Down to Earth at the Basement Pub – Part II

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

(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.)

In the last post entitled “A Cellar’s Market of Subterranean Bars,” I introduced a new bar I discovered and really enjoyed on my two recent visits – The Basement Public House in SE Portland. It’s actually at street level on SE 12th, but in the basement of an historic house.

Nostalgia beckoned and I then recapped the five favorite subterranean bars I’d visited in the eleven years I’ve been Beerchasing. My digression generated enough words that I had to save the review of the Basement Pub for the next post.

While the watering hole’s moniker might convey the impression of a dive bar, it instead, has the ambiance of a quaint and delightful neighborhood bar – one reason I returned within a week of my first visit.

Elizabeth, the friendly bartender, some nice art and historic photos, a good tap list and an expansive heated patio all make this a bar you should visit..

What’s in a Name?

While I discovered the Basement Pub while driving on a new route in Portland, I often find new establishments by web searches – or at least do some research before I make an initial visit. A bar or brewery’s website is the best place to start and I also try to get a feel based on customer reviews in social media – while realizing some of these reviews are written by idiots……

The problem with using the the purported link to Portland’s Basement Pub’s website is, for some reason, it takes you to an Online Pharmacy page – and the page is filled with Viagra ads. It includes what I guess are derivatives such as Lovegra, Vigora, Revatio, etc. – for males and females including handy “Weekend Packs.”

Further research revealed Viagra is the generic name for Sildenafil. I noted that the potential side effects i.e. headaches, heartburn, and flushed skin can also result from too many beers. (External photo attribution at end of post #1)

The molecular structure of Viagra (in case you’re interested…..

Not to further digress (that’s what I do since I’m retired and not on a deadline) but this made me wonder what was the proper nomenclature for searching on other subterranean bars.

For example, searching the Web on “Basement Pubs” or “Basement Bars” would take you to sites such as a chain of eight Basement Sports Bar and Grills in Ohio including Cuyahoga Falls, Akron and Sagamore Hills. One review summed it up stating:

“Well, don’t come here expecting a 5 star fine-dining experience, but if you want good bar food and a good beer selection, this is your place.”

Or there’s Basement – in the heart of Chinatown in New York City: “Not bad! Edgy and younger crowd of people.”

Now if you want a western flavor, how about the Basement Bar in the stockyards of Forth Worth, Texas which one 2017 Trip Advisor review titled, “Crude but Fun” and explaining:

“They have a toilet you can’t defecate in according to the sign, a naked lady painted on a door, 2 dollar Keystones, live music, tons of smoke…it’s a total dive bar that had a great vibe and we had a ton of fun. I would recommend if my first sentence didn’t scare you away.”

(Photos #2 – 7 Counter clockwise – The Basement Sports Bar and Grill – Ohio – first two; Basement – New York City; The Basement Bar – Fort Worth; ; The Basement Bar – Fort Worth; Basement – New York City)

How About Internationally?

While I know I’m getting carried away, I just want to finish this side trip by telling you about The Basement Pub in Rome:

“Cozy and modern craft beer pub and cocktail bar in the heart of the very central area Prati, just 400 meters from the Vatican. We offer a wide variety of bottled and draft craft beers, both Italian and international, combined with world-famous draft Guinness”

It even gets rave reviews including this one from a Spokane guy named Darien in 2022:

“The Basement is by far the best bar experience I have had during my time studying abroad here in Rome! It’s a great place to hangout and meet new people. Of all the nights that I have spent here I have never had a negative experience. The staff continues to go above and beyond!”

Okay, but what about South America – Brazil to be specific – where the Basement English Pub is waiting:

“The Basement is a beautiful English pub located in a historic basement in the center of Blumenau. Its original stone walls are complemented by lots of wood, a long bar and leather sofas, typical elements of the most traditional English pubs.”

(#8-12 Clockwise – first two – Basement Pub – Rome – remainder – Basement English Pub – Brazil)

I’m Forgetting Germany!

