Beerchaser Notables – Captain Don Wilburn, US Army Air Corps – Part II

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Don and Jeannette Wilburn

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

In my first post on Don Wilburn, I related a bit about his heroic aerial missions during World War II and the long overdue award of the Distinguished Flying Cross, his time at George Washington University including his friendship with my dad at the SAE house and a bit about his beautiful wife, Jeannette. https://thebeerchaser.com/2025/06/29/beerchaser-notable-captain-don-wilburn-us-army-air-corps-part-i/

In this post, you will learn more about the top-secret mission known as Operation Rusty, the other participants in this undertaking including Elliott Roosevelt (son of FDR) who was the chief navigator on their B-17 named the “Blue Goose.”  The background on this mission is compelling and it will convey why I’m honored that my dad – FDW – named me – his first son, after his best friend and fraternity brother. (#2)

Don Wilburn met his future wife, Jeannette Stehman, when he was an SAE at George Washington University.  She graduated from Washington–Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia.  Jeannette attended SAE house dances at the Washington City Rho chapter such as the one shown from her photo album in the attached picture dated 1939.  Don and Jeannette are in the middle of the picture. 

You can see that these were more formal affairs than the equivalent SAE functions I attended at Oregon State University such as the one shown below from a house dance in 1967. (We didn’t have a combo playing Big Band music.) (#3)

George Washington University – 1939
Oregon State University – 1967

Don’s goal had always been to be a military pilot, and he applied for Flying Cadet Training in June, 1938 and then had both initial and advanced pilot training in Texas in 1939-40. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and received his pilot rating in November 1939.

His primary duties were Intelligence and Operations and Don trained in aerial mapping photography and flew mapping missions in Alaska and across Canada.  Even with his rigorous training and duties as an officer, he took correspondence courses at the University of Texas and his regular letters to Jeannette chronicle his service.

They began dating exclusively, when he returned to Bolling Field in DC in November 1941.  With the strong presumption that Don would be undertaking mission overseas, they decided to get married. (#4 – #6)

Duane Williams, Don’s fraternity brother, who had moved to New York and gone to work for American Airlines, made the flight arrangements and traveled to the wedding site with them in Bristol, Tennessee on Feb. 25, 1942. (#7)

The timing was fortuitous because Don was assigned to a top-secret mission named “Operation Rusty” on March 3, 1942 – less than two weeks later.  It was an aerial photo mapping mission based in Accra, Gold Coast and the objective was to map North Africa along the Mediterranean and as far as China.  He, as co-pilot, assisted in flying one of two B-17 Flying Fortresses equipped for extended long range operation, at high altitudes.

And were those two planes modified!  “Two Boeing B‑17B ‘special flights’ were heavily modified by United Airlines at Cheyenne to carry six Fairchild K-17 cameras in a trimetrogon layout and extra long-range fuel tanks. They were painted haze-blue with identification marks removed.”  A complete itemization of the alterations can be found at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Operation_Rusty#About_the_Aircraft

Interviewed after the War, one of the crew members, Lt. William Teague (23) said:

“Our Flying Fortress had to be equipped with cameras and plenty of gas tanks.  Each plane had a 3,900-gallon capacity. It was impossible to carry guns of any sort on the bombers.  Weight was so carefully allotted that we weren’t even allowed to carry coins in our pockets.  In case of enemy attack, our only weapon was altitude, but that was enough.” (#8) (#9 – #12)

He met Captain Elliott Roosevelt, son of the President, who was his chief navigator for the missions shortly after that point. Don’s letters indicate that he and Elliott visited the White House a few times to discuss the mission with FDR. Roosevelt ultimately became a general in the Army Air Force.

The excerpt below from pages 51 – 56 of Roosevelt’s book (As he saw it by Elliott Roosevelt | Goodreads) provides fascinating insight on Operation Rusty.

“….unexpectedly, secret orders came through directing that I report to the commander of the First Mapping Group at Bolling Field, in Washington. There was so much secrecy attending my orders, and the nature of my future assignment, that my hopes were really soaring. Must be something big and important. Surely some sort of overseas assignment.

Well, it was an overseas assignment, all right, but when I found out what it was,
I was a little disgusted. It had code name: RUSTY PROJECT, and it seemed so tame to me that it was more than rusty, it was broken. I was one of two navigators to be assigned to do aerial intelligence and mapping photography of large parts of northern Africa. Africa!

Just before we left, I had a talk with Father, one of our after-breakfast-before-the-day’s-work chats, during which I told him with some disappointment about my supposedly ‘super’ assignment.

To be sure, it was top-secret, but I figured it was possible the Commander-in-Chief knew about it already. He did, and he quickly undertook to explain to me why my job was in fact more important than I had thereto-fore believed. Like all of his explanations, it also served to give me more perspective on the problems and strategies of global warfare, too. He began by glowing with pleasure when I told him what my job was to be.”  (#13) (#14)

Elliott Roosevelt
Roosevelt’s Book

After the completion of one part of the mission, Don’s letter indicated that he was the last out of the B-17. The crew was standing around and Elliott Roosevelt pinned his own captain’s bars on Don.  Roosevelt had just been promoted to major and also wanted to immediately recognize Don’s new rank. (#15)

Promoted to Captain.

This description of Don Wilburn’s role on the final flight of Operation Rusty in April 1942 is solid evidence of why the DFC was eventually awarded. Jason Garver, friend of the Wilburn family has done extensive research and documentation and his description for WikiTree is below: 

“40,000 miles, of which nearly half were flown while taking 18,000 photographs in direct preparation for the invasion, were a success. All that was left was for the B-17 to return to its remote base in Accra and transfer the film back to the US to make maps. Less than 1000 miles from this goal, disaster struck in the form of a runaway propeller that threatened to tear the aircraft apart.

To make matters worse this put the aircraft into an uncontrolled plummet that lost 17,000 feet in minutes. If any bailout had been attempted, Elliott and the cameraman would have been left hopelessly trapped in the cramped nose. With a crash a minute or so away, this is where Don Wilburn’s piloting skills came to the rescue. As if righting a plummeting, damaged aircraft was not enough, 800 miles still lie between them and the airfield. Don’s skillful actions made it successful, with everyone and all the film plates safe.

Don Wilburn’s ability to recover from the catastrophic failure and his safe landing of the severely damaged aircraft was critical in getting photographs and intelligence immediately back to The Pentagon. Don Wilburn’s plane was the only aircraft that could get the photographs needed, and crashing would have killed Elliott Roosevelt, causing a huge blow to America’s morale as a whole.” (#16) (#17 – #18)

By the time they got back to Accra the aircraft was so damaged by vibration that it could not be repaired. Don removed the clock from the instrument panel and gave it to younger brother Gene when he returned to the States. 

Another excerpt from Roosevelt’s book affirms the close call:

“Almost had to come down in the desert the last day. One engine nearly dropped off 850 miles from base over the desert but it froze and hung by hair & and after landing…the plane practically fell apart.”

Don’s aerial skills were also evident when they encountered German Messerschmidt 109’s and he eluded them by climbing and then ducking into clouds – remember there was no armament and no weaponry on the Blue Goose. (#19)

Eluded the Luftwaffe by evasion

Why did it take so long for Don Wilburn to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross – eighty-three years?  Tragically, after arriving back in Washington DC in 1942, he was assigned to duty at MacDill Field in Florida and on a solo flight to the base, he was killed when his plane went down in bad weather on June 1, 1942.

The recommendation for the DFC was first made in 1942 by Colonel Paul Cullen – the commanding officer on the flight where Don’s piloting saved his crew and the plane.  Cullen ultimately rose to the rank of Brigadier General. 

He was lost on March 23, 1951, along with four senior Strategic Air Command staffers and fifty fliers who mysteriously disappeared with their C-124 transport over the Atlantic Ocean. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1951_Atlantic_C-124_disappearance (#20) (#21)

Cullen and the senior staffers were enroute to England to set up the 7th Air Division, which would spearhead any air assault against the Soviet Union, during a time of increasing tensions with the Communist bloc as the Korean War intensified.

So, the only ones to pursue the DFC were brother, Gene and friends, Jason and Laura Garver and Sue Froehlich (Jeanette Wilburn Froelich’s daughter).  With the help of Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, it was finally presented to Gene Wilburn in May 2025.  They also collaborated on a submission to the Library of Congress which is now in the archives.  Donald Ernest Wilburn Collection | Library of Congress

Captain Wilburn was also honored by the establishment of the Wilburn Area at Bolling Field on July 11, 1942. Don’s parents and Gene were at the dedication of the plaque marking the Area.  (#22 – #23)

Mission Success but Tragedy to Accomplish

Any account of Operation Rusty would be incomplete without including details of the flight crew lost on the second B-17 involved in the project:

“In the first days of April 1942, the mission began. The second B-17 went missing, no wreckage was ever found…Now, the entire mission depended on one aircraft and one crew. B-17B tail number 38-223, under the command of Captain Lovell S. Stuber, departed from Borinquen Field (modern-day Ramey Air Force Base), Puerto Rico, for Trinidad on 9 April 1942.

Contact was lost at 1242 Greenwich Civil Time…with the last coordinates being 16°01′12″N 64°12′00″W, with the assumed loss of all on board.”

Lovell “Stube” Stuber and his wife, Ginger socialized with Don and Jeannette and were friends before the mission. There are photos in Jeannette’s album of the couples. Tragically, Captain Stuber left a widow and baby boy when his plane was lost.  (#24) (#25)

In Closing

The story of Operation Rusty and those who participated in the successful mission is one of patriotism, extraordinary service and exemplary performance. The crew of the second Flying Fortress gave the last full measure of devotion for their country and were a critical part of the Allied war strategy.

The brotherly love of Gene Wilburn along with the perseverance of Jason and Laura Garver and Sue Froelich in pursuing the Distinguished Flying Cross for Don Wilburn is a remarkable story in itself.

I’m also thankful to Sue Froelich for reaching out with the comment on this blog almost three years ago. While I knew that my namesake, Don Williams, was a wonderful friend of my dad and served as a pilot in the War, only to be killed in a tragic plane crash in the States, I never knew about Operation Rusty and his critical role in it. This makes the legacy of the gesture by my parents even more meaningful.

External Photo Attribution

#1 – #7, #15, #25.  Photo Album of Jeannette Wilburn Stehman.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (File:Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress “Sally B” – geograph.org.uk – 4649104.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Evelyn Simak – 6 September 2015.

#9 – #12. Wikietree.com (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Operation_Rusty).

#13.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Lt Col Elliott Roosevelt (cropped).jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Author:  US Army – 27 December.

#14.  Amazon.com (As He Saw It: The Story of the World Conferences of F.D.R.: Elliott Roosevelt: Amazon.com: Books).

#15. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Dfc-usa.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) The graphic is a representation of an award or decoration of the United States military. It is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from a U.S. military award.

#17. – #19. Facebook  (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122107407968856600&set=a.122098683860856600).

#19. Wikimedia Commons (File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-662-6659-37, Flugzeug Messerschmitt Me 109.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany license. Attribution: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-662-6659-37 / Hebenstreit / CC-BY-SA 3.0. This image was provided to Wikimedia Commons by the German Federal Archive  (Deutsches Bundesarchiv) as part of a cooperation project.

#20. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Brigadier General Paul T. Cullen.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Author: US Air Force – circa 1949.

#21. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (22d TCS Douglas C-124A-DL Globemaster II 51-118 – 1951 Atlantic C-124 disappearance – Wikipedia)  This image or file is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. Author: US Air Force – 1952.

#22 – #23 Facebook Page of Jason Garver ((3) Fans of the B-17 Flying Fortress | Facebook).

