Monthly Archives: November 2011

Amnesia Brewing Co. Pub

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After we visited Prost, one person in our group suggested we take a “quick walk” down to the Amnesia Brewery.  It was largely a forgettable experience – sorry, but I was going to make a comment about Republican Presidential Candidate, Rick Perry and his “Oops” debate, but we’ll leave it at “forgettable.”

Memories of Amnesia Brewing???

Although they do have a good selection of beers with interesting names, the place seems more like a cafeteria – for example plastic chairs and picnic tables.  The bartender was not very friendly and Amnesia just doesn’t come close to the ambiance that made the Coalition Brewing Co. Pub such a good place to visit.

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After the great environment up the street at Prost, Amnesia was as flat as a happy hour PBR — the next day

Maybe in the summer, when they open the large garage doors to the beer garden, of sorts, the atmosphere might be better (although some will complain because they allow smoking in the beer garden)

Perhaps novelist Stephen Wright’s quote is the most appropriate way to move on from this experience:

 “Right now I’m having amnesia and déjà vu at the same time. I think I’ve forgotten this before.”

“Getting the Boot” at Prost

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Portland’s North Mississippi Neighborhood has become a very trendy place.  There are numerous interesting restaurants, pubs, condos and shops.  At the northern part at the corner of Skidmore and Mississippi Ave. stands what appears to be a somewhat sterile modern building.  This is Prost, but don’t let the external appearance fool you.

Prost is a classy German-style pub with both Portland and Seattle locations.  The name is the German equivalent to the English toast “Cheers.”  (“Bottoms Up” is “Zum Wohl.”)  We were there on a Wednesday night and it was jammed – the second anniversary of the Portland bar was that weekend (October 28th) and undoubtedly, the crowd spilled out into the large beer garden, which has heaters in the winter and ample space.

There are all kinds of old photos on the wall, many of which are from the one of the co-owner’s (Chris Navarra) home town in Germany.  All “bier” is imported from Germany and there were eight selections on the menu plus three rotating taps.   We liked the Bitsburger Pilsner and the darker Spaten Optimator – which sounded cool just ordering it. There were also a nice selection of bratwurst sandwiches and salads.

Unfortunately for those in my group, the German origins of Prost compelled thebeerchaser to tell the international monetary joke from George Will’s column the day before, to wit:  A Spaniard, a Greek and an Italian walk into a bar one night.  They drink until dawn.  Who picks up the tab?

Blame George – not thebeerchaser!

Answer = The German

Harkening back to college, Prost is a pub with the type of atmosphere that would allow you, after one beer, to forget about the term paper due the next day – until you weaved out several hours later.

The hat may not still be in style – but the bier is!

Distinguishing Features

Prost has a “Stein Club Membership” for overachiever beer drinkers.  A punch card (with 50 pints checked off) will “earn” the individual a shirt and there are eight levels of progress.  For example at five cards – a plaque on the “Wall of Bier” and you can slosh you way to 30 cards, which is a custom Prost jacket.  After 1,500 pints, I’m sure they’re only available in extra-large.

The small plaques – there were about 20 – on the entrance wall are a nice touch and have the drinker’s name, the date the feat was accomplished and a quote for humanity e.g. Karl Johnson, Feb. 2011 “Wise Beyond my Biers,” or Robert Bennett, April 2011 “Beauty is in the eye of the Bierholder.”

The Boot                                                   

Getting the Boot from Emily the Bartender

 The most fun and interesting event that night for our group of six was buying a 2 liter glass boot for $18 – plus a $50 breakage deposit! The custom is that once purchased, the boot has to be passed within your group and cannot touch the table.  We didn’t ask about the consequences, but that was no problem for us.

We were advised to point the toe  towards you when you drank or you would have bier stains on your torso.  Given the name of the pub, it is fitting to end the review of Prost with a toast.

For every wound – a balm.

For every sorrow – cheer.

For every storm – a calm.

For every thirst – bier.

