Tag Archives: Abbey Foundation of Oregon

Tabor Tavern – An Eastside Treasure

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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 above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.  External photo attribution is at the end of the post. #1)

Well Beerchasers, I’ve hit the jackpot with my recent visits to bars The Basement Public House (eastside) and the Jolly Roger at John’s Landing (westside) – both independent neighborhood establishments owned and operated by Portlanders.  And now I’ll tell you about another outstanding neighborhood tavern.

I first visited the Tabor Tavern in 2022 with my colleague on the Abbey Foundation of Oregon Board, John Limb and returned this February with a former Schwabe Williamson law firm colleague, John Mansfield, who is now working as a Deputy County Counsel in Washington County.

And as will be the case with the other two establishments, I’ll return again notwithstanding the internal pressure which is my constant companion — knowing how many watering holes I haven’t visited and still await Thebeerchaser with anticipation.  

In researching the Tabor and it’s opening in 2012 by Ken “Zig” Naffziger, I was not surprised by its longevity and success.  And the welcoming ambiance radiates when one walks in the door. 

The problem with some of the newer hospitality venues which were short-lived – especially with the impact of the pandemic – the owners and management often didn’t “learn the ropes” before they ventured out on their own.  The COVID related issues challenged even the most experienced manager.

Two good examples of how long-time successful bar owners worked their way up and were fully aware of the commitment and grit required are the Jackson family – owners of the Sports Page in Beaverton and the Jolly Roger bars – the most recent reviews on this blog.

The other is Zig Naffziger – owner of the Tabor Tavern.

“In 2012, after 25 years in the industry — including stints with Portland pub icons McMenamins, Lompoc Brewing and the Horse Brass Pub — Ken “Zig” Naffziger decided to set out on his own.​

Inspired by Zig’s travels and love of pub culture, his goal was to create the kind of place fellow tavern fans could congregate to enjoy high-quality food and drink in a warm, welcoming and unpretentious environment.”  (Tabor Tavern website)  (#2)

Zig learned the industry before he opened the Tabor Tavern

Let’s look at what has made the Tabor Tavern a favorite eatery and bar on the northwest edge of the Tabor Neighborhood.   

And based on the reception it got from the time it opened until the present, his first establishment allowed Zig and his wife, Kristen Siefkin, to open a second neighborhood tavern and restaurant – Swift and Union in 2015 – less than ten miles away.   

It had been his life-long dream of Naffziger to open a neighborhood pub.  He was smart about how he went about it – getting advice from experts including his wife:

“‘I am an avid fan of pub culture and hope to create the kind of place fellow fans would like to congregate.’ Naffziger brought in restaurant consultant, Sean Herron of Big Idea Group as advisor on this project (and) food and beverage PR executive, Kristen Siefkin.”  (https://brewpublic.com/oregon-beer/tabor-tavern-to-open-this-spring/)

Photo Feb 15 2023, 12 09 53 PM (2)

Now the outside of Tabor Tavern does not portend what awaits you inside.  It’s a plain wooden one-story building with a red roof in a semi-commercial residential area on a busy street. 

There are a number of small picnic tables that share the sidewalk for Portland’s months when outside seating is an option. 

Not to be forgotten – also not available at many watering holes these days is plenty of off-street parking with more available in the Tavern’s lot. (#3)

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But one walks into a quaint one-room interior which is a wonderful throwback to the diners of the 60’s or 70’s.   In fact, along with historic Portland photos and an attractive chalkboard display showing beers on taps, there’s a large wood poster entitled “Back in 1972.” 

It has 1972 statistics such as the cost of a house ($27,550), the average annual income ($9,697), cost of a gallon of gas (36 cents) and cultural items like popular songs (American Pie), movies (The Godfather) and TV shows (All in the Family). 

Also – famous people born that year including Gwyneth Paltrow – who didn’t know then that in the future she should stay away from both ski slopes and courtrooms…….

The welcoming, rich interior has wood tables of various sizes located throughout with dark-colored wooden booths with padded seats by the windows along the front. 

And one of the most iconic features is a long-reclaimed wood bar with twelve old drugstore counter-type stools.  All give an impression of high quality and care. The floor is refinished cement and there are antique rugs providing a nice contrast.

The Food, the Beverages and the Service

Tabor Tavern gets an A grade on these three categories.   Each time I visited or followed up with a call, the staff was friendly and helpful – including offering to take pictures of us for the blog and even posing in one of them. 

Besides eight varied Northwest beers and one cider on tap, one can also get cans and bottles including a non-alcoholic beer.  Of course, I was pleased to see the old standby – $3.50 Rainer Tallboys. 

Wine is also available, and they get good reviews on their seven cocktails which go for $12. I was intrigued by the Drunken Botanist – “Wild Roots raspberry vodka, muddled arugula, honey, lime juice, served up” – but didn’t have the courage to ask what “muddled arugula” is. (#4)

450px-Eruca_sativa

But it’s the excellent upscale pub food which beckons me to make a return visit.  I was surprised that the annual Willamette Week Best Bar Guides, I’ve collected for the last ten years didn’t have Tabor Tavern in any of its editions.  

