1856 – It’s Not Just a Date…

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

Inauspicious and low-key entrance to 1856

I asked my friend, Chuck Mitchell, a semi-retired plaintiff’s attorney, to join me for a foray into NE Portland where Chuck and his wife now live. I knew that this former Eagle Scout and lawyer would not only be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, etc. but he would also ensure that we would not end up on the wrong side of lawsuit in case of a car wreck or personal injury ranging from a fist fight to slander or libel. In fact Chuck is so proactive and aggressive that he once called 911 for rescue efforts when the escalator in Nordstrom’s broke down while he was in between floors.

Portland lawyer, Chuck Mitchell with Beerchaser logo

Tiga – No functioning taps on the kegs that night – we will return, however!

Although our initial spot was a quiet bar named Tiga in Prescott Village, the tap to their kegs went blotto – meaning no draft beer – and the bartender suggested we try “1856” next door.

As evident from the first picture above, we might not have seen this bar and bottle shop otherwise, but it was a great recommendation. We walked into a large room – a former barber shop which had been gutted and remodeled – it had a small bar and hundreds of sparkling bottles of different beer, wine and ciders arranged on shelves. Matt, the friendly and knowledgeable bartender/partner in the venture told us they had just opened in September of 2012. One of the other partners is, Yetta Vorobik, who also owns The Hop and Vine another bottle shop and bar on N Killingsworth.

: Besides 6 rotating draft beers and a cider tap, over 400 varieties of domestic and imported beer

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Our first question to Matt, was the rationale for the numeric moniker of the bar. He related that 1856 was the year that Louis Pasteur did landmark work on fermentation – obviously important to people in Matt’s line of work – and a lot of us who are beer and wine drinkers too.

Some research challenged that assumption, however, since at least one published timeline of Pasteur’s life did not list 1856 as a critical period – it focused instead on his later invention of the chicken chorea vaccine in 1878, and then in 1884, the rabies vaccine for dogs and used on humans the year afterwards.

1856 - although it was only beet alcohol, the year of his first paper on fermantation

1856 – although it was only beet root alcohol, the year of Louis Pasteur’s first paper on fermentation

It can be said that in 1856, a French industrialist did finance Pasteur’s research concerning the production of beet root alcohol. It was the beginning of his work on yeast, but since the scientist’s more important fermentation studies occurred in 1857, I tried to persuade Matt, that the bar should either be renamed or commemorate one of the other historic events in 1856 such as:

The founding of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity in Alabama;

The discovery of borax in Tuscan Springs, California;

The skirmish between Indians and settlers in the Battle of Seattle or

February 1856, when the American
(Know-Nothing) Party abolished secrecy.

Just some of the 200 varieties of wine (including cooking wine) at 1856

Just some of the 200 varieties of wine (including dessert wines) at 1856

Matt vetoed the name change and appropriately ended the debate by asking rhetorically why it was even necessary to abolish secrecy if they were, in fact, the Know Nothing party.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Libation Selection – As stated in one recent Yelp review, “This one’s a no brainer! 1856 has an incredible selection of beer and wine, both local and imports. The draft list is always changing and interesting. Great music, knowledgeable and friendly staff. …everything a bottle shop should be.”

And its not limited to beer and wine. As stated on the BrewPublic Blog in October, “It’s a new bottle shop/bar with an eclectic and diverse selection of libations…..over 50 ciders, and a variety of bitters, vermouth, and sake.”

Even more shelves of wine, cider and sake...

Even more shelves of beer, wine, cider and sake…

Eco-Friendly – Matt was extremely friendly and the owners of 1856 set out to be amicable to the Earth in their facility and operations as well. One of the partners is an owner in JRA Green Building and all materials were sourced locally and using green-friendly products such as concrete, shelving and floor treatments.

All lighting is LED and the water heater is energy-efficient. The bench in front is hand-made of reclaimed old fir timbers.

Matt and Chuck toast to each other's health and that of the Earth.

Matt and Chuck at the hand-made concrete bar, discuss the six rotating beer and one cider taps.

We sampled two beers from the six available on tap that night – they also have one cider tap. Chuck had an Old Silenius from the Migration Brewery and Thebeerchaser enjoyed an Enkel from Portland’s Commons Brewery. Both were outstanding and we debated buying a growler or jug of each, which 1856 sells or fills if you have your own. Matt stated that in December they are featuring some great Belgian and German winter ales.

Rotating tap selection on “The Bier Board.”

1856 is a great addition to Portland. The beer, the music and the ambiance were a treat. We had dinner afterwards at their neighbor Grain & Gristle. Pok Pok Noi is also right next door. 1856 is still working on their web-site but we expect good things in the future from this new venture.

Hoisting an Old Silenius

1856 1465 NE Prescott Street

Merry Christmas from Thebeerchaser!

All Hands on Deck at the Ship Tavern

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

The Ship with Two Regulars in the “Smoking Lounge”

“The Ship isn’t anything to write home to Mom about . . . heck it probably isn’t even a place I would tell my Mom I went . . . but it knows what/who it is.” (Yelp/9/17/11)

I wanted to hit a tavern on the west side for the next stop on Thebeerchaser tour. My Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt colleague, John Mansfield, and I were meeting former Schwabe lawyer, Chris Lewis, and Multnomah Village seemed to be a good location. I was drawn to The Ship Tavern (hereafter “The Ship.”)

: Mansfield and Lewis — Not the Physique, but each has the face, if not the intellect of a Rugby Player.

A little due diligence almost resulted in a veto, however. Jay Waldron is also a Schwabe lawyer – one of the best environmental and energy lawyers in the NW and a man of varied interests. When I was the COO at Schwabe, he used to motivate me with quotes such as that from Scottish writer and essayist, Thomas Carlyle, “A man without a goal is like a ship without a rudder.” (The quote seems appropriate for a post about this bar…..)

Not a rugby player, but like Waldron, a strict Cavlinist

Not a rugby player, but like Waldron, a strict Calvinist

Waldron is a director of the U.S. Rugby Foundation and has played, coached and broadcast rugby on a regional, national and international level. He has also been on whitewater rafting expeditions (successfully tackling the Upper Yangtze River in China) and motorcycle adventure trips on six continents.

A man of varied interests who has visited The Ship

Jay is a follower of this blog and was very positive about The Ship even noting that it had been a long-ago hangout, of sorts, for Portland Rugby Club players. This raised some initial concerns on my part as I wanted to drink from a glass rather than eat one……A little more research, however, uncovered the fact that their impact was relatively mundane – the site of the Rugby Club’s “Book and Brew” discussions which will be addressed below.