I then remembered that I hadn’t looked for any basement bars in Germany – where beer is a major part of the culture. If anyone could tell me where to find a great brewery or bar regardless of whether it was above or below ground, it’s Rich Carbonara – who owns a great enterprise named Beerwanders.

I’ve never met Rich in person, but “talk” with him regularly through e-mail and our mutual blogs (his can be found at https://www.beerwanderers.com). When my wife and I return to Europe, we will definitely take one of Rich’s tours. As he states on his website:

“Much of the information on these small breweries and the trail networks that link them is nearly always in German and I’ve been busy translating it into English as a hobby of sorts.

I thought it was a shame not to share it with others who might be intrigued by the idea of an invigorating walk in nature that ended in a great local meal washed down with a beer brewed by the same family for hundreds of years.”

He’s also written an interesting book – especially if you’re heading for Germany – Beerhiking Bavaria. (#13 -15)

Beerwanders had forty-three reviews on Trip Advisor – all 5.0’s and this one is typical:

“Had a great day hiking and drinking beer with friends. Rich was the perfect guide and we all had a great laugh. Amazing traditional beer gardens and stunning Bavarian countryside, what more could you ask for! I highly recommend this tour. Don’t think about it….just book it, you’ll have the best time.”

BW-header-images3-scaled

In the press to get this post finished, I didn’t have time to check with Rich, but I found two – Mary’s Basement Irish Pub in Schwabach – only about one hour and forty-five minutes from where Rich lives in Munich and the Irish Pub which is evidently in the basement of the Europa Center in Berlin.

Unfortunately, it appears that Mary’s closed several years ago although it was evidently a rockin’ place with live music and a robust crowd as described by one reviewer in Restuarant Guru who gave it a five-star rating and enthusiastically stated:

“I can absolutely recommend this establishment for nightly puking on the lawn. Would do it again. 5/5” (#16 – 17)

It’s interesting that the majority of the basement bars I found outside the US had Irish Themes and that was true of the Irish Pub in Berlin which brags:

“Guinness & cocktails, plus Irish pub food like baked potatoes, in a buzzy space with live music. Here you will find original Irish culture with tradition. These include live music every night, sports broadcasts on big screens and flat screens, Guinness on tap, Kilkenny, Magners, Cider, Pub Grub and much more……

According to the motto ‘COLD BEER – WARM HEARTS’, young and old of all nations will find a place for communication in a natural Irish pub atmosphere and the Irishman a piece of home.”

Several reviewers such as this one on Trip Advisor commented on the length of the bar:

“Came in on a weeknight in January for a pint. They place was pretty busy. I still managed to find a seat at Berlin’s longest beer bar.”

Ending on a Downer….

I would be remiss in not mentioning that anyone searching for Basement Bars could locate thousands throughout the US where enterprising beer lovers create their own “alcoholic ‘man’ caves.” A great example is this one where an article in an Irish magazine website states:

“Homesick Irishman Builds Irish Pub in the Basement of his US Home”

Baltimore couple, Jim and Kate Phelan moved from Ireland in 2008, missed their homeland and created an amazing nook in their basement – “Phelan’s Irish Pub.” It even has a Facebook Page.

“Complete with a distinctive red and green colour scheme, bar stools, dartboard, pool table, and a vast range of beers, stouts, and spirits on offer, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had walked into an Irish bar in the heart of Ireland.”

And with only a lukewarm apology because I’ve had a lot of fun on this excursion off the main topic – Portland’s wonderful Basement Public House. But stay tuned to the next post and I promise……..(just remember not to try their website to see a photo!)

348s pdx

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons ((Sildenafil-from-xtal-3D-balls – Sildenafil – Wikipedia) This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Benjah-bmm27. This applies worldwide. Author: Ben Mills 6 June 2008.