Take a look at these two reviews from the weekly newspaper, however, and you’ll get a flavor for the quality of the cuisine:

“This casual, bustling neighborhood joint always miraculously has at least one table available whenever we roll up. Its adult menu is exceptional pub grub: a perfect beet salad (with quinoa and pepitas) and a fried chicken sando that my partner orders every time and will not shut up about.

It also has a small kids’ menu, which includes the coveted grilled cheese and fries for $7. Hell yes! Tabor Tavern is perfect for cool families, although a passerby would hardly even know it, which is the ideal aesthetic.”  Willamette Week 8/18/21

And I can personally attest to the accuracy of the effusive review of the fried chicken sandwich ($16) – I had it and my friend, John Mansfield relished the Spinach and Warm Bacon Salad. ($14)

Photo Feb 15 2023, 11 52 37 AM

Perhaps that’s why we looked so happy in this photo – taken after we finished lunch – although some people assert that I’m always happy when I have a meal with a lawyer……..!

However, when I return, given the description in the review below and seeing it first-hand when my Beerchasing companion, John Limb tried it in 2022, I will, without hesitation, order the Tabor Burger as described in the 2017 article “The 16 Best Bar Burgers in Portland.” 

“The Tabor Burger ($16.50 with fries, soup or salad) is precisely what would happen if a hamburger got attacked by an episode of Frasier: arugula, brioche bun, blue cheese and bacon jam.

But it comes together better than expected—a balance of fat against salt and bitterness, rather than acidity. But is it weird I sometimes feel I’m eating a Cobb salad?”  

Our friendly server agreed to have his picture taken with John. 

I told John’s story in a prior post about Chuckanut Brewing.  Before retiring in 2017, he was the publisher of the Oregon Catholic Press. 

The OCP is a non-profit national leader in Catholic and faith-based music publishing and worship resources. During his tenure, OCP became the nation’s leading publisher of Catholic worship material. He continues to serve as Publisher Emeritus.

And it was a remarkable coincidence that as we ate our lunches and drank our beers on a nice April afternoon at the outside tables in front of the bar, that John looked at two guys inside – sitting adjacent to us – with just a window separating us. John and both of the guys started smiling and waving simultaneously as they  recognized each other.  

In the photo below, the guy on the left is Rudy Lopez who works at OCP and is a very talented musician and composer as is Bro. Rufino Zaragoza – a Franciscan friar (monk) from California. 

He collaborates with OCP including efforts to serve the Vietnamese community both here in the U.S. and in Vietnam.  (Click on the above links on these individuals and you will be impressed with their work and dedication.)

John had not seen Bro. Rufino since 2001 when both traveled to Viet Nam and facilitated the development and publication of a Vietnamese National Hymnal which is now available internationally.

Photo Aug 04, 12 00 52 PM (2)

And Because it Bears Mentioning

After looking at the photos again, I commented to John in a recent phone call, “John, you have an amazing resemblance to comedian Stephen Colbert.”  His reply was:

“Yes, I’ve been told many times that I look like him — more so in the past, when he still wore wire-rimmed glasses like my own.  There have been times when people were actually convinced that I was him, and I was just trying to avoid them by saying that I wasn’t.  My fifteen minutes of fame, so to speak.”

Well, you judge for yourself!  (#5 – #6)

Well, that’s John Limb on the _______??!! 

I laughed and reflected that John should feel pretty good about the comparison.  The only famous person friends have said that I resemble is former Senate Majority Leader – Republican Trent Lott from Mississippi. (2001)   And no, I’m not going to show you the picture!  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Lott

In Closing

You should make a point to try Zig’s ” dream that became a reality,” and he created a place that is “warm, welcoming and an unpretentious environment.”  I plan to visit Swift and Union as well.  But I’ll leave you with this brief 4/15/23 Yelp Review.  It sums up most of comments very well:

“I’d never been to Tabor Tavern before.  Wow!  The food is excellent!!  Everything delicious.  I split the beet salad and burger with blue cheese, bacon jam & arugula .  SOOOO delicious!  

A table mate had the fish and chips and another had the Tabor burger.  All outstanding – as are the fries.  Highly recommend this eatery!!”

And if you want to see the breadth of the food and cocktails Zig Naffziger offers and the outstanding presentation, just check out the photos on the Tabor Tavern Facebook Page. (#7)

10991536_774050192690658_167030841859064804_o

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Tabor Tavern Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TaborTavern/photos/pb.100063643386983.-2207520000./3778581502237497/?type=3).

#2. Linked-in  (http://Ken (21) Kenneth “Zig” Naffziger | LinkedIn)

#3. Tabor Tavern Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TaborTavern/photos/pb.100063643386983-)

#4.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eruca_sativa.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author: Whut – 6 October 2010.

