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 (opened 1991 and closed January 2025). 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 Hollow Nut Brown and black chocolate-y coffee-roasted macadamia-backed Rabbit Porter passed muster. Sweet ‘n sour mocha-laced dried-fruited Nitro Milk Chocolate Stout provided lightly creamed dessert treat.
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-maltedHammerhead Pale Ale and orange-yellow-fruited, grassy-hopped, pale-malted Wheat Ale (add raspberry syrup and it becomes Ruby Ale).
Hop-roasted, tea-soured, black cherry-dried Porter, with wavered cocoa-chalked molasses-sapped stove-burnt coffee finish, made fine post-lunch digestif.
Standard-bearer Terminator Stout offered barley-flaked coffee-soured nut-charred chocolate-roasted cocoa-dried pleasantry, but wintry dunkelweizen seasonalKris Kringle X-Mas Alebarely registered with its obscure fig-date wince.
Better were woody citric-hopped dry-spiced alcohol-burnt India Pale Ale and lemony orange-fruited resin-hopped Pale Ale/ ESB mixer, I’m So Bitter.
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 of brewers’ keg taps along the wall. At 14,000 feet elevation lies stunning stone-capped Mount Rainier, where I drank wheat-y Elysian Bete Blanche. Afterwards, I visited state capitol Olympia’s loud, busy O’Blarney’s Irish Pub to sip excellent Hale’s Dublin Style Stout on tap. At gorgeous Mount Olympus, I tried spice-hopped Fish Tale Wild Salmon Pale Ale and Elysian’s tar-thick Perseus Porter. All reviews are in Beer Index.
Made journey to Northwest corridor once again, December ’09, visiting Seattle’s sundry brewpubs for a few rainy days. The Emerald City’s first brewpub, BIG TIME BREWERY, located at the University of Washington’s downtown village and opened 1988, retained a rustic saloon appeal. Inside a yellow brick building with red-green sign, its old wood bar had large wood mural. Beer trays, memorabilia, and a large antique beer can collection lined wood-paneled walls.
Indie rockers Animal Collective and TV On The Radio played in the background and the Boise State-Nevada football game was shown on the front bar and backroom televisions while I ordered half-pint selections.
Replete with moderate-bodied libations that never hit quaffers over the head, Big Time’s year-round offerings proved to be efficiently sufficient. A few college students grabbed pitchers of local favorite, Prime Time Pale Ale, a buttery corn-sugared crystal-malted grapefruit-embittered session beer with twiggy hop dryness and melon-pineapple-tangerine conflux.
Hopheads rejoice! Four worthy India Pale Ales will whet hearty Big Time appetites. The mildest, Bhagwan’s Best IPA, had leafy hop-spiced apple-orange-peach-grapefruit tang and floral-herbal nuances. Creamier crystal-malted Perspective IPAbrought dry wood tone to sullen yellow-orange fruits. Even creamier, Scarlet Fire IPA, received tingly alcohol-burnt spicing to override yellow-orange fruiting and creamed corn dalliance.
Best bet:Jeezum Crow Brown IPA, a dry-hopped honey-malted full body with ripe apple-peach-tangerine tang.
Offbeat winter seasonals included spice-hopped nut-shaded fig-date-soured coffee-iced Yulefest X-Mas Ale and its nuttier cask-conditioned version, which draped mild tea-like sedation atop peanut-oiled Brazil nut, hazelnut, dried fig, praline, and pumpernickel.
Mild red-yellow-fruited brown-sugared wheat-honeyed phenol-hopped Atlas Amber and unassuming tangerine-rotted lemondrop-soured grassy-hopped Barking Dog Scottish Ale didn’t match better offerings such as mild black chocolate-y hazelnut-centered fig-prune-soured stove-burnt coffee-finishing Coal Creek Porter and candi-sugared cotton-candied banana-bruised peppery-hopped pastry-like Malaprop 8 Belgian Abbey Ale.
Ancient beer cans along wraparound wall shelving included defunct lesser-known macrobrews such as ABC Beer, Barbarossa Bock, Budweiser Malt Liquor, Drewry’s, Drummond Bros., Engel Wolf Lager, Falls City, Fort Pitt, Golden Crown, Golden Grain, Iroquois, K & B Pilsner, Lucky Lite, Mizzou Beer, Old Dutch, Pfeiffer, Pickett’s, Prinz Brau, Regal Bavarian, Rhinelander Lager, Seven Springs Mountain, Simba Lager, Tudor, and Wisconsin Club.