#2 – 3. (http://Photo https://thebasementbars.com/)

#4. (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/basement-new-york-4?select=ofTM4-Sg0mzaFU2mMWXC8A)

#5. (http://Photo Basement Dive Bar in Stockyards – Review of The Basement Bar, Fort Worth, TX – Tripadvisor)

#6. (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g55857-d5834479-Reviews-The_Basement_Bar-Fort_Worth_Texas)

#7. (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/basement-new-york-4?select=qcHyTthBV2kujie2tmRdyg)

#8 (http://View of the center of the restaurant. (yelp.com))

#9. (http://The Basement – Pub. Cocktail Bar. Events. (Rome) – All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (tripadvisor.com))

#10 -12. https://www.facebook.com/theBasementpub/photos/10159706093652804)

#13 – 15. (https://www.beerwanderers.com)

#16 -17. (http://(https://www.facebook.com/Marys.Pub.Team/photos/pb.)

#18 – 19. (http://IRISH PUB, Berlin – Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (Borough) – Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number – Tripadvisor)

#20. (https://www.irishpubberlin.de/galerie)

#21 – 22. Phelans Irish Pub (http://Facebook

Thebeerchaser’s April Acknowledgements….

Posted on April 27, 2022 by Thebeerchaser

Find out why this guy should imbue you with optimism – see below!

In these days of both national and international turmoil, divisiveness and lack of civility along with ominous global phenomena, it’s a real challenge to remain optimistic. So with an initial digression from bar and brewery forays, Thebeerchaser will provide some evidence in this post – perhaps one small step in encouraging you about tomorrow.

We all know the foils of much social media, but at the same time, it opens opportunities for expansive education, exploration and new relationships all over the world.

I have seen this in the ten years of Thebeerchasing.com where I’ve developed ongoing dialogue with bloggers ranging from Rich Carbonara – Beerwanderers.com – a guy whose written several books and gives beer tours in Bavaria, to Theresa, who lives in New Jersey and authors a wonderful blog – the National Parks with T. (Photos below of Acadia and Badlands National Parks)

And they’re diverse! For example, I get to read compelling narrative and see stunning photos of the Colorado wilderness and varied sites throughout the world in “Handstands Around the World” the adventures of Diana, a former gymnast, current college nutrition professor, and “perpetual vacation planner” in Denver.

She and her fiancé have spent most of the past 4 years exploring the never-ending beauty of Colorado and the surrounding states. She’s also working on summitting as many US state high points as possible (currently at 12/50). Her blog posts always include a photo of her incredible handstand as her unique trademark.

A few more also deserve recognition and my ongoing appreciation – Sandra J, a talented professional photographer authors a blog – “Into the Light Adventures” – she and her husband are retired and travel the country documenting the beauty of nature.

Then there’s Kelly MacKay’s blog Maritime Mac.com – Kelly is a fascinating lady from Canada with an incredible background – twenty years in the thoroughbred racing industry – seven as an exercise rider and thirteen as a successful jockey, ultimately incurring an injury which caused her to change careers.

Besides enhancing her education, she then worked as a trail guide on horseback tours in Ontario, labored in the financial industry and even as a cellphone sales person. She’s now in her dream job as a Fitness Leader to a Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in Oromocto, New Brunswick, Canada. Kelly has backpacked around Europe and has been to every US State but Hawaii and Oregon. Her travelogues are fascinating.

Another – no less interesting – Color My World where sixty-six year old Charly Holganza, born in then rustic Tagbilaran, in the island of Bohol, Philippines, entered the Philippine Military Academy – he joined the military at 17. Charly retired in 2012, after spending 37 plus years of devoted service.

Charly authors several blogs which embody his theme “Living, loving, learning, leaving a legacy.” The one I enjoy the most is his cogent and detailed analysis of the NBA – that’s right – an expert across the world with considerable insight.

