory with a rich brick interior and an in-house bakery. Originally established in 1984 by Dick and Nancy Ponzi of winemaking fame, BridgePort has a strong line-up of ten beers on draft, of which I found Ropewalk impressive. New Old Lompoc runs a brewpub and restaurant, with Proletariat Red (gwork is the curse of the drinking classh), Lompoc Strong Draft (LSD), Sockeye Cream Stout, and the epitome of the Oregon hop addiction, C-Note (100 IBUs, combining Crystal, Cluster, Cascade, Chinook, Centennial, Columbus, and Challenger hops). Rock Bottom Brewery transcends its corporate affiliation with well-made beers (Multnomah Porter is a stand-out), served at an endless counter in a busy two-story bar complete with pool table. By the riverside marina is laid-back Full Sail Brewing, owned and operated by its employees. Henryfs is an amazingly well-stocked bar with a long history. Greg Higgins wins awards perennially for his namesake restaurantfs pairing of elegant cuisine with the best beers, following the culinary tradition of emphasizing local ingredients established by the legendary Alice Waters. Make your reservations at Higgins now for your next trip, as it is perennially booked solid.
The nerve center of the Northwest craft beer movement must surely be at Rogue Ales Public House and Distillery, also known as the Flanders Street Embassy of Rogue Nation. Jovial Al Jorgensen presides over an attractive interior with a lively and knowledgeable clientele. (As President of Rogue Nation, Al leads his citizens in the Oath of Allegiance, which all beer drinkers should memorize.) In addition to a wide selection of beers from its own brewery in Newport, Oregon, there are plenty of guest beers, and Rogue also operates a micro-distillery on premises and serves its award-winning cheeses.
Rogue also sponsored the festivalfs opening event:
brunch and a parade to the festival grounds.
Well-filled with eggs and sausage (and a few breakfast beers), several hundred participants donned complimentary T-shirts and tuned their kazoos to accompany the local firemenfs bagpipe and drum corps on the one-mile walk to the riverfront park. Winding throughout downtown, this motley rabble was led by none other than Portlandfs mayor, Grand Marshal Tom Potter (a retired police chief and all-around good sport, who is the drinking buddy of Phred Kaufman during his visits to Portlandfs sister city of Sapporo). Upon arrival at the festival, the inaugural keg (carried by a coven of gmonksh led by Roguefs brewgenius John Maier) was tapped by His Honor, and the festival was on. Just like Munichfs Oktoberfest, except that the ceremonial cry from the crowd was gWorldfs Coolest Mayor!h rather than gO'zapft is!h Votes for re-election guaranteed, at least from the beer-drinking demographic. As befits a political and cultural event, the festival was well-covered by the print and electronic media, including John Foysten of the Oregonian, Lisa Morrison of Northwest Brewing News, and Mary Izetelny from Brooklyn, drinking buddy of former T?ky? resident Wayne Gabel.
The entire festival experience was enhanced (especially for a visitor from overseas on his first trip to Portland) by the warm welcome from the iconic personalities of the Northwest beer world, as well as ordinary beer-lovers. Many of them, paradoxically, are SNOBs (Supporters of Native Oregon Beer) without a trace of snobbery. Chief amongst them is Fred Eckhardt (whom you already know as the eponymous inspiration of Hair of the Dog Fred), 81 years young this year and possessed of enormous erudition without affectation.
Generous with his time and conversation, he was constantly surrounded by a coterie of admirers, dispensing wisdom with self-deprecating humor. gMost of the people in the world are nice most of the time, mostly in most situations, most often.h Fred pioneered the field of beer journalism with his columns in the Oregonian and still writes on a wide variety of topics, including sake, on which he is an authority. His introduction to sake came during his first visit to Japan\in 1945 as an 18-year-old Marine invading Okinawa (gwhere I was too smart for the jobs they wanted me to do and too dumb for the jobs they really needed me to doh). I had the pleasure of attending his enlightening and amusing presentation, held at the Rogue alehouse just before the festival, which paired cheese with beer (his 16th annual tasting). Some of the innovative pairings were Rogue's Chipotle Ale with Chipotle Cheddar, Brutal Bitter with Tumalo Farms Pondhopper, and Deschutes Inversion IPA with Yellow Buck Camembert. He can also match beer and chocolate in ways that will either extend your lifespan or just help you enjoy life more!
Fred plans to come to Toky0? this autumn for the annual ginjo-shu sake event, and I advise everyone (regardless of your knowledge of or interest in sake) to make the time to make the acquaintance of this national treasure.
All in all, the 20th Oregon Brewers Festival was an unforgettable experience. Next year, at 21, it will be of legal age! Join the fun on July 24-27, 2008.

Celebrate Oktoberfest Cascadia Style with a New Event

1st Annual Oktoberfest
presented by the Washington Beer Commission.
Tickets on sale now!