#24. Captain Lovell Stuber – Wikitree (Captain Lovell Stuber (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Stuber-182).

Beerchaser Notable – Captain Don Wilburn-US Army Air Corps – Part I

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Captain Don Wilburn

(External Photo Attribution at the end of the Post #1)

An Honor Long Overdue

As followers of Thebeerchaser blog are aware, besides conveying the merits (or otherwise) of bars and breweries throughout Oregon and the rest of the US, I periodically identify an individual or group, who may or may not have anything to do with bars or beers.

This feature is titled “Beerchaser Notable,” and the narrative features the stories of these “honorees”, who in my humble opinion, have made a contribution to society and have led fascinating lives.  They include academicians, athletes, clerics, media personalities and, of course, lawyers – even my graduate school professor of public finance and my retirement oboe instructor.  I’ve known the great majority personally.

And there are a few distinguished military veterans who are combat heroes – more specifically, my SAE fraternity brother Jud Blakely USMC; Doug Bomarito, USN and Steve Lawrence US Army for their service in Viet Nam. 

All three were awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V and Blakely and Bomarito received the Purple Heart after being wounded in action. Lawrence also received a Silver Star for action in combat. (#2 – #7)

Who was Captain Don Wilburn?

But this post is to honor a World War II hero – the late Captain Don Wilburn. 

The Distinguished Flying Cross:

“Is awarded to any officer or enlisted person of the armed forces of the United States for heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. The heroism or achievement must be entirely distinctive, involving operations that are not routine. The DFC is the fourth highest award for heroism and the highest award for extraordinary aerial achievement.”

Don Wilburn, as did my friends mentioned above, received his medal – the DFC – for heroic wartime action.  It was for his remarkable achievement as a pilot in the Army Air Corps during World War II and the posthumous award was not received until eighty-three years later.  (#8)

The Distinguished Flying Cross

Wilburn was a pilot on a B-17B Flying Fortress on a Top-Secret reconnaissance mission commenced in the spring of 1942. This mission was named Project (or Operation) Rusty. During the course of this mission, Don flew 40,000 miles in his plane named “The Blue Goose” – 18,000 of which were over enemy territory.

“It was an early—but pivotal—stealth reconnaissance effort that shaped the Allied North African campaign by mapping terrain and assessing enemy logistics, all under the cloak of secrecy, directly involving the President Roosevelt’s son, Elliot. who was a navigator on the plane.” (#9)

On the Blue Goose’s last mission while Don was piloting, engine damage resulting in a runaway prop caused the plane to drop from 25,000 to 8,000 ft in three minutes, 800 miles from base in Accra, Ghana. 
 
His skill as a pilot getting the aircraft back to base saved the crew.  An excerpt from the citation recommending the medal by Colonel Paul Cullen, the commanding officer and co-pilot of the B-17 is shown below.  

August 5, 1942

SUBJECT: Award of Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumous)

TO: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington, D. C.

It is recommended that Captain Donald E. Wilburn, Army serial number O38544, be awarded, posthumously, the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in the highly difficult and strategically important Rusty Project.

Captain Wilburn served as co-pilot of the B-17 airplane used on this mission and showed great skill in operating the aircraft for great distances. In addition, he aided the pilot in averting a fatal crash and bringing the badly damaged airplane safely back to its frontier base.

Note the date of the recommendation above which begs the question why it took so long – until 2025 – for the medal to be awarded.  Don suffered fatal injuries shortly after he returned to the US in a June 1, 1942, solo plane crash after taking off on a routine military flight from Boling Field in Washington DC. (#10)

Brother Gene, with Don’s award

You will learn more about the fascinating story of Operation Rusty in this and my next post, but suffice to say, the story encompasses tragedy, perseverance, intrigue, heroism and brotherly love.  This mission was a fascinating part of the North African strategy during the War.  It was never widely publicized and the recommendation setting forth Don’s performance lay dormant for decades.

There are also additional details on the heroic action Don took while piloting the B17 to land it safely and save his crew – including President Roosevelt’s son, Elliot, the navigator. I also want to share what a wonderful young officer and gentleman Don was during his short life and the connection with my family – a bond that as a result of Thebeerchaser blog, was renewed three years ago. (#11)

A College Friendship

Another Beerchaser Notable was my dad, F. Duane Williams (affectionally known in his later years as “FDW” by our family as related in the 2021 post  https://thebeerchaser.com/2021/11/09/fdw-beerchaser-of-the-quarter-part-ii/. 

FDW and my mom, Frannie, were happily married for many years after they met in New York City and married in 1943. They were wonderful parents to their four kids.

Dad and Don Wilburn both attended George Washington University in DC in the late 1930’s and met after they joined the SAE Fraternity.  Their friendship strengthened and the bond continued after Don joined the Army Air Corps and FDW went to work for American Airlines in New York City. Don met his beautiful future wife, Jeannette while he was in college. (#12 – #13)

Namesake

You’ll have to wait until the next post for more details, but flash forward to 1967 at Oregon State University when Dad was there for the SAE initiation of his first son Donald Wilburn Williams (that’s me!). My youngest brother, Rick, became a member several years later.

Yes, I was named after my Dad’s best friend and have always been proud of that fact. 

I still remember my excited call to Dad in the summer of 1968, when I taught at the SAE Leadership School held at the Levere Memorial Temple just off the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

The Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation owns this impressive gothic style building – built in 1929-1930 to serve as a war memorial and administrative facility.  I was wandering through the museum in the building and saw the picture of Don in his uniform and a brief bio about his military service. (#14 – #15)

Although I knew about their friendship, I didn’t know many of the details about Don Wilburn’s service until the connection with Sue Froelich in late 2022. 

I received this comment after I did the post on Thebeerchaser about FDW including his friendship with Don.

“Hi Don. You don’t know me but….my mom, Jeannette Stehman (Wilburn) Froehlich, was a friend of your dad’s in 1941. In fact, they dated some! She married your namesake Don Wilburn in the months before he was killed. (FDW was instrumental in the wedding.) It would be great to be in touch with you, given Duane’s close friendship with Don.” (#16)

Sue – served in the engineering department at Smith College in Massachusetts

Sue Froehlich graduated in mechanical engineering from UMass-Amherst. Her career in engineering and education culminated with her tenure as a lab supervisor in the Picker Engineering Program at Smith College – notably, the first all-women’s engineering program in the country. She retired in 2024.

She has worked tirelessly with Gene Wilburn (eleven years younger than brother, Don) and two of his friends, Jason and Laura McGinness Garver, to get Don the recognition he deserved – a project that came to fruition in 2025 culminating with the DFC award.

The Power of Social Media

My blog has been a wonderful retirement hobby.  I, like many, have reservations about the pervasiveness of social media in our society.  That said, I’ve gained friendships throughout the globe and reconnections with colleagues in the fourteen years since I commenced what has become an avocation.

And the comment on August 1, 2022, by Sue was a highlight.  Of course, I contacted her after receiving this observation and we’ve had multiple phone calls and texts exchanged. 

Sue and I will meet in person in late July when she is in Portland after rafting Oregon’s Rogue River.  We, of course, will tell tales while Beerchasing.

She sent a wonderful Google file with her mom’s extensive collection of photos, letters and other details about Don Wilburn and my dad.  (And yes, Jeannette and FDW did date at one time!)

It’s helped me learn the complete story of Don as a person and military hero and obtain much of the information and photos you’ve seen on this post and the next. (#17)

A Closing Note

I had to laugh when reflecting on this post about the nicknames I’ve had during my life.  These have ranged from “Feet“ – actually a compliment initiated by my high school basketball teammates to “Waisted Willie, – not a compliment and bestowed by my high school calculus teacher, to “Dirt” – originated at the SAE house in college and one that has stuck through the years as you can see by the logo for Thebeerchaser. (Created by the aforementioned Jud Blakely.)

But the moniker I liked the most was first uttered by some of my classmates during my senior year at Oregon City High School.  They discovered that my middle name was “Wilburn” and wondered about the origin.  When I told them, my friends then greeted me with “Hi Wilburn,” and this prevailed, to my great satisfaction, until graduation.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Photo collection of Mrs. Jeanette Wilburn.

#2- #7  Courtesy of Jud Blakely, Doug Bomarito and Steve Lawrence.

#8.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Dfc-usa.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) The graphic is a representation of an award or decoration of the United States military. It is in the public domainbecause it contains materials that originally came from a U.S. military award. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States.

#9.  Photo collection of Mrs. Jeanette Wilburn.

#10.  Sue Froelich Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122107407968856600&set=a.122098683860856600).

#11.  Wikietree.com (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Operation_Rusty).

#12 – #13.  Photo collection of Mrs. Jeanette Wilburn.

# 14.  Wikiepedia (File:NU Levere Memorial Temple.JPG – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license. Author: Paradoxsociety – 23 April 2008.

#15.  EnjoyIllinois.com (https://www.enjoyillinois.com/explore/listing/levere-memorial-temple/).

#16.  Sue Froelich Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5653778274679527&set=a.119862131404530).

#17. Photo collection of Mrs. Jeanette Wilburn.

At Beer O’clock, Time Zones are Irrelevant

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

According to Dictinonary.com, the definition of Beer O’clock is “the time of day when it is acceptable or customary to start drinking alcohol.”  Thus, I would suggest that the title of this post is valid – Time zones are irrelevant with this concept.

My intent to have a beer in downtown Portland with two of my long-term friends – Doug Bean and Dan Swift – both of whom are still working and whose offices are in Portland’s Central Business District explains why this concept became relevant to me recently. 

Both also happen to be two of the best commercial realtors in Oregon and each has won  the Oregon/Washington Commercial Associate Broker of the Year award multiple times – an association with over 600 members. (#2)

Doug Bean

President of Doug Bean and Associates

My connection with Doug Bean goes back to 1966, when both of us played our high school basketball team in the former TYV League – he for the McMinnville Grizzlies and me for the Oregon City Pioneers. Doug was a talented junior who started as small forward while I was a small, skinny guard who spent most games rooting for my teammates from the bench.

We now laugh because while later playing pick-up ball when we both resided at the SAE House at Oregon State (Doug for two years before he transferred to the University of Oregon where he graduated and got his MBA) and then when both of us worked in Portland early in our careers and played at the YMCA, Doug would comment:

“Nothing has changed, Dirt, (my college nickname), you are still looking at the heels of my tennis shoes when I drive by you.”

My response is evidenced by the two team photos below.  You will note Doug’s Grizzlies’ photo is from the TYV Jamboree (He’s in the back row just to the left of his coach.) The Jamboree was a pre-season mini-tournament.

My team photo, however, is from the 1966 Oregon High School State Basketball Tournament – OC with a 17-5 record finished first in the TYV and McMinnville finished third and did not go to the tournament. 

Third-place in TYV League

You will note from the right margin of the second photo that the two teams broke even in league play; however, in a thriller near the end of the season, the Pioneers staged an amazing comeback in the final three minutes to beat the Grizzlies 72 to 70 to capture the league title.

TYV League Champs

But I digress, although it’s worth pointing out that the above photos help me justify to my wife (born and raised in McMinnville) why I have kept the files she has urged me repeatedly to recycle. https://thebeerchaser.com/2022/12/18/de-files-de-files/  (#3)

Dan Swift

Senior VP CBRE Inc.

I originally met Dan Swift in about 1998, shortly after I became COO at the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt law firm and we had an RFP process to determine the real estate broker to represent us in lease transactions for our five Northwest offices.

A younger Dan outshone his more established competitors in that process, and he did an outstanding job for us over the next thirteen years until I retired. He still represents the firm (and not primarily because he always came to Board meetings with Krispy Kreme donuts when we made our recommendations.