Five miles north of midtown Seattle on Route 99, outstanding pint-size bar, Uber Tavern, offered huge microbrew bottle selection and fabulous tap beers.
A diminutive hole-in-the-wall with eight-seat front patio garden, cozy L-shaped left bar and open stone-flamed fire pit, Uber’s varied Belgian ale and mead choices had my head spinning. West Coast brewer’s ad stickers and banners lined the low ceiling and walls.
Wish I had a few hours to spend at this true godsend for brew hounds. Sucked down middling Chuckanut Pils and bought bottled versions of two award winning brews reviewed in Beer Index: Stone Kona Coffee Macadamia Coconut Porter and awesome Russian River Pliny The Elder (a renowned IPA many beer snobs drool over) while watching Family Guy and listening to Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main Street, December ’09.
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.
Dry hop-spiced orange-yellow-fruited currant-juniper-embittered Quantum Pale Ale gained floral black tea backdrop.
Sullen fig-date-soured bock-light Sleighor Double Dark Alt lacked wintry seasoning.
Lighter-than-most, Total Domination IPA worked polite piney grapefruit-orange peel bittering into corn-dried floral spicing and latent mango-apricot-pineapple tropicalia.
Roasted oats-flaked Oatis Oatmeal Ale secured black chocolate-cappuccino-espresso triumvirate with tannic grape, walnut, and molasses illusions.
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 as well as a trio of brewer Nate Sampson’s libations. A cafeteria-styled mid-size space with pictures, graffiti, and basement-level brew tanks, its small back bar had 3 TV’s showing highlights of the big game (the first ever state game in Oregon to decide Rose Bowl consideration in 100 years).
I ordered a salmon sandwich and clam chowder to go with the three light-bodied Eugene offerings – two named after Oregon University’s famed track team. All three are bottled for local consumption as well.
Smooth yellow-orange-red-fruitedTriple Jump Pale Ale integrated floral-spiced hops with light caramel malting.
Tender wheat-soured tangerine-juiced grapefruit-tart coriander-spiced vanilla-glazed Honey Orange Wheat may’ve lacked assertion, but perfume-hopped floral-spiced pine-needled pale-malted 200 Meter IPA efficiently wrapped juniper-currant-grapefruit peel bittering around apple-peach-orange fruiting and doughy white wheat graining.
After leaving Puget Sound-sited Harmon Pub, took the two-mile journey up the hill to former fire station, ENGINE HOUSE NO. 9 BREWERY & RESTAURANT. A historic Tacoma landmark visited December ’09, brewer Shane Johns keeps patrons comin’ with his healthy selection of barleywines, Belgian-inspired brews, and archetypal American ales.
A red-black courtyard with chairs and tables fronts the red-bricked antique wood-furnished restaurant (with archaic garage doors next to side entrance). Behind the dining area lies the crown jewel, a rustic 10-seat back bar with beautiful wood mural serving Johns’ surefire creations. A private banquet area upstairs adds to the charm. Windowed brew tanks on the attached right side maroon-bricked space served eleven libations this fortuitous autumn afternoon.
Subtly fruited Rowdy Dick Amber allowed buttery crystal malts to sweeten lemon custard, green grape, red apple and tangerine nuances.
Both red apple-whiffed soft-watered crystal-malted Scottish Ale and hop-bitten wood-lacquered yellow-red-fruitedIndia Pale Ale hit the stylistic mark.
Lemon-candied souring, subtle orange peel bittering, and grassy-hopped coriander spicing branded Belgian White. Hop-sharpened dried fruits inundated nutty tea-like cocoa malting of Engine House staple, Fire Engine Red.
Saison-styled Flemish Sourrevealed oaken cherry dryness, white grape tannins, Granny Smith apple tartness and lime-y cranberry pucker for parched barnyard graining.
Another favorite, simply called Tacoma Brew, saturated grassy Saaz-hopped lemon-seeded orange-peeled bitterness with honey malt glaze.
Equally impressive, Ecuadorian chocolate sweetened hop-roasted black cherry fruiting and dry cappuccino finish of mildChocolate Stout.
Coffee-roasted espresso-milked black chocolate-y Porter sufficed.
Best selections included sweet whiskey-wafted ’04 Barleywine, with its pureed banana-cherry creaminess illuminating candied apple, cotton candy and coconut oil undertones.
Within walking distance of Ram’s Head and Laurelwood Pizza Co. on NW 23rd Street, NEW OLD LOMPOC, opened May 2000, exhibited a small neighborhood dive atmosphere during late-morning December ’09 stopover.
