Hear the Roar at Little Beast Brewing – Part II

Jim Westwood

Jim Westwood – BOQ 3/28/13 – Jim joins Jack as being regarded as one of the premier appellate lawyers in the Pacific Northwest. 

In fact, we deliberately separated the two during the event to avoid them having an animated discussion of Jack’s 1986 victory in front of the Oregon Supreme Court (June v Roberts) involving initiative ballot titles, nuclear energy and Trojan (not the one you’re thinking of….)

Of course, they would have also discussed Jim’s 2005 case before the Oregon Supremes (City of Nyssa v. Dufloth/Smith) involving free speech, nude dancers, prohibited touching and the distinction between the distance of four feet and one foot.  (Surprisingly, Trojans were not involved in this case….)

The Portland Mercury elaborated in its article “Nude Justice – Oregon Supreme Court Appreciates Strippers.”  (It appears that Miss Sally’s Gentlemen’s Club is gone but not forgotten!)

But Jim – one of my most frequent Beerchasing companions – has a story that transcends his legal accomplishments. 

(And I’m not talking about being a fellow graduate of Oregon City High School where his mom, Catherine was my Latin teacher for two years, his stint as a fill-in weatherman on KGW television or how he learned Thai when he was in Naval Intelligence). (#4)

Thai_translation_&_transliteration_of__Meitei_language__(alias__Manipuri_language_)

Jim was the Captain of the legendary Portland State College, GE College Bowl Team in 1965. The College Bowl story is remarkable as evidenced by this excerpt from the Portland State Alumni Association News article by Kathryn Kirkland, May 2, 2005:

“The 415 points scored in their final match ties them for fifth-highest single-game total achieved, and their 1725 points total set a new record at the time and is fourth highest overall.

The March 26, 1965, issue of Time has an article on how the College Bowl victories helped change Portland State’s image as ‘the flunk-out school’ for University of Oregon and Oregon State drop-outs…” (#5)

college-bowl

To obtain some idea of the erudition of this team (Jim describes them as students with GPA’s around 3.0 who were just “nerds.”) take a look at this YouTube link from the University of San Francisco match:

GE College Bowl 1965 – Portland State College v University of San Francisco (youtube.com)

Finishing the Little Beast Story

Little Beast started in 2017 in the former quarters of Brannon’s in Beaverton which never gained traction (Kevin Brannon is a former Schwabe lawyer).  LB also has a brewing facility in Clackamas.

It moved to its current beer garden location after Lompoc Brewing closed it after fourteen years as reported in Portland Eater article 11/20/17 Lompoc owner Jerry Fechter stated:

“The competition is greater and frankly, business is slow….We’ve seen decreasing sales for the last two years.“

Well, Little Beast continues to strive, notwithstanding the competition and perhaps, creativity, excellent beer and outstanding food overcome the struggle for market share.  You should find out yourself. (#6)

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Facebook page for Little Beast Brewing (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=540816814406810&set=a.540816787740146)

#2.  Facebook page for Lawless Barbecue (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=513171177477762&set=a.513171140811099)

#3. Lawless Barbecue Website (Lawless Barbecue – Slow Smokes Legit Kansas Style BBQ in Portland (lawlessq.com).

#4. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Thai translation & transliteration of “Meitei language” (alias “Manipuri language”).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) File is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.   The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work. Author: Haoreima – 21 July 2024.

#5.  Portland State University Inside Portland State (Historic 1965 College Bowl victory gave PSU national visibility, local credibility – INSIDE PORTLAND STATE (pdx.edu))

#6. Facebook page for Little Beast Brewing  (https://www.facebook.com/littlebeastbeergarden/photos/t.100054354896107/234642883900263/?type=3)

Jack Faust – Beerchaser of the Quarter 9/2/14 – the senior member of our group, has been a mentor and friend to all of us there that day.  He graduated first in his class at University of Oregon Law School, served as a special agent in the Army Intelligence Corps and was regarded as one of the best appellate lawyers in Oregon when he practiced.

But he also had a memorable broadcast media career:

“For 13 years, Faust moderated Town Hall, a weekly public affairs television program on ABC affiliate KATU. The program featured discussions, often contentious, between public officials, experts and plain citizens on topics that ranged from serious (child abuse) to light (alien abductions).

It drew high ratings and received numerous honors including national awards.”

Another of the many interesting Jack Faust tales can be viewed in the 2014 prize-winning Netflix documentary “Battered Bastards of Baseball.” 

Jack served as the Portland Maverick’s lawyer and a good friend of actor Bing Russell, team owner and his son, actor, Kurt.  He obtained a notable victory for Russel in an arbitration with the Pacific Coast League.

Besides his intellect, one of the traits that endeared Jack, not only to his partners but the entire law firm, was his keen sense of humor.  He was always willing to participate in my schemes to make presentations at the firm’s retreats more interesting.

For example, take the two YouTube videos below – the first being part of a retreat video and the second being the outtakes to produce the final product.  Jack is “admonishing” a colleague who has a definite resemblance to former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Art Vandelay.