In a bit of synchronicity, in one transaction for our biggest office – Portland with five floors in the PacWest Center – Dan negotiated with Doug Bean whose firm managed the building.(#4)

A lot of people were entertained when Doug’s firm was located in this high-rise, and we would see each other across the impressive lobby of the thirty-three-floor building. Doug would shout out across the expansive space, “Hey Dirt!”  I would then try to explain to people in the same elevator how I got that moniker.. https://thebeerchaser.com/2023/07/06/dirt-and-dust/

Hey Dirt!

Beerchasing at Beer O’clock

The three of us had never Beerchased together and I figured that since they were both so successful and still working, they would buy the beer if I set it up.  I wanted to go to a downtown watering hole I hadn’t previously frequented and unfortunately, many which would have been past options, didn’t survive the pandemic.

With all the watering holes I had checked out in my fourteen years of Beerchasing, I’d never heard of the Beer O’clock bar and my research showed that it had made a recovery after it closed early in the pandemic. (#5)

Rising from the ashes…

Due to its limited indoor seating, it was not expected to reopen, but in June 2021, although only with outdoor seating, its reopening was a welcome surprise to a city hard-hit by both the epidemic of COVID and ugly demonstrations.

As stated in a 2021article in New School Beer and Cider – an outstanding Pacific Northwest based web-mag covering the craft beer and cider industry:

“It’s no secret that downtown Portland has had a rough go of it since the pandemic and protests began, but things are starting to get back to normal and Beer O’Clock is back. The downtown PDX taproom had a reputation for its expansive 31 draft tap list that put beer geek connoisseur selections at the forefront and its penchant for old school hip hop blasted from cassette tapes in the audible background. (#6)

The article was entitled, “Beer O’Clock taproom in downtown Portland has reopened with a huge patio.”  Well, unfortunately as Portland recovered, many of those patios in the front of establishments extending into the street, are now gone and the bar’s space can be an issue.

Beer O’clock now just has several picnic tables in front of the bar on the sidewalk. The bar originally opened in 2016 and was named “Beer Belly.” “Rick Gencarelli founded Beer O’ Clock, and…(it) shares the building with his other project of fast casual pasta joints called Grassa.  (New School Beer)

No more large patio

Gencarelli is a nationally recognized chef and restauranteur, who also owns the Lardo restaurants in Portland (one was originally right next to Beer O’clock), Grassa and Bluto’s – a Greek-inspired restaurant he opened in the fall of 2021.

All of his restaurants draw great reviews and have loyal patrons.  For example, a 2022 article in Oregon Live entitled, “Bluto’s isn’t very Greek. It is very good.”

You Don’t Have to go to Greece

All three of us liked the bar (especially the company…) and in researching, I noticed that there is also a Beer O’clock Pub in Thessaloniki, Greece, which appears – like the establishment in Portland – to have a great selection of beers on tap, although from the pictures on Facebook, seems a bit more raucous and spacious. (#7 – #9)

And the Greek option gets positive reviews. For example:

“πολύ καλό φαγητό, εξαιρετικο περιβάλλον, φανταστική μουσική και το βασικότερο,άψογοι επαγγελματίες.”   

If you don’t know Greek, that translates to, “Great food, great environment, fantastic music collection, and most of all, really friendly personnel.”

And in the interest of full disclosure, I just discovered another Beer O’clock Bar in Annecy, a town in southeastern France – only about twenty-two miles south of Geneva Switzerland.  And this one is unusual because of the delivery system.  Read the Trip Advisor review below:

” loved the concept! 👌🏻 Super smart and practical! A card to recharge, self-service beer taps, a direct breakdown of the amount paid and off you go, enjoy! It’s perfect ! 🍻 The place is warm, cozy, pub atmosphere, games are also available! 🃏 Honestly great!”

Now Back in Portland

Fortunately, one doesn’t need to travel 6,120 miles (or only 5,407 to the one in France) to hit a bar with a great name when we have one in Portland with twenty-six beer taps, four ciders and kombucha.  And while the reviews are not in Greek, our own Beer O’clock rakes in the compliments:

“Honestly the best beer bar around…Bar is clean and well-lit and the bar is unique because it is attached to Grassa so you can pick out food from a huge menu and bring it into the bar. Highly recommended ! Amazing selection of beer and cider and some canned cocktails! ”    Yelp 2/20/2023

At Beer O’clock, everything is timely, so even though this one is three years old, I liked it:

“Bill Haley and the Comets, 1954
One, two, three o’clock, four o’clock, rock
Five, six, seven o’clock, eight o’clock, rock
Nine, ten, eleven o’clock, twelve o’clock, rock
We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight

Well, this old geezer can still rock the clock, let me sit and clock down a beer at happy hour “Beer O’clock” time time time for IPA!”  (#10)

These guys are from Dirt’s era!

Portland’s Beer O’clock, although the seating is limited to bar and a few booths, the narrow interior is well lit and attractively designed with plants, handsome natural wood walls and art with posters and a great-looking blanket plus three large-screen TVs.

Dan, Doug and I enjoyed the beer – both of them had a Ferment Brewing (Hood River) Everything in Bloom Hazy IPA and I – a Red Zeppelin Amber Ale from 54 40 Brewing in Washougal, Washington.

The beer was as good as the stories we told and went down significantly more smoothly.

As I suspected, Doug and Dan argued over who would pay for the beer which is another reason why I’m going to get this group together again this summer.  Dirt says “Thanks, guys!” (#11)

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Microsoft AI image generator (Microsoft Designer – Stunning designs in a flash).

#2. Doug Bean and Associates website (https://dougbean.com/people-2/doug-bean/).

#3.  CB Richard Ellis website (https://www.cbre.com/people/dan-swift).

#4.   Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons – PacWest Center (icensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.  Author: Cacophony 18 June 2006.

#5.  Beer O’clock Bar in Portland  Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=368184038860885&set=a.368184018860887).

# 6. New School Beer and Cider website (Beer O’Clock taproom in downtown Portland has reopened with a huge patio — New School Beer + Cider).

#7.  Beer O’clock Pub (Thessaloniki, Greece) Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/beeroclockskg/photos/t.100054261410083/899034206875586/?type=3).

 #8. Logo – (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=618910133261028&set=a.618910123261029),

#9. Server (https://www.facebook.com/beeroclockskg/photos/t.100054261410083/899035906875416/?type=3).

#10.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Bill Haley and the Comets1956.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1930 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Author: Decca Records. Photographer – James Kriegmann, New York. 4 August 1956

#11. Microsoft AI image generator (Microsoft Designer – Stunning designs in a flash

J-ubiquitous

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

In past “Beerchasing Miscellany” blog posts (those not on a bar or brewery, but just my random reflections), I’ve often used alliteration in the title featuring the month of publication.  Examples include January Jammin, February Flashbacks, Ambling in April, May Musings, May Meanderings, June Juxtapositions, Jumping in June, October Origins, Thanksgiving Thoughts, November Nuances…..you get the idea.

The topics in these include my coffee chat with the West Linn Police Chief Peter Mahuna and subsequent ride-along with a City police officer.  I offered thoughts on the Oregon State vs. Oregon football games (I still call it the politically incorrect “Civil War rivalry”) and told you about the musical choices in my collection ranging from Big Band to Country Western. 

There was my visit to a wonderful breakfast diner in Canby, Oregon – that being Pappy’s Greasy Spoon. And when nostalgia overcame me during the pandemic and I couldn’t go to dive bars, I even tried to glorify high school memories at Oregon City High School (e.g. placing an outhouse on the roof of the school as a senior prank – see story below from the now defunct Oregon City Enterprise Courier.

A Departure?

The title of this June post is a bit of a deviation from the awful alliteration in the past.  I’ll explain the “ubiquitous” reference below, but it’s meant to highlight a recent reunion with two good friends Kirby Neumann-Rea and Craig “The Dude” Hanneman – the latter going back to college days at Oregon State University in the late ’60’s. 

The story of our triangular connection reveals how life’s events weave their way through our existence and enrich our routines – sometimes many years later.

Kirby’s wife, Lorre Chester-Rea is the sister of the late, Gary Kestler USMC – my best friend and neighbor in high school (and a fellow outhouse prankster – see above) who was killed in Viet Nam in 1967. Lorre and Gary’s dad, the late Robert Chester, who served as Oregon City Police Chief for many years, was the best man in my 1980 wedding.

I have written about The Dude a number of times in this blog, relating our time as roommates in the SAE house at Oregon State in 1969, his affinity for Dean Martin, his football history as an All-American for the Beavers and then defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers including an indirect and unintentional role in the 1972 Immaculate Reception.

Also, his affinity for Dean Martin and his summiting of Mt Everest in 2012 and eventually all of the Seven Summits.  (I should also mention that he loved to play Dean Martin tunes in our study room – incessantly. (#1 – #3)

Kirby and the News!!

The foundation of this story originates forty-four years ago in Dallas, Oregon – shortly after Kirby graduated from Linfield College in McMinnville.  He was a cub reporter for the Polk County Itemizer-Observer – a weekly newspaper.

Kirby’s reporting endeavors actually go back further as he explained in a May 16, 2025 article in the McMinnville News Register – the fifth paper on Kirby’s journalistic journey (as evidenced in the photo below) and where he retired as Managing Editor on March 31st:

“I started as a paperboy more than 50 years ago, for the old East Side Journal in Kirkland, Washington. My first writing experiences were as an eighth-grade stringer for the Sammamish Valley News, in Redmond, Washington, then as a journalist for the paper at South Albany High in Oregon.”  (#4 – #6)

Kirby left the Dallas paper after several years and traveled overseas, then took a job at the Molalla Pioneer – another weekly, in 1985.  Fate had it that he would then return to the Dallas Itemizer Observer (he was probably enchanted and curious about the name of the paper…).

Kirby had gained enough credibility at his paper by that time to have a column he called “Scrapbook” – observations and insights laid out in an eclectic narrative – a feature, he stated, he was blessed to continue during his entire career.

One of his responsibilities was covering the meetings of the Polk County Commission.  Enter The Dude, who after his NFL career, went home to Turner, Oregon to manage his family’s farm and then successfully ran for a four-year term as Commissioner (1985-1989).

Well, one of the items Kirby mentioned in a 1989 “Scrapbook” post was about a Dallas Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting.  Evidently, this meeting was a weekly highlight for the city of then 9,500 people as this excerpt from his column states.  Craig Hanneman was also mentioned, and the column shows Kirby’s respect for The Dude. (#7)

Breakfast News…

“The room was cramped; the twenty-people who attended represented the largest gathering at any breakfast forum in recent memory.”

And this next paragraph is where Kirby’s erudition as a wordsmith started a “story” that would idiosyncratically continue with some gaps for over forty years.

“…Mike Propes of Willamina, Republican candidate for Polk County Commissioner…came with his mother, Alice Propes, armed with his ubiquitous sepia-tone campaign brochures and a sore throat.  (emphasis added)

…..Commissioner Craig Hanneman was one of those who declined breakfast as he prepared to hear the words of the two men who want his job. (Hanneman declined to run for re-election.) Or perhaps he has no room for the Cholesterol Special, what with all the fire in his belly.

He’s always had gastrointestinal coals, but Hanneman seems feistier than normal as the end of his time as commissioner approaches.  Perhaps he’s experiencing ‘short-timer syndrome’ in reverse. 

I don’t envy anyone who crosses Hanneman between now and Jan 1; a man of strong convictions (and usually the information to back it up), he is determined to leave office as active as the day he began four years ago.”

….Wavering on an issue in front of Hanneman is like pitching underhand to Jose Canseco.”

