Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1 – #2)

West Linn is a suburb of Portland, Oregon – about twelve miles south – a wonderful community as I related in my last blog post – “Thanksgiving Thoughts.”  We’ve lived here for the last forty-two years.

With a population of 28,000, it’s an ideal place to reside. I’d never have believed that when I played sports at Oregon City High School in the mid-60’s, that West Linn (our arch cross-town rival) would become my home for most of my life.

In fact, as reported in Oregon Live, the rivalry has a rich history

“The (West Linn) Lions and (Oregon City) Pioneers will try to win the ‘Battle for the Bridge,’ a rivalry that started in 1921. The game is billed as the longest continuously played high school football rivalry west of the Mississippi River.” 

“With an all-time series deadlocked at 50-50-1 after 101 historic meetings, anticipation is at fever pitch. ”  (Greatamericanrivalry.com) November 2024

(Last year West Linn won 52 to 13 and in 2024, it was a 63 to 0 shellacking in 2024.)

Some high school seniors used to walk across the arch on the historic bridge on the day of the game. (Perhaps some of the Pioneer footballers are now tempted to jump……#3)

Now, when I was in high school, the two schools were fairly evenly matched.  The highlight for me came in my senior year at OCHS.  When our basketball team played West Linn at home, we were leading the TYV League, but West Linn had a very good team.   

As we took the court for warm-ups in our cracker-box gym, the Pioneer’s five-person Pep Band, perched on a precarious platform off the balcony, blared out “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (No.1 by The Tokens in 1961).  The crowd went wild.  

We went on to soundly beat the Lions and won the 1966 League Championship – the first time in twenty-one years and went on to the State Tournament. In the last ten years, however, West Linn has become an Oregon sports powerhouse. 

Take a look at their record of Oregon State Championships.

• Baseball: 1978, 1982, 2022, 2023, 2024
• Boys Basketball: 1997 (4A), 1997 (3A), 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
• Boys Swimming; 1948
• Boys Track and Field: 1996, 1997, 1998
• Boys Tennis: 2003, 2004, 2023
• Choir: 2019, 2022
• Dance/Drill: 1989, 1991
• Football: 2016, 2022, 2024
• Girls Golf: 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016
• Girls Swimming: 1950, 1951
• Volleyball: 1998, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2021
• Wrestling: 2023

Those who follow professional sports will recognize the names of these WLHS Alums all within the last ten years:

Payton Pritchard (Celtics – NBA), Alex Forsyth (Denver Broncos – NFL), Jayden Grant (Las Vegas Raiders – NFL) and  Elijah Molden (LA Chargers – NFL) – all WLHS alums – Clockwise below: – Pritchard, Forsyth, Grant and Molden. (#4 – #7)

But I Digress…

While most of the bars and breweries I’ve reviewed are in Portland or throughout Oregon, I have a few West Linn favorites including the Salty Rhino and the Nineteen 33 Taproom.

I revisited an establishment just last week, however, in the heart of the historic district of Willamette which merged with the City of West Linn in 1923. 

I made my first trip to the Ale and Cider House in 2018 and returned on a recent Saturday night to hear our friend of many years, Charlie Rose, and his group, Parkwood play some great tunes. (more about Charlie below)

As described in the City of West Linn’s website:

“This district stands out due to its exceptional collection of Victorian and early-twentieth-century American architectural styles, which have remained largely intact. Its period of significance extends from 1895, when the first residences were erected, to 1929 when construction activity declined significantly, mainly attributed to the onset of the Great Depression and a dwindling supply of available building lots.” (#8 – #9)

The establishment opened in early 2018.  As stated in their website:

“The Ale and Cider House (A&CH) blends the charm of a traditional English-style public house with modern amenities. Originally established in 1915, the building underwent a complete rebuild and remodeling in 2018.

The warm and inviting atmosphere of A&CH….makes it the perfect backdrop for creating nostalgic memories with your loved ones.”

And it has an appealing ambiance with a number of nooks and crannies, a great long bar and a small area for bands and entertainers. Behind the taproom is an event center and also an expansive beer garden – the entire operation is 16,500 square feet.  It’s an amazing part of this community.

They have a robust selection of beers, ciders and wine Their website states:

“Our e-commerce platform allows for our customers to order bottles from our International bottle shop and 32 oz crowlers or 32/64 oz growlers from our 42 taps of craft beer and cider to-go.“

Enhancing this establishment is the fact that it is a local family-owned business (7Bev Corp). I talked to General Manager Toney Chay, son of his co-parent owners (Ann and JC) and they’ve thrived since inception in 2015 with exciting plans for the future:

“7Bev is a vertically integrated beverage company engaged in real estate development, farming, production, and self-distributed sales and marketing of alcoholic beverages.”  (#10 – #12)

The Chay family supports the West Linn and surrounding communities and the Ale and Cider House has become a local hub and gathering place. The A&CH doesn’t brew its own beer (although that’s planned in the next year) but their flagship brew is Queen Orchard Base Brut French Dry Cider.