And Finally, Jadi Campbell grew up in little New England/upstate NY villages, spent summers in a cabin in the woods, and attended a state university on the West coast. She decided at the age of 6 to be a writer, and earned a B.A. in English Literature and worked in corporate America until she became a Licensed Massage Therapist.

Living in Europe since 1992, she published her first of several awarding-winning books Broken In: A Novel in Stories in 2012. Her second novel Tsunami Cowboys followed in December 2014 and Grounded appeared in May 2016. In 2020 Jadi, published a collection of short stories, The Trail Back Out. Her blog covers everything from natural beauty to science.

But What About Kevin Frazier?

So how does Kevin Frazier work into this scenario? In November last year, I came across a blog – The Oregon Way – in which Kevin, the Editor, wrote a very compelling piece on a transportation policy issue. It also caught my interest because he referenced a dive bar!

I reached out by e-mail to compliment him – not just on his article, but his excellent on-line publication and we discovered some mutual background and acquaintances. My follow-up research revealed that we will be witnessing some great things from this young man in the future.

Through Linked-in I discovered that Keven was first in his Southridge High School class of 495 students in 2012. In the ten years since, his volunteer and leadership activities, internships in the public and non-profit sector and higher educational achievements are profound.

After graduation from the University of Oregon where he gave the Honors College commencement speech, he earned his Masters in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School while serving as a research intern and graduate teaching assistant.

He graduates this spring from University of California Berkley School of Law where he was a

ter passing the bar exam, he’ll head for Helena, Montana and spend the next two years gaining experience with two prestigious and competitive clerkships –

2022 – Chief Justice Mike McGrath on the Montana Supreme Court

2023 – Judge Michael McShane of the US District Court for the District of Oregon

And to reinforce the good news, he and his girlfriend, Dalton just got engaged.

Kevin and I decided that since COVID would preclude getting together to raise a mug in a dive bar, that we’d have a ZOOM Happy Hour – a great 90-minute conversation we had in January.

We still have not met in person because of travel complications. A meeting scheduled in San Francisco when my wife and I had planned to road-trip to the Bay City is now canceled because of Thebeerchaser’s herniated disk – that’s another story.

With his clerkships, Kevin has handed his editorial responsibilities to colleagues and I will miss his incisive commentary on subjects ranging from the lottery, to wages and living conditions of wilderness firefighters to selecting the judiciary.

I’ll still actively follow The Oregon Way’s piercing commentary on issues ranging from political analysis, tax policy, public health and issues all of us need be informed. So check it out below:

The Oregon Way is a nonpartisan blog that features contributors from around the state and across the political spectrum. You can .visit it here: https://theoregonway.substack.com/

Run by a volunteer team, the Way has no agenda other than reminding Oregonians of our capacity to get stuff done. That’s why the blog welcomes submissions from any and all folks who share a commitment to putting good policy before partisan goals. On this blog, nuance, complexity, and humility are respected and shared. Consider joining the Oregon Way volunteer team or submitting a piece for publication by reaching out to theway@or360.org

But Wait – There’s More….

Kevin and I discussed me making a written contribution to The Way and the result demonstrates that he not only has analytical, but creative skills. Oregon’s Gubernatorial race has an unbelievable number of candidates – nineteen Republicans, fourteen Democrats and an Independent.

He proposed that I suggest the perfect bar or brewery for the major candidates to visit during their campaigns – where they could have meaningful dialogue with the regulars based on the history and circumstances of the watering hole. This was a great idea and watch for the next posts of Thebeerchaser to see the result – something that was quite fun to write.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

*1 Facebook page Harvard Kennedy School (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=299945832166112&set=a.299945792166116)

*2 Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taubman_Building.JPG) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Bostonian13 12 June 2013.

*3 Facebook Page – University of California at Berkley Law School (https://www.facebook.com/UCBerkeleyLaw/photos/a.477083278124/1016173790)

*4 Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boaltsouthside.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Subject to disclaimers. Author: Donutmonger at English Wikipedia 14 July 2006.