The Ship is the epitome of a dive bar. Quoting from one of Thebeerchaser’s posts (September, 2011) and the notable reference book, “Seattle’s Best Dive Bars,” this 70 + year Multnomah Village institution fit the definition to a tee:

” “Some dives have vomit-caked toilet seats in the bathroom; others have cracked vinyl booths in the barroom. Some have nicotine-stained murals dating back to the Depression; others have drink prices that seemingly haven’t wavered since then……..But really, no collection of characteristics can be melded to truly define what makes a bar a dive…..The term ‘dive’ is bestowed with a spoonful of love….What they have in common aren’t so much attributes, but a state of mind — you just know one when you see one.” (Seattle’s Best Dive Bars by Mike Seely – pages 9-10)

An Invaluable Resource for Thebeerchaser

In the words of one Portland patron: “The Ship is simply your quintessential dive bar……It’s an ultra local joint with good history…….that dark and dank local bar with a handful of guys in trucker hats and grey mustache’s…..”(Yelp 2/29/12)

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The Bar at The Ship

Distinguishing Characteristics

Da Bears…..The Ship is a Chicago hangout as evidenced by the fact that any time The Bears, the Cubs or the White Sox play, Pabst Old Style Beer – A Chicago favorite – is $1.50 per can and margaritas and blood mary’s are $3.50. Debbie, the friendly bartender, emphasized, “This doesn’t apply to Blackhawk games – we’re not big on hockey.”

Mike Ditka Would Love The Ship

And for Bear fans, every Sunday during football season they “offer meals that are themed after the opposing team.”

For example, on a recent Sunday when they played the Minnesota Vikings, the special was “Tator-tot Hotdish” and Caesar Salad for $5.50. According to Wikipedia, “Hotdish is a variety of baked casserole that typically contains a starch, a meat or other protein, and a canned and/ or frozen vegetable, mixed with canned soup. The dish is popular in Minnesota and North Dakota.”

Harry Carey (RIP) Would be Proud

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What do You Mean Credit??? The Ship may be one of the few bars or pubs in Portland to totally disdain credit cards. It’s cash only and no tabs – pay as you imbibe! Times change, however. Last year was the first time The Ship offered liquor and Candace, the Manager, (who was also very helpful) said they might consider credit next year.

All of the people in the photo collage at The Ship have one thing in common — they paid cash for their beer!

Peanut Demolition Day – Each Thursday – the day we were there – each table has free peanuts in the shell all day. The shells hit the floor when you discard them……..

Other Interesting Fixtures – You will see five TVs, a bunch of video poker terminals, one old-fashioned pinball game (“Medieval Madness – King of Evil”) and while many bars have video games, the one at The Ship was particularly interesting and fitting i.e. “Big Buck Hunter.”

Doe Tags are Not Valid on This Machine

The rules on the two pool tables are also worth noting. If you drop a cue, the fine is 25 cents and 50 cents if a ball goes off the pool table – according to Debbie, the bartender, it is a “maintenance fund” for pool table repairs.

You will find no menus at The Ship. The food, which is what you would expect at a dive bar – that’s a compliment – is on a blackboard above the bar.

From L to R – Debbie and Candace standing below “The Menu”

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The Juke Box at many bars will reveal a little about the regulars. When you want to play it at The Ship, you inform the bartender so the stereo can be turned off. The “hottest plays” were the following:

Neil Young and Crazy Horse – “Get a Job”

Bad Company – “Bad Company”

The Raconteurs – “Steady as She Goes”

Waylon Jennings – “Good-Hearted Woman”

: “Hey Debbie – Turn off the Stereo”

And the Rugby Club’s past “Book and Brew” discussions??? As an example, there was heated debate on the non-fiction classic, “The Iron Man – How Shelby Donovan Revolutionized the Chicago Dry Cleaning Industry” and some awkward moments when former Oregon Governor Vic Atiyeh’s presentation, “What Can Your Rug Be?” was not quite what the rugged jocks expected…….

The scene at The Ship during a heated debate by "The Beef and Brew" group.

The scene at The Ship during a heated debate by “The Book and Brew” group.

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My apologies to Jay Waldron for the above, although he deserves legitimate credit for his perfect delivery of one of Thebeerchaser’s favorite bar jokes at the City Club of Portland when he was a presenter on Metro area transportation planning two years ago:

“A traffic engineer walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm and says to the bartender, ‘Give me two beers – one for me and one for the road.”

The Asphalt prefers Budweiser….with an oil chaser…..

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The Ship has been in the same location since 1946 and this site of a former garage has big-time history and character. Visit The Ship and remember the intent of James Lawrence’s (skipper of the USS Chesapeake) famous last declaration in 1813 – paraphrased – “Give up the Ship??? — Knot!!”

Three rotating taps -- microbrews and all these beers in cans available...

Three rotating taps plus several microbrews and the old standards like PBR on tap — plus all these beers available in bottles and cans…

The Ship Tavern 7827 SW 35th Ave Portland

Claudia’s Sports Pub and Grill – Oh the History!!

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

Claudia’s — A Portland Tradition

The 2007, “Willamette Week “Drinkers’ Bible” described Claudia’s Sports Pub below:

“…The friendly bartender here is steering a ghost ship: On a Saturday night no one seems to be doing much at this Southeast haunt except plunking cash into an endless sea of video poker machines. Too bad – the overflowing trophy case speaks of better days.”

Thebeerchaser would suggest that this writer was brain addled – the kind of intellectual lightweight who doesn’t have an adequate appreciation or understanding of history – who would define the Louisiana Purchase as buying a café latte at a New Orleans Starbucks. Perhaps novelist and academician, John Gardner’s quote is more charitable:

“History never looks like history when you are living through it.”

Sarah with Thebeerchaser logo. My favorite waitress/bartender on the beer tour so far.

And it appears that he was axed or replaced by the Portland weekly as evidenced by reading subsequent reviews in 2009 and 2011 comparable publications:

2009 – “When all the (athletic) contests are concluded…how do they keep the beer-sodden spectators in their seats….? Claudia’s, the dowager of Portland sports pubs has devised a resourceful solution: After the last out, the bar switches to karaoke, projecting lyrics onto its largest screen. It’s an ingenious idea, not least because it allows crestfallen fans the chance to constructively vent. Claudia’s needn’t worry: It continues to pack ‘em in with high def TVs, cheap pints and its claim to fame – high-backed green captain’s chairs lining the bar.”

The Captain’s Chairs – “Full Speed Ahead and Give me a Draft……” Also note the multiple TVs

2011 – “Claudia’s is the best sports bar in Portland…..Every year it seems like more new, hip sports bars open, but at the end of the day, there’s only one place I want to go when the game is really close.”

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Claudia’s seems like a good and appropriate name for a tavern. It was named after founder Gene Spathas’ wife. According to Gene’s Washington High School classmate and SAE fraternity brother at OSU, Oregon City attorney, Don Bowerman, “Gene was a gifted businessman and Claudia Mickelson was an intelligent, classy and beautiful lady.”

: The Moniker Fits the Location and the Tradition

It should be noted that naming a bar after a wife named “Mildred” or “Gertrude” would not be a good thing regardless of her attributes. Claudia was different.

Gene Spathas graduated from Washington High School in 1950 and attended Oregon State University and was an avid Beaver fan. His obituary stated that although he would never admit it publically, he actually graduated from the U of O in 1958.

He married Claudia and they opened Claudia’s as partners the following year.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Interior – Gene Spathas and his wife opened Claudia’s to be more than just a sports bar. As their website states, ” (Claudia’s was) developed as a total concept, our purpose is to provide a gathering place that is warm, pleasant and physically and aesthetically pleasing.”

The captain chairs are obviously distinctive (although they make it hard to eat a juicy hamburger….). There are probably more TVs and monitors with more different sports options than most sports bars in the City: “We currently offer high-definition (HD) big screen, a number of HD LCD screens, ten satellite receivers as well as a numerous monitors. Claudia’s prides itself in continuing to provide the best in sports viewing.”