Well, as both Neumann-Rea and Hanneman relate the story, the Dude called Kirby after the story appeared and laughingly said something to the effect of:

“Damn Kirby.  You taught me a new word.  I’m a farm boy from Turner and have never seen or heard the word ‘ubiquitous.’  (Note: That may also have been true for most of us who went to an aggie university!)   I had to go to the County Judge’s chambers and look in his dictionary.”

And as the story goes, from that meeting until the end of his term in office later that year, The Dude worked in the word “ubiquitous” at every Commission session.

It’s a Small World

I had stayed in touch with Lorre Chester-Rea and her mother over the years and met Kirby once when they were living in Hood River and he was working for the Hood River News. I had no idea that he knew Craig Hanneman.

Craig and I have had periodic phone calls and beers from the time he returned to Oregon. Several years ago, when we were probably having a draft Budweiser at a dive bar – I think I was kidding him about his limited vocabulary and the name Kirby Neumann-Rea and the ubiquitous story was related.

We laughed at the connection and decided the three of us needed to have a Beerchasing reunion.  That occurred at a McMinnville brewery in March 2023 as shown in the photo below

It Doesn’t End There…

From that point on, we would send each other headlines or articles with our favorite word such as the one at the start of this post that the Dude sent last month from an article about the Willamina School District and those shown below. 

Craig is even sending copies of letters-to-the-editor from the Wall Street Journal! The opportunities are manifold as the present usage of this word is ……“always appearing or found everywhere.” (Roget’s Thesaurus)

The conclusion – at least for now – was at an event in May celebrating Kirby’s retirement as Managing Editor of the McMinnville News Register and his robust journalistic career.  Craig Hanneman was a speaker and I attended as a guest.

The event was filled with Kirby’s family, friends and colleagues from the papers he served for forty-four years.  Of course, The Dude related the “ubiquitous” story and presented Kirby with a copy of the original “Scrapbook” column shown above. (He ignored my suggestion, that he end his oration by advising Kirby to remember that “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime“.)

The Importance of Community Newspapers

Kirby’s contribution to five different community newspapers in Oregon is remarkable and laudable.  As Craig Hanneman stated:

“He made every paper he worked at better and the observations and insights from his Scrapbook column were unlike anybody else’s.”

And as well stated in the Tidewater News blog, these publications are critical – many have disappeared given the proliferation of digital and social media.

“In an age dominated by global news and social media, the value of local news often gets overshadowed. However, local journalism plays a crucial role in shaping communities, fostering democracy, and keeping citizens informed.”

Kirby Neumann-Rea’s role in these institutions is solid, plus it led to an even more important legacy as he stated:

“My top journalism experiences have to include meeting my wife, Lorre, while on the job. She was serving as municipal court clerk and I as the new editor of the Molalla Pioneer, just starting out there in 1985 – on April 1, naturally – and making the rounds at city hall.”

Kirby and Lorre have been married thirty-eight years and have two wonderful sons – Connal and Delaney Rea. (#8)

Kirby, Connal, Lorre and Delaney Rea

Neumann Rea (the retirement moniker he’s adopted) may no longer have a “Scrapbook” column any longer, but you can now catch his wonderings on his blog – “Burn the Ax Handle” where he covers a wide range of topics.

In fact, I have to compliment him for his use of alliteration in the most recent one – “Cacophony of Curiosities.”

And he will not be bored whatsoever in retirement – whether it’s playing pick-up basketball, where some people (including Neumann-Rea) think he has a decent elbow jumper, to continuation of the hobby he inherited from his dad, Donald, who died in 2020 at 94. (#9 -#11)

Neumann-Rea still sends about fifteen postcards every month and writes letters – not really expecting a response.  His dad’s conglomeration of cards and letters started when he was 12. 

“It was his collection that inspired my lifelong fascination with postcards, including the sending of them. One of the last interactive acts of his life was my reading the messages to him, many from his sister or mother or aunts in the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s.

He collected them extensively during his Navy days in WWII, which has provided an excellent chronicle of his time in uniform.”

I assume that Lorre is going to be all over him, with a more challenging full-court press than he sees at the gym, to get rid of most of the newspapers I’m confident he has stashed in their garage. (#12)

“You can’t keep all of these!”

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Oregon Alpha News 

#2.  Courtesy Craig Hanneman

#3.Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dean_Martin_-_publicity.JPG)  This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1930 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Source: Original studio publicity photo of Dean Martin for the film Bells Are Ringing (1960).

#4 – #5.  McMinnville News Register (https://newsregister.com/article?articleTitle=kirby-neumann-rea-starting-over-on-a-new-fork-in-the-road-of-life–1747409748–51914–commentary.

#6.  Linked-in (20) Kirby Neumann-Rea | LinkedIn).

#7. Dallas Oregon Chamber of Commerce (https://dallasoregon.org/).

#8 – #11. Courtesy of Kirby Neumann-Rea.

#12. Microsoft Edge AI image generator

The Siren Song at Pfriem Brewing

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The Milwaukie Tasting Room

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

I’ve mentioned previously that my affinity for dive bars transcends breweries and brewpubs because they generally have more character and history.  There are exceptions.  For example, check out the Beerwanderers blog published by my friend, Rich Carbonara in Munich, Germany.

Rich is an American living in Munich with his wife, Doreen.  He’s the founder of the beer hiking tour guide service Beerwanderers.  His first book is Beer Hiking Bavaria which details 50 great hikes from all around Bavaria.

Each hike features a brewery and a suggested after-hike beer.  When Janet and I return to Germany, one of Rich’s tours will be a top priority for our trip. (#1 – #2))

Rich and Doreen

Let’s view one of numerous examples of the breweries Rich features – Stefansbräu Brewery – it’s in Dinkelsbühl – an historic walled medieval town dotted with half-timbered houses and intact tower gates in Central Franconia, a region of Germany that’s part of the state of Bavaria. (#3)

Stefansbräu Brewery

Unfortunately, we haven’t traveled to Bavaria, but just looking at the photos and descriptions of the quaint, picturesque and often historic breweries in Rich’s blog makes me yearn for some of that ambiance in the Pacific Northwest where breweries often are in modernized and sleek quarters without much personality.

Obviously, there are many exceptions.  I have posted about Steeplejack Brewery’s NE Portland location in a reconditioned historic church.  Baerlic Brewing’s SE Portland Brewery and Taproom, and Little Beast Brewing – another SE Portland establishment with great character are two other examples. You can see from the photos below that these interesting and inviting establishments deserve mention.

The Story

There’s a new one on my list and we had a wonderful visit there two weeks ago.  Pfriem Brewing is a great story – opening in 2012 in Hood River on the beautiful Columbia River.  Janet and I love their beer and their facility.  As stated on their website:

“In 2011 Josh Pfriem was well on his path to becoming a master brewer, but that path veered dramatically the day he was introduced to Ken Whiteman and Rudy Kellner at a child’s birthday party. The three went on to form the brain trust that would eventually create pFriem.”

What began as a small company has garnered a big reputation throughout the Northwest based on their excellent beer.  Most recently they were awarded three gold medals at the 2025 World Beer Cup for their Hazy IPA, Cold IPA and Pale Ale.

The World Beer Cup, held in Indianapolis on May 1st, is one of the most prestigious competitions in craft brewing where “a panel of 265 judges from 37 countries evaluated 8,375 entries from 1,761 breweries.” Brewers’ Association

And in the 2025 Oregon Beer Awards, they were recognized as both the Large Brewery of the Year and the Regional Brewing Company of the Year for Central Oregon. (#4 – #5)

Pfriem Brewing’s New Milwaukie, Oregon Tasting Room

The City of Milwaukie, in the 2020 census, had a population of 21,119 and was founded in 1847 on the banks of the Willamette River (one of the few major rivers in the world besides the Nile, that flow north) It’s a suburb of Portland – located six miles south of downtown Portland.

Perhaps I’m biased, but notwithstanding the glowing description in the “Visit Milwaukie” website below, it is not a location one would target for a visit. Quite frankly, the downtown is not very vibrant and it doesn’t have the rich history and geography of Oregon City – down the Willamette River about seven miles south.

“Discover the hidden gem of Oregon—Milwaukie, a vibrant community brimming with local charm, diverse businesses, and unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re a visitor or a resident, Milwaukie has something for everyone. From unique shops and delicious dining to exciting activities, explore what makes our community special.” (#6 – #7)

The Willamette River at Milwaukie Bay Park

After eighty-five years, the City outgrew the structure housing City Hall, the library and its fire station – built in 1947 for approximately $32,000…with the aid of a $13,800 grant by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). 

The plan was to transform it into a brewery, a restaurant, and a bakery. Milwaukie selected Henry Point Development for the project. (#8 – #9)

The New
The Old

A new City Hall about two blocks from the original was dedicated in October 2023.  The July 2024 opening of Pfriem and Keeper Coffee “dedicated 87 years to the day of the original building” (according to New School Beer) will perhaps be a renaissance, of sorts, for downtown Milwaukie.

Keeper Coffee is a woman-owned cafe selling local coffee and house-made pastries founded by Brittany Huff in 2019.  The Milwaukie shop is their second location and they get great social media reviews such as this recent Yelp review:

“Their southeast PDX location is great (and) this provides so many more seating and space options. The baked goods and coffee are some of the best in the Metro and the staff are awesome! Put this spot on your list of places to check out.”  (#10 – #11)

The riveting attraction of the new Priem location is that it encompasses essentially four + different establishments – each with a different feel (meaning it beckons you to return….)  As described in a 3/25 post in Brew Public:

  • Three bars with 20+ taps pouring pFriem’s celebrated core beers, seasonal releases, and exclusive small-batch offerings.
  • Five handcrafted pFriem specialty craft cocktails and Son of Man cider on draft.
  • A spacious outdoor patio with a pergola-covered seating area.
  • An upstairs event space for future brewery events, tastings, and community gatherings.
  • A cozy retail and bar area inspired by pFriem’s beloved Bear’s Den in Hood River, complete with a piece of original art reflecting the surrounding area.

Besides the attractive quarters of Keeper on the first floor, the building is festooned with historic photos, art and niches which make it an adventure to explore. In fact:

“….during the retrofit, one big surprise was the discovery of a time capsule snuggled in the corner of the building, installed by the city and local Masonic Lodge in 1938.”  New School Beer

Siren Call?

While the siren call in Greek mythology refers to a powerful force that attracts someone to something, often with the implication that it may be dangerous or misleading, you won’t see Odysseus here saving his crew’s lives from the alluring vocalization. Instead, the idea of good food and beer in a warm and interesting environment is irresistible! (#12)

A newer beckoning call

That said, one can imagine the many times that City firefighters responded to that resonance while occupying the upper floor in the old City Hall and slid down the fire pole to get to the trucks below.

And that image is preserved, in part, by the focus on historic preservation by Pfriem, the City of Milwaukie and the developers:

“Meanwhile, a fire pole from the original firehouse will be repurposed into a one-of-a-kind beer tap system.

Rudy Kellner (co-founder of Pfriem) says they had an overwhelming response and request from the city and the community to salvage the fire pole and use it in some way in the building. So, they repositioned the original fire pole to land on the 1st and 2nd floor bar tops and adapted it to accommodate tap lines.

‘So we’re going to be pouring beer out of a fire pole. I think we’re probably the first tap room in the world to have beer in a fire pole,’ he says.”  (New School Beer)

“….the brewery ran two glycol-chilled tap lines around the bar and up the shiny brass tube, where they meet a pair of handsome Czech side-pull faucets, which give bartenders more control to pour the perfect pint.”  Oregon Live 

Food for Thought….