“….with a light, refreshing taste that’s perfect for solo sipping or creating delicious cocktails. Its delicate flavor, reminiscent of Brut Champagne, makes it ideal for any occasion – from special celebrations to casual gatherings.” (#13)

Events

With their spacious facilities, they can host both large and small groups and enthusiastically support non-profit groups.  The reviews are great as evidenced by these two from Yelp on 6/11/24 and 1/21/23 respectively:

“The team at the A+CH helped us organize and execute a truly special night for our 2024 WLHS graduates. They talked us through food and beverage options and were so easy to work with! We had approximately 200 people celebrating- we had music and games and everyone loved the fun casual atmosphere. The location is truly special with a beautiful outdoor area and minors are welcome.”

“I found this gem of a place in West Linn. Wow, what a great place to hold a company party, a family gathering or other events. This is a fantastic venue for any party!

Food

Rotating food trucks are adjacent with NW local vendors including Bellagio’s Pizza, Kelly’s Tacos and Cousins Maine Lobster.

Entertainment

The A&CH has live entertainment on most Fridays through Sundays ranging from rock, jazz, R & B, country western and folk music.  Every Thursday is an Open-Mic night.

We loved listening to Charlie Rose and Tim Walker’s group Parkwood on a Saturday night.  Their rendition of “Into the Mystic” was the best I’ve heard other than Van Morrison himself.  Their tunes range from Chicago to the Eagles and even the Judds.  Great sounds and they return on December 20th. (#14 – #16)

A Rose is a Rose…

Now this is not only a blog about bars and breweries, but also about people – interesting and talented ones and that’s why I’m finishing with a profile of Charles Rose II. 

I can make the case that Charlie is a Northwest version of the Renaissance Man although he doesn’t paint and have as full a beard as Leonardo Di Vinci.

He studied Mechanical Engineering at Portland State University and worked for PacifiCorp for four years before opening his own firm – Rose Technical Graphics where he and his team have produced computer-aided design services (two and three-dimensional technical graphics) for thirty-eight years. (#17)

Charlie was a high school athlete, and besides his musical talent, is the type of guy who can build and fix anything from woodwork to video technology.  For many years, while his sons attended West Linn High School, Charlie filmed and edited the WLHS football games video for post-game analysis by the coaches.

But where I most saw Charlie shine was in the outdoors – years of Father/Daughter backpack trips.  Mr. Rose always shouldered the heaviest pack because he carried all the maps as well as the tools to accommodate and dispose of our waste needs environmentally in the National Forests where we adventured.

One of the most memorable treks was our 1997 climb of the South Sister – at 10,358 feet, Oregon’s third highest peak.  The daughters and their dads camped at Green Lakes, before reaching the summit the next day and walking five miles out to our cars by flashlight that night.

I still have memories of the rich, dark coffee that Charlie brewed for us that evening at Green Lakes – also lying awake in the tent we shared until 2:30 AM because of the resultant caffeine high.

These annual hikes had a lasting impact both on the fathers and daughters.

In closing, I might add that those remarkable girls – all WLHS graduates and now in their late thirties – continued their ascents – academically and professionally: 

Their careers include an athletic trainer, a pediatric emergency department nurse, a teacher including a stint in Teach for America, a speech therapist who opened her own clinic, a surgeon and a marketing professional who formed and eventually sold her nutrition-focused company.

One month ago, they held their 20th WLHS reunion where they and their classmates enjoyed the festivities at the Ale and Cider House event center.  Go figure!  (#18)

External Photo Attribution 

#1. -#2. Facebook Page Willamette Cider and Ale House (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=761397615314774&set=a.761397571981445).

#3.  Oregon City High School Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/oregoncityhighschool/posts/the-104th-football-game-oc-vs-west-linnfriday-november-1-at-700pmpioneer-memoria/1147621267371819/)

#4.  Wikimedia Commons (Payton Pritchard Celtics – Payton Pritchard – Wikipedia)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author:  Erik Drost – 15 November 2021.

#5.   Public Domain – Wikipedia Commons (File:Alex Forsyth.webp – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work prepared by an officer or employee of the United States Government as part of that person’s official duties.  Author: Petty Officer 2nd Class Joel Mundo – 26 December 2022.

#6.  BeaversEdge.com (Oregon State DB Jaydon Grant Announces His Return For 2022 – BeaversEdge: Oregon State Beavers Football & Basketball Recruiting).   Author: Brenden Slaughter – 2 January 2022.

#7.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Elijah Molden 2021 09-19.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Chipermc – 19 September 2021.

#8. # Historic Willamette.com (Historic Willamette Main Street).

#9. Facebook Page Historic Willamette (https://www.facebook.com/HistoricWillamette).

#10.  Queen Orchard Cider Website (https://www.queenorchard.com/).

11. Ale and Cider House Website (https://www.aleandcider.com/making-of-ach.html).

#12.  7Bev Website (https://www.7bev.com/about.html).

#13.  Ale and Cider House Website (https://www.aleandcider.com/event-venue.html).

#14. Facebook Page Ale and Cider House (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1299189848202212&set=pb.100043336284735.-2207520000&type=3).

#15.  Linked in ((13) Charlie Rose | LinkedIn)

#16.  Courtesy of Charlie Rose

#17.  Crunchbase.com (Rose Technical Graphics).

#18.  Ale and Cider House Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/aleandciderhouse/photos/pb.100043336284735.-2207520000/2205293556449079/?type=3).