Canary yellowed black exterior, remodeled patio, and sundeck bolster cafeteria styled interior (with diminutive central wood bar serving right side dining area typical pub fare).
Other Portland-based Old Lompoc-related locations include Hedge House (open December ’03), 5th Quadrant (the northernmost alehouse), and Oaks Bottom Public House (adjacent to wildlife refuge).
Christmas seasonals being readied during stopover were Jollybock, Blitzen, Old Tavern Rat, C-Sons Greetings, and Brewdolph. Tried year-round brews Proletariat Red Ale and C-Note Imperial Pale Ale (listed in Beer Index).
A red neon sign led me into meritorious PIKE PUB & BREWERY pre-lunchtime, December ’09. Located inside the Puget Sound-sited Pike Place Market on the ground floor below 1st Avenue and within close proximity to the famed fish market, this large open space had a sportsbar atmosphere.
U-shaped bar, polished wood furnishings, black-and-white tiled dining section, and silvery brass brew tanks rising above open-air midsection to second story welcomed patrons. A highly recommended beer museum left of the bar in a separate room gave a sense of brewing history with pictures, diagrams, and writings.
I met a playful Norwegian couple who had facial caricatures drawn to describe the feeling of each Seattle-based beer tried during vacation.
I joined in with my own amateurish doodlings while tasting several selections I’d never bought bottled. Mild orange-grapefruit-spiced peppery-hopped Pike Naughty Nellie Golden Ale and white-peppered banana-bruised Pike Weisse merely sufficed.
Better were funky yeast-addled banana-clove-centered black-peppered alcohol-burnt Pike Monk’s Uncle Belgian Tripel, dry banana-fig-date-soured pecan-candied grassy-hopped Pike Tandem Double Ale and creamy chocolate-fronted black cherry-pureed hop-roasted espresso-finishing dry-body Pike XXXXX Stout.
Cask-conditioned Pike Pale Alematched sugared fig-date frontage to lemon seed run-up and bark-dried rye nuttiness.
Lacking wintry wanderlust, Pike Auld Acquaintance Holiday Ale placed crystal malts atop coriander-allspice in a rather nebulous non-seasonal manner.
Anyone visiting Seattle’s downtown must make time for this gloriously ambitious watering hole.
Open since 1997, downtown Tacoma’s HARMON PUB & BREWERY sits across from the Washington State History Museum at Thea Foss Waterway’s Puget Sound base. Visited December ’09, green patio benches at the entrance welcome customers to Harmon’s ski lodge atmosphere.
Skiing paraphernalia bedecks the walls, exposed pipes lend an Industrial feel, and TV’s at all corners capture the eye from right side wood bar. American cuisine menu featured recommended halibut fishwich. Windowed brew tanks behind the bar served two dark seasonals alongside six regular brews.
Mild-spiced wheat-honeyed cereal-grained Vienna Lager, with its biscuit-y cornbread midst and chestnut-pecan subsidy, bested lemony hard-candied orange-tart wheat-flaked wet-grassed dry body Mt. Takhoma Blonde Ale and mildly vegetal spice-hopped lemon-bruised herbal-tinged apple-orange-fruitedPinnacle Peak Pale Ale.
Acidulated malt-soured floral-scented orange-dried honey-nuttyBrown’s Point ESB lacked initiative.
Genteel in its soft approach, woody-hoppedPoint Defiance IPAshone grapefruit-centered apricot-apple-pear fruiting across creamy caramel malts.
Creamy mocha-caramelized Puget Sound Porter soaked hazelnut coffee into roasted chocolate, vanilla bean, black cherry, and sour raisin illusions, becoming an instant fave.
On the wintry dark side, magnificent Scott’s Puget Creek Vanilla Porter poured creamy vanilla ice cream sweetness atop chocolate-y pecan-hazelnut-macadamia richness and port-burgundy illusions.
Nearly as rewarding, Diamond Pete Dry Stout placed hop-charred barley-roasted dark chocolate above cherry-pureed cocoa-chalked vanilla-cappuccino conflux.
Inside a former bus garage-turned-pub, DIAMOND KNOT BREWING COMPANY became a brewpub during 1993. North of Seattle along the rustic Mukilteo waterfront, this tiny maroon-trimmed hole-in-the-wall alehouse opposite the marina is situated in a wood-beamed brick-floored parlor-styled dining hall with high ceilings and small loft.