Janet and I were joined at Pfriem by our friends John and Kim Limb.  I serve with John on the Abbey Foundation of Oregon Board where he is the Immediate Past President and he has been Beerchasing with me on several occasions in the past.

One review described the menu at the Tasting Room as “A thoughtfully curated food menu to complement pFriem’s beer lineup.”  The menu is not expansive and essentially standard pub food at reasonable prices.  Kim, Janet and I had delicious grilled chicken sandwiches while John enjoyed a pimento cheeseburger.  They went well with the Pfriem West Coast IPA.

The new tasting room and coffee shop are both Keepers.  Give them a try.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1 – #2.  Rich Carbonara Facebook (1) Facebook

(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10162218874320280&set=t.673215279&type=3}.

#3. Beerwanders Website (Zur Schleuse (Stefansbräu) – Beerwanderers)

#4.   Priem Brewing Facebook Page

(https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=557066749901519&set=a.557066723234855).

#5. Priem Brewing Facebook

 (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1514400151968317&set=a.1450864238321909).

#6. Wikimedia Commons (File:Milwaukie, Oregon (May 2019) – 21.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Another Believer  – 18 May 2019.

#7. Wikimedia Commons (File:Willamette River, Milwaukie Bay Park, Milwaukie – DPLA – 06f27a3bc5dcf8e4fa4294d83205f22d.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.  Creator:  Gary Halvorsen – Oregon State Archives – 17 February 2019.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (Milwaukie City Hall – Milwaukie City Hall – Wikipedia) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.  Author: PortlandSaint – 3 April 2024.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Milwaukie city hall.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Finetooth   27 May 2009.

#10 – #11. Keeper Coffee Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/keepercoffee).

#12. Public Domain –  Wikimedia Commons (File:Syreny (“Sirens”) – Wilhelm Kotarbiński.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1930. Author:
Wilhelm Kotarbiński – 1900.

Guess Who’s Coming to…..Beerchase!!

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

At the end of April, we were delighted to have two separate house guests. Archie, our three-year old grand-pup, visited for ten days from Seattle while his family was on a Hawaiian vacation.  

And my old consultant friend with whom I worked at the Schwabe law firm before I retired in 2011 – “West Coast” Dave Hicks – flew in from an east-coast business trip for two days before he returned home to Ventura, Ca.

In the early days of my Beerchasing hobby and over the next five years, Dave was a frequent companion as you can see from the photos below at the Double Barrel, Reel-Em Inn, the Horse Brass Pub, the Richmond Bar, Crackerjacks, Belmont Station and the Ranger Station. 

Dave has used his Princeton and University of San Diego Law School education well and is now Chief of Staff at Garnett Capital Advisors – a financial services firm specializing in managing loan portfolio sales for credit-granting institutions.

He is also known to use his experience as a Princeton Nassoon – the university’s oldest acapella group – with his identical-twin brother, to entertain at parties although he refrained from doing this at the dive bars we visited. 

We usually toasted one of my first and most memorable Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, the late Dr. Harry Frankfurt – Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Princeton and author of the wonderful essay “On Bullshit.” (#2 – #4)

The Princeton Nassoons in 2008

Some Trepidation…?

Archie had visited and stayed overnight with us in the past, but it was always with his family – Mom and Dad and two young daughters.

Question No. 1:  “How would he react to staying with us for ten days?”

 Question No. 2: “How would he react to our male out-of-town visitor for a day and one-half?  Did he have an aversion to the Ivy League?”

Well, our concerns were short-lived.  Archie immediately went over to Dave sitting on the couch and curled up next to him and rolled over to have his stomach rubbed. Dave is a walker and the next day, he and I took Archie on a long walk on which Dave was the main leash holder.  And the pup was a prince for his entire stay with us.

Trepidation unwarranted!

Beerchasing

Dave and I had an ambitious agenda.  On the Friday afternoon, we drove the twenty-four miles to the Mount Angel Abbey to have some beers at the Benedictine Brewery and St Michael Taproom and say “hello” to Fr. Martin, the Manager and Head Brewer.

Fr. Martin stopped his work to say hello

No brewery will ever surpass my affection for this enterprise on the grounds of the Abbey in Mount Angel Oregon – one of just three owned and operated by Benedictine monks in the US.

Those who follow this blog, may recall that I was involved in the planning and development of the Brewery starting in 2016 until it opened in late 2018 including the amazing event in 2017, when over 125 monks, priests, seminarians and volunteers and members of the Mount Angel community, gathered for an “old-fashioned barn rising.” 

As shown in the videos in this post, we started with a cement slab that cloudy morning and by the end of the day, had a framed structure for the brewery and taproom.   https://thebeerchaser.com/2017/11/21/the-benedictine-brewery-beam-me-up/  (#5 – #11)

Dave and I had a great sampler of six beers and toured the beautiful Abbey Hilltop including a visit to the famous Alvar Aalto Library before returning to our home in West Linn. (#12 – #13)

Dave had invited Janet and me to dinner the next evening at the Bellpine Restuarant at the top of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in downtown Portland. While Janet spent her Saturday afternoon on a variety of activities, Dave and I drove into Portland for beers at two of my favorite downtown dive bars.

The Yamhill Pub – as I stated in the title of my 2015 blog post  https://thebeerchaser.com/2015/05/14/the-yamhill-pub-a-dive-bar-with-character-or-grunge/ the aura of this hole-in-the-wall was best described in the now defunct Portland Barfly Website (another COVID victim…)

“A genuine dive-bar lurking midst the downtown shopping arcade, the Yamhill Pub maintains an unreconstructed seediness through blaring juke, food…(and, for that matter, toilets) best avoided, actively-encouraged graffiti upon the smoke-stained walls, pennies-a-serving pitchers, and a fiercely-protective cadre of underemployed regulars (seniors, rockers, bike messengers) willing to throw themselves in front of Hummers to prevent the forces of gentrification. Intimidating for the first-time visitor, but that’s sort of the point.”

This was my fourth visit to the Yamhill, and I was happy to see that it was still in business.  As one regular commented to me in 2015, “Mark my words, this place will be gone in five years and that will be a tragedy.”  

Willamette Week reported in November 2020, that Kevin Hill, the owner, launched a $15,000 GoFundMe campaign to raise $15,000 to save the bar – evidently it worked.

But grunge is still the watchword – from the graffiti-infested walls, the bathrooms and even the entrance sign in which the name has become essentially illegible.   Look at the difference in the sign over the front door between 2015 and last month!

2015
2025

But as stated in its own Wikipedia page and as affirmed by, Neal, our friendly bartender, the Yamhill Pub, founded in 1939, still retains its legacy for draft PBR. “The bar has been recognized as the top Pabst Blue Ribbon seller in Oregon.”

Not only that, but at one time in the ’90’s they were #5 in North America!!  Before I could scoff, he pointed out this PBR sign (see below) from 2012 – Number 18 in North America in PBR sales. 

Dave and I chatted with Neal about Portland bars and watched the The Other Guys – a “buddy-action-comedy” movie with Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell and Michael Keaton which was streaming on the of the two small screen TVs hanging at the corners of the bar. (It seemed appropriate given the setting.)

Kelly’s Olympian – We walked around Portland some more – noting how the City was coming back from the depths but still had a way to go – and I suggested we drop into another favorite dive.  Kelly’s Olympian, which evolved even before the Yamill (in 1902 – the third oldest Portland bar in continuing operation) has class and a great theme as you will see from the pictures below and this description from their website:

“The crowning glory is the collection of a dozen vintage motorcycles hanging from the ceiling and about, each restored to perfection. One of the owners is a motorcycle enthusiast and finally found a home for his impressive motorcycle collection.

Complementing the motorcycles are other motorcycle accessories, combined with museum quality neon signs, antique gas pumps and historic photos of Portland and motorcycles.”   

If you enjoy history, read the full account in my 2015 blog post.  Even the name chronicles the legacy:

“The name was derived from the name of one of the original owners, ‘Kelly’, and the Olympia Brewing Company, which was involved in the inaugural opening so that it could sell its product, Olympia Beer. It was originally called ‘The Olympian Saloon’. The name ‘Kelly’s’ was added a few years later…..”

And part of the bar’s historic identity goes back even further.  The sections of downtown Portland – mostly in Old Town Chinatown – were known for their “Shanghai Tunnels.”  According to Wikipedia, this is really a misnomer, and an urban legend:

“They connected the basements of many hotels and taverns to the waterfront of the Willamette River. They were built to move goods from the ships docked on the Willamette to the basement storage areas, allowing businesses to avoid streetcar and train traffic on the streets when delivering their goods.”

I had seen some of these on a tour by Adam Milne, owner of Old Town Pizza and Brewing, below his establishment in Old Town (right three photos below), but behind the Kelly’s Olympian Bar is a stairway down to the basement (photo on the left).

In my 2015 first visit to the bar, Lucia, the Manager, verified that servers still descend the stairs through the trapdoor behind the bar to get ice and that’s where their kegs are also stored.

We left after Dave refused to believe my story that the 1912 Princeton Student Body President visiting Portland one summer, got drunk at Kelly’s and was last seen being shuttled to a Chinese freighter.

Bellpine at the Top of the Ritz Carlton – We headed to West Linn to pick up Janet and get into our fancier duds and then drove back into Portland where notwithstanding our offer to dine on pub food at a brewery, Dave treated us to a wonderful six-course dinner (plus dessert) at the Bellpine on the 35th floor of the Ritz.

“Led by acclaimed Executive Chef Pedro Almeida, the culinary journey features ingredients indigenous to the region and is accentuated with world-class wine selections and unique spirits crafted by the region’s master distillers.”

Although the opulent bar was sparsely occupied on a Saturday night, the restaurant was hopping and it was a wonderful meal (yes, I drank wine instead of a PBR) and a fitting farewell to Dave who flew out the next morning to his Ventura, Ca. home. (#14 – #16)

Final Note

I chuckled on the way back home about having a bit of culture shock based on our three establishments that day ending with Bellpine after Kelly’s Olympian and beginning at the Yamhill Pub.  Perhaps it was tantamount to a high-rise outhouse…..

And unfortunately, the 2019 timing of the development of the Ritz, by noted Portland developer, Walt Bowen, was disastrous. A fascinating March 2025 Willamette Week article charts the history:

“After two huge wins, he was ready to gamble again. A new project, called Block 216, would be his most ambitious ever. It would have five floors of prime office space, a Ritz-Carlton hotel, and 132 Ritz-Carlton condominiums…

That may be the most ill-timed guarantee in the history of Portland real estate. A year later, the world locked down because of COVID-19. Hotels emptied. People fled urban condos for ranch houses in the suburbs…

It appears Bowen’s dream tower will instead be a 460-foot tombstone for his career. As first reported by WW on March 5, the construction lender for Block 216 said in an earnings report that ‘ownership and serial asset disposition on the components would be the best net present value outcome for the loan.’

Translation: take the keys and sell the building in pieces.” (#17)

Well at least Kelly’s and the Yamhill will still be serving good cheap beer!

External Photo Attribution

#1. Garnet Capital Website (https://www.garnetcapital.com/aboutus/management#1)

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:2008NassoonsHolzhaus.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Lhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en – Attribution:  Nassoons at English Wikipedia – 5 July 2008.

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:On Bullshit cover.jpeg – Wikimedia Commons) This image of simple geometry is ineligible for copyright and therefore in the public domain, because it consists entirely of information that is common property and contains no original authorship. Author: Dr. Harry Frankfurst, Princeton University Press – 2008.

#4. Wikimedia Commons (File:Harry Frankfurt at 2017 ACLS Annual Meeting.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.  Author: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN30Qk9j0bKuWF2ulC9CtVQ – 29 October 2018.