Washington Beer Commission is proud to present the 1st Annual Oktoberfest at St. Edward State Park on September 14th and 15th, 2007. The Washington Beer Commission, the very first Commission of its kind in the nation, was formed in July 2007 to promote world class beer made in the state of Washington. It is only appropriate that the Commission’s very first festival be the most widely celebrated “beer holiday” in the world- Oktoberfest! This nearly two century-old beer festival dates back to 1810 in Munich and has spread out to many parts of the world since including our home, Washington, where there is no shortage of good Oktoberfest beers. To pay homage to the tradition of Oktoberfest, many brewers in Washington make an attempt to create their own renditions of the Oktoberfest beer every year- some stay true to the traditional smooth, malty lager, while others try to be more experimental by adding their own twists. At the Washington Beer Commission’s Oktoberfest you can sample many of their fine creations under the big 100’ x 100’ Oktoberfest-style tent, complete with oompah music and German food and see how we celebrate Oktoberfest in Washington!
WHEN Friday, September 14th, 3-9pm & Saturday, September 15th, 1-9pm
WHERE Saint Edward State Park 14445 Juanita Dr. NEKenmore, WA 98028Rain or shine
ADMISSION $25 advance tickets/day of admissionAdmission includes a 12oz plastic tasting mug and 12 tokensHappy hour—Friday 3-6pm, extra 2 tokensDesignated driver admission $5 and available at the gate only21+ ONLY
Advance tickets are $25 and include a mug and 15 tokens (3 bonus tokens)Tickets are available online at http://www.washingtonbeer.com/ and at select ticket outlets.
3oz sample tastes are one token each. 12oz full tastes are three tokens each. Each additional token is $1.00 or bulk discounts available at the event.
Sign up for WABL now and receive exclusive bonuses!WABL benefits include: Ÿ Special WABL GLASS mug (GLASS, not plastic mug)Ÿ WABL Beer, a WABL-exclusive beer brewed specially for the Festival by Baron Brewing Co. Ÿ Early admission on Friday- gate will open at 2:30pm on Friday exclusively for the WABL members
Oktoberfest is a major fundraiser for the Washington Beer Commission. Washington Beer Commission was formed in 2007 to promote beer made in Washington, educate Washington consumers about craft beer and to foster a vibrant community of craft brewers in Washington State.
More details coming soon at http://www.washingtonbeer.com/ so stay tuned!!

Great New Taproom opens in Downtown Portland

What a discovery! I was going to US Outdoor Store..not Mary's Place and low and behold right on Broadway and Burnside in SW Portland, a new place called Bailey's Taproom! The Owner Geoffrey Phillips, was a former city planner that liked good beer. Check it out on line at . It is at 213 SW Broadway. You can see more photos of his construction at his website <http://picasaweb.google.com/geoffreyphillips/BaileySTaproom> His sign says"Beer Wine Chocolate Cheese", but here is the kicker, he only carries domestic craft beers. No big brewers, allot of Oregon beers, but not exclusive Oregon Beers. Noel Blake will be happy that he has Ommegang-three philosphers-quadrupel in bottles. A lot of great organic beers to but this place is clean. Very modern looking no clutter. I would really recommend you check it out.
Cheers,

PdxBeer

Bailey's Taproom Owner,Owner Geoffrey Phillips, pours a imperial pint!

Beer and BBQ! Your input is requested.

Dear Faithful Readers,

This is a new story on Beer and Food combination. We would love your input on these stories and others. This story was really written by a Competitve BBQer, not a writer, or really a strong beer connoisseur. Is this OK for you? Do you want more from non-beer geeks? Let us know. Please add your comments. Here is a brief biography of Cindy Hayter and then her story. Please post those comments at the end of this blog.

Cheers! Prost!

PdxBeer

Cindy Hayter is a professional cook on the national barbecue competition circuit. She has recently qualified for the American Royal World Championship in Kansas City in October. Catch her at the Oregon State Fair in late August.

BEER AND BARBECUE: A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
By Cindy Hayter

The dog days of summer are upon us once again. People are busy enjoying the warm, dry weather while making the most of the long hours of sunshine. Backyard pools are packed with friends and family, ice-cream vendors are hitting peak season and barbecue chefs are sweltering over hot coals.
Having grown up in Texas, I feel a deep connection with the tradition of the backyard barbecue. And what better way to enjoy the smoky tastes and smells than with a pint of my favorite fermented beverage — beer.
For me, barbecue and beer are as American as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolets. The hot coals and slowly cooked meat add a wonderful smoky quality that brings pleasure to all the senses.
Throw in a cold Lone Star Beer, and you truly have a match made in heaven. A perfect example of Americana at its best.
When gathering with family, friends and fellow barbecue aficionados, we are all of the opinion that there are thousands of ways to make great barbecue. What we might not all agree upon is which beverage is best to complement our culinary concoctions.
For me, hands down, beer is better. And it’s not just a matter of personal opinion.
We’ve all been hearing about how beer can be a good, if not better, complement for food than most other fermented beverages. This is especially true for barbecue. For example, the slight acidity in the beer helps to gently cleanse the palate of the fatty undertones of the cooked meat, making the next bite as good as the first.
Also, today’s barbecue styles have evolved some very complex, layered flavors, and with the wide variety of handcrafted beer styles available there is a beer for every taste.
My personal favorite to complement any barbecue is a good lager. The light, refreshing flavor brought on by the cold fermenting process goes perfectly with a warm summer evening and a tasty barbecue. My local favorite is Session, a well-built lager from the expert brewers at Full Sail Brewing in Hood River.
So what would match well with your beef brisket, tri-tip or short ribs? I would suggest trying some of our local pale ales, like Blue Heron from BridgePort Brewing, or go abroad and try a trippel Belgian. Your wild card, depending on how rich the meat is, would be to pair it with a brown ale or bock-style lager.
If you are into gamier meats, like venison, try a Scottish ale such as Fearless Scottish Ale from Fearless Brewing in Estacada.
And what about the traditional standards like pork, chicken and seafood? All those fun summer IPAs, blondes, pilsners and German-style weizens should complement just about everything in these categories.
Last but not least, I want to give a special mention to our beloved Northwest salmon. Try pairing it with an extra-special bitters like Red Hook from Woodinville, Wash. That should really get the party going.
So remember, the next time you attend a barbecue, while the smoky flavors waft through the air, think about all the great beer out there and grab something tasty and interesting.
With so many talented food and beer artists keeping the heritage of the barbecue alive, they are truly creating future memories for all to enjoy and reflect upon.