             Prost                            4237 N Mississippi Avenue

Four Bartenders – Beerchasers of the Month for October

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One of the benefits of thebeerchaser tour, has been the opportunity to meet some great bartenders.  In fact, the trend started at my first stop in the Brooklyn Park Pub, when I told Phoebe the bartender about my project and she promptly gave me a BPP baseball cap.  Although the number of bars on my tour so far is not great, I am compelled to name my preliminary all-star team of Portland bartenders:

  • Phoebe             The Brooklyn Park Pub   
  • Natasha            The Gladstone Street Tavern
  • Dave                 The Twilight Room
  • Emily                  Prost

Phoebe from the Brooklyn Park Pub

Indeed, the personality of the bartender will often determine the ambiance or lack of it in a neighborhood pub or a dive bar.

Perhaps all of us have wished we could have the barkeep experience and Hall of Fame basketball coach, Al McGuire of Marquette University, aptly conveyed the sentiment:  “I think everyone should go to college and get a degree and then spend six months as a bartender and six months as a cab driver. Then they would really be educated.”

Natasha from the Gladstone Street Tavern

My favorite country-western singer, George Jones in his song, “The Bartender’s Blues” portrays the job as a downer – just look at an excerpt from the lyrics below:

Well I’m just a bartender
And I don’t like my work
But I don’t mind the money at all
I’ve seen lots of sad faces
And lots of bad cases
Of folks with their backs to the wall

But I got four walls around me, to hold my life
To keep me from going astray
And a honky-tonk angel, to hold me tight
To keep me from slipping away

The Twilight Room’s Bartender — Dave

However, each one of all-stars above was personable, friendly and appeared to really enjoy what he or she was doing.  That said, there are certainly jerk bartenders, who hurt the image.  My favorite crime novelist and the September Beerchaser of the Month, James Crumley, relates his experience with one of these in an excerpt from his novel, The Last Good Kiss:

“For a tip, I left him the remains of a stale beer.  When even the bartenders lose their romantic notions, it’s time for a better world.”

                 Emily From Prost

Hats off to Phoebe, Natasha, Dave and Emily and the next time you have a pint, leave not only a good tip, but a kind word for your bartender.  Their job is not easy:

The hard part about being a bartender is figuring out who is drunk and who is just stupid.

 

 

 

 

The Coalition Brewing Co. Pub

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“Coalition:  An integration or joining of forces or thought to form a unit as a whole.”

The name for this ten-barrel brewery and pub accurately reflects the opinion of both thebeerchaser and his spouse on this pub.  While we have had ample disagreement on the quality and ambiance of prior bars on the tour, both of us were united that the Coalition Brew Co. Pub is a gem.

Welcome to the Coalition

Their website accurately describes it as an, “intimate neighborhood gathering place with the feel of a traditional public house.”  It seats about twenty-five inside and has dark, classy woodwork for the bar and tables.  The front wall is essentially a garage door that opens so people can sit outside weather permitting, and there is also a small beer garden.  Historical pictures of their brewery and Portland decorate the walls and enhance the ambiance.

                  A Nice Ambiance

 There were seven of Coalition’s own beers on tap including our favorites – ironically, in inverse order of their alcoholic content!

  • Mr. Pig’s Pale Ale              5.0%
  • King Kathy’s Red              5.7%
  • Two Dogs IPA                   5.8%

The Loving Cup Maple Porter may be better suited to a bucket hanging from a tree in Vermont on a cold winter day.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Grilled Cheese Partnership

Because its menu is extremely limited, The Coalition partners with the Grilled Cheese Grill (GCG) located in their small beer garden.  An extensive menu of grilled cheese sandwiches and cheeseburgers is available.    For example, “the Jalapeno Popper” is roasted jalapeno, Colby jack, cream cheese and corn tortilla chips on sourdough – you can also add ham for $1.75.

Or you can simply choose “The First Grader” which is one slice of white, one slice of wheat with Tillamook, Cheddar and American cheeses.  Order a bowl of tomato soup for $2.50 and memories of Ted and Sally, Boots and Tuffy and the swing set at your grade school come flooding back – except that you drank milk instead of beer with your lunch!

                               Read the Menu and Say “Cheese!”

The CGC menu concludes with:

“So come by for a taste of your childhood.  Unless your childhood sucked, and then we’ll let ya have a taste of ours.”

The Coalator Program

            The pub features new beers where home brewers are selected from the community and featured on a specialty tap to showcase each Coalator.

The Coalition Brew Co. Pub             2724 SE Ankeny  Portland