Amy Faust

Amy Faust – BOQ 4/11/17 – Jack’s daughter (the only father-daughter BOQ) had an extended radio broadcast career.  For nineteen years – in two different stints – she was the Amy in the Mike and Amy Show on KWJJ – The Wolf

They received the CMA award for Major Market Personalities which was accepted on a national television broadcast.

At one point, Jack co-hosted with Amy when Mike was gone and did a very credible job – probably feeling as much pressure to perform as when he argued in front of the Oregon Supreme Court…..!

Amy is a talented and creative person with a fascinating career besides her time in radio.  This includes stints in documentary film production, freelance writing, authoring advertising copy, producing TV commercials, television production and as location manager for the show Portlandia

She currently works as a social media/marketing expert for New Seasons Market. If you want to view a sample of Amy’s excellent writing and Jack Faust’s amazing connection with the Rajneesh, read her 1859 Oregon Magazine article from 2018 entitled “Rajneesh in Review – A Memoir.”

Jim Westwood and Amy having a spirited debate with oversight by Amy’s husband, Kevin.

Jim Westwood

Jim Westwood – BOQ 3/28/13 – Jim joins Jack as being regarded as one of the premier appellate lawyers in the Pacific Northwest. 

In fact, we deliberately separated the two during the event to avoid them having an animated discussion of Jack’s 1986 victory in front of the Oregon Supreme Court (June v Roberts) involving initiative ballot titles, nuclear energy and Trojan (not the one you’re thinking of….)

Of course, they would have also discussed Jim’s 2005 case before the Oregon Supremes (City of Nyssa v. Dufloth/Smith) involving free speech, nude dancers, prohibited touching and the distinction between the distance of four feet and one foot.  (Surprisingly, Trojans were not involved in this case….)

The Portland Mercury elaborated in its article “Nude Justice – Oregon Supreme Court Appreciates Strippers.”  (It appears that Miss Sally’s Gentlemen’s Club is gone but not forgotten!)

But Jim – one of my most frequent Beerchasing companions – has a story that transcends his legal accomplishments. 

(And I’m not talking about being a fellow graduate of Oregon City High School where his mom, Catherine was my Latin teacher for two years, his stint as a fill-in weatherman on KGW television or how he learned Thai when he was in Naval Intelligence). (#4)

Thai_translation_&_transliteration_of__Meitei_language__(alias__Manipuri_language_)

Jim was the Captain of the legendary Portland State College, GE College Bowl Team in 1965. The College Bowl story is remarkable as evidenced by this excerpt from the Portland State Alumni Association News article by Kathryn Kirkland, May 2, 2005:

“The 415 points scored in their final match ties them for fifth-highest single-game total achieved, and their 1725 points total set a new record at the time and is fourth highest overall.

The March 26, 1965, issue of Time has an article on how the College Bowl victories helped change Portland State’s image as ‘the flunk-out school’ for University of Oregon and Oregon State drop-outs…” (#5)

college-bowl

To obtain some idea of the erudition of this team (Jim describes them as students with GPA’s around 3.0 who were just “nerds.”) take a look at this YouTube link from the University of San Francisco match:

GE College Bowl 1965 – Portland State College v University of San Francisco (youtube.com)

Finishing the Little Beast Story

Little Beast started in 2017 in the former quarters of Brannon’s in Beaverton which never gained traction (Kevin Brannon is a former Schwabe lawyer).  LB also has a brewing facility in Clackamas.

It moved to its current beer garden location after Lompoc Brewing closed it after fourteen years as reported in Portland Eater article 11/20/17 Lompoc owner Jerry Fechter stated:

“The competition is greater and frankly, business is slow….We’ve seen decreasing sales for the last two years.“

Well, Little Beast continues to strive, notwithstanding the competition and perhaps, creativity, excellent beer and outstanding food overcome the struggle for market share.  You should find out yourself. (#6)

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Facebook page for Little Beast Brewing (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=540816814406810&set=a.540816787740146)

#2.  Facebook page for Lawless Barbecue (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=513171177477762&set=a.513171140811099)

#3. Lawless Barbecue Website (Lawless Barbecue – Slow Smokes Legit Kansas Style BBQ in Portland (lawlessq.com).

#4. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Thai translation & transliteration of “Meitei language” (alias “Manipuri language”).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) File is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.   The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work. Author: Haoreima – 21 July 2024.

#5.  Portland State University Inside Portland State (Historic 1965 College Bowl victory gave PSU national visibility, local credibility – INSIDE PORTLAND STATE (pdx.edu))

#6. Facebook page for Little Beast Brewing  (https://www.facebook.com/littlebeastbeergarden/photos/t.100054354896107/234642883900263/?type=3)

I’ll finish below with some final thoughts on LB, but first I need to single out three of my Beerchasing companions.  Periodically on this blog, I recognize an individual or group who may or may not have anything to do with bars or breweries but has good story. 

In my opinion, they have made a contribution that should be recognized – thus my Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter. (BOQ)

Past recipients of this “honor” have included veterans – most notably some war heroes, academicians, media personalities, lawyers, athletes including the 1967 Oregon State Giant Killer Football Team and even my retirement oboe instructor.

