The Great American Ale Trail (Revised Edition) Read online

  PHILOSOPHY

  Ganum’s beers exhibit the spice and earthiness of styles Portland brewers haven’t explored much until recent years: Belgian saison, bière de garde, and other, sometimes wild barrel-aged experiments resulting in funky, sour, earthy ales. But rather than simply mimicking Low Country classics, Ganum is also stretching out with experiments that place these beers firmly in Oregon soil.

  KEY BEER

  Upright’s April seasonal is Gose (5.2% ABV), based on a near-extinct German style developed in Leipzig, which incorporates salt and ground coriander seeds. The result is an unfiltered wheat beer with a cloudy yellow color and appealingly tart, dry finish. That beer put Ganum on the podium at the 2010 World Beer Cup in Chicago. On the other end the spectrum: several excellent stouts and strong ales, from an award-winning oyster stout to the excellent Billy the Mountain, a fulsome, 9.1% ABV old ale partially aged with Brettanomyces (wild yeast), or “brett,” wafting aromas of oak, wine, and leather.

  BREAKSIDE BREWERY

  820 NE Dekum St. • Portland, OR 97211 (503) 719-6475 • breakside.com • Established: 2010

  5821 SE International Way Milwaukie, OR 97222 • (503) 342-6309 • breakside.com • Established: 2012

  SCENE & STORY

  Breakside might as well change their name to “breakneck,” as in “breakneck speed.” Their rapid-fire approach has been nothing short of remarkable: what started as a 3.5bbl brewpub in the quiet northeast Portland neighborhood of Woodlawn has expanded to include a second, production-focused brewery and twenty-four-tap tasting room (in another location, in southeast Portland’s Milwaukie neighborhood), hundreds of beer releases, reams of press, and stacks of medals. The brewpub continues to thrive and the production brewery is up to 20,000 barrels per year. In other words, what might have gone off the rails in less assured hands has evolved into a super-accomplished company. This is arguably Portland’s strongest all-around—yet still approachably small—brewery. Lazing on the front patio of the original brewpub on a sunny evening with a passion fruit-infused Berliner weisse, seared wasabi tuna sandwich, and sweet potato fries makes all kinds of sense.

  PHILOSOPHY

  The logo is a lawn chair, but the MO is overachiever. When, in 2014, Harvard grad and brewmaster Ben Edmunds collected a gold for American Style IPA (in a field of over three hundred entrants), the proof was served up in tangy, near-perfect balance. He’d entered Portland’s competitive, world-class beer scene with training at the prestigious Siebel Institute and Doemens Academy in Munich, but with no prior professional experience. Not a bad first few years on the job.

  KEY BEER

  Breakside’s award-winning IPA is a ubiquitous offering in many local taprooms, and even Trader Joe’s sells the affordable twenty-two-ounce bottles. It’s become a welcome staple. But don’t neglect some of Edmunds’s more unusual beers, from sour and barrel-aged numbers to the much-loved Salted Caramel Stout, a rich and chocolaty collaboration with Jacobsen’s Salt, an innovative sea salt company based on the Oregon Coast.

  GIGANTIC BREWING CO.

  5224 SE 26th Ave. • Portland, OR 97202 (503) 208-3416 • giganticbrewing.com • Established: 2012

  SCENE & STORY

  Gigantic is the brainchild of talented local brewers Van Havig and Ben Love. With a 15bbl brewery housed in a quiet industrial section of southeast Portland, this delicious oxymoron of a brewery is anything but huge—except when it comes to flavor. Havig, once a PhD candidate in economics, spent sixteen years with chain brewers Rock Bottom in their downtown Portland location, gaining notoriety by producing beers outpacing the larger chain’s reputation, and, as he would cheerfully assent, running off at the mouth at industry conventions. Love, formerly of Pelican (on the coast) and the first head brewer of Portland’s Hopworks, plays cheerful yin to Havig’s yang, and together, the duo seems to do no wrong, cranking out batch after unique batch with a sure hand (and terrific, pop-art-influenced labels). Among the beers they’ve gained notice for in a few short years: everything from delicate, hoppy grisette to tawny Russian imperial stouts (the cleverly named “Most Premium”), and an impressive variety in between, many with names rising above the usual stonerish pablum. It’s a refreshing approach. And the beer is very good, too.