Contemplating Life and Beer in the Fall

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Thebeerchaser

(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.)

As I’ve stated before – belabored if you will – in two previous blog posts, I’m not a connoisseur or beer technology guy and my palate is not nuanced enough to discern the subtleties of beer flavor and criteria used to evaluate them in competitions such as the Great American Beer Festival. https://thebeerchaser.com/tag/thebeerchaser-and-the-taste-of-beer/

https://thebeerchaser.com/2021/01/07/leaving-2020-in-good-taste/

I certainly respect those who do have a grasp on the different elements of flavor including brewers such as Fr. Martin at the Benedictine Brewery, Mark Becker from Flyboy Brewing and Andrew Lamont, the Head Brewer at Old Town Brewing.

Another guy who is an expert and writes great reviews on Bavarian beers is Rich Carbonara, who has a great blog entitled “Beerwanderers.” Rich, who lives in Munich, and I connected through our blogs and I would love to have him guide me on one of this noted Bavarian Beer Hikes which you can read about on his blog. (There’s more than 300 in Bavaria.)

Rich, in his narratives, evaluates each beer giving a summary of its taste, appearance, aroma and critical elements. His descriptions are not so esoteric that they can’t be understood by someone who evaluates the quality of a beer by the way it tastes to them rather than a technocratic assessment. You will see more about Rich below. (* See end of post for external photo attribution)

And Then There’s Gimmicks

The typical beer-drinker doesn’t care whether the yeast is wild or domesticated, the type of hops, if it is barrel-aged or the attenuation percentage during fermentation.

As I stated in my posts on the taste of beer, I’m also kind of a beer purist and have no use for beers which are brewed as a gimmick. This bizarre trend was best summed up by a reviewer in his clip entitled, “Holiday Ale Festival Gone Amok” when he described a disturbing trend in the annual Portland event in 2018 as:

“The festival’s hallmark has always been wonderful strong, winter ales and cask conditioned brews. Just the thing to blast me out of my IPA rut. But this year the festival got too cutesy and lost its way. The so-called stouts all tasted like milkshakes or Snickers bars. The ales were so fruity that a better name might be the Kool-Aid Festival.

And they’ve even tried to pollute ice cream with this misguided attempt at creativity. In an effusive July 2021 press release, Kraft Foods and van leeuwen Ice Cream reported that:

“We are releasing limited-edition, macaroni and cheese-flavored ice cream today. If you’re looking for a conversation starter to kick off a meeting…this could work well.”

Let’s all hope that the term “limited release” is meant literally.

Focus on the Basics

Although the term “style” can be subject to some debate as pointed out by one of the nation’s foremost beer experts. Jeff Alworth is a Northwesterner living in Portland; however, his books on beer – most notably The Beer Bible and his blog “Beervana” are resources used by beer aficionado’s all over the country. He also teaches at Portland State University.

At the Benedictine Brewery Structure Raising

His comments about styles in The Beer Bible are edifying:

“When people refer to style, they mean category of beers like stouts, dunkels, lagers or witbier. The word is ubiquitous and spreads yearly like a fungus as new subcategories and sub-subcategories branch out from their root style…….

The one very important caveat to note is styles are constantly in flux. The idea of style should be descriptive not prescriptive….Use the term, but don’t fix it in stasis.”

That said, the most critical factors to me (for totally different reasons) are ABV (Alcohol by Volume) and IBUs (International Bittering Unit). Alworth defines ABV as:

“…expressed as a percentage. A measure of the strength of of an alcoholic beverage, based on the volume of alcohol relative to total volume.”

Knowing the ABV of your beer is critical if you are driving or plan to drink throughout the evening. In Oregon, one is Driving Under the Influence (DUI) if the Blood-Alcohol-Content (BAC) is .08% or higher. While disclaiming that the sentence below is definitely not legal advice, one credible source states:

“On any given day, considering your body size, weight, and several other internal factors, you may have two or three 12-ounce beers before reaching a BAC of .08.”