#5.  Abbey Foundation of Oregon 2020 Annual Report (https://abbeyfoundationoforegon-annualreport.org/annual-report-2020/)

#6.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Colbert_(character))

 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stephen_Colbert_on_set_cropped.jpg   This file is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_of_the_United_States_Government – Author Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade

#7.  Tabor Tavern Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TaborTavern/photos/pb.100063643386983.-2207520000./774050192690658/?type=3)

Beer and Technology Conflate at Binary Brewing

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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 above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.  External photo attribution is at the end of the post.)  #1 

The last brewery I visited in 2022 was suggested by my friend and colleague on the Abbey Foundation of Oregon Board (AFO).  John Meek is the Immediate Past President of that Board and there were a couple of reasons I thought this was a good option.

First, the current President of the AFO, John Limb – who just retired after serving as the long-time publisher of the Oregon Catholic Press – and I had a great experience at the Chuckanut Brewery late in the fourth quarter.   It provided momentum….

And since I’ve focused on breweries and bars on Portland’s east side and Binary is in the heart of Beaverton on Portland’s west side, this would be an opportunity to take what is purported to be newspaper editor and publisher, Horace Greeley’s advice – albeit on a micro level and as an old guy – “Go West….”  (#2)

“Go West, Young Man” – but make it farther than Beaverton!!

Third, and I will tell you more about him below, but John Meek is an extremely bright guy – elected to Phi Beta Kappa and a magna cum laud grad in Computer Science from Washington State University.  He’s had an outstanding career in the technology sector and, more importantly, likes good beer.   

When I go Beerchasing, I try to focus on people smarter than I am.  John is a good example…..!

I didn’t know if John was attracted to Binary because of his career – or the beer  – or possibly both.  Binary is defined as “relating to, composed of, or involving two things.”  

The co-owners of Binary Brewing, Josh Johnson and Roger Wood changed the name and rebranded Uptown Brewing – a beer bar, bottle-shop, and homebrew supply shop – and started brewing in 2018.

Their motto is “Good beer is like software – in the end it’s Binary.” 

“The Portland area has a long history of beer and technology. Our team brings together experience in both so we chose a name that reflects those two roots. Our goal is to bring start-up excitement back to the craft beer market – developing new beers and revitalizing classic styles for modern tastes.”

Binary had been operating and brewing with a seven-barrel system out of a very small facility located outside the Beaverton city limits. 

In July, 2022, after totally refurbishing what used to be the Beaverton Bakery – located in a 135-year old building – on Broadway in the heart of town, they upgraded to a ten-barrel system and enough fermentation vessels to more than quadruple former production. (Oregon Beer News)  #3

The result was a compact, but well designed and attractive taproom and brewery in the back with an impressively large picture window showing the brewing hardware:

“The one element that remains as a tribute to the old bakery is a portion of the 1930s era floor near the main entrance—blue-and-gray hand-painted cement that resembles a charming patchwork quilt.”  https://www.wweek.com/bars/beer/2022/07/19/binary-brewing-opens-its-pub-and-production-facility-in-beaverton-this-week/

Binary’s plan was ambitious and their new digs allowed them to can and distribute. And the taproom is upscale and mod – unusual for the genre:

“A plant lined skylight adds warmth to the white, black and cold metal blue tones of the taproom with the punch of bright plants to liven up the computer circuitry themed space….

The open windows to the brewing operations are framed with the coolest customized aspect of the taproom, the draft towers that emulate the circuit board art of the Binary logo.”  https://newschoolbeer.com/home/2022/7/binary-brewing-opens-in-beaverton

There’s also a separate room with a large community table, a few additional small tables and two old-fashioned pinball machines – a nice touch.   A hall leads out to a patio, which is very nice although the picture on their website doesn’t adequately convey it.

The Beer

According to Andre Meunier in his 12/11/19 article in Oregon Live: “(Head Brewer Roger Wood, makes) mostly English and German styles, including pales ales, stouts, a Kolsch and a helles, plus IPAs of course, including hazies”

“One of my favorite parts about Roger’s brewing is … balance is one of our specialties,” (Co-owner) Johnson says. ‘We call it the bitter loop, and it’s that we always want that beer to finish a little bit dry and a little bit bitter — dries out the mouth, and what it does is it makes you want to drink more. Another sip, another pint.'”

Photo Nov 15 2022, 3 36 03 PM (2)

Surprisingly, Binary’s website is not that informative.  There is nothing about its history (I got what I could from multiple news and internet articles) which is unfortunate because they have a good story to tell. 

And unlike most breweries, there is no description of their beer along with the picture of label. Fortunately, our server, Angela, was very helpful and knowledgeable about the nuances of the beer.

While they have a food menu with prices for their Megabits operation (described below), they don’t have prices for their beer in the taproom – perhaps as noted in a few reviews, that’s because they are a bit pricey – pints are $7 and a flight of five four-ounce pours is $12.

There were twelve beers on tap and at John’s suggestion – which was a good one – we went for two flights to get a better idea of the variety and what we liked.  So we got to taste ten of the twelve beers on tap.

IMG_7603 (2)

The favorites were Mech 47 – a hazy IPA @ 6.2ABV, Virtual Redality @5.7 and which compared favorably to the red ales which I usually order on brewery visits and the Arrakis – a spiced ale @6.3. The Pinball Pils @5.2  also was a hit. (Since they didn’t have descriptions on the Binary website, I’ve provided the links to Untapd for its reviews.)

