A city of micro-breweries needs a tour guide.

03 08 2008

Originally uploaded by dieselboi

Some coworkers reminded me that Full Sail Brewing had a tasting room in the city. I can’t believe I had forgotten about it. The Pilsner Room sits down on the south waterfront just as you get to the end of the waterfront park walkway. It is part of McCormick and Schmick’s Harborside restaurant. Yet, it is still Full Sail and they indeed brew there.

We tried some of the excellent happy hour food along with their tasty brews. I am an IPA fan, so started with the Slipknot Imperial IPA which was both hoppy and full bodied. We then moved on to the Special Anniversary Doppel X (pronounced doopel.) I enjoyed each of the beers, yet if I were to return, I would stick with the IPA. Belgians just have a sweetness my palate doesn’t enjoy. The waitress offered up their Old Boardhead Barleywine for a taste and none of us cared for it. It was actually a little dry in the same way some white wines are.

If you want a great walk in the early evening and need a place to stop for a pint and some good food, check out Full Sail’s Pilsner room.

Pilsner Room
307 SW Montgomery
Portland

Widmer Mass

Originally uploaded by dieselboi

Ventured out to Widmer Brewing last evening - Monday - for their special Monday night happy hour. All afternoon/evening on Monday, pints are $2 and 23oz glasses are $3. What a bargain. And they have beers on tap at the Gasthaus that you won’t find bottled nor in other bars. They even have the collaborator beers created by the great brewers of the Oregon Brew Crew.

Instead of a discounted pint, I opted for ein mass, a 1 liter stein of beer. Yep, 1 liter of beer in one mug. And the mug is thick enough that the Broken Halo IPA didn’t get warm during the hour it took me to drink it. I chose to get the mass because I had never seen them served since I visited Oktoberfest in Munich in 1989. Did I mention it was tasty.

Widmer Brothers Brewing will be a destination on our N. Portland brewery tour. Stay tuned for more details.

Just the other day, Tuesday in fact, I bottled my first home-brew in 14 years. My friend Mikey, my wife and I had made this batch about two week ago and as of this past weekend, it appeared to have finished fermenting. I grabbed my apron and began siphoning from the carboy to a large bucket to prep for bottling. Needless to say, we lost about 1/2 gallon of beer onto the floor, on my clothes and sprayed on the walls. Yep, I have a little to learn about bottling.

What I do know is micro-brew! I came of age in Portland the same time the McMenamin Brothers, the Ponzi Family (Bridgeport Brewing) and the Widmer Brothers lobbied the state legislature to modify the laws regarding micro-brewing. It allowed for those three families to open up microbreweries that are still vibrant and successful to this day. Since that time- the mid 1980’s - Portland has become a focal point for craft beer and is known worldwide for our focus. In Portland’s inner core downtown, there are 11 microbreweries and public houses.

My goal is to show you those places and give you a little insight into Portland’s history and micro-brewing. My tours will include short walks, some history you won’t find in books and some great beer. I’m still working out the details, so stay tuned. Launch in April, 2008