A few bars have even installed a coin-operated breathalyzer including these two which were provided by Portland’s Gil’s Speakeasy (home of “the Nicest A-holes in Town…”) and Bottles.

While it would not be advisable to depend on this machine (which may not have been calibrated for awhile and may not be advisable in a COVID environment anyway) it could be a good double check of one’s own common sense.

IBU’s are defined by Allworth as “the accepted system for describing the hop bitterness (hoppiness) of a beer.” The higher the IBU, the hoppier the beer, although he again issues a disclaimer:

“….many breweries don’t actually have the labs to measure the acids chemically and predict them using mathematical formulae (to call this prediction ‘inexact’ is kind)….while hoppiness is a combination of flavor, aroma and bitterness, IBU measures only the last.”

IBU’s – for many breweries — an inexact science *6

To provide some perspective, I’m showing the ABV of a few of my favorite NW beers (and also PBR) below. The IBU is shown when available. You will see that I am inclined to go with the less hoppy options:

More on ABV

Beer	ABV	IBU
Pfriem Brewing – IPA	6.8%	50
Migration Brewing – Pale Ale	5.8%	55
Benedictine Brewing – Black Habit	7.8%	NA
Block 15 Brewing – Sticky Hands Double IPA	8.1%	110
Fort George Brewing – City of Dreams Pale Ale	5.5%	40
Pabst Brewing (SAB Miller) – Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR)	4.7%	NA
Flyboy Brewing – Fighting Redtails	9.0%	90
Sun River Brewing – Rippin NW Pale Ale	6.0%	50
Old Town Brewing – Paulie’s Not Irish Red Ale	5.60%	30

In reading Rich Carbonara’s aforementioned blog, I was interested in some of his comments about the ABV’s of various German beers he reviewed. He commented on one of the beers he reviewed: “The finish is clean and dry with a nice bitterness. Dangerous at 5.3%. (emphasis added)

Given the chart above, I was a little surprised by this characterization so I exchanged e-mails and he clarified with the following interesting perspective – another reason why I think Rich’s blog is worth following:

“Most beer here, hover around 5%. It’s always been the benchmark percentage. The feeling here is you want a beer you can drink a fair amount of without getting drunk. In Biergartens, you can only get liter mugs (at least at night) and obviously drinking stronger beer in that size vessel is dangerous.

I know, during Starkbierzeit (see note below) they serve 7-8% beers in such measures. So, you have you have some stronger beers (Bocks, Doppelbocks, Festbiers) but generally speaking, it’s about 5. If anything is really missing here, it’s lower octane offerings like Schankbier which is more in the 3-4% range.

In England, you still find things like Milds, though less so than in former times. It’s nice to be able to go out and drink 8-9 beers and not get really drunk. Have a look at my Beer Styles section, where you’ll get a feel for the ABV of various styles here.” https://www.beerwanderers.com/beer-styles/

Note: “Starkbierfest is held for three weeks during Lent, between Carnival and Easter,^[82] celebrating Munich’s ‘strong beer’. Starkbier was created in 1651 by the local Paulaner monks who drank this ‘Flüssiges Brot’, or ‘liquid bread’ to survive the fasting of Lent.^[82] It became a public festival in 1751 and is now the second largest beer festival in Munich.” Wikipedia

And Speaking of Giving Someone Else Your Keys…

I was, however, surprised to read recently that Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company) is going to break the mold, with this year’s release of its Utopias Beer as reported by CNN Business on 9/21. Now, don’t try to get one of these 25.4 bottles in Oregon or ……

“The brewer releases a new version of its Utopias brand every two years, and the twelfth edition will be on shelves starting Oct. 11. But don’t bother looking for it in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont or West Virginia.

Utopias are illegal in those states because they contain 28% alcohol by volume, more than five times the potency of typical US brews.”

(These beers may be blissful, but not Utopia(s)!