To my recollection, we thought that all of the beers rated favorably for our personal tastes.

One reason, I’m disappointed at the lack of description of their beers is that they do a wonderful and creative job with their labels.  I’ve shown three of the four mentioned above which were on the website although Arrakis wasn’t shown. 

You can see that they also put a lot of creativity into the names of their brews, most of which have clever names related to technology.  For example, I loved the “Wheatadore 64” as it brought back old memories! 

So why not just give a brief description of each one to help the consumer?!  (#4-6)

The Companionship

One of the most valued aspects of my idiosyncratic hobby, is the company I keep when I go Beerchasing.  There are some “regulars” who’ve gone on multiple trips such as retired lawyer, Jim Westwood, members of the Faust Clan (Jack, Amy and Charlie) and former colleagues from the Schwabe firm.

The photos below are from Beerchasing at the former Burnside Brewing, Mad Sons’ Pub, Crackerjack’s Pub and The Independent Sports Bar – the first three are gone but not forgotten….a comment on the pandemic’s effect on small hospitality businesses.

While John and I had been to Cooper Mountain Ale Works in Tigard over a year ago, we mostly talked about Mount Angel Abbey issues and I didn’t get to hear much of John’s background. So as we were going through our flights I asked him (and since he is a humble guy) supplemented that with info from Linked-in.

John, since his graduation from college in 1978, has been involved in executive management of tech companies.   And his impressive list of positions started the year he graduated with his first job at Timberline Systems.   

Most business and professional service people know it’s a good NW firm that develops, markets, and supports accounting and management software for construction, estimating, property management, and architect/engineering industries. (See the link for the interesting history.)  (#7)

John-Meek-AR20

In 1986 the company changed its name to Timberline Software Corporation and named John the Vice-president of Research and Development.  He worked at Timberline for twenty years and the next ten in senior executive positions at WellMed and WebMD. 

Since 2010, he has been self-employed as the Managing Member of

And John, like many people who already have demanding schedules also is a guy with poor refusal skills – he donates a lot of time for active roles in charitable organizations. 

These have included the Assistance League of Portland Advisory Council, Special Olympics-Oregon (Chair of the Board since 2014) and the Abbey Foundation of Oregon where he just completed two years as President of the Board and still serves on the Executive Committee.

He and his wife, Sharon, are world-wide travelers and sports people. The left picture is high on the Eiger in Switzerland, while below right shows John scuba diving in Cuba. (#8 – #9)

From May 7th to the 20th John and Sharon Meek and others from the Northwest will join Fr. Odo Recker, O.S.B., and Fr. Timothy Kalange, O.S.B., – two Benedictine monks from the Mount Angel Abbey on a 12-day pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine! 

Since my technology skills were never significantly honed and have diminished further since retirement, I tried to impress John (having checked my 9th grade math primer before our visit).

When our tab came to $29, I casually mentioned that it was the equivalent of $11101 in the binary system.  I then showed him conceptually, my work for the conversion:

  1. Divide the number by 2.
  2. Get the integer quotient for the next iteration.
  3. Get the remainder for the binary digit.
  4. Repeat the steps until the quotient is equal to 0.  (#10)

If only I had Cue Math when I was in 9th grade!

He told me that I should stick to conversations comparing lagers to ales and the nuances thereof…..

Final Observations

We didn’t eat on this trip but Megabits – the in-house restaurant which has an eclectic menu.  It includes a number of slider options, three “big” salads and plenty of small bites such as mac & cheese, deviled eggs and cheese curds.   Prices appear to be reasonable and the ratings on individual social media and news commentary are good.

Initially, Binary was the only brew pub in downtown Beaverton, but since their opening others have proliferated.  They now include Beaverton taprooms for nearby Loyal Legion, Von Ebert, Ex Novo, Great Notion and the (ever-expanding) Steeple Jack Breweries. 

Binary is therefore trying to build a “community” through its Mug Club and a number of events which appear to be interesting and creative.  (#11-13)

John and I will have to return to check out the patio and see how proficient we are on the Godzilla and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pinball machines and whether we can use artificial intelligence to help!  We both thought Binary Brewing was a good experience with very drinkable beers and good ambiance.  (#14)

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1  Binary Brewery Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=445502577557729&set=a.402923055149015).

#2  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Horace Greeley restored – Horace Greeley – Wikipedia)  This file was provided to Wikimedia Commons by the National Archives and Records Administration as part of a cooperation project. The National Archives and Records Administration provides images depicting American and global history which are public domain or licensed under a free license.

#3 Binary Brewery Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/binarybrewingco/photos/pb.).

#4  – #6  (https://www.binarybrewing.co/beers)

#7 Mount Angel Abbey Annual Report (https://abbeyfoundationoforegon-annualreport.org/)

#8 – #9  Courtesy of John Meek

#10  Cue Math Website (https://www.cuemath.com/numbers/29-in-binary/)

#11 – #13  Binary Brewing Website (https://www.binarybrewing.co/s/stories).

#14  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons ((Wikimedia Commons (File:BinaryData.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Sérgio Valle Duarte 1999.)