Big Screen and Monitors

There were 11 TVs in the main part of the bar including 5 big screen, and five in the back part. While I sat in my Captain’s Chair and consumed some delicious fish and chips with a Manny’s Pale Ale, I simultaneously watched a Yankee – Red Sox game, saw the Mariners lose another game with less than five hits and gazed periodically at some obscure soccer teams from Europe battle to a scoreless tie.

Sports History Memorabilia – Claudia’s’ is like a mini-Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. The gigantic trophy case in what is now the poker room is stuffed with hardware from the victorious AAU Basketball and other teams which were a hallmark of the pub for decades. You can also see basketballs signed by John Wooden and legendary announcer, Dick Vitale.

For 25 years, from the early ’60s to the mid ’80s, Claudia’s sponsored the best AAU basketball team in the Northwest. Claudia’s won the Northwest championship so many times, long-time coach Walt Spitznagel lost count according to a column by Kerry Eggers. Thebeerchaser remembers watching former college basketball stars such as Jimmy Anderson, Jim Jarvis, Pudgy Hunt, Vince Fritz, Frank Peters, Chuck Rask and Nick Jones play against rival Dr. Bernard’s for the AAU Championship and in later years OSU guards, Mark Radford and Ray Blume wore the Claudia’s uniform.

A Victorious Tradition

The black-and-white scanned photos on their website give an incredible nostalgic gallery – I even found my high school varsity basketball coach, Dale Herron, who starred at basketball at U of O (also played football) before he coached at Oregon City High School and then at Olympia (WA) High School where he was recently inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame. He played for Claudia’s from 1961-7 during which time they won three NW AAU Championships.

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: No. 34 – Former U of O star, Dale Herron (third from rear left) who coached OCHS to the TYV League Championship in 1966. Coach Walt Spitznagel is on the right in the second row.

Other sports mementos such as a signed Chicago Cubs jersey and photos provide additional ambiance to the main part of the bar.

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OSU Basketball and Portland Maverick Player and Manager Frank Peters

Seeing the picture of Portland’s colorful and sometimes controversial, Frank Peters brought memories of his former pubs and his present bar scheduled for a future visit on Thebeerchaser tour – The Grand Café.

Playing the Ducks

Gonzaga’s Pudgy Hunt – A Formidable Presence for Claudia’s

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Poker – One change at Claudia’s is the poker games – seven nights each week as can be attested to by the signs below. The entire large side room is taken up by card tables each night and I was amazed to see seating charts – an indication of a serious approach. While there appear to be about twenty taverns or more that have poker nights in Portland, Claudia’s, based on a web search, appeared to be the only one with social gaming every day of the week.

And this is serious stuff as evidenced by this excerpt from the gaming rules on their website:

“No Rabbit Hunting, No Side Bets, Any Shown Cards are Exposed to All Players, No cash on table, Please limit cell phone use. Decisions of the Administrator are Final.”

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The Menu – The pub’s menu is very good for a sports bar. Beside 12 beers on tap when I was there they have “featured drinks’ such as Claudia’s Margarita and a Citron Cooler.

A Variety of Good Beers on Tap for a Reasonable Price

There are eight different hamburgers, several chicken-burgers, ten sandwiches, pizza, salads and eight “specialties” such as Fish and Chips. Another nice touch is peanuts available for $1.50.

Gene Spathas was a savvy businessman and also owned the Kitchen Kettle, Beef and Brew and the Steak Skewer restaurants. The tradition initiated by Gene and Claudia Spathas at Claudia’s continues as their son, Marty, a 1980 OSU grad, now manages Claudia’s over fifty-three years later. It is more than a sports bar and was one of the highlights of Thebeerchaser tour this year.

Claudia’s Sports Pub and Grill 3006 SE Hawthorne

The White Eagle Saloon and the November Beerchaser of the Month – Forrest Green

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

Thebeerchaser and spouse, Janet, at the entrance to the Historic White Eagle Saloon

There are now approximately sixty-five McMenamin establishments in the Northwest – an amazing growth story that began in 1983 with the Hillsdale Brewery and Public House by Mike and Brian McMenamin. Their venues are primarily hotels and/or restaurants, brew pubs, breweries or combinations thereof, and somewhat outside Thebeerchaser pub tour guidelines.

The Greens, Janet Williams and Fays at Jam-o-Rama

There are some exceptions, however, which would include the Fulton Pub and the White Eagle Saloon.

The White Eagle originally opened in 1905 and is now on the National Historic Register. Because of its remarkable history and musical tradition, our party visited in mid-September, which was also the weekend of the Jam-o-Rama 2012.

Historic on the Exterior and the Interior

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The 2012 event featured multiple bands of the Pacific Northwest from the ‘60’s through 80’s.

One of the Bands at Jam-o-Rama

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Amazingly, there is no cover charge for the day-long celebration. Seven different bands played that day and we focused on the “Rising Sons” featuring Dan Taylor on vocals, Forrest Green on keyboards, Tim Ellis on guitar, Jim Walker on bass, and Dan Rice on drums.

Forrest is the brother of Portland lawyer, Pat Green, and the two Green brothers and Thebeerchaser all attended Oregon City High School in the late ‘60’s. As long as we are reviewing history, their Dad – Bill – was the Oregon City Postmaster for many years before retiring.

: From L to R – Forrest, Bill and Pat Green

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The White Eagle was “born” in 1905 and the historic “Rock’n Roll” Hotel has eleven rooms. Nightly entertainment is featured in the bar which has a stage.

The bar is a very long classic oak structure although seating in booths is somewhat limited.

A Classic Oak Bar Adds to the
Historic Ambiance

Fortunately, it is supplemented during good weather by the large adjacent beer garden.

A Spacious Beer Garden – Filled During Jam-o-Rama

Haunted — Or just Historic??

The rich history is detailed in their website. Look at this excerpt:

“Did you know the White Eagle is called “one of the most haunted places” in Portland? ……. Set in North Portland’s industrial neighborhood, underneath the mighty span of the Fremont Bridge, the legendary White Eagle Cafe and Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel echoes with tall tales of resident spirits, poker games and Shanghai tunnels……”

“Exposed brick walls and black-and-white photos of the old days lend a Wild West flair not just the bar, but all of Portland.” (2007 Willamette Week Drinkers’ Bible) – see photo below:

Historic Photos Take You Back….

The website also relates tales such as a prostitute being murdered on the second floor, ghost-like apparitions, conflicts among the Polish immigrant industrial workers in the area and the rich jazz legends from which the currently nightly jams evolved:

“The Holy Modal Rounders and blues man Robert Cray helped launch the bar’s live music tradition. Others like the Isley Brothers, ZZ Top and Big Walter Horton were followed in the ’80s by Northwest music icons Paul deLay, Curtis Salgado, Norman Sylvester, Steve Bradley and more.”

The Food and Drink

As stated in the 2008 Willamette Week Drink Guide, “White Eagle’s menu and beer selection are standard McMenamin’s fare, but the historic hotel/bordello creaky floors, lofty ceilings and rumored ghosts lend a spooky charm.”

