Friday, August 17, 2018

You Know Urine Portland…

Packed well for the flight - a suitcase within a suitcase.


Started the flight on American Airlines - Philly to Portland OR – and at 30,000 ft enjoyed
New Belgium  |  Voodoo Ranger  |  Ale, Pale, Spiced  |  7.0  |  7.0
                            [brewer]             [brand]                      [style]          [ABV]  [score on 0-10]

Also set next to Micky (Melchiondo) Ween, of the eponymous band.


We were going to the Portland OR area, on a somber note, to pay respects to my wife’s aunt. That being said, we all enjoyed the family, food and beer in Portland.

After arriving, the next day – 8/17 - Took a trolley tour – in true tourist fashion.







The first family get together was late afternoon at the Yards Ale House in Portland. Cameron was a great host, and made some good suggestions (not that much I’ve ever had at Yards was bad).


Tried these:
Great Divide  |  Strawberry Rhubarb Sour  |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  6.2  |  9 
Double Mountain  |  Kölsch  |  Kölsch  |  5.1  |  8  
Gigantic  |  Kölschtastic  |  Kölsch  |  5  |  7.5  
10 Barrel  |  Cucumber Crush  |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  5  |  7.5
Culmination  |  Sour Power Flower Hour  |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  5.5 
Melvin   |  2x4  |  Ale, IPA, Imperial  |  10  |  8.5  
North Coast Brewing  |  Old Rasputin |  Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial  |  9  |  9.1  
Stone Brewing  |  Double Bastard Ale 2015  |  Ale, Brown, American  |  11  |  9  
Steenberge, Brouwerij van  |  Tripel Van De Garre  |  Ale, Belgian Tripel  |  11  |  8.5

Then stopped at Annex & Al's Den, for a


McMenamins  |  Blackberry Rhubarb pie  |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  4.11  |  8.0

While walking passed a store with a sale on the GrowlerWerks pressurized growler. This must be purchased if you are serious about beer!!


Then lastly at a place I haven’t been to since 2011 - Bridgeport Brewing. Hello old friend.


Bridgeport  |  Old Knucklehead  |  Ale, Barleywine  |  9.2  |  9

Started the morning of 8/18 with a nice walk, to check out the area. What had changed so much in Portland is the aroma. Or smell. OR stench is more like it. A bit east of the area where we were staying (Canopy by Hilton, which is a different Euro-themed departure for the otherwise stalwart chain) was awash in the odor of urine.




I don’t mean the faint whiff of cat piss, I mean like – if you closed your eyes – you’d think you were kneeling in front of a urinal in a condemned mens’ room in Grand Central Station, before the 1998 restoration. Portland – you need to do something about the homeless population. And not “more affordable housing” – these people have no money, many appear to be  mentally ill, as well as drug-addicted. Intervene, get them off the streets, get them jobs. Plenty of people hiring.

But I digress; like any true beer fan, I soldiered on.




Once done mapping the urine odor density...


...stopped in at Pints, for a taster, not pints. Except for the Steel Bridge Stout.
That was a pint.
At Pints.
American pints.
Not Imperial pints, at Pints.
I wonder if there's a brewpub in the EU called "472 Centiliters"
Although Pints is now Ascendant brewing.


Pints  |  Steel Bridge  |  Ale, Stout, American   |  5.2  |  7.5  
Pints  |  Pink Peppercorn pepper Saison  |  Ale, Saison  |  6.2  |  6.8  
Pints  |  Even Bretter than IPA  |  Ale, IPA, Sour   |  6.4  |  7.5  
Pints  |  Awesome Sauce  |  Ale, IPA, New England   |  5.2  |  8  
Pints  |  Strawberries are my Jam  |  Ale, Sour  |  5.1  |  8.5  
Pints  |  Spruce Tip Trip  |  Ale, IPA, Tripel, Spiced  |  5.2  |  9  

Lunchtime was at the Rogue taphouse



Rogue   |  Hop Trippin  |  Ale, Pale, American  |  5.8  |  8    (Free as tap kicked!)
Rogue   |  Rolling Thunder   |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  14.4  |  9.5  

At the end of the day - after the service – had a
Pelican Brewpub  |  Kiwanda Cream Ale  |  Ale, Cream  |    |  7.5

The next day was another family day with lunch at the “new” (to me) Double Mountain Brewery location in Portland.