And Finally….

Regardless of whether you make a point of checking out the ABV of your beer, be cautious driving when you are hitting your favorite bar or brewery – especially around Halloween and the forthcoming holidays.

When I started Beerchasing, I decided to be cautious and as an extra check, purchased my own breathalyzer. The BAC Track S80 you see below now costs $130, but at that time was less expensive. (I guess the demand became higher during the pandemic.)

I’ve never come close to the .08% threshold, but felt it was a good investment given my retirement hobby. There are pros and cons to this idea and according to The Atlantic article, less than 1% of the US population has one. If you do get one, be sure to have it calibrated or it may defeat the purpose.

In any event, drink responsibly and drive carefully.

Cheers

By the way, how about the Oregon State Beaver Football Team. According to Oregon Live, “It’s not known the last time OSU had sole possession of first place in the conference standings, but it’s at least not since 1975.”

Go Beavs! Beat the WSU Cougs.

External Photo Attribution

*1 Old Town Brewing Website (https://www.otbrewing.com/aboutus)

*2 – 4 Beerwanderers Website (https://www.beerwanderers.com/)

*5 Wikimedia Commons (http://By Lynnea Kleinschmidt – Digital photograph made by myself., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6091802

*6 Wikimedia Commons (http://By Schlemazl – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22601592)

*7 Wikimedia Commons (http://By holzijue – https://pixabay.com/de/menschen-oktoberfest-m%C3%BCnchen-3237513/ archive copy, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69055677)

Bar Culture – Part III

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Thebeerchaser

Thebeerchaser toasts Bar Culture with a Buoy Brewer IPA

The topic of bar culture is one close to my heart – reinforced by my Beerchasing hobby started shortly after retirement ten years ago. This is the third post about the elements of “bar culture” excerpted and expanded from my article for Bridgeliner – a wonderful on-line newsletter in Portland, Oregon.

Cassie Rudd, the Editor, asked me five related questions. The first was addressed in the post entitled “A Petri Dish – Bar Culture Part I” and the second in a less elegantly titled post – “Bar Culture – Part II.”

In the narrative below, you will see responses to the final three questions including the last which describes the three Portland watering holes which I think best embody the elements of bar culture described in the article.

Now get out there with your friends and help those bars and breweries to continue their important role in the economy and community!

What direction do you see Portland’s pub and tavern culture heading and what are some of the pros and cons?

I’m very optimistic that Portlanders will again head to bars and restaurants to mingle with friends now that vaccination rates make such gatherings safe. The same is true for watering holes throughout the US and globally for that matter.

And the character or culture will quickly be restored if operational constraints aren’t too strict – like not allowing seating at the bar – an important part of the ambiance in every bar.

It’s important to support these establishments after the severe economic constraints they have faced in the last eighteen months. And the financial hardship is not new.

Even twelve years ago, author Mike Seely in his book, Seattle’s Best Dive Bars, stated his concern that the dive bars in his city were swiftly disappearing and might be an endangered species.

A wonderful book

The Portland Mercury also did an article on March 9, 2016, entitled “The Portland Dive Bar Preservation Society,” stating, in part:

“Portland’s lost a bunch of dive bars recently. A few were absolute shitholes that deserved to disappear, but most were victims of circumstance and change.

A number of other bars have changed ownership and been fancied up to suit the modern market. Dive bars, if not endangered, are at the very least under threat.”

The pandemic and lockdowns have not been kind to some of my favorite bars reviewed since I started my blog. Gone but not forgotten are Sidecar 11, Bailey’s Taproom Crackerjacks Pub, The Tanker and the Tugboat Brewery. (Click on the links to see the reviews.)

With the forced closures and the riots in Portland, the concern now transcends just dive bars. Any small, independent watering hole faces economic challenges.