While the food was essentially as stated above, we were surprised at how quickly we got served (not usually the case at McMenamins) even with the Jam-o-Rama crowd. The Reuben sandwich and the Irish Stew were both very good and the McM’ns beer is pretty good whatever you choose.

Forrest Green – November Beerchaser-of-the-Month

Other than having a name which oozes sustainability, until the late ‘60’s Forrest Green was a typical high school student – a class officer in his junior year at Oregon City High School and a talented musician who started his own garage band and a group called The Rising Sons. In 1967, Forrest’s senior year at OCHS, he got a call from Don Grady (who also starred as Robbie in the hit sitcom “My Three Sons.” )

The Rising Sons in 1967 – Forrest is on the left

——————-Grady had become aware of Green’s talent on the keyboard and asked him if he wanted to tour with his group, Yellow Balloon. Forrest became the envy of his classmates and played with Yellow Balloon which released a song with a title identical to the group moniker. Although “Yellow Ballon” was their only hit, it climbed to # 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. The group disbanded after their tour and release of one album. (Unfortunately, Grady passed away this year.)

The Yellow Balloons on Tour – Green on the left and Grady is second from the left

Forrest eventually went back to school receiving his under-graduate degree and also became certified in Advanced Holistic Energy Healing. He then earned his Masters Degree in Humanistic Clinical Psychology and is a master improvisational musician.

His musical gifts and his keen interest in the environment, combined with his love of travel have taken him to Peru, Bolivia, Southwest England, Wales, France, the island of Bimini, the dolphin bays of Hawaii, the Southwest, Northwest and Northeast United States and Canada.

He formed his own consulting firm, Soul Source while in Northern California. After living in Vermont, he then moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where he now resides. His firm is “an avenue for healing energetics offering individual sessions, group facilitation and presentations to enhance the personal and spiritual well-being of children and adults. It also provides environmental, energy space clearing of homes, offices and land.” The link to his website is below and is definitely worth checking out:

Soul Source

It was a nice reunion with Forrest, especially since it was a the White Eagle and we had an opportunity to hear his first group. His musical skills continue to be outstanding and he has done an admirable job pursuing his passion in a very successful career.

And check out the White Eagle. If you are secure and not easily frightened, it’s even worth spending a night in the hotel after dinner and live music – perhaps during Jam-o-Rama 2013!

The White Eagle Saloon 836 N. Russell

Beerchaser Miscellany III

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

It’s Time for Pumpkin Ale….!

: When the Suds are on the Pumpkin and……

Ben Franklin once said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy,” however, seeing ads for such malty concoctions as Chili Ale and Coffee Beer, make Thebeerchaser yearn for the good old days when Blitz, Rainer, Schlitz, Oly and PBR were the standard. That said, I was intrigued by the idea of Pumpkin Ale and decided it would not only be worth tasting, but could also decorate our porch during Halloween and into Thanksgiving.

I checked my favorite pub for esoteric brews – “Bottles” – on NE Fremont (see thebeerchaser review in July 2012) and the bartender said they had eight types. (I might add that a new wine and beer bottle shop “1856” opened only two months ago on North East Prescott Street and rivals the selection available at Bottles. It’s worth checking out.) I chose the four pumpkin ale options from Bottles as shown below:

Wasatch Brewery – Salt Lake City – “Pumpkin Seasonal” (brewed with natural pumpkin and spices)

Unita Brewing Co. – Salt Lake City Utah – “Harvest Punk’N Ale”(brewed with pumpkin and spices)

Elysian Brewing Company – Seattle Washington – “Blight Pumpkin Ale” (brewed with pumpkin and cinnamon)

Midnight Sun Brewery – Anchorage Alaska – “Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter” (brewed with pumpkin, cocoa nuts, cinnamon and cloves and nutmeg) See photo below:

: Midnight Sun’s Pumpkin – Like Drinking Licorice Cough Syrup…….

My favorite was the seasonal from Wasatch although all were good to me except the Midnight Sun “Chocolate Pumpkin Porter.” Elysian Brewery has a bunch of other pumpkin ale options too.

But a Willamette Week review of their – “Dark o’ the Moon Stout,” drew this criticism and essentially echoed my opinion of the Midnight Sun Brewery pumpkin brew, “…is far too thick and meaty for whatever decorative baby gourds found their way into the mash. Deeply roasty with chocolate and a little bitterness, it’s a great beer for a chilly night, but three tasters agreed that pumpkin flesh and seeds don’t come through at all.”

Finally, if you want some additional information on pumpkin and fall seasonal ales, you can check out the October 31st Willamette Week article “Fall’in for Brew” with this link. It rates ten local ales with most of them not really cutting it in the taste category.

Fluoridation in Portland??

While most people agree that the Portland City Council totally blundered in the process, they voted unanimously in September to add flouride to Portland water by mid-2014. Of course, one concern is by some opponents who “bristle” at the potential impact on Portland’s micro-brewing industry.

Fluorite Crystals – A Taste Test to Determine the Impact on Portland Microbrews??

It was reported that Portland’s Upright Brewing strongly supports the move based on the premise, “Good teeth are more important than Beer.” Other brewery owners, however, are not so sure. It does set up what could be an intriguing blind taste-test in the future.

And speaking of blind taste tests, check out Willamette Week’s “President of Beers” contest (not a taste-test between President O’Bama and Mitt Romney…….), in which the weekly paper, “….Bootlegged Beer from All 50 States for the Ultimate American Taste-off.” The October 5^th edition of the paper chronicles the process in which Beaverbear Barleywine from North Dakota was the ultimate winner. Oregon had only one brew in the top 50 – Deschutes Black Butte Porter (#7).

Elections and the Weather

Well, the wonderful dry fall we had is now gone and besides bad weather, we have been inundated with endless campaign ads bringing to mind the quote from Alexander Pope on what may be the most pragmatic attitude for election results:

Cynical or Pragmatic?

“Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.”

And although I will admit to a bundle of references to Willamette Week in this post, this quote from the cynically humorous “Dr. Know” in his column comparing the weather between the United Kingdom and the United States, is a good quote and perhaps the underlying rationale for a blog focused on a tour of bars, pubs and taverns:

“The weather is never so bad that you can’t make it to the pub, but never so good that you can do anything else. This leads to a city and/or nation of sad, damp, doughy people drinking to kill their pain……”

Pioneer Pete and Political Correctness The efforts in both Oregon and Washington to end Native American mascots, nicknames and logos reminds me of how political correctness can go too far. Washington is taking a more moderate approach and passed a resolution urging high schools to replace the mascots, while the Oregon Board of Education passed a ban in May. Eight targeted (so to speak) schools have five years to comply, although I think that term connotes violence and aggression…

It brought to mind the graduation gift my Class of 1966 at Oregon City High School presented to the school for the Pioneer Gym – a massive poster of our mascot, Pioneer Pete – a rugged type shown below:

Even though he carries weapons, he is still smiling….

Well, the mascot initiatives above reminded me of a 2001 story reported by The Oregonian to purportedly modify the Oregon City logo, as stated in this excerpt from the December 12, 2001 story:

” A burly guy with a coonskin cap, Pioneer Pete stands like a sentinel throughout Oregon City High School. He stares from hallway murals, the backs of varsity jackets and walls in the gymnasium and football stadium.