Chuck Another One (Medal) Up for Chuckanut…

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Breaking News!

“The US Postal Service will deliver mail throughout the US on Monday.”

The above is an example of the ubiquity of this two-word exclamation and “report” – not only on cable news but the networks. These range from current events of significant gravity to those of the monotonous and mundane.   This trend led Chris Licht, President of CNN, to declare:

“It has become such a fixture on every channel and network that its impact has become lost on the audience.”

That Said…

A December 15, 2021 headline by Oregonian Beer Writer, Andre Meunier, entitled, “Chuckanut Brewery, Washington’s pioneering lager-maker, opens SE Portland taproom,” did qualify as breaking news in the NW Brewery World:

“Portland has no shortage of world-class beer, but Chuckanut’s arrival has even the most snobbish local beer fans excited.

Rarely a year goes by that the brewery doesn’t win at least one award at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival, including four in 2009, the brewery’s first year at the competition, and its trophy case holds numerous medals from the annual World Beer Cup, as well.”

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

After getting back in full stride on the Beerchasing Trail again in mid-October, the Chuckanut P.Nut Beerhall in Southest Portland was one of the first new watering holes I visited.  I’ve personally mourned the departure of some notable breweries during and after the pandemic such as Sasquatch Brewing, Hair of the Dog, Grixen, Lompoc, etc.. 

Thus, I was heartened by the addition of this Bellingham Washington brewery to Portland – especially given it’s family ownership and tradition in suds.  And based on the breadth and length of experience of co-owners’ Mari and Will Kemper, it’s a story worth repeating – this from their website: (#2-3)

“Mari and Will started one of the first craft breweries in the Northwest Thomas Kemper Brewery back in 1984    At the same time he taught brewing engineering for the American Brewers Guild in Davis, CA. 

They returned to America and he continued to consult with them when the two of them were asked to return to Istanbul to make the first craft brewery. They lived three years in Turkey for the project and when they finally returned to their home in Bellingham, WA they decided to start Chuckanut Brewery.

And so the story of Chuckanut begins in 2008!”

Beerchasing Companion

As followers of this blog know, it’s not really about beer, but rather the places individuals and groups gather to consume this wonderful malted beverage.  I’m interested – and try to tell you – about the brewers, the staff, the regulars or one-time visitors who I meet on my visits.

And besides my wife, Janet, on our road trips, for local jaunts, I always try to take friends or colleagues – most of whom seem to have more interesting stories than mine.  But I enjoy telling them.   

After a visit to the Tabor Tavern in August (review not yet written), my friend, John Limb and I hit the Chuckanut P.Nut Beer Hall on a Friday mid-afternoon in October.  I first met John in 2016, when we both served on the Benedictine Brewery Advisory Committee – a group that worked until the opening of the Brewery and Taproom in Mount Angel in late 2018.

I then joined John on the Abbey Foundation of Oregon Board and we’ve served together since.  He is currently the President of that Board.   John and his wife, Kim, are two of the nicest people one would ever want to meet and typify the members of that Board. (#4 – 5)

John, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, graduated from the University of Louisville where he met Kim and where, after graduation, he worked at a church in the Archdiocese of Louisville.  In 1986, they moved to Portland where he became Editor at the Oregon Catholic Press in Portland. 

The OCP is a non-profit national leader in Catholic and faith-based music publishing and worship resources. Thirty years later – twenty-five of them as publisher – John retired in 2017, and continues to serve as OCP’s Publisher Emeritus.  During his tenure, OCP became the nation’s leading publisher of Catholic worship material. (#6 – 9)

You can see from the first photo below, he began his tenure there as a young guy!  In the fourth photo, he is sitting with his successor, Wade Wisler. 

Why is Chuckanut Notable?

The beer awards for Chuckanut started early with four in 2009 and they were two-time winner of the Great American Beer Festival’s best small brewery their first four four years.  And they have continued – you can see the medals and trophies in the pub and look at the 2021 Facebook post below:

“We did it again, Large Brewery of the Year 2021 WA Beer Awards! We won with:
Gold medal for Rye Lager
Gold medal for Rauch Helles Lager
Gold medal for Asian Style Lager
Gold medal for Old Fest Marzen style lager
Silver medal for Dunkel Lager
Silver medal for Chuck Light
Silver medal for Maibock”  (#10)

The bad news is that Chuckanut sells about 95% of its beer on draft – packaging only about 5% of its production, so you need to go to P.Nut (or their other location in Burlington, WA) and select a brew from one of their twelve beers on tap. 

And the beer is good – take the 2018 opinion of Beervana’s Jeff Alworth, one of the nation’s leading beer experts:

“Chuckanut has won about every award there is to win, and their mostly-German tap-list is a master’s course in elegance through simplicity….. Chuckanut’s beers are absolutely faithful to tradition…

(They) are so good not because they express ‘innovation”’ but because they demonstrate the mastery that comes from honing a craft over a lifetime. On my first visit I ticked off the classics: helles, kolsch, dunkel, marzen, pilsner. It was like a visit to Germany.” 