It’s up to Portlanders to support these establishments unless they want to see more sterile, boring and insipid establishments devoid of personality such as the Yard House (see my 2016 review entitled “The Yard House – Does it Measure Up?”) in downtown Portland. It’s owned by the same corporation that owns the Olive Gardens.

P1040027

The Yard House – where you are met by a hostess who seats you in the bar and they contract with a commissioned artist who does all of their artwork nationally – does not measure up in my opinion.

What do you think will always stay consistent with Portland’s pub and tavern culture?

This answer may alienate those who think Portland’s own culture is unique, but I will respond with the same answer whether describing a bar in Portland, the Oregon Coast, Montana, New England or Amsterdam.

Besides my own experience, the evidence is derived from resources I’ve used in my blog from Matt Love’s “Oregon Tavern Age,” to author Joan Melcher’s two books, “Montana Watering Holes”, to Dr. Tom Noel’s wonderful and appropriately titled book, “Colorado – A Liquid History and Tavern Guide to the Highest State.”

I’ve talked by phone with each of these writers and in the last month even started an e-mail dialogue with a fellow blogger – Rich Carbonara – who lives in Munich, Germany and publishes a blog entitled “The Beer Wanderers.” (Rumor has it that we have at least one interest in common – validated when I purchased his excellent book Beer Hiking in Bavaria.)

Photo Jun 15, 1 01 16 PM

As long as we don’t capitulate to the corporate chains who want to open their aseptic, suave drinking venues, the ancient tradition of a gathering place where one can raise a mug with friends will continue without much evolution. That’s a good thing!

All the authors above, I’m sure agree, as I do, with English poet and essayist, Samuel Johnson’s assertion:

“There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern.” *2

Obviously, I can’t speak for him, but I also concur with the twelfth century poet who stated:

“When the hour is nigh me,

Let me in a tavern die

With a tankard by me!” *3

What is one of Portland’s quintessential pubs you feel is emblematic of that culture?

This is a hard question to answer because there are so many good bars. When a bar is good, it’s fantastic. And even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good! However, I will suggest three rather than one – all on the Portland’s east side.

Gil’s Speakeasy whose owners self-describe as “The nicest assholes in town,” have a wonderful dark, spacious bar with no sign on the exterior and great cheap daily specials ranging from $3 chili dogs to $1 sloppy Joes.

They even have a coin-operated breathalyzer – an option if you’re not sure. It states, “Blow before you go. Profits to local charities.”

It is the epitome of a good neighborhood dive bar from the exterior, to the ambiance once you walk in. The owners are, in fact, “nice” but definitely not assholes! The food, music, games, barstools, backbar and furnishings demonstrate the bar culture I’ve described.

Don’t overlook Mad Hanna – a wonderful bar community – has transformed itself during the pandemic into a general store (“part indie boutique, craft fair and whimsically curated market”).

Besides, there aren’t too many saloons where you can chow down a $4.50 peanut butter and jelly sandwich while guzzling your $2 Happy Hour PBR.

But the bar or pub that epitomizes the culture discussed above is The Standard. This dive opened in 2007 at NE 22^nd and Broadway and was perfectly described by Mathew Korfhage in the “Willamette Week 2018 Bar Guide”:

““But the thing that made me treat this bar as an extension of my living room for seven years, what makes it different from every other bar with cheap drinks and a pool table and a covered patio in winter, is the simple decency of the place.

The Standard is one of Portland’s last true neighborhood bars, a ramshackle version of Penny Lane decorated in shattered CDs and corrugated metal……More than any other bar I know in Portland, it is a sodden vision of an ideal society.”

The Standard – Great bar, great beer and great people!

While I’ve named three of my favorite bars in Portland with great character, one can do the same, to a greater or lesser extent, in every community in the US and every other nation.

Perhaps if we had friendly discussion and debate over a cheap Happy Hour brew, we could iron out the polarization characterizing such dialogue during the pandemic.

Cheers and Amen!

And thanks again to Cassie and Bridgeliner for making it possible for me to contribute the articles.