A musket in his grip and a knife slung off his hip, Pioneer Pete is catching some flak these days. Some students and administrators say his weapon-toting ways break rules that apply to students. He’s even been booted off the cover of a brochure advertising the search for a new superintendent.”

I’m pleased to report that the current Pioneer Pete doesn’t have a flag pole replacing his musket (the option proposed by the School Board) or a hair dryer (suggested by some pundits) and he still carries his bowie-knife. It was interesting to review the comments in response to the article including this one by a staff person from the District to clarify and perhaps resolve the issue:

“Please note that this was not about Pioneer Pete , the OCHS mascot. It was a clip art picture that was to decorate a brochure to advertise our superintendent position nationally. Our preference, with the covered wagon on the cover, was a couple of pioneers, not a mountain man with a gun.

The story in the newspaper was inaccurate. There is no conversation about changing Pete at the high school. The Oregonian reporter has certainly heard from us today about the misleading story and we have asked for her to clarify that this was not a discussion about Pete. On a slow news day, this story has taken off. We have been barraged with angry people over our decision to change a clip art picture on a brochure……….”

Correction

In my recent Beerchaser-of-the-Month post honoring – so to speak – OSU Football Coach, Mike Riley, I cited my friend, attorney, Brien Flanagan, a Notre Dame grad and one who is reveling in the Fighting Irish’s undefeated season. I stated the Brian had received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Notre Dame. I was wrong – he went to law school at Georgetown University – an impressive academic background for a good lawyer.

Two Prestigious Alma Maters

Reflecting on Oregon’s Urban-Rural Divide – The Embers Brew House in Joseph, Oregon

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

The Embers Brew House

Thebeerchaser’s bar tour was in a slight rut. Fascinated by the contention of Kip, owner of Bar of the God’s contention that his establishment was in the midst of Portland’s Barmuda Triangle, I realized I had been sucked into the vortex and had focused too much on SE Hawthorne establishments including:

Bar of the Gods Hawthorne Hideaway Gold Dust Meridian

Claudia’s (visited but not yet posted)

As a result, in October I visited the Ship Tavern (not yet posted) in Multnomah Village and decided that an Eastern Oregon pub visited on a mini-road trip in late September should be included in my blog. Thebeerchaser and spouse took a wonderful trip to Eastern Oregon and spent two nights at Wallowa Lake Lodge in Joseph, Oregon.

Wallowa Lake Summit Tramway – Notice the Haze from the Smoke

The scenery was wonderful – the only problem was that the enormous brush fires in Eastern Oregon and Washington caused a haze which made beautiful Wallowa Lake gray rather than its normal crystal blue. The smoke even made the view at the top of the Wallowa Lake Tramway impossible to see the other beautiful Eagle Cap peaks.

However, we had a wonderful time at the Embers Brew House (EBH) on a Saturday night in Joseph after dinner at the Terminal Gravity Brewery in Enterprise.

: Brew and Dinner at the Bar at Terminal Gravity Brewery and Pub

A Great Place to Visit in Enterprise, Oregon

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It was after the tourist season in Joseph and on a Saturday night those at the EBH were mostly locals, hunters and a handful of tourists like us. Why did we love the Embers? A clue is in its website:

“The Embers past is firmly rooted in the history of early settlers, business people and today’s locals. A fire at the present adjacent site of a local grocery store destroyed that property, but The Embers withstood any damage and remained intact, thus the name “The Embers” was born.”

What else made our visit to the EBH memorable?

It was the hot-spot in town and the local folk were lively and friendly – a close knit community. This sign, shown below, posted by the bar embodies the philosophy:
Not Just a Quote on the Wall…
The food was outstanding. Teresa, the cordial owner and her crew, turned out an absolutely incredible number of pizzas and burgers for the large crowd.

Everyone was waiting to either see the Ducks vs. Arizona football game or listen to the Jimmy Bivans Band – a wonderful Boise country-western group that rocked the patio and beer garden area for several hours (you can hear them at three different McMenamin’s from January 12-14th, 2013).

Live Entertainment from Boise – Jimmy Bivins and Friends

Mike, a local guy I bonded with wearing a blue Notre Dame sweatshirt, was watching the Notre Dame vs. Michigan game which went down to the wire before the Irish won. I had listened to the Beavs beat UCLA earlier that day and we talked about both of our alma maters’ undefeated seasons so far – not realizing what was to come in the next weeks……

Mike, whose daughter also was a ND graduate, was a cool, rugged guy. He had no airs and was drinking white wine with ice from a plastic cup! The Notre Dame game ran over a few minutes into the Oregon game, but nobody was going to ask him to change the channel.

Some brief excerpts from reviews on Yelp give an idea why the Embers bustles:

“My husband and I spent the week in Joseph along with 4 other couples. We made it into Embers on 3 different occasions. The food was excellent; the beer cold, but most of all we enjoyed the staff.”

“Eating a spectacular Greek classic pizza with fresh basil and kalamata olives, outdoors, with a view of the Eagle Cap mountains, while enjoying a beer. It doesn’t get better than that!”

The Bar at the Embers

“We earned our Embers visit with a multi-day backpacking trip in Eagle Cap’s beautiful Lakes Basin. The pizza was a welcome relief after backcountry dehydrated meals. Embers offers plenty of options for the discriminating vegetarian. Their beer list is surprisingly extensive.”

We had eaten dinner earlier at the Terminal Gravity Brewery in nearby Enterprise, which also had a lot of character. Try their macaroni and cheese and their ESG (Terminal Gravity’s Rye beer, “Extra Special Golden,” might be described as an American golden ale.)

Joseph has several other pubs and even its own brewery. Take a look at the photos below::

The Hydrant — Where Beer Flows in Joseph

The Outlaw Saloon and Cafe – Another Joseph Bistro

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The Stubborn Mule Saloon in Joseph

: Mutiny Brewing in Joseph, Oregon

Elkhorn Saloon in Sumpter, Oregon

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On our road trip to Wallowa Lake we also went by several old taverns in other Eastern Oregon towns, but did not have time to visit them. For example, this picture above of The Elkhorn Saloon in Sumpter is a classic old saloon.

It enables one to envision the scene when one western bar patron, named Mike Fink, in the 1800’s unsuccessfully tried to shoot a tin cup of whiskey off the head of his friend – a guy named “Carpenter,” who ended up with a bullet in his head. Fink became the master of understatement by stating, “Carpenter, you have spilled the whiskey!” (“Legends of America” – Old West Legends)

Seeing the entrances of the establishments below convinced thebeerchaser that an Eastern Oregon segment of the Bar Tour should be on the agenda next year.

The Lostine Tavern in Lostine, Oregon

It also reminded me of the bar joke about the dog who limps into the bar in Wallowa and yells to the bartender and drinkers:

“I’m looking for the guy who shot my paw….”

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Leave a comment if you know of a bar in Central or Eastern Oregon that should be included in this future Beerchaser Tour. Shown below are some of the other saloons that beckon:

The Oxbow Saloon in Prairie City

The Range Rider Tavern in Enterprise – Notice that Hunters are Welcome!

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And let me conclude with my final western bar joke:

The sheriff bursts through the door of the western saloon and yells: “I’m looking for Paper Bag Bill – he’s a wanted man.”