Muddy Rudder's Information

Please let me point out. Muddy Rudder is a good beer bar. We have made no promises on food or service. That being said here is the information that several people have requested. PDXBeer said...
Details: Muddy Rudder Public House, 8105 SE 7th Ave. Portland, Oregon Phone #503-233-4410.

McMenamins Lighthouse Brew Festival

McMenamins is excited to announce their 12th annual Lighthouse Brewfest on August 18th, 2007 at the company's Lincoln City location. The event will feature 18 beers from 18 McMenamins brewers. McMenamins manager and brewer says "The brewers participate in what we call the ‘Vallencing Act’. Named for Rob Vallence, one of our brewery managers. The Vallencing Act is where the brewers pick a number and then beer styles are pulled from a hat to correspond to the numbers."




Hance adds "The brewers are then challenged to come up with a unique recipe in that style. We will serve two trays with an assortment of 9 beers on each. There is a booklet published with descriptions written by the brewers and ‘tiny brewer’s art’. Tiny brewer art is 2”x3” (tiny) artwork representing the beer. Most of this artwork is drawn by the brewers, some is drawn by friends and some is just copied from the internet, but it is all a tiny glimpse into the hidden world of the brewer’s psyche."

For a list of beer to be featured at the festival, go to http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=23&id=161&eventid=48582

McMenamins will also host the Great American Music Fest at Grand Lodge on the same day.

Montavilla Neighborhood Brewfest 3rd Annual

Brewfest to Benefit Montavilla Neighborhood Association

- August 25, 2007- 7915 SE Washington (Parking Lot Behind Thatchers)

Join us for the 3rd annual Montavilla Brewfest. Over 20 local microbreweries represent the NW with over 40 beers. Music starts at 2:00 and ends at 9:00. Great BBQ will be provided by Lashons BBQ Wagon. There will be hourly drawings for fun prizes. Come and sample great micro beers, awesome food, and local music with your neighbors and friends. All proceeds go to Montavilla Neighborhood Association. Any questions call Thatchers: 503-254-2918.

12th Annual Bronze, Blues, and Brews Festival?

If you have any comments about this event, I would love to hear them. Please hit comments:

The 12th Annual Bronze, Blues and Brews Festival in Joseph, Oregon
Thisevent is on Saturday August 11, 2007 in City Park. It is a family event located at the City Park in Joseph, Oregon usually presented in August. There are Food Vendors, Souvenirs as well as Beer & Wine available during the festival. Joseph is within walking distance from the park and includes many art galleries, gift shops and restaurants. All back packs and bags are subject to search at the front gate.
SATURDAY AUGUST 11, 2007- City Park Joseph Oregon.
GATES OPEN AT 12 NOON - MUSIC STARTS AT 1:00 ENDS 10:00 P.M.
NO PETS OR COOLERS ALLOWED IN THE PARK.
SHADE TENTS IN DESIGNATED AREA ONLY.
More information or to the Bronze, Blues, and Brews Festival website at <http://www.bronzebluesbrews.com/index.html> or Call (541) 432-1015 M-W-F 11AM-2PM. Limited to 2,000 total tickets sold.Tickets are $20.00 each. There will be a $3.00 per transaction processing/mailing fee.

Laurelwood annouces a new seasonal!

Exclusively at Laurelwood Pizza Co. for a limited time:

Laurelwood Kolsch

This light and refreshing ale was brewed in the true German tradition and features German malt and crisp German Perle hops.



OG 12

5.1% ABV

20 IBUs
Now open the new Pizza Company!
Laurelwood Pizza Co. is now open at their original location in the Hollywood. Visit them at 40th and Sandy and try one of our handmade pizzas. Choose either the Beer Crust or Tree Hugger Multi-grain Crust and add your favorite toppings. Or check out one of our Specialty Pizza's including: Meat Amore, BBQ Chicken, Greek and the Polynesian. Laurelwood has a Free Range marinara which is created with organic tomatoes and their Organic Free Range Red ale. Their crusts are made with sustainably-grown Shepherd's Grain flour and they use Brewer's grains in the Tree Hugger Crust. Laurelwood always offers Oregon Country Beef, Draper Valley Chicken and Carlton Farms pork. They are proud to support our local farmers and try to utilize fresh, local and seasonal ingredients as much as possible.


Laurelwood Pizza Co. features the original Laurelwood line-up of beers including: Mother Lode Golden, Piston Pale Ale, 40th Avenue Amber, Organic Free Range Red, Boss IPA, Organic Tree Hugger Porter and Space Stout.

Laurelwood Pizza Co.

1728 NE 40th Ave.

Portland, OR 97218

503.943.6157

Mike De Kalb, Owner Laurelwood Brewery

Deschutes Abyss is available now at the Horse Brass!

Deschutes Brewing Company's Abyss beer is now available on draft at the Horse Brass... won't last long.