  Gigantic isn’t in the center of downtown Portland, but a trip to the taproom offers a clean, well-lit affair with red and gray highlights, soccer games on flat-screens (especially when the Portland Timbers are playing), and outdoor seating made for sunny afternoons (dogs are also welcome). The site was launched with a “Champagne Lounge” as well, which really means you can order a good bottle of champers or a split of prosecco (but none by the glass). It’s simply more vintage dry wit from the brewers who brought the world “Geezers Need Excitement,” “Whole in the Head,” and “the Most Interesting Beer in the World.” Well played, lads.

  PHILOSOPHY

  Try anything once. Gigantic has only one year-round beer: IPA, and a very good one at that. But every other beer is a one-off. This is by turns satisfying (when, as usual, the beers are excellent), and sad (when you realize it could be your last). But the recipes are posted online, so ambitious home brewers can try their hands at resurrecting the flavors.

  KEY BEER

  Obviously, the IPA, brewed with ample amounts of Cascade, Centennial, Crystal, and Simcoe, is the brewery’s standard. What will they brew next on any given day is anybody’s guess.

  CASCADE BREWING BARREL HOUSE

  939 SE Belmont • Portland, OR 97214 (503) 265-8603 • cascadebrewingbarrelhouse.com • Established: 2010

  SCENE & STORY

  Pucker up, Portland. To the truly devoted beer geeks, tart, barrel-aged beers are the next IPAs, and brewer Ron Gansberg—a veteran of the wine industry and residencies with both BridgePort Brewery and Portland Brewing Company—is Stump-town’s resident chief sourpuss. His award-winning wine-, whiskey-, and port-barrel-aged Belgian-style brews crackle with acidic notes and woody tannins that blur stylistic lines (and go nicely with cheese).

  In the summer of 2010, Gansberg opened this 6,000-square-foot facility with barrel-aging rooms and sixteen taps, including at least two directly from the barrels. It was the country’s first bar dedicated to sour beers, which begged the question: In the land of hops, wouldn’t an IPA bar make more sense? Not so fast. Despite a basic food menu (so far) the bar is normally busy if not packed.

  PHILOSOPHY

  “Bring your A game,” says Gansberg. “If a beer isn’t really making a statement, then it’s really hardly worth our time to brew.”

  KEY BEER

  Cascade Apricot (usually around 8.5% ABV) is a crisp, tart ale that goes through sixteen months of lactic fermentation and then spends four months resting on Washington State apricots in French oak wine barrels. Cascade has a huge lineup of beers, but this is consistently my favorite.

  HAIR OF THE DOG BREWING CO.

  61 SE Yamhill St. • Portland, OR 97214 (503) 232-6585 • hairofthedog.com • Established: 1993

  SCENE & STORY

  Once housed in a pub-less, ramshackle warehouse space in deep southeast Portland, the venerable Hair of the Dog operation has a new home in the friendly inner southeast industrial district, a chic mixed-use area of start-ups, farm-to-table eateries, and loft spaces in converted meatpacking and produce warehouses. There, founder Alan Sprints and family have set up shop in an airy space brightly painted in hues of teal, gray, and green around a polished eight-tap central bar. Off to the right side of the room is a little open kitchen where Sprints (a trained chef) himself does a lot of the cooking, like a recent dish of beer-braised beef served with whole grain mustard and spring greens.

  PHILOSOPHY

  Innovative and community-minded, Sprints was among the first brewers in the country to adopt the use of bourbon and whiskey barrels to age his beers, some of which are variations of long-forgotten styles like adambier, a strong aged ale from Dortmund, Germany. Sprints got the idea from legendary Portland beer writer Fred Eckhardt,
who happily scored the first bottle. (RIP, Fred. Portland will always miss you.)

  KEY BEER

  Sprints made his name with Adam and Fred (named for the late Eckhardt) and other big, boozy brews numbered for the purpose of cellaring; vintage bottles are available at the taproom (batch #1 of Adam, seventy-five dollars for twelve ounces). But today his Blue Dot double IPA is setting a lot of tongues (or tails?) wagging. It’s 7% ABV with waves of sweet, grapefruity hops and a crackingly dry, bitter finish.