A guy at the bar says, “What’s he look like?’ The sheriff says, “Well he has paper bag mask, a newspaper shirt, a crepe paper scarf and a paper bag chaps.”

The bartender asks, “What’s he wanted for?”

The sheriff says, “Rustlin!”

Paper Bag Bill — A “Rustler”….

—————–Eastern Oregon was a great road trip and we will be back to visit the Embers Brew House. Some people deabate Oregon’s Rural vs. Urban Divide. Having a beer at a good tavern is just as good in Joseph or Enterprise as it is on SE Hawthorne!

The Embers Brew House 204 North Main Street Joseph, Oregon

October Beerchaser(s) of the Month – Mike Riley and the Oregon State Beaver Football Team

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

Coach Mike Riley — Leading the Beavers

With their defeat of Utah in Corvallis last Saturday, the OSU Football Team is undefeated after six games and rated number 7 in the country in both BCS standings and the AP poll. It begs the question as to how “learned” experts in the pre-season could have picked the Beavs to finish last in the Pac 12 Northern Division. Not since 1907 have the Beavers been 6 and 0 and a win against the Washington Huskies Saturday night would be the first time in school history the football team was undefeated after seven games.

Coach Mike Riley now has 78 wins at OSU during his time as head coach (1997-8 and from 2003 through the present). He also left a legacy at Corvallis High School as an outstanding quarterback. It had been dark days for Beaver Nation before Riley’s tenure with 28 consecutive losing seasons – from 1971 to 1998.

Undefeated After 6, Rates a Guiness Stout rather than a Blitz!!

Thebeerchaser raises his mug to Coach Riley and the Beavs, and not without some internal risk (husband of an Oregon Duck and oldest daughter and son-in-law are both Washington Huskies). Not since the year of the OSU Giant Killers in 1967, when thebeerchaser, as a sophomore at OSU, personally witnessed the Beavs 3 to 0 upset of OJ Simpson and the top-ranked USC Trojans, has there been this much excitement in Corvallis.

One of my law firm colleagues at Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt, Brien Flanagan, who went to Notre Dame, as an undergraduate and then law school, is also enjoying his alma mater’s undefeated season so far. Who knows if history will repeat itself and I will be able to update the poster (shown below) created in 2004 after the Beavers defeated the Fighting Irish in the Insight.com Bowl. (the poster also references the Beaver’s victory over the Irish in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl)

Will History be Revisted in 2012??

On to Civil War — and the Irish??

GO BEAVS!

Gold Dust Meridian – A Nugget on SE Hawthorne

Posted on October 13, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

“Brady Bunch” – Mid-Century Modern Exterior

If you’re cruising along SE Hawthorne Blvd., you might not notice Gold Dust Meridian (GDM). That’s because they “stuck a bar in a mid-century accountant’s office,” or as stated by The Portland Tribune, “If you hanker to party again in the basement of your parents’ suburban ranch house, GDM will joyfully recall those halcyon years.“

According to co-owner, Marcus Archambeault, the 1955 office building formerly occupied by Gearhardt & Sons Accounting Firm, looked intriguing – “mid century, modern style – kind of ‘cold war pristine with glass in front!”

“Perhaps a juke box would look good in place of this desk….”

So why should you want to frequent a bar where CPAs once calculated double-declining balance depreciation and bemoaned the impact of the alternative minimum tax?

???????

Well, it’s because GDM gets many superlative reviews, including that of thebeerchaser and his group – three lawyers from the Portland law firm of Whipple & Duyck P.C. GDM has even received plaudits from Playboy Magazine as one of the Twelve Top Late Night Spots in the Nation in 2011:

Naomi affirms legacy of great servers at GDM …

“After Midnight, compiled by the editors of Playboy, provides a coast-to-coast glimpse at some of the most coveted late-night watering holes in the nation. At these legendary spots, after-hours thrill seekers will have no problem catching live music, enjoying generous cocktails, hobnobbing with eclectic crowds, savoring scrumptious late-night eats, and in some cases, learning a bit of local history.”

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The Portland Mercury has also named it one of the best happy-hours in Portland in multiple years. (Seven days a week from 2 to 8 PM) Keeping in mind the insightful quote: “You don’t love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a sing only you can hear,” let’s discuss the melody emanating from GDM when you walk into the bar:

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Distinguishing Characteristics

Dan Duyck at the spacious bar – that’s native Oregon hardwood…

The Interior – While the exterior doesn’t beckon, walking in GDM reveals in their own words, “large comfortable booths, slanted teak ceilings, a custom bar built with reclaimed Oregon timber, and a dimly lit brick and wood façade.”

Another review summed it up well: “The past and present rarely collide so nicely.” Unlike a lot of bars, conversation is promoted because there are NO televisions, pool tables or video poker machines – a very refreshing touch. You can get a deck of Trivial Pursuit to tap your brain, however. They have live music on Tuesday and Wednesday nights and DJs on weekends.

The Art – it is truly distinctive as evidenced by the two photos below. A number of pictures such as “Bird of Prey” are oils on canvas by local artist Hickory Mertsching (“I set out to create a peaceful contemplative setting, paintings that illustrate the relationship between man and nature, a reminder of our state of being and the simple aspects of life.”)

Local Art by Hickory Mertsching

: ASCII Art – Who is Mandroid?

There was also a large computer-generated “pop art” piece on the south wall, which was very unusual.

The Food and the Cocktails – Naomi said that management seeks ideas for cocktails from the bartenders and servers and Marcus affirmed, “We change our classic and champagne cocktail menu with the seasons to make it more dynamic.” They have about ten classics ranging from a Marionberry Margarita to a Root Beer Cowboy (WL Weller Bourbon, Apple Jack, Fee’s Old Fashioned Bitters and Root Liqueur) and ten more champagne cocktails such as Death in the Afternoon (Champagne,Trillium and Absinthe).

: Scorpion Bowl – because it stings when you don’t expect it….

And there are the three Family Bowls – also known as “Scorpion Bowls described by one who imbibed as,“A sixty-ounce drink served in a huge bowl, garnished with fruit and hanging monkeys and enough straws to share with you friends – these things are dangerous – the zombie tastes just like punch.”

Being somewhat reserved, we ordered some very good Oregon Beers (GDM has ten bottled beers and eight on tap) – Apocalypse IPA from 10 Barrel Brewery in Bend and Double Mountain IPA from the brewery of the same name in Hood River.

Oly Country….

The one exception was Dan Duyck who ordered a $1.50 Olympia. When asked for an explanation, Dan, who hales from the rural area of Washington County stated, “It’s beer to bale hay by…..To this day, whenever I catch a whiff of beers such as Oly, Blitz, Rainier and Heidelberg, I am reminded of my youth and that beer is the true reward for hard work no matter what your age.”

They also have a number of “Whiskey Flights” where one get shots of three different whiskies ranging from $15 to the more rare at $28.