Pyramid Releases Broken Rake Ale, Plans To Release More Innovative Beers

Pyramid Brewing announces the re-release of their fall seasonal Broken Rake. Making its first appearance since 2003, the Rake is scheduled to hit the market this Friday in 12-ounce bottles as well as 1/2 barrel and 1/6 barrel kegs. The beer is a somewhat souped-up version of MacTarnahan's Mac's Amber Ale but leans more on the malty side.
Pyramid's Portland head brewer Tom Bleigh says "(Broken Rake) is higher gravity (than the Mac's Amber)." Similar to the Mac's Amber, the Broken Rake makes use of Cascade hops. Brewed with 2-row barley malts, Cara-Pils, the Rake weighs in at 6.1% ABV, 16 OG, 4.2 AE, color 25, and 24 IBU. The beer is one in a series of interesting seasonal from the brewery's past and future repertoire. Pyramid's Imperial Hefe is available on draught at the MacTarnahan's Tap Room. "We hope to make that a seasonal mainstay. There are some other discussions of products that may come down the pike I’m pretty excited about." Products such as an Imperial IPA, which is slated to be released in Portland around the end of the year. There has also been whispers of a barrel-aged Blackwatch Porter, though at this stage it is not confirmed by the brewery. Look for the sharply packaged Reserve Series Imperial Hefe Weizen to hit shelves in 22-ounce bottles, around mid-August. Tom Bleigh is also a cooking with beer representative for the Oregon Brewer's Guild.

Beervana in Bend Tour winner for the final week!

The Great Beervana Beer Tour Contest!

And the final weekly winner is…Yvette Uber of Portland with the “Beervana in Bend Tour”…

An excellent place in Oregon to enjoy outdoor recreation and delicious craft brew lies just over the Cascade Range. Roll in to downtown Bend, and get yourself a room at the McMenamins St. Francis School (700 NW Bond Street). Grab a pint and check out the fun and historical artworks in the hallways and gardens. Their Firefly Kolsch Seasonal is pouring now. Unpack your walking shoes and head out to tour the town. Downtown Bend is crowded with galleries and giftshops (save them for tomorrow morning with a coffee). Strolling north on Bond Street you'll soon come upon the Deschutes Public House (1044 NW Bond Street), where you will find a variety of delicious ales on tap, some unavailable in bottles. My advice is to try a sampler first, then come back here at the end of the tour to wrap up with a pint of Obsidian Stout on nitro for dessert. This will give you a "carrot" to keep you on task while you visit the next several fine establishments! Getting back out on the sidewalk, continue north on Bond. Turn right in a block or so when you come to Greenwood Avenue and head down toward the homebrew supply shop, also known as Silver Moon Brewing (24 NW Greenwood Ave). The guys will be happy to pour you a taste of the house beers while you shoot free pool or browse the merchandise. This might be a good time to remember to eat something, too. The new pub menu at Silver Moon includes Gorgonzola baked fries and Pulled Pork Nachos. Now, backtrack a couple of blocks to the classic M&J's Tavern, where the local's play billiards, smoke and throw peanut shells on the floor. Don't worry, Bendites don't bite hard and besides, this is one of the places you can try one of the newest ales in Oregon: Code 24 Pale by Wildfire Brewing. Look for the debut of Wildfire "Logger" later this summer. Last time I stopped in to the M &J on a Friday night, the place was packed but the service was fast and friendly. By this point, you will be ready for dinner, and I suggest you walk west on Greenwood toward the river and Bend Brewing (1019 NW Brooks Street, just south of Greenwood). If luck is with you Hop Head Double IPA will be on tap, and you will find an open table on the back patio. Hop Head won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival, and the other beers are fantastic too. Try a seasonal, order the Crab Cakes or a burger, and watch the bats swooping overhead as the sun sets and the Deschutes river rushes by. Most of Bend closes down on the early side, but you are on your way back to the St. Francis where your reservation gets you into the movie theatre, the soaking pool, or possible live music out in the courtyard...not to mention that night cap of Obsidian Stout.

Thanks Yvette! And as we bottle up Oregon Craft Beer Month, we would like to thank all the Beervana Tour entrants who submitted their ideas and recommendations. We had some great entries but unfortunately we were unable to award them all. But fear not! We’ll be posting all the entries we’ve received on the PDX Beer Blog. To check them out, go to www.guestontap.com and click on the PDX Beer Blog link.

Cheers!

A Great Beervana Beer Tour RunnerUp

Aaron J. Grier from Portland writes:
OK this is too late to be for the contest, and is a rediculous fantasy, as there's no possible way this would ever be feasable unless I were as rich as Richard Branson or Bill Gates to make the arrangements. it's quite possible some of these spur tracks have been abandoned or ripped up. but here it is.

"the 8 breweries BEER TRAIN"
start at Widmer.
take the tour, say hi to the bros, have a beer (with breakfast?), walk across interstate a couple blocks to the union pacific rail yard, and hop on a train. a few coast daylight pullmans being pulled by the 4449 would be the ultimate, but there are limits to the fantasy, and I'd settle for some RDCs with working toilets. Then take the train across the steele bridge, and north again through the lake yard, do a bunch of switching and end up right behind the next
destination:

Portland (Pyramid) Brewing.
have a Mac's, since it's been a while since you've had one, or maybe a krystalweisse, along with a sausage and a tour.
Hop back on the train, and head south, back over the steele bridge, and stop at the brooklyn yard to visit everybody's favorite local big-beer
brewer:
Hair of the Dog.
always a pleasure to visit Alan's. a big beer here is not a problem, because we'll continue heading south, off of Union Pacific, and on to Portland & Western track to our next destination:

Max's Fanno Creek.
Max's pilsner is the best I've had in Portland. (the other selections
aren't too shabby, either.) after Max finishes waxing proud over both
his brewing and dispensing systems, and having a pilsner, get back on the train, and continue heading west along 99W through sherwood and dundee, until we get to our next siding, which just happens to be two blocks from:
Golden Valley Brewing.
brewmaster Mark Vickery might even have some bottles of VS brut for us.
if not, the red thistle will do nicely!
time for a nap, because we're heading south to corvallis, four blocks away from:
Oregon Trail Brewing.
I hear they have some nice barrel aged stout.
while it would be absolutely wonderful to head west to newport and visit Rogue, the rail lines stop at toledo, which is a bit short, unless we have a boat lined up. instead, we'll head back north, but this time switching to albany, along highway 20, which will take us to:

Calapooia Brewing.
Calapooia just happens to be a block away from some siding on water ave.
some ESB, maybe? and start heading back north, making a final stop at:

Mt Angel.
handy, a block away from the appropriately named "railroad ave." I don't know if Mt. Angel is still brewing or not, but at this point maybe just getting food is the best idea.
if Mt Angel isn't brewing, we could go through Salem and visit:
Ram Big Horn Brewery.
either way, get back on the train and get back to the UP yards by Widmer.
take public transit home. (light rail, even?)

Looking for Beervana Beer Tour ideas?

A Big Thank You to all of our contributors! Here are some of the entries that were not previously published:

Derek Arent from Lake Oswego writes:

The night starts at the 33rd block of SE Belmont for dinner at A Beautiful Pizza for delicious pizza and great beer. Next is the eclectic Pied Cow for a beautiful outdoor patio to enjoy a delicious beer and dessert pairing. After, relax with a beer to the smooth sounds of jazz or blues at the Blue Monk. Lastly head towards Belmont Station and say "oh wait, they moved to Stark street, guess we have to stop for a pint at the Horse Brass", how conveniently we forget! Finish the night with a few beers to go from Belmont Station.

Susan Tingley of Portland writes:

“I Dare You” Suds Sampler We are the region of alternatives and brave, weird choices. I invite and dare you to get acquainted with one of our region’s more infamous attractions: public transportation. You get options, a close up view of neighborhoods and street life, and some very fine brews. Explore neighborhood personalities and the waterfront. Public transportation is a smart choice. These four destinations make an excellent Suds Sampler adventure. Learn about public transportation before you ride: www.portlandstreetcar.org and www.trimet.org. Begin your adventure in downtown Portland, on SW 10th and Yamhill. Ride the northbound streetcar to NW 14th and Northrup, then walk to Bridgeport Brewery and Bakery, 1313 NW Marshall. Notice the architecture, taste the fine brew, nibble a little. Return to the streetcar and ride to NW 23rd. Learn about alphabetical streets in this area as you walk to Lompoc, 1616 NW 23. Notice the people and urban development. Enjoy some suds. Cross NW 23rd. Take bus #15 downtown to the light rail. Board the light rail red or blue line on SW Yamhill and ride east to the Hollywood station. Walk north to Laurelwood, 1728 NE 40th Avenue. Notice the street configuration, and neighborhood feel. Take in some brew and food. Re-trace your steps back to the Hollywood station. Take the light rail back downtown to the southbound streetcar. Ride to the waterfront, walk to Full Sail Brewing, 0307 SW Montgomery. Notice harbor activity and a stunning bridge. Once you’ve accepted the dare, opportunity awaits! You may become an alternative thinker, and you might prefer this “up close and personal” approach to suds sampling.

Matthew Reid of Vancouver,Washington writes:

This beer tour has a little of the past, present and future. First take a trip in the past to Karlsson Brewing in Sandy. At least the name is from the past, as the owners now spell their name Carlson. Next stop is Roots Brewing for some green (and I don't mean color!) beer. And for our future stops, this beer tour wouldn't be complete without quaffing some brew at The Green Dragon and HUB.

Dan Raphael of Portland writes:
Portland Brew-History, plus. This is a good tour for walking, cycling, or making use of the Hawthorne bus. All the places except Roots have a fine selection of pub food Start where many folks got their first tastes of excellent brews from around the world and around the corner—the Horse Brass Tavern (4538 SE Belmont). With 52 taps, a dozen or so in frequent flux, one visit may not be enough, plus arguably the best fish & chips in town. Go to Hawthorne, & proceed (by bus or other) to the Bridgeport Ale House (3632 SE Hawthorne) an outpost of Portland’s oldest microbrewery, & sample their wares (if you don’t like sandwiches, this may be your best food option.) About a mile down Hawthorne (1629) to the beginning of the Northwest’s biggest brewpub empire, McMenamins, the Barley Mill, with its hippie heaven décor. A relative newcomer at 12 years old, but with true Portland flavor, and just ½ mile down the Hawthorne (915), is the cavernous (& original) Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, with a great back area for dogs & smokers. A strong member of the new breed of Beervana is just 3 blocks away at Roots Organic Brewing Company (1520 SE 7th) , featuring organic beers & some wild experimentation. Last stop is the other bar that exposed Portlanders to the world of beer --Produce Row (204 SE Oak)--with 27 taps, 200 bottles and an excelelnt deck. End your night walking a couple blocks to the East Bank Esplanade with a river level view of downtown.