Neither John or I are beer experts, but we know what tastes good.  John really enjoyed the Dunkel and I reveled in their Kolsch as I love German beer.  They are described as follows and each has won more medals than space permits listing:

Dunkel Lager – Chuckanut’s Dunkel is a deep reddish-brown color, capped by an impressively sturdy tan head.  As in all lagers, the flavors in Dunkel are produced directly by the ingredients; in this case some of the malts have been roasted, giving Dunkel toffee, chocolate, coffee, and even licorice notes.

Kolsch – a blonde, top fermented ale brewed from pilsner malt. Bitterness is restrained, and the palate is light-bodied and dry with a soft malt flavor in the center giving way to a dry finish. (#11 – 12)

The Space at P.Nut

It’s certainly not fancy although according to Brian, our bartender – knowledgeable and friendly – they have enhancements in store.  There is long, wooden community table and smaller tables plus space at the bar. 

Most of the décor centers on the Chuckanut story with medals and news clippings.  A Foosball game and darts are nice additions.  Some outdoor seating is available.  They currently do not have food although food trucks are often available.

It’s a family space and pets are welcome as shown in the photo below.  It had a low key and pleasant ambiance when we were there.   One slight downside is that parking is not plentiful in the neighborhood and you may have to hoof it a few blocks.

Although it’s not a valid sampling, I always try to get a feel for the thrust of reviews and since P.Nut has been open only a short time, there weren’t many, but the two Yelp reviews below were indicative.  The only negative comments were mixed with praise in the same reviews – no bike rack and “parking can be tricky.”

6/7/22 – “Great space, friendly service, tasty beer! What else do you need? This is a great spot especially if you aren’t a big IPA fan. I went to college in Bellingham, so it was such a treat to have some Bellingham brews again here in Portland!”

11/18/22 – “Spot is simple. Beers, TV’s, foosball, darts, tables. All the essentials of a good beerhall. I had the Kolsch and it was excellent. I didn’t see much of a food option which is okay, but I definitely enjoyed the beer option. I’d encourage anyone to get Kolsch or pilsner or stout. Solid options at this corner spot.”

Chuckanut Brewing is admirable – their commitment to sustainability, support of community non-profits, company values and their great beer.  Come out of your shell and hit the P.Nut Beer Hall!

Chuckanut P.Nut Beer Hall

920 SE Caruthers St, Portland, OR  (#13)

Cheers!

External Photo Attribution

#1 – 3.  Chuckanut Brewery Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/chuckanut.beer/photos/a.

10150266616630072/10165515874085072)

#4.  Guidestar Profile (https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.guidestar.org%2Fprofile%2F04-3703021&psig=AOvVaw0WeTpHjkAUTWPxwXJAlhup&ust)  =1670267135873000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=

0CA8QjhxqFwoTCLiypIvU4PsCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE)

#5.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mt._Angel_Abbey_

(Marion_County,_Oregon_scenic_images)_(marDA0213).jpg)   The copyright holder of this file allows anyone to use it for any purpose, provided that the copyright holder is properly attributed.  Source: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives.  March 2010.

#6.   Oregon Catholic Press – Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding 

#7.  (https://catholicsentinel.org/Content/News/Local/Article/Adjusting-to-rapid-change/2/35/45123)

#8. (https://abbeyfoundationoforegon-annualreport.org/annual-report-2020/)

#9.  (https://www.catholicsentinel.org/Content/News/Local/Article/Former-publisher-John-Limb-honored/2/35/37476)

#10.  Chuckanut BreweryFacebook  (https://www.facebook.com/chuckanut.beer/photos/10165747824365072)

#11 – 13. Chuckanut Breweru Facebook  (https://www.facebook.com/chuckanut.beer/photos/?ref=page_internal)

 

Father Chuck Wood – Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter

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(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  Since this is a long post, if you are seeing it through an e-mail, please visit the blog to see all of the photos by clicking on the title above so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)

Followers of Thebeerchaser blog know that each quarter, I name an individual or group as my Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter.  They may or may not have anything to do with bars or beer; however, the “honoree” has, in my humble opinion, made a contribution to society and a good story I try to convey.  (For the BOQ posts, see the tab on the left side of the header above.)

Dr. John Walker – Portland State University graduate school

As an example, my last group so honored was Lawyers – in light of the 40+ years I worked with these professionals.  Individuals who have garnered this designation include veterans with distinguished military service, authors, athletes, media personalities, civic leaders and academicians including my graduate school professor of public finance – Dr. John Walker.  

The individuals whose stories I related in 2020 include William Tucker (Billy) Main – an outstanding member of the 1967 Oregon State Beaver Giantkiller Football Team and Jack and Jan McGowan – the co-Executive Directors of the outstanding Oregon environmental group SOLVE.

Jan and Jack at their Sisters, OR home

This quarter, Fr. Chuck Wood, joins another man-of-the-cloth, Fr. Martin Grassel (Order of St. Benedictine) in BOQ membership.