The food, ranging from appetizers to salads to sandwiches, is also very good and not traditional “pub grub.” – “It’s 1950’s Trader Vic style with sharable plates” – I had a superb oyster poor boy sandwich and one of the lawyers had macaroni and cheese which he described as, “with a wonderful crust and rich and creamy throughout…..” We then talked about the trend where good Mac & Cheese seems to be ubiquitous on quality pub menus these days, which led one of us to ask:

wikimedia images - creative commons Jan. 7, 2007 - from Flickr(http://www.flickr.com/photos/spine/349850413/) by Rick Audet of San Francisco

Available in Fine Bars and Goes Well With Beer

Q: How prevalent is Mac ‘n Cheese on pub menus these days?

A: “Well, it’s more prevalent than Portland Mayoral Candidate Jefferson Smith’s license suspensions.”

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The Mac ‘n Cheese Candidate?

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The Patio – With the ban on indoor smoking, most bars have patios these days, but many are just stuck in surplus space. While the outdoor tables in front of the GDM are right on Hawthorne and noisy, the patio areas in the back and at the side have nice vegetation and are spacious.

Marcus and his partner in the bar, Warren Boothby, have a philosophy that to compete and draw patrons, “a bar has to be more than just a bar.” Even the name Gold Dust Meridian is different. Marcus said it was developed five years ago, “After a few beers and the (Prime) Median was starting place, of sorts, just like our new venture….”

They recently opened a sister bar – The Club 21 – on NE Sandy and 21st.

Gold Dust Meridian stands out as a quality bar that distinguishes itself in a number of ways. Prime yourself for a visit.

Gold Dust Meridian 3267 SE Hawthorne

Bar of the Gods (and Goddesses) …. It’s Not a Myth

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

A More Contemporary Mythology

One long-ago review of the Bar of the Gods (BOG) stated: If you want to kick your liver into high gear, visit BOG.” For context, it also talked about the magnitude of the second-hand smoke. There is now no smoking, except on their patio, but the BOG still fits the classic definition of a “dive bar.” While it has disappeared from the list of Willamette Week’s best bars in the last three years, prior reviews give some insight:

2007 – Despite an off-putting goth decor, everyone’s welcome….If you come alone, you’re leaving alone….The clientele is on the youngish side and mostly travels in packs.

2008 – You’d think that a bar dedicated to the Greek Pantheon might be a bit, um, brighter. Just insert “dive” though and you’ve got all you need to know….BOG serves plenty of stiff, cheap-ass drinks.

2009 – The bar is dark and inviting with strings of grape-lights overhead doing little to illuminate the grime left over from the smoking days…The music is as loud as the crowd. Its everything you want a dive bar to be complete with a heated smoking area out back and hypnotizing lights that make it look like fireflies are on.

Duyck, Whipple and BOG Owner, Kip

Portland lawyers, Scott Whipple, Dan Duyck and Dan Peterson from the Whipple & Duyck firm, joined me for this second stop on Thebeerchaser Bar Tour this evening.

The owner for the last 3.5 years, a pleasant fellow named Kip, said that BOG before 1996 was a gay strip club. The grape-clustered lights on the ceiling, the artwork and even the signs on the restrooms, evoked memories of studying Greek Mythology in high school.

Bar of the Gods Artwork

Although I don’t still have my Odyssey Cliff’s Notes (at the time, wrapped in brown paper to hide the yellow and black cover), I remember stories of giants and ogres of indescribable horror ranging from such monsters as Medusa, Deimos (God of fear and terror) and his twin brother, Phobos (God of panic).

Odysseus, after seven years captivity by the nymph, Calypso, heads home to Ithaca and encounters a slew of these on his fabled tour of Greek bars and taverns chronicled by Homer in the eighth century. His journey was prior to legislation against second-hand smoking in pubs, which added to the hazards.

A Trap for Unwary Beer Drinkers….

For example there was Charybdis, once a beautiful mermaid, who took “the form of a huge bladder of a creature whose face is all mouth and whose arms and legs are flippers. She swallows a huge amount of water three times a day before belching it back out again, creating whirlpools.” (Wikipedia)

The whirlpool or vortex brought back unpleasant memories of “the blind whirleys” from college – appropriately Greek-related from fraternity parties. The cure for this whirlpool-type condition was to lie down with one foot on the bed and one on the floor – it did not work if you were already lying on the floor….

The Siren – Don’t call 911 to hear this one.

And The Sirens – “Their song, though irresistibly sweet, was no less sad than sweet, and lapped both body and soul in a fatal lethargy, the forerunner of death and corruption.”

Fortunately, the music at BOG was so loud that we overcame any lethargic tendencies when a Van Halen tune belted out from the juke box at a 120 decibel level.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Theme – You probably won’t find another Portland bar with the pervasive Greek mythology theme – even to the point of the signs on the restroom doors:

Ethereal Powder Room

The Food – Since we had already eaten at another bar, we just topped it off with some delicious home-made chips and salsa and a chicken quesadilla, but Kip asserted that the BOG food is distinctive. Their chili is home-made as are all their soups. The menu on the blackboard does seem unusual for pub grub:

A Distinctive Menu with the Emphasis on Home-made…

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Another Myth???

Kip also told us that there are eleven bars in the eastern environs of Hawthorne Street and they are known as The Bar-muda Triangle. Since this seemed relevant to Charybdis, the Vortex and Blind Whirleys, it required some research. In fact, there were 2,910 Google entries for “Portland Bar-muda Triangle”, and Kip may be right:

The Urban Dictionary – this user-generated website pinpoints its location as “an area of bars that collectively saturate the SE Hawthorne Arts District at the base of Mt Tabor.”

The Portland Tribune – In a July, 2008 article entitled, “Drop anchor in Bar-muda Triangle,” there is a bar review of “The Tanker” with a subheading stating, “Setting a course for spirits, sports? Navigate to Hawthorne’s Tanker.”

To the contrary, there is a Willamette Week article from May, 2011 captioned, “Douchebags Not Allowed: Bar-muda Triangle’s Ankeny Car-Free Zone Is a Go.” According to WW, Portland’s Bar-muda is located in the Old Town neighborhood on the west side, near Voodoo Donuts where one block of Southwest Ankeny Street was converted to a car-free zone with outdoor tables for diners.

A High Pressure Front Whirling Around Mt. Tabor or Maybe That’s Florida?

Perhaps the dilemma is resolved based on info gleaned at the “wise-geek” website stating: “ A Bar-muda Triangle is an area where the concentration of bars is especially high. The number of bars located within an area known as a bar-muda triangle may be greater than three, of course, and sometimes an area with only two bars may be colloquially termed a bar-muda triangle. You may also hear a bar-muda triangle referred to as a beer-muda triangle.”

It appears that “Bar-muda triangle” is used by many towns to refer to particularly alcoholic intersections and the term is garnered from elsewhere or invented independently.

Since BOG has five beers on tap, eleven bottled beers, five in cans and champagne, let’s hoist a Hypotenuse IPA and agree that everyone is correct!

Kip Behind the Bar

BOG has four video poker machines and a spacious area to play pool. The crowd was an interesting mixture of locals and those cruising the Hawthorne District, although I did hear one guy shout, “I’m part of the 47%…

Try the Bar of the Gods, but take your GPS and don’t disappear in the confines of the Bar-muda Triangle. Check out their interesting website on the link below.