Joe Ledgerwood of Portland writes:

A SE biker's delight...Start your ride at the Muddy Rudder on SE 7th and Tacoma (park your car at Sellwood Riverfront Park) and enjoy some of the best beer Oregon has to offer. After a pint of Pelican IPA ride down to the Spring Water trail and go north to Hawthorn Blvd. Stop off at 7th and Hawthorne and quaffe a pint or two organic beer courtesey of Roots. I humbly recommend the Island Red. When done there just walk your bike a couple blocks up to SE 9th and Hawthorne and cozy up on the outdoor patio of the Lucky Lab. Continue your organic run with a pint of OGA or try one their seasonals. When you're finished there ride up to 11th and follow the bike signs through the beautiful Ladd neighborhood where you'll meet up with 21st. Continue until you reach Clinton St and ride east just a few blocks to the Clinton Street Brewery (SE 25th and Clinton) where you can sample beer from the smallest commercial brewery in Oregon. Stop and watch a movie if you want or continue the tour by riding on to 26th and heading south. Take a quick detour east on Glandstone and keep heading south on 28th. Ride through East Moreland until you merge onto Bybee where after a mile or so you'll find yourself at the door step of Oaks Bottom Public House. Wash down a plate of tatchoes with a C-Note Imperial Pale. Don't worry too much about your full stomach, you're just a casual ride through Sellwood back to the car, where your wonderful designated driver can take you home!

Robert Luehrs of Beaverton, Oregon writes:

East Willamette Beervana Tour Learn about brewing and try free samples at Widmer Brothers Brewing, followed by a meal in a beautiful setting. Continue your education with tasters from 14 outstanding taps. "Lucky Labrador Brewing" offers great beer in a casual setting -- muddy boots and dogs welcome. Enjoy American ales with a bowl of peanuts. "Roots Organic Brewery" is a large multi-use space -- sip a pint next to grain and bubbling yeast. Island artwork covers the walls, and reggae fills the air. Finally, "Oaks Bottom Public House" has a great array of fine taps, with knowledgeable publicans serving local (and exotic) brews. Widmer Brothers Brewing Company Tours Friday 3pm, Saturday 11am & noon 929 N Russell St Portland, OR 97227 phone: (503) 281-2437 www.widmer.com Lucky Labrador Brewing Company 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd Portland, OR 97214 phone: (503) 236-3555 www.luckylab.com Roots Organic Brewery 1520 SE 7th Ave Portland, OR 97214 phone: (503) 235-7668 www.rootsorganicbrewing.com Oaks Bottom Public House 1621 SE Bybee Portland, OR 97202 phone: 503-232-1728

Robert Luehrs of Beaverton writes:

Beaverton Beervana Max's Fanno Creek Brewpub has great grub and amazing beers; Belgians on tap and in bottle, too. Best German food in town at Gustav’s with a dozen fine taps; overwhelmingly Teutonic. Old Market Brewery is a neighborhood favorite with hot chili and apple (that's in the beer!) Raccoon Lodge Brewpub now offers "brewers specials" like the amazingly sweet and potent Trippel. Raleigh Hills McMenamins offers beautiful artwork and their ever-changing beers and menu. Best selection of taps in town? Hard to beat the Dublin Pub with 59 beers on tap (some exotic) and walls covered with beer paraphenalia. [Note: OK, I'm cheating by a few 10ths of a mile outside Beaverton, but the west side has some incredible beer selections, all within 6 miles along Oleson/ Greenburg Road.] Max's Fanno Creek Brew Pub 12562 SW Main St Tigard, OR 97223 phone: (503) 624-9400 www.maxsfannocreek.com Gustav's German Pub and Grill 10350 SW Greenburg Rd Tigard, OR 97223 phone: (503) 639-4544 www.gutenfoods.com Old Market Pub And Brewery 6959 SW Multnomah Blvd Portland, OR 97223 phone: (503) 244-0450 Raccoon Lodge and Brewpub 7424 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy Portland, OR 97225 phone: (503) 296-0110 www.raclodge.com McMenamins Raleigh Hills Pub 4495 SW Scholls Ferry Rd Portland, OR 97225 phone: (503) 292-1723 www.mcmenamins.com The Dublin Pub 6821 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy Portland, OR 97225 phone: (503) 297-2889 www.dublinpubpdx.com

Robert Luehrs of Beaverton writes:

Linear Beervana: The I-5 Tour Northbound All these brewpubs are within ½ mile of I-5 (as the crow flies). Your choice: stick to the freeway, or use Mapquest and your GPS to find shortcuts. Here is the Friday tour (assuming no traffic, right?) Exit 291 – McMenamins John Barleycorn at 14610 SW Sequoia Parkway, Tigard, OR 97224. 12:30pm-12:45pm for samplers. Exit 299B – Full Sail Brewing at Riverplace, 307 SW Montgomery St, Portland, OR 97201; (503) 222-5343. 1:00-2:00pm lunch overlooking the Willamette River. Exit 300 – Roots Organic Brewery, 1520 SE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97214; (503) 235-7668. 2:15pm-2:45pm like a trip to Jamaica within PDX. Exit 302A – Widmer Brothers Brewing, 929 N Russell St, Portland, OR 97227; (503) 281-2437. 3pm-4pm Brewery Tour and sample world beer styles at Portland’s most famous brewery. Just North of Widmer, Amnesia Brewing, 832 N Beech St, Portland, OR 97227; (503) 281-7708. 4:15pm-4:45pm relax and people-watch at the informal pub. Exit 308 – BJ's Brewhouse - Jantzen Beach, 12105 N. Center Ave, Portland, OR 97217; (503) 289-5566. 5pm-5:30pm an appetizer might go well with your beer sampler. Exit 1 across the border – Salmon Creek Brewery, 108 W. Evergreen Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98660 (360) 993-1827. 5:45-6:30pm salmon fish & chips for dinner. Right next door, "By The Bottle" with hundreds of choices, 104 W. Evergreen Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98660; (360) 696-0012. And how about a fruit beer for dessert?