  HOPWORKS URBAN BREWERY

  2944 SE Powell Blvd. • Portland, OR 97202 • (503) 232-4677 • hopworksbeer.com • Established: 2007

  SCENE & STORY

  San Francisco native Christian Ettinger found his beer inspiration in Cologne, Germany, touring the city’s famed kölsch producers and hanging out in atmospheric bierstubes during college. Back in the states, he attended brewing school through the Vermont-based American Brewers Guild, and then honed his skills in a Eugene brewpub and Portland’s Laurelwood Public House. Ettinger opened his kid- and bike-friendly brewpub in southeast Portland (often called simply HUB), using organic grains and innovative green-brewing practices like biodiesel to fuel the kettles, eco-friendly building materials, and both CO2 and heat recycling. Recently, Ettinger has embarked on a fairly extensive barrel program at the brewery, opened a new bar in northeast Portland (Bikebar, summer 2011), and continues to sponsor a hugely popular party, Biketoberfest, at the brewery in September.

  PHILOSOPHY

  Ettinger keeps it simple. “Any [one] can throw a wall of ingredients at something and come up with a bold flavor, and some people will like it. I love simplicity. If it isn’t simple, skip it.” Recent collaborations with Bitburger in Germany and a planned housing development on the site of the Powell Blvd. location show Ettinger’s considerable ambitions.

  KEY BEER

  An homage to the birthplace of the pilsner style, the ample but not heavy Czech-style HUB Lager (5.1% ABV). “It’s the most rewarding beer to make,” says Ettinger, “because it’s so simple and so stark. There’s little body to hide behind; there’s no formidable hop character to hide behind. That beer has to be made perfectly every time.” So far, so good.

  SARAVEZA BOTTLE SHOP & PASTY TAVERN

  1004 N. Killingsworth St. • Portland, OR 97217 • (503) 206-4252 • saraveza.com • Established: 2008

  SCENE & STORY

  With the exception of one ill-fated USFL (United States Football League) team, the Portland Breakers, Portland has never had anything approaching professional American football to cheer about (the MLS Timbers, on the other hand, are a different story). So it is incredibly refreshing to walk into Wisconsin native Sarah Pederson’s northeast Portland shrine to the Green Bay Packers and beers of every era. Overhead, check out the vintage signage and bottle cap murals as intricate as any ancient Roman mosaic—and settle in for some down-to-earth conversation, or take in a gridiron game on TV. Before you head out, take a little shopping spree through the 250-plus international beers in cool, old green vintage coolers. Saraveza—a play on Pederson’s name and on the Spanish word cerveza, for beer—has nine beers on tap, homemade soups, and those made-from-scratch pasties—try the Nater, a delicious blend of braised beef, potato, carrot, rutabaga, and onion. It doesn’t matter if you’re not into rushing stats and field goal attempts; you’re just here to soak up some good, old-fashioned, unironic midwestern hospitality.

  PHILOSOPHY

  Pederson has assembled the best bar staff in Portland, helpful and open-minded, a major selling point in the occasionally too-cool-for-school city of “Beervana.” Brewers and purists might cringe at the thought, but certain bartenders here are experienced and confident enough to hand you a blend of tap beers of different origins and profiles. Want a little more zing and hops in your malty Belgian tripel? Done. Lately Saraveza has been hosting excellent little festivals, like the Peche Fest and Farmhouse Fest, which have boasted insanely good selections—and no lines whatsoever. Call it a well-kept secret.

  KEY BEER

  The beer list is superb: up-to-the-second, heavily local on draft and Low Countries–focused in the coolers. Look for complex, handmade beers from Block 15, in Corvallis, Portland’s Upright, McMinnville’s Heater Allen, Hood River’s Logsdon, and Boneyard in Bend. Or, to go Saraveza native, don’t be afraid to order the pride of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, an icy-cold mug of Hamm’s (4.7% ABV).

  BAILEY’S TAPROOM AND THE UPPER LIP

  213 SW Broadway • Portland, OR 97205 • (503) 295-1004 • baileystaproom.com; theupperlip.net • Established: 2007

  SCENE & STORY

  Unlike hilly Seattle, Portland’s downtown is wonderfully walkable, with airy park blocks leading from the river nearly to the West Hills and Forest Park (a must for city dwellers in need of a quick urban escape). Located within walking distance to the iconic Powell’s Books and several of Portland’s better boutique hotels, Bailey’s Taproom has high glass windows and a streamlined, almost minimalist interior, keeping the focus on craft beer. There are twenty taps and ninety-nine bottled selections (bringing a certain song to mind), all specializing in Oregon’s diverse craft beers, with occasional forays outside the borders into California and Washington, and cask tappings on Mondays. During the week and on sunny afternoons there’s a constant crowd of beer lovers, but it’s seldom slammed to the point of “nope, let’s bail.” With lots of small festivals throughout the year, it’s one of downtown’s best beer bars. The stylish, quiet, speakeasy-style sister “Bailey’s Upper Lip” bar around the corner at 720 NW Ankeny Street may be open—check with bartenders—where you’ll find a world-class smaller selection of draft and bottled beers, cocktails, plus shuffleboard (and a peaceful spot overlooking Broadway).