Years ago I had their Tahoma Kriek, which uses Rainier cherries, hence the yellow color instead of red.
Double Mountain Brewery Portland   |  Tahoma Kriek  |  Ale, Belgian Kriek  |  9.9  |  10  
Double Mountain Brewery Portland   |  Devil's Kriek  |  Ale, Belgian Kriek  |  9.2  |  8.5  
Double Mountain Brewery Portland   |  Citraf#ck  |  Ale, IPA, American  |  6.7  |  8.2  
Double Mountain Brewery Portland   |  Pêche Cuvée   |  Ale, Belgian Lambic Style  |  8.7  |  9  
Was able to get some to take home.

Went to a favorite - Bailey's Taproom for oddly enough beer 10,100, having had beer #1,900 there in 2011. Cameron was there this evening; he also told us about the new place called the Upper Lip, above them. They have a similar setup, with an insane bottle list.


Hair of the Dog  |  Doggie Claws  |  Ale, Barleywine, American  |  11  |  8  [beer 10.100]
Jester King  |  RU55  |  Ale, Belgian Flanders Red style   |  7.3  |  8.
Half Acre  |  Deep Space  |  Ale, IPA, Imperial  |  10  |  7.8  


Boulevard  |  Bourbon Barrel Quad  |  Ale, Belgian Quadrupel Style  |  11.2  |  9  
Beaching Beaver  |  PB&J Blonde  |  Ale, Fruit  |    |  9  
Deschutes  |  Mirror Mirror  |  Ale, Barleywine  |  11.2  |  10  |  50% aged in barrels

Went out for a midnight snack after this at the Little Bird Bistro. Delicious.


Also had
Wolves and People   |  Coneflower   |  Ale, IPA, Session  |  7  |  7.8  

But on a sad note, as we were walking out, noted the Tugboat Brewing sign. They are now apparently closed.


Next day 8/20 went shopping in Portland. Went to Powell's Bookstore of course. Stopped at von Ebert for lunch. Love the hog.




Von Ebert  |  Pilsner  |  Lager, Pilsner, German Pils  |  4.9  |  8.5 
Von Ebert  |  Das Dom   |  Kölsch Style  |  4.7  |  6  
Von Ebert  |  Table Biere   |  Ale, Belgian Table Beer Style  |  3.6  |  9  
Von Ebert  |  Entirely Porter  |  Ale, Porter, English  |    |  9.5  
Von Ebert  |  Stratum  |  Ale, Sour, Kettle  |  5.3  |  8  
Von Ebert  |  O.P.M.  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial aged in bourbon Barrels   |  12  |  9.5  |  Aged with Ancho Chiles

Later in the day got a ride to Great Notion.


I had heard a lot about the place and decided to try all the beers; after all, UBER was doing the driving. Steve the bartender was a really good host.




Great Notion  |  Blueberry Muffin  |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  5.5  |  9.5
Great Notion  |  Chocolate Covered Strawberry   |  Ale, Stout, Imperial, Fruit  |  10.5  |  9
Great Notion  |  Old Barn oak aged  |  Ale, Saison  |  7  |  8
Great Notion  |  Luminous 03  |  Ale, IPA, Sour   |  5.5  |  10
Great Notion & Block 15  |  Peach Punch you in the eye  |  Ale, IPA, American, fruit  |  7  |  9.5





Great Notion  |  Guava Mochi   |  Ale, IPA, New England, fruit  |  7.2  |  7 
Great Notion  |  Guava Flow  |  Ale, IPA, Double, Fruit  |  8  |  9 
Great Notion  |  Oblivion 02  |  Ale, IPA, Double New England  |  8.2  |  8.8  
Great Notion  |  Full Grown  |  Ale, IPA, Imperial  |  10  |  9 
Great Notion  |  Peanut Brother   |  Ale, Stout, Milk, Imperial  |  9  |  8.5 
Great Notion  |  Blueberry Pancakes   |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  10.5  |  10.1 [yes 10.1 on open-ended 0-10 scale]
Great Notion  |  Double Stack  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  11  |  9.5 

Had dinner at a nice little Italian place.


Then back to the Upper Lip
Boon  |  Oude Geuze Boon à l’Ancienne - vat 91 mono  |  Ale, Belgian Lambic  |  8  |  9  

And Baily’s to end the trip
Hair of the Dog  |  Cherry Adam from the wood  |  Ale, Old, English  |  10  |  9 

And what a trip it was.