#5 – #11. Benedictine Brewery Website (https://www.benedictinebrewery.com/home-1).

#12 – #13.  Mount Angel Abbey Website (https://www.mountangelabbey.org/).

#14 – #17. Wikimedia Commons (File:Portland, Oregon, May 2024 – 54.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author:  Another Believer – 19  May 2024. (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Another_Believer).

Ambling in April

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 In the last several posts, I’ve highlighted a few breweries (Baerlic, Ferment and Thunder Island) and two great bars (Holmans’ Bar and the Hi-Top Tavern).  This edition of Thebeerchaser will just take a miscellaneous stroll through some random musings and relate a great week-long trip to Kauai in late February.

Upon returning, my wife and I decided that for the rest of March and April, we wouldn’t drink alcoholic beverages except on weekends (Friday and Saturday). This may not seem like much of a sacrifice, but I often enjoy a gin martini on weeknights while watching the Portland Trailblazers. (There were times when it assuaged the pain…).

And I have to say, besides ingesting fewer calories, the few non-alcoholic beers I’ve had are pretty good.  It’s a trend.  According to an article last month in The Beer Connoisseur:

“Non-alcoholic beer is booming as more consumers seek flavorful, alcohol-free options for social drinking and wellness.”

External photo attribution at the end of the post (#1)

Adapting with the times…..
“Sure Buddy”

I wondered what the reaction would be in the first dive bar I requested one and thought the conversation might go like this:

Beerchaser:  “I’d like a pint of your best non-alcoholic beer.”

Bartender:      “Sure buddy.  You want to show me some fake ID?”

And Speaking of Kaui….

Kauai is our favorite Hawaiin Island and we had perfect weather.  Besides just relaxing on the beach, we explored the island.

And speaking of relaxing, one of the best methods was on the beach – with a cold brew or an exotic drink with a little umbrella in it – reading a good novel.  And that raises a good news – bad news situation.

The good news was that I got immersed in Warren Easley’s, last novel Deadly Redemption – a great read. The bad news is that I finished it and have now enjoyed all ten of his books. There aren’t currently any new Cal Claxton novels to read.

Friends had recommended an interesting and unique way to see the sunset on the north part of the island.  We would certainly recommend the two-hour sunset golf tour on the Princeville Makai Golf Course. It was well worth the $60 per person fee.

There were about nine golf carts – each seating two – and the charismatic golf pro led the entourage with about six stops where he related the history of the island and other great anecdotes. 

We saw amazing natural habitat including several fascinating albatross families and just reveled at what is a beautiful (and incredibly challenging) golf course.

“The final stop on the tour is truly one of the most stunning locations in the world to witness a sunset… our signature par 3, seventh hole on Princeville Makai that makes for the perfect viewing spot….”. 

And we learned, among other facts, the wild chicken population – an estimated 450,000 compared to 80,000 people residing on Kauai, evidently dates back to Polynesian settlers in 1200 AD.  Although strikingly colorful and perhaps keeping the bug population down, the constant crowing of these scavengers is annoying. 

The golf pro also told us about a more recent infestation of large green parakeets when we saw one in one of the trees by the golf course. There are no natural predators.  

“Along Kauai’s resort-studded south shore, thousands of wild rose-ringed parakeets with bright green feathers and brilliant red beaks obliterate hotel parking lots and vehicles daily with their poop. Full of seeds, the bird dung attracts rats. If not quickly removed, it can ruin car paint.

Transported to the Garden Isle as pets and then either intentionally or mistakenly released into the wild in the 1960s, the birds now number at least 11,000 on Kauai, according to the scientists who study them.”  Honolulu Civic Beat – 6/2/21

Given this bleak history of infestations, it made me wonder if the Kauai Legislature might start restricting lawyers from visiting the Garden Isle. (#2 – #4)

Invasive Species???

And on the way back from the golf course…..

Some friends told us about a relatively new brewery we should check out for dinner and beer when returning.  It was a good tip (although how often does Thebeerchaser not have that assessment when it involves a watering hole…).

NaPali Brewing opened in 2023 and is a family enterprise – the dream of Blake and Kati Conant.

“Our journey to create this space has been one of passion, dedication, and a deep love for the island we call home. We started this brewery with a dream to share the flavors and spirit of Wailua with every person who walks through our doors.”

It has an expansive floor plan, good live music and food you’ll enjoy. Janet and I sat at the bar and our bartender, Quade, was very personable and told us the story of the brewery.  I still salivate when thinking about the Poke Bowl I had that night. (#5)

Leaving the Island

As we parked at our hotel on the return from the golf cart tour and brewery visit, we were approached by a couple who I initially thought was just trying to avoid one of the chickens roosting by the cars. 

They stated, however, that they had been staying with some friends who stocked up on “salty snacks” and they were leaving for the airport for their night flight home.  “Did we want them – otherwise they were going to have to throw them away?”

Janet puts rigorous rations on my consumption of these, but I quietly whispered to her that it would be rude to refuse their kind offer.  Did we want to add to the Kauai landfill?  And we were not leaving for another day and one-half.

Chipping in…..The goldfish were for the granddaughters at home.

Since we didn’t order a meal on the six-hour flight home, I enjoyed some Doritos and Lays Barbecue Chips.  They paired well with one creative offering of Alaska Airlines – it’s new Cloud Cruiser Beer.

“(It’s) created exclusively for the airline through its partnership with Seattle-based brewery Fremont Brewing….this exclusive India pale ale (IPA) has been brewed specifically to taste great at high altitudes. It’s served in cans designed with bright and colorful artwork that pays homage to the Pacific Northwest region.” (emphasis supplied)

The statement “brewed specifically to taste great at high altitudes” may mean the intoxicating effect of a 6.5% ABV at 30,000 feet, but I took one can home and really enjoyed the beer just as much at our residence in West Linn, Oregon which is just 105 feet above sea level.

As we got home and reflected on the superb weather we had, I skimmed the Darwin Theory Winter Newsletter named appropriately, “Monkey Business,” which had arrived in the mail. No it’s not a recap of the Scopes Trial.  Darwin’s Theory is one of my favorite dive bars – in Anchorage, Alaska. We visited it when we were on an Alaska cruise in 2014.

Talk about a contrast.  The newsletter told the tale of the weather conditions they faced at the beginning of the year:

“One of the worst snowstorms ever, and there have been many, came through the first week of January. Solid hard rain for two days, winds that reached 100 miles per hour (that’s Hurricane level) followed by a cold front that froze the standing water.  

Darwin’s did something that it has never done in the 45 years of operation, that’s closed its doors for the safety of its staff and customers, the glare ice was incredulous.  Best never to see the likes of this storm for another 50 years.”

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Bartender – Malmö-1992.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.  Author:  John Leffmann – 1992.

#2.  NaPali Brewing Website (Napali One Year Anniversary -capturedbyjolie-05-3aef4a24.jpg (1920×1280)).

#3.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Green Parrot Cairns-1and (4197620649).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: Sheba_Also – 13 December 2009.

#4.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Red Junglefowl by Tisha Mukherjee 06.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Tisha_Mukherjee  – 21 March 2025.

#5.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Martin Lipton, McGraw Hill lawyer, cropped.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  This work is from the Bernard Gotfryd collection at the Library of Congress. According to the library, there are no known copyright restrictions on the use of this work. Author: Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer – 1979.

Being Thankful

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The beautiful Columbia River Gorge

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

In this time of turmoil – not only in the US, but throughout the world – we have to work to gain perspective at times and reflect on our many blessings.  One of my blessings is my wife, Janet – we had our 45th anniversary on March 29th.  

Janet and I met in early 1979 at an evening Oregon City Planning Commission meeting when I was Chair of the Commission and she was a newly-hired Planning Department staffer.  We started dating and got engaged at the Top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco in September.  

Shortly after getting married, we even decided to attend graduate school together – my last two classes and her first two – Data Analysis for the Masters in Public Administration program at Portland State University.

It was in the early days of PCs so we had to drive in to Portland and wait with other students (sometime for 45 – 60 minutes) to have our punch cards run on the mainframe to produce a printout which we analyzed.

It was our first negotiation of the marriage – the winner would clean our bathrooms and the loser would go down and stand in line at Shattuck Hall….

March 29, 1980

I’m always thankful for the courage Duane (FDW) and Frannie (my parents) had in 1961. After visiting Oregon on a vacation the summer before, they decided we would move to Oregon with four kids – ages 8 to 14 – and without FDW having a job – to have a better life than in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Whenever I drive up the Columbia Gorge past Multnomah Falls and see majestic Mount Hood, I think of the sacrifices they made to make that move as well as remember the first time my family viewed those sights driving west on Interstate 84 to Portland when I was twelve.

So, on our anniversary, Janet and I decided to take a trip up the Gorge to the picturesque burg of Hood River – population of about 9,000 right on the banks of the Columbia River and with grand views of Mt. Hood in the background. Of course, on the way, there was a short stop for a beer and a tasty order of sweet potato fries at Thunder Island Brewing in Cascade Locks.

 Thunder Island Brewing Co.

We’ d been to Thunder Island several years ago, when it was in a rather ramshackle structure with a few picnic tables adjacent to the parking lot and the offerings were sparse.  Oh, has that changed, although unfortunately, their website doesn’t really relate the history except through several news articles in The Oregonian and Brew Public in 2021 – 2. 

The owners’ account is almost always more meaningful and personal – especially when it’s the journey of former homebrewers who followed their dream such as Thunder Island’s husband and wife ownership team of Dave and Caroline Lipps Park.

That said, the 2021 Oregonian article by former Beer Writer, Andre Meunier – updated in 2023 – does a superb job of relating the 2013 origin, the relocation and their current operations. 

Similarly, the September 2020 Columbia Gorge News story by its Editor and my friend, Kirby Neuman-Rhea provides great perspective:

“Owners Dave and Caroline Lipp embarked on a new building project and started a family all within the same year, operating their popular riverside brewery and pub under COVID-19 conditions as they prepared in late August to move from the original riverfront location 100 yards up to 601 N.W. WaNaPa Ave.”

The Lipps had to deal with high winds and the wildfires that swept the Gorge and caused the closure of all establishments relying on outdoor seating.  But the new facility is very impressive – two stories with multiple bars, several dining areas and an expansive patio. (Right after the relocation, the patio was the only area open but was well received.)

Thunder Island takes its beer seriously as documented in Andre Meunier’s aforementioned article:

“Of all the changes, the most important might be the hiring of head brewer Jen House in February of 2021. Formerly of heralded Russian River Brewing, the California maker of popular Pliny the Younger and Pliny the Elder beers, House most recently brewed at Hood River’s Double Mountain Brewery.

She also holds a master’s degree from University of California at Davis fermentation program, and she has brought that expertise to Cascade Locks, along with consistent quality to Thunder Island’s beers.”  (#2 – #3)

How’s that for a resume!

I’m sure the Brewery has won multiple beer awards, but again, their website surprisingly doesn’t mention these.  I did find this after a search on the web – from 2022:

“We are thrilled to announce that we took home our first Oregon Beer Award with a bronze medal for our Mrs. Pierce’s Porter. We’re honored to be amongst so many amazing breweries and medal winners. Shout out to Jen for brewing such stellar beers.”

Our server, Helmit, was great and we tasted several beers and decided to go with a sampler with these four:

(YaYa Juicy IPA, Hatchery Hazy IPA, 140 IPA and Vertical Limit Amber Ale) 

Helmit – a good guy

All were good, but the YaYa – their flagship – was our favorite.  Thunder Island also has a great pub menu.  We ate a shared order of delicious sweet potato waffle fries for $9 and we took a good part of it to go.