Fr. Martin, a Benedictine monk, is also the Head Brewer for the Benedictine Brewery – one of three in the US owned and operated by Benedictine Monks.  I have been privileged to be involved as a volunteer with the Brewery and development of the St. Michael Taproom since late 2017, where our motto is “Taste and Believe” and our flagship beer is Black Habit.

Head Brewer and Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary Procurator, Fr. Martin Grassel

Through involvement with the Brewery, in part, I became a member of the Abbey Foundation of Oregon (AFO) Board of Trustees, which is where I met Fr. Chuck – another member of the Board.  Before telling you Chuck’s story, a few general comments on why I wanted to share it with you.

I’m a Presbyterian, so before becoming involved in the Brewery and the AFO, I had essentially no prior contact with either priests or monks.  Since then – fall of 2017 – I’ve become good friends with both a number of Benedictine Monks who live at the Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary and the priests involved with the Abbey.  (Perhaps the picture below, will show why you should visit the beautiful and expansive grounds on the Abbey Hilltop.)

Without exception, they have been wonderful caring and dedicated men of God.  The monks at the Abbey pray collectively six times a day and rise at 5:00 AM to commence their prayer and duties.  They also have diverse backgrounds, for example, Fr. Martin, graduated from the University of North Dakota in Computer Science and after graduation worked as a software engineer for Honeywell Corp in Phoenix, when he got the call which brought him to Mount Angel.

Abbott Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, grew up on a farm in a small town in Idaho and became the twelfth elected head of the Abbey and Seminary in 2016. Before he was elected Abbot, Fr. Jeremy taught theology at Mount Angel Seminary and at Sant’ Anselmo University in Rome.

Abbot Jeremy Driscoll OSB

He has published three books and fifteen scholarly articles on Evagrius (a Christian monk and ascetic) and related topics in ancient Egyptian monasticism.

He has also written widely on liturgical questions. and published three books of poetry in addition to a recent collection of poetic essays called A Monk’s Alphabet.  (A wonderful book I would strongly recommend.)

The Abbot has a wonderful sense of humor and his humility endears him to all.  To see an example, check out this short video – one of the weekly inspirational messages – this one at Thanksgiving – he has given to those of all faiths during the pandemic: https://www.mountangelabbey.org/monastery/abbot-jeremy/abbot-jeremy-videos/

And with apologies for digressing – again…but I have been amazed at the wonderful  perspective and collective sense of humor all the clerics I have met possess.   While I  talk about this merriment more below, look at a brief preview with Fr. Chuck and two of his colleagues (Fr. Mark Nelson and Fr. Mark Bentz)

This YouTube clip is entitled “Three Priests React to Priest and Church Jokes,” and while some of the jokes are corny, just observing the fun these three priests have doing the bit, is well worth watching. (Click on the center of the photo below)

Father Chuck

Chuck and his dad in Washington DC.

Chuck was born in Washington DC in 1960 into a Catholic family.  His dad was a graphic artist and designer who worked for the Depts. of Agriculture and Labor.  His mom, raised a Baptist, converted to Catholicism and worked as a clinical and hospital nurse at both Howard University and in a private clinic.

The theatre, music and art were all avid interests – “I was a creature of artistic variety and was involved in drama from the time I was in grade school, but our plays were terrible and my talents as an actor were not so good!”  (You’ll have a chance to judge that below…)

His best friend starting in second grade was Vincent Cowal – they kept in contact and in one of a number of amazing “coincidences” in Chuck’s life, Vince now teaches media and technology at Jesuit High School in Portland where he is a respected educator.

Chuck Wood was a good boy growing up – never in trouble, having no curfew, and was interested in going into politics and government – maybe as a diplomat.  He graduated from St. Anselm’s Abbey School – an all boys school for grades 6-12, which was on the grounds of a Benedictine monastery and where “Where Bright Boys Become Exceptional Men.” 

St. Anselm’s Abbey School

A turning point……

Then in his sophomore year “I became bored with being a good boy.”   After a year of somewhat disruptive behavior contrasting with his former demeanor – although not resulting in any major trouble – he had a change of heart because of the influence of a young priest.

Fr. Thomas Kalita came to Chuck’s Catholic parish and helped the young man come to the realization that being a Christian meant not just going to church, but having a personal relationship with Jesus and helping others.

Fr. Kalita – a profound influence

In October 1976 at an evening service, he committed to do that.  “It changed my life.  My life now is a direct line from that day.”   He said that “prayers and circumstance got me to the University of Notre Dame.”

A central factor and one that “became part of my identity” was his introduction to People of Praise.  Founded in 1971 in South Bend, Indiana, this organization has grown into a community of about 1,700 members…. in 22 cities across the US, Canada, and the Caribbean.  To summarize their philosophy:

”Jesus desires unity for all people. We live out this unity the best we can, in spite of the divisions within Christianity. We are Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, Pentecostals, Presbyterians and other denominational and nondenominational Christians…. Despite our differences, we worship together. While remaining faithful members of our own churches, we have found a way to live our daily lives together.

Our community life is characterized by deep and lasting friendships. We share our lives together often in small groups and in larger prayer meetings……. We strive to live our daily lives in our families, workplaces and cities in harmony with God and with all people.”  (People of Praise webslite)

Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the Notre Dame campus

Chuck became a member of People of Praise  (POP) in the fall of 1978 while a student at Notre Dame and also joined the Brotherhood within POP committed to a celibate life.