  PHILOSOPHY

  Efficient. While there’s no food, the owner of Bailey’s struck up a genius deal with Santeria, the excellent Mexican restaurant across the street adjoining the venerated Mary’s Club (Portland’s oldest strip joint). Simply call up to order (menus are kept behind the bar), and Santeria will deliver the goods directly to your table (try the tinga with anything).

  KEY BEER

  Downstairs, check what’s just been tapped. Maybe it’s Silver Moon Bridge Creek Pilsner, from Bend (4.7% ABV), the ideal companion to some spicy Mexican food. On a recent visit to the Upper Lip, I scored a pair of bottles of Rayon Vert, a rare Belgian-style pale ale from Green Flash that was last packaged in twelve-ounce bottles in 2012. With its Brettanomyces kick and bottle-conditioning, the beer had held up amazingly. And at six dollars, it was an incredible bargain.

  HIGGINS RESTAURANT & BAR

  1239 SW Broadway • Portland, OR 97205 (503) 222-9070 • higginsportland.com • Established: 1994

  SCENE & STORY

  Located just off the leafy park blocks in downtown Portland, Higgins is a restaurant in two parts: one, a white tablecloth dining room with an open kitchen; two, a warm and inviting beer café/bar with a solid list of Belgian and craft beers and mouthwatering food. How do a fresh saison beer and a warm tart of leeks, oyster mushrooms, and cave-aged Gruyère served with hazelnut and fennel salad sound?

  GET FRESH with your ALES

  Every fall in the Pacific Northwest, America’s cradle of hops production (now on par with Germany), ripened hops’ tall, leafy trellises begin to sag with the weight of millions of flowers. On the best back roads, the air in Oregon’s Willamette (it’s “Will-am-ett,” not “William-et,” dammit) is redolent with the grapefruity smell of the delicate pinecone-like flowers, which are soon picked, dried, and packaged. But not all hops make it to the temperature-controlled storehouses where they’re monitored to avoid spontaneous combustion (true!). Some are hauled off the trellises and added directly into unfermented beers in nearby breweries, creating a fresh—and fleeting—genre of beer, interchangeably referred to as fresh-hopped or wet-hopped. Brewers in the south of England have long called them harvest ales, always an excuse for a roaring party. (Portland’s first big fresh hop festival
kicked off in 2010.)

  How it works: Working with growers, brewers time their arrival to a farm to coincide with a batch of beer nearing the boil stage. Then they race back and plunge the flower cones directly into what’s called the whirlpool step. In the best years, this translates into pure brewing magic, with floral aromas that hit your nose within milliseconds of cracking a finished beer open.

  The only drawback to fresh hop ales? Now you see them, now you don’t. Brewed only in the fall, these beers don’t age or travel well. What’s more, they tend to drain from kegs faster than Keystone Light at a tailgater. Fresh hop ales are catching on around the country, but Oregon leads the pack. Look for them from Laurelwood, Deschutes, and Gigantic on tap (and sometimes bottled, like Deschutes’ Hop Trip).

  Whatever you do, don’t miss the freshest beers of the year.

  James Beard Award–winning chef Greg Higgins and Co. will cook your socks off. You could head there after a concert, or an art opening at the Portland Art Museum a couple of blocks away. You don’t need a reservation to walk into the bar on a random night, and you’re likely to meet a local brewmaster refreshing at the bar, talking shop with the knowledgeable—and ultracourteous—staff.

  PHILOSOPHY

  As ambitious and eco-minded as they come. Higgins is an ardent champion of local purveyors, and that includes brewers, of course. Long before it was fashionable, Higgins worked with Hair of the Dog brewer Alan Sprints on a beer made with organic kabocha squash (4.5% ABV and called Greg), and promoted a series of elegant beer and brewmaster dinners with the likes of Pike Brewing Company.

  KEY BEER

  Beer steward Jason Button looks after the ten-tap, 100-bottle list, packed with unusual domestic and European choices. But sometimes an easy local sipper is the way to go. “Come summer, with sweet corn and peppers coming in, we like to steam clams in kölsch,” he says. “Double Mountain in Hood River makes a nice one. So: steamed clams, sweet corn, peppers, and a kölsch for yourself. Always hits the spot.”