Oliver Manuel of Portland writes:

Ultimate beer tour in Beervana My ultimate tour would have to begin at 3:00pm in Henry's Tavern where it all started. The building that was the former the brewery for Henry Weinhardt's now features over 100 beers on tap, including many Portland favorites. Currently you can find Amnesia "The ESB", Bridgeport Haymaker, Widmer Brewmaster's Release W '07, as well as Portland classics such as Widmer Hefeweizen and Hair of the Dog Blue Dot. Of course at Henry's you don't have to limit yourself geographically! Try the Ninkasi Believer Double Red Ale or a Delirium Tremens! Why 3:00pm? - To take advantage of their great Happy Hour grinds, including favorites Grilled Barbeque Chicken Pizza and Gorgonzola Fries. From Henry's it is only a hop and a skip down the road to the latest Lucky Lab brew-house, featuring an interior that is 'classic Portland Brew-pub'. Their ever-changing five star beer selection has something for everyone. Time to go across the water and see some South-East action. Roots Brewery, located at 1520 S.E. 7th in Portland is Oregon's first all-organic brewery and hosts the annual North American Organic Brewers Festival. Roots is a true taste of where the Oregon beer scene is headed. Next head down to 4534 SE Belmont for the best true English pub in Portland: Horse Brass. With over 50 draughts to choose from this smokey bar has been Don Younger's pride and joy for over 30 years. With a complete British style pub menu it's time to have some dinner, throw some darts and see what the latest revelation is on tap! From there it's time to head back across the Willamette to catch a $3 movie and a pint at McMenamins Mission Theatre, located at 1624 N.W. Glisan. Daily shows start every couple of hours so you're always in time for a flick and what tour of Beervana would be complete without a McMenamins on the circuit! Sit back and relax with a pint of Hammerhead or Ruby and enjoy the show. Last stop - Tugboat Brewing Company at 711 SW Ankeny St. This little known brewery boasts being downtown Portland's oldest microbrewery, features British-style strong ales, and has live jazz nightly. Although some of their beers have had mixed reviews, the Chernobyl Stout is a certain crowd pleaser and a promising culmination for your Beervana adventure.

Jerry Sievert of Portland writes:

A Beer Tour Via TriMet Portland is home to both wonderful beer and wonderful public transportation. I like to experience both by starting out at Amnesia, have a beer, jump on the #4 bus south to 5th Quadrant (walking a couple of blocks), grab a beer, catch the #4 south again to Rock Bottom, grab a beer, catch the #4 east to Roots, grab a beer and finally take a quick walk over to Lucky Lab. This allows for a great drive-free tour, leaving you just moments away from downtown.

Randy Evans of Portland writes:

Explore Portland’s Five “Quadrants” by Bike for Beer Start your adventure at the Full Sail Brewing Pilsner Room, 0309 SW Montgomery. From there it is an easy ride along the riverfront and Naito Parkway and into the Pearl for Bridgeport Brewing, 1313 NW Marshall Street. Back on the bike, you cross the Broadway Bridge. Follow the signs to N Interstate and where you’ll find Widmer Brewing at 929 N. Russell. From Widmer, work your way to the Mash Tun Brewery at 2204 NE Alberta Street. The last is the long haul to the Lucky Lab at 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd. All bike friendly, great beer locations, in each of Portland’s “quadrants”!

Erick Mertz of Portland writes:

The tour starts in Estacada after an afternoon of river exploration at the Fearless Brewing Company. Warm day resolved, country breeze, and two pints of Scottish Ale. Short drive back into town, talking about which Lompoc Brewery, deciding on the Oak Bottom Public House. Totchos, street seating and Centennial. As Sellwood begins to sleep, its a shorter, equally rewarding trek to Laurelhurst. No tour without the irrepressible Organic Free Range Red. The night ends slowly at the Alameda Brewhouse. A pint of Klickitat Pale Ale is just light and crisp enough.

Kevin Schmidt of Portland writes:

Greetings intrepid beer traveler, and welcome to our fine abode, the grandest of beer Mecca on earth! Don’t let all those PBR shenanigans fool you; Portland really is the “City that Drinks”- and that is good beer, mind you. Well, I certainly hope you brought your liver, because today we’ll run the gambit of Portland’s quirky, off-the-beaten-path craft brew scene, to enlighten (and drunken) those with even the most exquisite of beer palate. Breakfast with Ale anyone? Do like the Portlanders do (well at least me) - Let’s start our day with breakfast at Concordia Ale House (3276 N Killingsworth), where 22 unique taps and over 130 bottles should get that morning mojo working right. At Concordia, it indeed does appear that the most common phrase spoken here is: “how the f!#* did they get a keg of that!” You are not alone, weary beer traveler, as I too find myself mumbling it every time I see Nostradamus or Samichlaus on draft.… As the weather begins to heat up with the beautiful midday sunshine, let’s tan our hides while sipping deliciously hoppy brews at Amnesia Brewing Co’s (832 N Beech St) relaxing outdoor patio. When a pub typically has two IPAs to choose from in daily rotation (Desolation vs. Copasetic), you know a good place when you see (or taste) it! Not only can you get some good burgers and sausage, but also can enjoy the laid back atmosphere that only Mississippi Ave can offer. From Amnesia, let’s head to downtown PDX’s greatest hidden beer joint that nobody knows about: Tugboat Brewing Co (711 SW Ankeny St)! This funky, quirky, tiny location has probably the greatest ambience of all Portland breweries, and oodles of tasty tap treats such as the Hop Gold or Chernobyl Stout. Just be sure to bring cash, my dear beer brethren, as they don’t take plastic. With our palates thoroughly lashed, let’s finish up at my favorite place as of late to catch a pint, the mythical and legendary Belmont Station, which recently moved to 41st and SE Stark. As they moved on to a bigger and better location, they also added a wonderfully cozy bier café, which boast 4 taps with unique delectable offerings. Speaking of unique, they currently are having a “Puckerfest” celebration, with ‘sour’ beers from all around the globe on those wonderful rotating taps. Not a fan of sour beers, or not even curious to try? Perhaps the 800 bottles of beer in the adjoining store will suit you better, as you can buy the beer and indeed drink it in the café- Genius! It’s at this point dear beer aficionado that I sadly must go. You have experienced some of the best this city has to offer, and have faired well. Go now and use your newly acquired brew-god powers for the good of those around you. And if you see a poor sap with a PBR, lead them on the right path. They’ll thank you later, I promise…