He studied economics and government and was a “bad actor” in a number of University productions and “hung around with artsy friends.”   During this time his interest in journalism was heightened by writing articles for the school newspaper and serving as editor of the student magazine.

Preparing for life after graduation, he applied and was rejected for several jobs including a nationally known Catholic publisher, but a priest told him about an internship at the Catholic News Service in Washington, DC. and through the help of a Catholic bishop, he secured an interview in his senior year.

When the six-month internship ended, he was hired as a reporter – a job he loved and at age 24, he thought would be a great lifetime career. Moving back to South Bend, he took a job at a small publishing company.  Although Chuck was firmly committed to People of Praise, he had not seriously considered the Catholic priesthood.

Looking back, when he was about eleven, his Aunt Leona – a protestant – commented to Chuck’s mom, “He will probably be a priest.”   After he was ordained his sister stated,  “Chuck was probably the last person in our family to know that!”

Cardinal Francis George – another strong influence in Chuck Wood’s spiritual journey

Chuck stated, “God nudged and prodded me to be open to the possibility.”   And part of that “prodding” was moving to Portland in 1996 after driving across the country in two vans with ten other Brothers from the People of Praise living in communities in South Bend and Minneapolis.

This was, in part, at the urging of Yakima Archbishop Francis George who would soon be appointed as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Portland and who was eventually created a Catholic Cardinal in Chicago by Pope John Paul II in 1998.

This move was a matter of faith as he was finishing his Masters in Theology at Notre Dame.  Three of the ten new Oregonians decided to attend seminary at Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary near Salem, Oregon – a Benedictine community.  Two started in the fall of 1996 and Chuck joined them in January.

“I attended high school on the grounds of a Benedictine Monastery and felt very comfortable in this environment,” he stated.  “I became immersed in the Benedictine tradition and love the intellect and culture.”

Mt. Angel Abbey Seminarians

Upon graduation in 2000, he was ordained a priest and his first assignment was at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in North Portland.  For two years at that assignment,  he and a colleague also co-pastored at Sacred Heart Church in SE Portland.

It also brought some special assignments with a Brother from POP in Minnesota involving teaching at a secondary school. He then returned to his long-term home in Oregon, where Fr. Chuck has served in a number of parish posts all in the Portland metropolitan area as follows:

2004 – 2010:  St. Henry’s Catholic Church in Gresham as Associate Pastor

2010 – 2012:  St. Clare Parish in SW Portland as Pastor

St. Clare Catholic Church

2012 – -2016: Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Lake Oswego as Associate Pastor

Now lest you think that Fr. Wood’s attachment to the arts diminished in his ministry and restrained him from showing his talents, take a look at this video below.

It shows him and Fr. John Kerns, the Pastor, rocking out and their “inspired” dance moves to the cheers of their congregation at Our Lady of the Lake’s 2014 Parish Festival.  (This one should make you laugh out loud….!)  And if you search YouTube, you can find more of Chuck’s artistic endeavors including a Gilbert and Sullivan entry. (Click on the center of the photo below)

2016 to present: St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Scapoose ( 20 miles from Portland) as Pastor

The beautiful sanctuary of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church

St. Wenceslaus is a parish of about 275-300 households. They are fortunate to have a pastor with the faith, dedication, intellect, sense of humor and dance moves of Fr. Chuck Wood.

Since this is a blog about bars and beers, I ended my interview (unfortunately we could not meet face-to-face in a bar or brewery) asking Fr. Chuck about his beer-of-choice to which he replied:

“Because of pre-diabetes, blood sugar issues, I had to cut back on beer intake.  When I do drink beer, I like darker brews – stouts and porters such as Benedictine Brewery’s ‘Black Habit‘ (an obvious choice) – and Hopworks Urban Brewing – ‘Survival – 7 Grain Stout.'”

In light of Fr. Chuck’s fondness for corny jokes, after I saw the video about the three priests, I sent him this bar joke – perhaps he will use it in the future….

A little variation with a computer reference..

“A priest, a minister and a rabbit walk into a bar and the rabbit says, “I think I may be a typo….” 

And finally, because I couldn’t resist, I leave you with just one more YouTube example.  Fr. Chuck sent this 2020 production to the Monastic Community, the AFO Board and the Abbey Staff by e-mail after Easter.

After a few months of the pandemic and lockdowns, people were looking for something light-hearted and positive and he accomplished that goal. He prefaced it with the following comment:

“While it’s still the Easter Season for a couple more days, I invite you all to take a look at an Easter video I put together. Just short of 6 minutes, it’s a spin on Pharrell Williams’ song, ‘Happy,’ from the 2013 movie, “Despicable Me 2.’ Pardon me if my ego is showing, but I’d be honored if you’d care to take a look.  Happy Easter!”

The reaction as you might expect was effusive and generated numerous thankful e-mail responses.  God bless you Fr. Chuck.  You are truly a Soul Man!  (Click on the center of the photo below)