The bantam bar space has a TV, as does the tucked-in front dining space across from the kitchen. A great neighborhood bar with beer trays and nautical paraphernalia lining walls, Diamond Knot’s menu included pizza, salad, or surf ‘n turf and its slogan was the brewpub-friendly ‘fermenting change in taste.’ There are also a few local Diamond Knot-related brewpubs (B2 Alehouse; Camano Lodge; Lincoln Avenue).
During late-morning December ’09 taste test, watched the locals (long-suffering local football team, the Seattle Seahawks) defeat horrid St. Louis Rams while sampling a few goodies.
Firstly, I decided to have liquid breakfast, sipping sweet pinkish opaque dessert treat, Wyder’s Raspberry Cider, an easygoing red apple-ripened cranberry-tart berry-soured winter warmer.
A well-rounded tap selection of homebrews made my stay highly memorable. Silken lemon meringue-y cinnamon-ginger-spiced gourd-daubed nitro-injected Stingy Jack’s Pumpkin and banana-fronted vanilla-backed cinnamon-spiced caramel-malted cherry-tinged Industrial Ho Ho Winter Warmer brought about Seasons Greetings.
For the semi-exotic Hefeweizen, perfumed banana-clove subtlety gets overrun by cinnamon-spiced apple-pumpkin sweetness and heather-softened chamomile-mint freshness.
Using a pre-Prohibition lager recipe, soft rye-influenced yellow-fruited corn-sugared Summer Blonde proved soothing.
Caramel-malted black tea-embittered pumpernickel-tinged phenol-spiced aspirin-wafted E.S.B.and nebulous hazelnut-spiced mocha-wavered herbal-honeyed Brown Ale whet my appetite for heartier servings.
But hopheads were not to be denied, as there were three fine India Pale Ales available. Lighter thirsts will choose butterscotch-candied apple-sugared honey-spiced banana-pear-nectarine-cantaloupe-dangled Shipwreck XXX over richer hop-fueled tangerine-peach-spiced apple-ripened alcohol-burnt pine-finished Industrial X IPA and woody-hopped light-spiced yellow-fruited apple-candied pear-browned India Pale Ale.
Unafraid to give nearby competition an even chance, Gig Harbor’s 7 Seas British Pale Aleoffered amiable orange-soured floral-spiced crystal-malted apple-grape fruiting.
In the post-Industrial downtown section of West Seattle, ELLIOTT BAY BREWERY (with three locations as of 2025) hosts varied clientele at its charmingly elegant upscale space, visited December ‘09. Two park benches at the entrance welcome patrons to glass door of beige building (featuring brewers’ signifying seaworthy murel). Bar at left (with two TV’s) opposes wood-furnished dining area of narrow brick-walled interior. Abstract paintings adorn the walls and beer banners hang from the ceiling where exposed pipes suspend. The small loft area in the rear brings expanse.
World War II Blues played in the background while I sampled eight diversified offerings.
Soft lemon-bruised grapefruit-tart coriander-spiced woody-hopped wheat-blanched Luna Weizen and hop-spiced mineral-grained pine-nutty red-fruited caramel-malted Alembic Pale Ale suited moderate-bodied tastes.
Peanut-shelled rye-soured fig-sugared cherrywood-smoked West Side Brown Ale also stayed light-bodied.
Heartier thirsts will lean towards grapefruit peel-embittered, orange rind-soured, wheat-biscuit-y, grassy-hopped, alcohol-sharp, iodine-nicked Elliott Bay IPA and floral pine-sapped grapefruit-embittered Hoppus Collasum Double IPA, a terrific bold elixir countered firmly by honeyed peach-pear-nectar juicing and creamy cocoa malts.
No Ale Winter Seasonal wedged cocoa-molasses sweetness into malt-roasted dark-spiced cherry-bruised prune-soured finish.
On the dark side, Band-Aid-wafted salami-beefed beechwood-smoked grain-roasted prune-dried Noir Von Boorian Belgian Black Ale boasted mild eccentricities and cherry-pureed vanilla-chalked chocolate-smoked oats-flaked No Doubt Stout reveled in lightly creamed mocha malt smoothness.
Alongside the Everett marina one-half hour North of Seattle and three miles Northeast of Diamond Knot, Everett’s family-owned SCUTTLEBUTT BREWERY is situated inside a white industrial building with garage door, plate-glass windowed brew tanks, and small front-covered patio. Cafeteria-styled seating surrounds small bar and banners decorate the walls.
Bought bottled versions of Scuttlebutt’s Gale Force IPA, Amber Ale, and 10 Degrees Below Ale (listed in Beer Index), December ’09.