Kevin Schmidt of Portland writes more:

Hey gang, I submitted my essay on 7/16, however forgot to add a title to it--For shame that such crafty wordsmanship of beervana would go bastardized! Ugh. Anyhow, it begins with "Greetings intrepid beer travler... Breakfast at Concordia, blah blah blah.... " The trip truely is: "Portland Tour De Force of Beer" (Weaklings need not appply) - makes for good timing of the Tour De France, get it?? Thanks all.. See you at OBF!! Kevin

Sharon Swezey of Portland writes:

[that's not fair changing the rules to 100 words or less. I saw your ad in the Portland Tribune today and spent a long time on this! I hope you will still accept it. It's 400 words total] THE STOUT TOUR You’re either a Stout person or you’re not. And if you’re not, just stop right there, this tour isn’t for you! The Stout – dark, smooth and creamy – is a magnificent creation but only when it’s done right. Lucky for us, Portland makes some of the finest Stouts in the world. Our tour will take place entirely on the East side of the river in the great city of Portland. Our first stop is the venerable Lucky Lab Brew Pub, near the end of the Hawthorne Bridge on Hawthorne & SE 9th, one of the most unpretentious, laid-back pubs around. Their Black Lab Stout will get the tour off to a nice start. Next, we head down SE Division to 34th to the Hedge House, one of several local brewpubs owned by Old Lompoc brewing company, for their Sockeye Cream Stout, yum. Hard to leave the outdoor patio but we must venture forth to our next destination: Hawthorne Street Ale House at SE 36th, a fine restaurant associated with Bridgeport Brewing Company, Oregon’s oldest craft brewery, where we order their Black Strap Stout, a very fine brew indeed. We head up into the hills for our next venture, to the Alameda Brew House on NE 47th & Fremont for their top-of-the line Black Bear XX Stout. Now that we’re really relaxed (because Stout does that to you), we head back down the hill to the Laurelwood Public House & Brewery on NE 40th at Sandy for my favorite Stout of all time with the best name of all time: Space Stout. That beer makes me happy! Since there’s no Deschutes Brew Pub around (it’s in Bend), we need to make a pit stop at the store for some bottled Obsidian Stout, amazingly delicious and full-bodied for a bottled brew. Finally, we wrap up our tour at the place where all tours need to be wrapped up – The Horse Brass on SE Belmont at 45th, the English-style pub that’s a beer lover’s Nirvana – for some Young’s Double Chocolate Stout. While not a local brew (it’s English), one cannot find it in England anymore because Stouts are out of fashion over there so we are lucky to have it here at this great local institution. Yes, we in Oregon who love Stout are truly blessed by our Stout choices. Hope you enjoyed the tour. Cheers!

Liz Horn of Portland writes:

The Raleigh Hills Pub and Grub Crawl This is my favorite beer adventure in the SW. Start at the Raccoon Lodge on Beaverton Hillsdale Highway for the beer appetizer. I recommend the Ring Tale Pale and the ale battered steak fries. Fries are a must at the Raccoon Lodge and the ale battered steak fries do not disappoint. Check out the hop garland at the bar. (We will be returning to a pub nearly across the highway, so you can consolidate to fewer cars.) The next stop is the Lucky Lab Public House in Multnomah Village. This is the main course. I recommend SuperDog Ale, a hoppy, crisp, delicious treat, and the Mutt - an awesome pizza with veggies and meat. On a nice evening you can sit outside. The next stop is the Old Market Pub. On the way, you should stop at John's Market for their fabulous beer selection - they have everything except Tuborg (the beer of Danish Kings). (My latest run to John's resulted in Mythos, Gosser, Czechvar and Honey Brown - I told you they have everything). The Old Market Pub makes some awesome beers, and my favorite is Hop On - a hoppy ale that is fuller bodied and darker in color. (OK I'm a hop head) The Old Market Pub also has shuffle puck tables - so have a game or two while trying all the beers. They have great food too if you're still hungry. Finally, it's time for dessert, and we head to the Raleigh Hills McMenamin's Pub. I recommend the terminator ice cream float. Alternatively, cajun tator tots are a delicious snack with a hammerhead beer. Go back to the Raccoon Lodge and pick up those extra cars. Thanks for taking my pub crawl. Cheers. And remember, when life gives you lemons, drink hefeweizen.