On to Hood River

We’ve made a number of trips to Hood River previously and always enjoy the quaint, but bustling, downtown area with great shops, two breweries (Pfriem and Ferment) and especially the walk along the Columbia River. It is outstanding – especially on a warm sunny day when the forecast had been cold and cloudy.  (#4)

We love both of these breweries, but with time constraints, chose Ferment on this trip. It’s a multi-storied building with a large deck on the second-floor sporting plenty of tables.  The expansive open area with a nice lawn in back of the brewery, also with picnic tables, provides additional space including an area for dogs (and kids) to roam, play frisbee, etc.

And the interior is spacious and classy with great views of the River and exposed brewing equipment. We just had time to split a beer and chose the Nelson IPA which rivaled the Thunder Island IPA. (# 5 – #6)

We had ninety minutes before our dinner reservations, so we parked a few blocks from Celilo Restuarant and strolled through downtown Hood River – a bunch of small shops – cycling, windsurfing, outdoor gear, galleries and a classic bookstore. (Janet persuaded me – with some effort – to avoid the temptation to hit the Oak Street Pub based on the Yelp review):

“While walking around Hood River I was looking for a local beer and something to snack on. I stumbled upon this place and decided to drop in. I was surprised to see they had fried Cheese Curds on the menu which was awesome! I was torn between those curds and the nachos.

I went with the curds because, when will I find curds again.The curds were just perfect. The beer selection could’ve been a bit more diverse but it was ok. Support local!”

Janet didn’t accept my contention that dining on cheese curds would significantly reduce our dinner expense. While she looked at some boutiques, I spent almost thirty minutes browsing in the Waucoma Book Store – also on Oak Street – and a very pleasurable experience. 

And I was glad, although not surprised, when viewing the Staff Recommendations section to see nine of the ten novels (all of which I’ve devoured) written by my Beerchasing friend, author Warren Easley – the most recent Beerchasing Notable. (Only Matters of Doubt was missing – the first in the Cal Claxton series and a great read.)  (#7 – #10)

Dinner

As we were waiting for Celilo to open at 5:00, I was preparing to get a photo of Janet in front of the restaurant and then a nice couple offered to take our picture.  The manager was just opening the door and heard me say that it was our 45th anniversary.

And what a classy establishment – sparkling interior, great bar, friendly and knowledgeable servers and outstanding food based on our one visit. Janet wasn’t extremely hungry and wanted the salmon burger and I gave her a few bites of my New York Strip Steak – perfectly cooked medium rare with “Rosemary and garlic roasted red potatoes, Oak Rose kale, radish and blue cheese salad, horseradish cream, red wine sauce.”

My yearning for cheese curds was quickly forgotten and we took enough home for dinner the next night (we supplemented with our remaining waffle fries from Thunder Island). (#11 – #13)

And as I suspected, the establishment, opened in 1995, is locally owned and operated – the chef and managing partner, is Ben Stenn (photo above) and they have a great philosophy:

“…..the foundation of Celilo Restaurant when it opened in 2005 (is) Ben’s philosophy, ‘Know the source, Know your people, Know your food.’”

We waited to order our drinks until after the server took our menu choices and I was ready to order a dry gin martini (up with olives) when the bar manager appeared with two flutes of champagne and said, “Happy Anniversary.”  Our experience at Celilo was a superb way to end a wonderful trip.

Thanks Celilo!

And to Close on the Thankful Theme….

On March 29, 1980, Janet and I were married in the Oregon City First Presbyterian Church.  It’s been a whirlwind forty-five years and I thank God every day for Janet who has been a wonderful wife, mom to our two daughters and grandmother to our four wonderful granddaughters.  And she’s also a wonderful Beerchasing companion (except to dive bars!)

Blessings and Cheers

Internal Photo Attribution

#1.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons File:Cape Horn, Columbia River Gorge NSA.jpg – Wikimedia Commons.  This image is a work of the Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.  Author:
Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region – 9 September 1992.

#2, Wikimedia Commons (File:Panorama of Columbia River Shore – Hood River – Oregon – USA.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author:  Adam Jone Ph.D. – 29 September 2012.

#3.  Thunder Island Brewing Facebook Page.(https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1935141349959870&set=a.260315430775812).

#4. Thunder Island Brewing Facebook Page.   (https://www.facebook.com/ThunderIslandBrewing/posts/%EF%B8%8Fhead-brewer-jen-house-says-come-grab-a-pint-of-brave-noise-pale-ale-this-4-abv-/2203374693136533/).

#5. Ferment Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1212973380836468&set=pb.100063714512945.-2207520000&type=3).

#6.  Ferment Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1078275794306228&set=pb.100063714512945.-2207520000&type=3).

#7.  Waucoma Bookstore Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1059900462830808&set=pb.100064325935808.-2207520000&type=3).

#8.  Waucoma Bookstore Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/HoodRiverChamber/photos/t.100064325935808/1372035909517338/?type=3).

#9 – #10. Warren Easley Website ((https://www.warreneasley.com/).

#11 – #13. Celilo Restaurant Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=490672409735957&set=a.490672376402627).

Baerlic Brewing – It’s Not Just the Barley!

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Welcome to Thebeerchaser. If you’re 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)

I loved Baerlic Beer Compnay

During my fourteen years of Beerchasing, I have visited a lot more bars than breweries.  Many of the newer brewpubs don’t reflect the character of a dive bar or neighborhood tavern.  Baerlic Beer Company’s Ranch which houses its brewery and taproom is an exception.

Baerlic has a great story – founded 2014 by Ben Parsons and Richard Hall – two home brewers who became entrepreneurs and have won numerous beer awards. 

They’ve expanded their operations to three locations, contribute to the community, successfully self-distribute and have shown creativity throughout their eleven years. The slogan of Baerlic reflects the owners’ enthusiasm for their craft:

“The Beer Here is Near and Dear“

What the Heck is Baerlic?

I’m always interested in the derivation of a brewery’s name and Baerlic’s website states it clearly:

“First things first, where does the name of this Oregon brewery come from? Baerlic (bear-lick) is an old-English adjective meaning ‘of barley.'”

I’ll tell you below about some of their awards, but it takes more than good beer to make my list of favorites and Baerlic hits the mark on all the criteria.  That said, my assessment is just based on visiting The Ranch – the original brewery and taproom.

It will take return trips to experience the other two locations – the Barley Pod in NE Portland and the Northeast Alberta Taproom both of which look great. (#3 – #4)

Barley Pod
Alberta Taproom

The Space

The Ranch is not overly impressive from the outside, but the interior is laid out in a long and interesting manner.  There are different sections – some with booths, individual picnic tables (also on their attractive patio in the front) and an expansive area with community tables around an inviting woodstove surrounded by stools after you pass a long and attractive bar.

Upon entering you see an area of individual picnic tables in front of a giant mural which appears to be an aerial shot of Portland International Airport. The style is basic – exposed ceilings, ventilation and rafters with bulb lighting and concrete floors and it fits the ambiance quite well.

The Beer

Ambiance and character are meaningful, but of paramount importance is the beer – and Baerlic doesn’t disappoint.  It was identified as one of the best Portland breweries in The Oregonian’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards which stated: 

“Baerlic offers well-crafted beers that effortlessly span styles….Readers love their IPAs as well as the variety of styles Baerlic offers while delivering consistently high quality brews.

Or take the opinion of Northwest writer, Jeff Alworth in his Beervana Blog – one of the most respected national resources on beer in a 2023 article on Portland’s Best Breweries

“Baerlic is one of the most reliable breweries in Portland, and they always have an interesting selection….their IPA game is one of the best in the city—and I consider their Helles Chill, to be a true Portland classic.”

The Ranch had sixteen beers on tap plus their “On Cask Rotating Tap” and their “On Nitro Night Howler Imperial Stout.”  They also have cider and wine on tap plus Kombucha and a “Mela Watermelon Water” which one of our party tried and said was “ripe for the sipping.” 

Some of Portland’s Best Beers

And Doug, our friendly and helpful bartender, was very accommodating while informing us about the options and letting us sample them. Three of us rated the Pioneer Pale Ale as a great pour and another companion had a good reaction to the Noble Stout.

Baerlic is a repeat winner in major beer competitions such as the Oregon Beer Awards and the World Beer Cup – the Olympics of Beer – in 2024 its Night Howler Imperial Stout won a silver medal in the WBC and they also brought home a silver in the Oregon Beer Awards for its Fresh Hop Splishy IPA.

Beerchasing Companions

While I try not to let who joins me at a particular watering hole overly influence my opinion, I admit to a slight bias.  You will note below that five of the eight people in the photo from 2025 on the right (wife Janet, David and Kate Dickson, Roy Lambert and Mary Maxwell) also joined me at Wayfinder (a favorite listed above) in 2023. Doug Blomgren and Chris Hamm were great additions.

Creativity, Confidence and Innovation

Many hospitality businesses didn’t survive the pandemic, but Baerlic came through and the example below from a 2020 Willamette Week article shows why they are still thriving:

“Baerlic Brewing was among that inspired group of entrepreneurs that looked at the cracked, gray parking lot behind its building and somehow saw a socially distanced party.

Although it took several days of cleanup and construction, the crew managed to turn the 6,000-square-foot space into the Bavarian-inspired drinking lawn the owners envisioned—despite the fact that the only original vegetation were weeds filling in the cracks in the pavement.

‘We really wanted to create a beer garden,’ says Baerlic’s co-founder, Ben Parsons, ‘so we had to bring in the green.'”

It’s gone now, but they use the moniker for the event space adjacent to the taproom. (#5)

Where else in a Portland beer place can you walk up to a vending machine and get Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood for $5, a plastic mustache $3, a mystery pack entitled “Find Your Inner Animal” $3, fake dentures $8 or “mystery socks” $8.  (I may have to return to find out what was in empty bins A5 $7and D2 $5.)

Find your Inner Animal!

And if you want to add to your vinyl collection, you can do that in another little nook below some items such as a Rubik’s Cube or The Mummy’s Hand by Weirdest – an action figure – (“The severed hand of horror, long detached from its hideous host, single-handedly searches for someone to gratify its evil grip.”)

If your tastes are more refined and want to buy a classic album, pick up a platter by such groups as The Linda Linda’s – an all-female LA rock group formed in 2018, whose 2021 hit, “Racist, Sexist Boy” went viral (although unfortunately, I missed it…) (#6)

The Lindas

Smart, Adaptive and Customer Oriented Owners

Their space, their beer selection and quality as well as the trappings are refreshing and almost a bit irreverent – refreshing in these days of somewhat sleek, modern and formulaic brewpubs and taphouses. 

It bespeaks confidence in their mission, staff, product and business approach.  I loved the example from Yelp, where I was impressed because co-owner, Ben Parsons takes the time to politely respond to reviews which are critical or find fault with some aspect of service.

One doesn’t often find this approach – in part because some Yelp reviewers have the common sense of a new college grad who decides that importing/exporting is a good career option.

 Ben’s reply to a woman named Lisa R from Anaheim California was admirable – the best I’ve ever seen.  It’s rather lengthy, but worth reading:

Original Response from Ben: “Hey Lisa R., thanks for your feedback! We take all reviews seriously so that we can take the appropriate steps to rectify issues as they arise.

Just so you know, as a business that serves alcohol, we are required to be licensed with the Oregon Liquor & Cannabis Commission (OLCC) and must comply with their rules or risk fines and/or suspension of our license and our ability to operate. And one of the OLCC’s top concerns is serving alcohol to intoxicated persons…cause you know…liability.
 
….To claim that you were discriminated against is not only a red herring, but also patently untrue…as outlined above. Falsely accusing our staff of discrimination is not only dangerous, it’s also not fair given your actions when you visited.

