Brooklyn Pub Hat From Phoebe the Bartender

“The Beer Chaser – A Tour of Portland Pubs — Bar None!”

The Brooklyn!

The Brooklyn Park Pub on SE Milwaukie Avenue was the epitome of the neighborhood bar (see review below) and was recommended by my oboe instructor.  Why I have an oboe instructor is another story.

It was a Thursday evening and there were few cars around the establishment so I thought it would be pretty dead — but to my surprise each of the eleven seats at the bar was filled.  Phoebe, a delightful bartender with a distinctive laugh was manning the five taps – the most intriguing draft was Ft. George Brewery’s (Astoria) Working Girl Porter.

I want to identify what makes each bar distinctive and for the Brooklyn, the following makes the case:

• A Whiskey Club – to become a member, one gets a punch-type card that will track the 30 different whiskeys required – 5 of which must be bourbon, 5 scotch and 5 ryes.  There are approximately 130 members (reportedly, another 200 in process….) who proudly wear their t-shirts and also qualify for a life-time $1 discount on future shots.  There were approximately 100 whiskey containers hanging on the wall to document participation.
• Their mixed drinks were served in frosted mason jars.

Other nice touches to this bar were a “Go Cougs” sign because the owner’s family members are Washington State grads, a small library of military books and other historical non-fiction, a number of board games and a good dart board.  Also six flat screen TVs and a number of posters with woodchucks, including one in which the buck-toothed critter states, “I hope dentistry is covered by ObamaCare.”

The Brooklyn as my initial stop, becomes a member of my honor roll and Phoebe, when I told her about my project, even gave me a Brooklyn Park Pub hat, which she signed and I now wear even more than my OSU Beaver cap.

While not posted in the Brooklyn, perhaps closing with two great W.C Fields’ quotes to commerorate the Whiskey Club are in order:

• Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake.
• Drown in a cold vat of whiskey? Death, where is thy sting?

Brooklyn Park Pub

3400 SE Milwaukie Ave.

503-234-7772