PORTLAND, OREGON

At the hilly southwest outskirts of Portland in Beaverton’s Raleigh Hills section lies freestanding hunter green stable-like restaurant-brewery, RACCOON LODGE, which conveniently houses CASCADE BREWERY’s enthusiastically experimental beers. Visited 11 AM, December ’09, this immaculate ‘sour ale mecca’ truly is on the verge of widescale popularity.  

 Going from the covered backyard patio into the side door, patrons experience ‘The Den,’ a downstairs pool hall sportsbar with full bar service, billiard tables, dart games, and TV screens opposing left side glass-encased brewery…

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Opened in 1997 and one-half mile up the hill from Six Arms on Pike Street, renowned ELYSIAN BREWING COMPANY (with two more Seattle locations known as Tangle Town and Elysian Fields) truly sets the bar for all Northwest brewpubs.

Visited December ’09, Elysian’s gray-maroon building, a former warehouse, sits on the corner of 13^th Avenue and features wraparound windows, old concrete floors, exposed ducts, high ceilings, and rear brew tanks. High profile pub not only has great beers…

PORTLAND, OREGON

Sojourned to northwest Quimby section of Portland, December ’09, perusing environmentally friendly green-powered LUCKY LABRADOR BEER HALL (with two more pubs in nearby Hawthorne Boulevard and Capitol Highway). Using a solar thermal closed loop glycol system to power up, this former warehouse with gray frontage, maroon awnings, back patio, and spacious concrete-floored interior serves some terrific house pizzas from an open kitchen to go along with its wide array of brews.

Operating since 1994, Lucky Labrador also bottles product…

PORTLAND, OREGON

Opened 2005, East Portland’s ROOTS ORGANIC BREWING COMPANY brings a loose Caribbean theme to dingy baby blue-tanned warehouse, visited December ‘09. Salvaged material, cement floors, and a dusty beer bottle collection match the rustic setting of many likeminded Jamaican watering holes. Stickers and pictures line interior walls and the L-shaped bar featured fine Belgian beer bottled selection (Bosteels; LA Chouffe; Maredsous; St, Feuillien) to go along with simple American cuisine and snacks such as Roots Black Bean Nachos.…

PORTLAND, OREGON

In Portland’s historic northwest Mississippi District within walking distance to Widmer Brauhaus, AMNESIA BREWERY occupies a freestanding converted warehouse with old cement floors, exposed pipes, and covered side deck (with picnic benches). Its aluminum-sided green-walled interior had tickers, posters, and pictures strewn about.

The atmosphere was laid-back this early December ’09 afternoon and brewer Kevin King’s delectable brews were tried alongside a meaty burger (smoked sausages are also available).

As I entered Amnesia, famed Rogue brewer, John Maier,…

PORTLAND, OREGON

Open for business, March ’07, Portland’s ‘first eco-friendly’ brewpub, HOPWORKS URBAN BREWERY (a.k.a ‘the Hub’), occupies a freestanding industrial building in the southeast city corridor. Owner-brewer Christian Ettinger’s ‘green’ brewery takes recycling and energy conservation as serious as brewing, providing cool-fit insulated cold water and compressed air systems for the cause. The large dining area had booths surrounding centralized stainless steel bar, exposed pipes, and wood ceiling. Beer can collection lined walls above bar and build-your-own pizzas dominated…

PORTLAND, OREGON

In early December ’09, took 20-minute uphill walk from downtown Portland to Northwest corridor, discovering street-cornered RAM’S HEAD, one of sixty MC MENAMIN’S-affiliated pubs in Oregon-Washington area. An up-front antique wood-furnished dining area led to 10-seated L-shaped copper-top bar with low ceiling at rear. Light food was served with adequate, if not mind-blowing, brew fare.

Soapy light-bodied grapefruit-soured raspberry-cranberry-tart Ruby Ale, honey-roasted corn-sugared crystal-malted Cascade-hopped Hammerhead Ale, floral-spiced grapefruit-peeled apricot-peach-induced India Pale Ale, brown chocolate-y vanilla-spiced pecan-macadamia-hazelnut-roasted Sleepy…

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Up the road and over the hill two miles East of Puget Sound’s Pike Street Market lies corner bar, SIX ARMS, one of sixty-plus Mc Menamin’s affiliates in Seattle-Portland vicinity, visited December ’09. Inside beige brick building with carpeted floors, maroon walls, high ceilings, small loft, and wooden pews was right side bar with brassy stainless steel counters.

Salad, sandwiches, and burgers go well with light fare such as Cascade-hopped, dry-spiced, yellow-fruit-soured, caramelized crystal-malted Hammerhead Pale Ale and orange-yellow-fruited,…

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Along Puget Sound lies Seattle, a rainy northwest maritime port affectionately nicknamed ‘Emerald City.’ After superb dinner and Alaskan Pale Ale at world famous Space Needle’s revolving restaurant, toured dank underground Pioneer Village, busy waterfront Pike Place Market, and Pyramid Brewery, as well as Red Hook’s Trolleyman, Duwamps, and Big Time brewpubs wife wife, March ‘03.

Bought several Big Sky, Elysian, Full Sail, Pike, and Pyramid brews at different grocery stores. Seattle’s interesting Von’s Grand City Café featured hundreds…

EUGENE, OREGON

At the outskirts of the most liberal municipality in America, NINKASI BREWING COMPANY thrives at a remodeled Eugene plumbing store since 2006. Formerly located in neighboring Springfield, which currently houses Hop Valley Brewery, this bottling and keg plant in the industrial Willamette Valley also features a very sanitary 18-stool tasting room for the general public, perused December ‘09.

Lively grapefruit peel-embittered, currant-spiced, grassy-hopped, maize-muted Matt’s Autumn Wheat draped orange-tangerine tang over slight metallic astringency. Dry hop-spiced orange-yellow-fruited currant-juniper-embittered…

EUGENE, OREGON

During December ‘09s historic Civil War for the Roses between the Oregon State Beavers and the Oregon University Ducks, the two school’s battled it out on the gridiron in Eugene for the chance to go to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Afterwards, happy Ducks fans settled in at EUGENE CITY BREWERY to celebrate victory and the Pacific Ten championship.

Co-owned by Rogue Brewery and Eugene City Brewery, this downtown Eugene venue offered 20 great tap beers by Rogue…

PORTLAND’S HOLIDAY ALE FESTIVAL ’09 EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS

By John Fortunato

PORTLAND, OREGON

Featuring vintage versions of so-called Big Beers and boasting the health-conscious slogan, ‘beer is a source of B complex vitamins,’ Portland’s annual Holiday Ale Festival proved to be a fantastic way for a seasoned Jersey swigger to spend a few cold early December days. Held December 2^nd to 6^th at Pioneer Court House Square in the heart of town, the winter fest (organized by Preston Weesner – pictured…