Bar of the Gods 4801 SE Hawthorne

The Columbia Bar and Astoria Pubs

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

On a recent short crabbing trip to Nehalem Bay, Thebeerchaser and his brother-in-law (Dave Booher) spent the good part of a day in Astoria. Several hours spent in the wonderful Columbia River Maritime Museum chronicled the history and geography of the Columbia River Bar. The description of the Bar as the “Graveyard of the Pacific” with diagrams of the numerous shipwrecks over the years was compelling.

The Columbia River Bar – Graveyard of the Pacific

With some time to spare in the afternoon, we decided to explore a few of Astoria’s other pubs. While thebeerchaser tour focuses on Portland, it was another opportunity to expand the venues reviewed. Besides, there were numerous establishments within walking (or trolley) distance along Marine Drive and within sight of the Astoria-Megler Bride.

The Astoria Trolley

The Astoria Brewery now owns four bars or taverns along the main street in Astoria, so we decided to visit the Desdemona Club and the Wet Dog Cafe in that order. We did not have time to visit their other two – Hazel’s Tavern and The Chart Room.

All Bars Within Sight of the Astoria-Megler Bridge Over the Columbia

After reading about some of the hardships of the Lewis and Clark Expedition right across the River at Fort Clatsop during the winter of 1805-6 as set forth below, it made one wonder how much more hospitable their stay in Oregon would have been if these venues were available.

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Austere Even with a Ration of Whiskey

The Fort, only five miles from Astoria, was the last encampment of the Expedition during a wet and miserably cold winter before embarking on their return trip to St. Louis. From the 12/25/1805 journal of William Clark:

“Our Diner concisted of pore [lean] Elk, So much Spoiled that we eate it thro’ mear necessity. Some Spoiled pounded fish and a fiew roots. It was a bad Christmass diner.”

Notice that there was no mention of alcohol above – that’s because the explorers finished their supply of whiskey on July 4, 1805. One of the men brewed a little beer from fermented camas bread on the way down the Columbia, because it was “frequently wet molded & Sowered.”

Clark described it favorably but evidently it wasn’t tried again, probably for lack of time. This lack of liquor was a violation of military regulations because a few years earlier, Congress had raised the mandatory ration from half a gill to a full gill of rum, brandy or whiskey per man per day.*1 It also lends credence to the old Irish quote: “What whiskey will not cure, there is no cure for.” (*1 Wikipedia)

One of the Four Taverns Owed and Operated by Astoria Brewery

Since it was Happy Hour, Dave and I walked to the Desdemona Club (known as the “Dirty D”) to toast Lewis and Clark and contemplate shipwrecks. The venue was appropriate because the tavern was named after the ship of the same name.

Desdemona Sands is a series of shoals on the Columbia. The sands had traditionally been called Chinook Sands. On New Year’s Day 1857, the Desdemona’s captain tried to cross the Columbia River bar without a pilot – having been promised a new suit if he could enter the Columbia by January 1. The ship ran aground on the bar. The cargo was saved, but the ship was lost, and one of the salvage crew drowned.

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The Desdemona Before it Sank in the Columbia

Laura, the bartender in the bar was and knowledgeable and cordial resource on the history of the bar. The portholes and some other items in the bar were purportedly salvaged from the ship.

Porttholes from the Original??

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She and a friendly woman at the bar named, Maya, told us about the brothel, located above what is now the bar until the early 1970’s, as evidenced by the long halls with multiple small rooms.

The “shanghai trap door” was also mentioned along with some history of Astoria – because the area is marshy, it is built upon creosote pilings with a boardwalk – factors in the 1922 fire which destroyed most of the then wooden buildings of the City.

Laura gives Dave a history lesson

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Distinguishing Characteristics

Besides Laura and her quirky “beer mug glasses” shown below, a unique feature on the menu was the Deep Fried Pancake Basket – pancakes cut up and then deep-fried – a bargain at $2.50 although Laura said that she had only served it twice in the six months she’s worked there. She said that the Dirty D was also the only bar in Astoria with free pool and shuffleboard.

Distinguishing Glasses

Although they had Bud Light Pints for $2………we had each had a pint of Astoria Brewery’s Old Red Beard Amber – “a copper-hued amber brew with a caramel malt flavor and a smooth profile.” (similar to Dave’s….)

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Wet Dog Cafe

Even though we each had consumed only a pint, given the propensity of Clatsop County DA, Josh Marquis, to zealously prosecute those with alcohol even on their breath, we decided to walk down the street a short eighteen or so blocks and visit the Wet Dog Cafe. We passed Hazel’s and The Chart Room – Astoria Brewing’s other two bars on the way, but time and capacity constraints forced us wait to visit on our next trip.

This Sports Bar Will Have to Wait Until Next Visit

Fortunately, we met an old lady-of-the-sea on the walk although she was very non-conversant.

The Beerchaser in a One-sided Conversation

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Hazel’s looked interesting although the Chart Room was very nondescript on the outside. Astoria Brewery’s investments have helped the ambiance of these two venues based on the difference in the quality of the reviews since their purchase and upgrades in the spring of 2012. Moving the bulk of their brewing operation to a building adjacent to the Chart Room doubled their capacity to well over 800 barrels per year.

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The Wet Dog Cafe, founded in 1995, is also the site of their smaller brewery opened in 1997 as Pacific Rim Brewery and is an interesting and spacious building. I concur with some of the reviews that having the bar separated from the restaurant would enhance the ambiance of the latter although evidently, I missed the adults only section of the bar.

The view is outstanding and they had a large patio with superb views of the River. They also have a nice selection of draft beers and an ample menu. According to the reviews, try the fish & chips or the Reuben sandwich. Take a look at their great dessert menu too. The bartenders were friendly and helpful although stretched to handle the crowd.

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View from the Wet Dog Patio

Watching the River traffic is fascinating including Bar Pilots. One can almost envision the horse-drawn gill nets that supplied much of the salmon to the old and now abandoned canneries along Marine Drive.

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The Bar at the Wet Dog Cafe

The Wet Dog has most (about 12 of Astoria’s hand-crafted ales on tap. Dave stuck with the Old Red Beard Amber and I had a Da Bomb Blonde Ale, a light golden ale although I was tempted by the description of their milk shakes:

“Made with “Hand Scooped” Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream. Served in a malt glass with a side tin. Your choice of Marionberry, Vanilla, Oreo Cookie, Caramel, Root Beer, Strawberry, Chocolate, Butterscotch, Chocolate Stout made with our own Bad Ass Stout.”

More Tempting than a Milk Shake made with Bad Ass Stout!

The Wet Dog Cafe/Astoria Brewing is also one of the seven breweries along the North Coast Craft Beer Trail – which might merit another blog post……

Hats off to CPA Steve Allen and his wife, Karen Huber Allen. During a recession that hit the coast harder than most regions, they have been entrepreneurial and expanded their business. They have seven children and three of the kids work in the family businesses full-time and it appears that they treat their many employees well.

They are environmentally astute. For example, in 2008 the Wet Dog added 15 Solar panels on the roof. This action apparently made them only the second brewery in the Oregon to use solar energy to heat hot water tanks for the production of beer and for their kitchen. They recycle all plastics, cardboard, tin, glass, & paper.

Astoria Brewing and Wet Dog Cafe 144 11th Street

Hazel’s Tavern 1313 Marine Drive

The Chart Room 1196 Marine Drive

The Columbia River Maritime Museum 1792 Marine Drive