The good news is that the OLCC has no specific rules against serving idiots. (emphasis added by Thebeerchaser)  So had you come in and just been an idiot—and not proclaimed that you were drunk after admitting you were tipsy—then we could have served you no problem and I’m sure you would have had a great time with your friends, you know cause…that’s what drinking at a brewery is for. Cheers!  (#7)

Ben Parson’s and Rik Hall – Creative Management

UPDATE 3/17/25: Your crew came in and you announced that you were drunk when attempting to order an alcoholic beverage. This is what you removed from your original review: ‘ALTHOUGH I told the girl … I was drunk.’

Then when my bar staff stated that they were not comfortable serving you based on state laws, you go online and falsely claim racial discrimination—which you conveniently forgot to mention in your follow-up. That is completely unfair and frankly, idiotic to claim. If you decide to own your mistakes—and apologize for falsely claiming racial discrimination—then we’d love to have you back! Cheers!  Ben”

A Community

We enjoyed the comradery – not only of our own group, but that permeating the space.  There were families and groups sitting at community tables, people at the bar chatting with Doug the bartender and even a couple sitting at the woodstove – she reading a novel and he doing a Rubik’s cube.  

Drink and Draw – I even talked to a great guy who was set up in the space near the entrance with Wacom – evidently a corporation that sells digital art supplies which had a Drink and Draw event at Baerlic – and you could even bring your kids until 9:00. 

“Join us for the first Drink & Draw of 2025! We’re partnering up with our friends, the Digital Dabblers, for a fun night of doodles, sketches, and community. So, dust off that sketchbook — traditional or digital! — grab a friend, and let’s get creative.”  (#8)

Woodworker Holiday Market – A very successful annual event and brilliantly tied into their business is summarized in the following paragraphs:

“A few times a year, we design and brew beers destined to lead double lives—first as a brewery fresh beer and second as a beer that will age in oak barrels for months or years at a time. This working of the wood, the evolution of liquid and solid, is the foundation for our ongoing WoodWorker Beer Series and the inspiration for The WoodWorker Holiday Market.

The WoodWorker Holiday Market is a celebration of all things inspired, made and evolving from nature’s most honest material—wood. From furniture to housewares; syrups to aged cheeses; jewelry to pizza; coffee to beer, wood has inspired scores of artisan makers in and around Portland. This is a celebration of them.” (#9 – #10)

A popular December event.

Dream Vest Friday – “We don’t know about you, but on Fridays our crew hangs tuff and gets all fancied up in our favorite Denim Vests to celebrate DENIM VEST FRIDAY!! 

The Food

I’ll close with the food, which although limited to pizza at Baerlic’s Ranch, is a real plus.  It’s an arrangement with Ranch Pizza – another progressive Oregon company which has grown substantially since its inception – “We’ve been cutting corners since 2017.”

They are known for coating their pizza with Ranch Dressing and you could get a side of Ranch for $1.50 or a pint for $9.50, but we were content to get their sausage and ricotta cheese which was thick and delicious.

At the Barley Pod, they have multiple and varied food trucks including Flew the Coop Fried Chicken, which beckons me to visit.  At the Northeast Alberta Taproom, they have two food carts.

After visiting over four hundred establishments in my almost fourteen years of Beerchasing, I don’t often get overly enthusiastic about a new one, but “Bear”lic sank its claws into me….

The Bear at Baerlic

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Baerlic Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/baerlicbrewing/photos/pb.100063710403867.-2207520000/1456263527900039/?type=3)

#2. Baerlic Brewing Facebook Page ((https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=481975337269476&set=a.481975310602812).

#3. Baerlic Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/baerlicbrewing/photos/pb.100063710403867.-2207520000/1867794323413622/?type=3)

#4. Baerlic Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/baerlicbrewing/photos/pb.100063710403867.-2207520000/1734435746749481/?type=3.

#5. Willamette Week ((The First Rule of Baerlic’s Hidden Beer Patio Is Please Talk About Baerlic’s Hidden Beer Patio).

#6.  Wikimedia Commons (File:The Linda Lindas – First Avenue – 7-11-2022 – 011.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license – Author: erintheredmc – 11 July 2022.

#7. (StarChefs.com website (StarChefs – Brewers Ben Parsons and Richard Hall of Baerlic Brewing Co. | Portland, OR).

#8. Wacom.com (Drink & Draw With The Digital Dabblers – Wacom Events).

#9.  BrewPublic.com (Baerlic Brewing 2018 WoodWorker Holiday Market).

#10. Baerlic Brewing Website (WoodWorker Holiday Market — Baerlic Beer Co).

Try the Hi-Top Tavern – It’s a “Shoe*-in”

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Welcome to Thebeerchaser. If you’re 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 #)

With so many watering holes to explore just in Portland – other than the standard two visits I try to make as part of my Beerchasing protocol – I usually don’t return to an establishment I’ve reviewed.  There’s just too many great bars and breweries I still need to experience and too little time to accomplish this sudsy journey. (I decided not to quote Robert Frost…)

From 2011 until the pandemic in 2020, which caused a temporary hiatus in my pursuit, I had visited and reviewed 366 bars of which 119 were in Portland.  From that time onward, I’ve added about another fifty of which thirty are in the Portland area.

Although admitting, my post-pandemic count is not as precise, I believe that since starting this journey in fall of 2011, I’ve shown my face in 416 watering holes with 139 or 33% in the Rose City.

And my “return” to the Hi-top Tavern has to be qualified, because my first visit there was in the summer of 2012 when it was named Bottles.  https://thebeerchaser.com/2012/07/06/bottles-the-preferred-alternative-to-a-glass-ceiling/    

Bottles – originally a small Turkish import store – was a nice bar to sample the esoteric inventory of beers and wines which graced its shelves (between 450 and 500 different bottle beers with eight on tap), but it closed sometime in 2019.

Resurrection of the building came with the Hi-top in July 2019 by the Three on a Match Bar Group under the guidance of its principal, Ezra Ace Caraeff. 

I wrote about these bar revivalists in my recent review of the outstanding Holy Ghost Bar – one of five they own and operate besides the Hi-top, the others are the Old Gold, Paydirt and Tough Luck – all of which I still have to explore. (#1)

Bar Revivalists

Bar Revivalists

Memories

Before describing the visit to Hi-top, it gladdens my heart to remember the Beerchasing event at Bottles and County Cork, another Fremont Street bar, on the same day in July, thirteen years ago with colleagues from the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt Environmental and Natural Resources Group.

Brien Flanagan, is still at Schwabe and a leader in that group. Patty Dost, Laura Maffei and Cheryl Rath, who now practice with other firms, also raised a mug at both of these bars – with dinner at Bottles after toasting Brien’s Notre Dame undergrad alma mater at the Irish Bar.

 All have had distinguished legal careers since that day and their expertise in air, water, hazardous waste and other environmental issues is notable. We’ve Beerchased on occasion since that day including a great reunion at Old Town Pizza in   with a number of other alumni of that group.

Bottles in 2012
Old Town Pizza in 2024

I was always happy that they indulged me when I would spout environmental stories and jokes from bar visits such as the old guy sitting next to me at a dive bar who asserted:

“You know it’s not pollution or industry that is harming the environment. It’s the impurities in our air and water.”

I also remember conveying the contemporary version of an old adage about personal development which got shrugs and moans from my friends:

“Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day.  Teach him how to fish and he will be dead of mercury poison in three years.” 

The Bar

Hi-top is not going to wow you with its layout or features.  It’s pretty generic although there are some neat smaller spaces, an expansive patio and a long bar with an impressive display of liquor bottles backing it. As stated in a Willamette Week article:

“The first thing you’ll notice in the old Bottles space is its bunkerlike atmosphere, which is both its biggest hindrance and its most admirable quirk. The ceilings are low and the floor plan is segmented into a variety of nooks and crannies, with garage doors and a vast expanse of whiskeys on offer.”

And while you may not come for a unique ambiance, the draw is the superb cocktail choices and an opportunity to taste Single Barrel Bourbon, evidently hand-selected by the staff and flown in from Kentucky.

You won’t see many beers on tap although I liked the concept in their bottled beers including four PBR Tallboys in a shiny bucket for $12 or a Miller High Life Bucket – four in a golden bucket for $12.

The food is also a plus with an excellent sandwich menu and quite a few small-bite and salad options – all at reasonable prices.  You might not be able to resist the $5 Chocolate Chunk Cookie (Brown Butter, Bourbon, Maldon Sea Salt).  I understand it pairs quite well with a PBR Tallboy

* You might wonder about the title of this post and the asterisk after the word “shoe.”  Two reasons – first, I’m doing a lot of reminiscing in this narrative.  And the last and one of the only times I’ve seen “Hi-top” used is in reference to the beloved Chuck Taylor Converse All-Stars. (You can pick up a new pair for only $64.99.) (#2)

A Classic Shoe

A Classic Shoe

As I’ve mentioned in the blog several times, my 1966 Oregon City High School TYV League Championship Team wore those sneakers with pride into the State Tournament where, although decimated in the first round by Lincoln of Portland, we made it to the consolation semi-finals where we lost by one point in overtime to Thurston.

My long-time friend and former teammate, John Davidson (#30) who went on to have an excellent run in hoops after high school at Grays Habor Junior College ,and I reunited last fall when he flew up from San Diego to have a free-throw contest at a local grade school. (None of the kids wanted to scrimmage with us.)

It was followed by Spanish coffees at Hubers’ Restuarant and an outstanding steak and martini dinner at Portland’s legendary Ring Side Steakhouse, where John worked part-time when he was a junior-high teacher years ago.

And to conclude on a Hi note, I have to mention my Beerchasing companion at the Hi-top – another long-time friend dating back to the 80’s (I think) when she was a research intern for the City Club of Portland and I was on the Research Board.

Hillary Barbour is one of the smartest and most industrious people I know, having graduated from Reed College, working for many years on the staff of Congressman Earl Blumenauer and then as the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Burgerville.

She is now

Hillary is a Beerchasing regular, having visited the Sandy Jug, the Jolly Roger, the Vern and Mad Hanna on previous Beerchasing experiences. (It was a coincidence that the first two initials of her first name are the same as that of the bar….)

Going to the Hi-top was actually inadvertent in that I thought we were going to another bar – the Top of the Hill Tavern – a classic dive on NE Glisan only 3.6 miles or eleven minutes away. 

I’d driven by this bar a number of times and thought it would be a great place to add to my list but got confused with the name and address and gave Hillary the NE Fremont address of the Hi-top instead. (We agreed to a future visit to Glisan Street.) (#3)

Hilltop Tavern – A future visit awaits….

In Conclusion

While the Hi-top was an okay neighborhood bar and evoked a lot of great memories, rather than return, I’ll try Three-on-a-Matches’ two other bars – the Old Gold and Pay Dirt – to see how they compare.

And in a final tribute to my Beerchasing colleagues – a bar joke:

“An environmental lawyer and a non-renewable resource walk into a bar and sit down for a couple of pints. After a while, the non-renewable resource orders two more beers. The bartender turns to the lawyer and says, ‘I’ll serve you, but not your friend, he’s getting wasted'”

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Three-on-a-Match Bar Group (https://www.threeonamatchbars.com/).

#2. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons  (File:A classic Black pair of Converse All Stars resting on the Black & White Ed. Shoebox (1998-2002).JPG – Wikimedia Commons).  I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: Hadley1978 at English Wikipedia – 18 November 2006.

#3.  Yelp site for Top of the Hill Tavern – (Photos for Top of the Hill Tavern – Yelp). Photo by Mark S. – July 28, 2008.