In our group at LB, I had three former Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter – Jack FaustAmy Faust and Jim Westwood – and I want to briefly highlight their stories.

Jack Faust

Jack Faust – Beerchaser of the Quarter 9/2/14 – the senior member of our group, has been a mentor and friend to all of us there that day.  He graduated first in his class at University of Oregon Law School, served as a special agent in the Army Intelligence Corps and was regarded as one of the best appellate lawyers in Oregon when he practiced.

But he also had a memorable broadcast media career:

“For 13 years, Faust moderated Town Hall, a weekly public affairs television program on ABC affiliate KATU. The program featured discussions, often contentious, between public officials, experts and plain citizens on topics that ranged from serious (child abuse) to light (alien abductions).

It drew high ratings and received numerous honors including national awards.”

Another of the many interesting Jack Faust tales can be viewed in the 2014 prize-winning Netflix documentary “Battered Bastards of Baseball.” 

Jack served as the Portland Maverick’s lawyer and a good friend of actor Bing Russell, team owner and his son, actor, Kurt.  He obtained a notable victory for Russel in an arbitration with the Pacific Coast League.

Besides his intellect, one of the traits that endeared Jack, not only to his partners but the entire law firm, was his keen sense of humor.  He was always willing to participate in my schemes to make presentations at the firm’s retreats more interesting.

For example, take the two YouTube videos below – the first being part of a retreat video and the second being the outtakes to produce the final product.  Jack is “admonishing” a colleague who has a definite resemblance to former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Art Vandelay.

Amy Faust

Amy Faust – BOQ 4/11/17 – Jack’s daughter (the only father-daughter BOQ) had an extended radio broadcast career.  For nineteen years – in two different stints – she was the Amy in the Mike and Amy Show on KWJJ – The Wolf

They received the CMA award for Major Market Personalities which was accepted on a national television broadcast.

At one point, Jack co-hosted with Amy when Mike was gone and did a very credible job – probably feeling as much pressure to perform as when he argued in front of the Oregon Supreme Court…..!

Amy is a talented and creative person with a fascinating career besides her time in radio.  This includes stints in documentary film production, freelance writing, authoring advertising copy, producing TV commercials, television production and as location manager for the show Portlandia

She currently works as a social media/marketing expert for New Seasons Market. If you want to view a sample of Amy’s excellent writing and Jack Faust’s amazing connection with the Rajneesh, read her 1859 Oregon Magazine article from 2018 entitled “Rajneesh in Review – A Memoir.”

Jim Westwood and Amy having a spirited debate with oversight by Amy’s husband, Kevin.

Jim Westwood

Jim Westwood – BOQ 3/28/13 – Jim joins Jack as being regarded as one of the premier appellate lawyers in the Pacific Northwest. 

In fact, we deliberately separated the two during the event to avoid them having an animated discussion of Jack’s 1986 victory in front of the Oregon Supreme Court (June v Roberts) involving initiative ballot titles, nuclear energy and Trojan (not the one you’re thinking of….)

Of course, they would have also discussed Jim’s 2005 case before the Oregon Supremes (City of Nyssa v. Dufloth/Smith) involving free speech, nude dancers, prohibited touching and the distinction between the distance of four feet and one foot.  (Surprisingly, Trojans were not involved in this case….)

The Portland Mercury elaborated in its article “Nude Justice – Oregon Supreme Court Appreciates Strippers.”  (It appears that Miss Sally’s Gentlemen’s Club is gone but not forgotten!)

But Jim – one of my most frequent Beerchasing companions – has a story that transcends his legal accomplishments. 

(And I’m not talking about being a fellow graduate of Oregon City High School where his mom, Catherine was my Latin teacher for two years, his stint as a fill-in weatherman on KGW television or how he learned Thai when he was in Naval Intelligence). (#4)

Thai_translation_&_transliteration_of__Meitei_language__(alias__Manipuri_language_)

Jim was the Captain of the legendary Portland State College, GE College Bowl Team in 1965. The College Bowl story is remarkable as evidenced by this excerpt from the Portland State Alumni Association News article by Kathryn Kirkland, May 2, 2005:

“The 415 points scored in their final match ties them for fifth-highest single-game total achieved, and their 1725 points total set a new record at the time and is fourth highest overall.

The March 26, 1965, issue of Time has an article on how the College Bowl victories helped change Portland State’s image as ‘the flunk-out school’ for University of Oregon and Oregon State drop-outs…” (#5)

college-bowl

To obtain some idea of the erudition of this team (Jim describes them as students with GPA’s around 3.0 who were just “nerds.”) take a look at this YouTube link from the University of San Francisco match:

GE College Bowl 1965 – Portland State College v University of San Francisco (youtube.com)

Finishing the Little Beast Story

Little Beast started in 2017 in the former quarters of Brannon’s in Beaverton which never gained traction (Kevin Brannon is a former Schwabe lawyer).  LB also has a brewing facility in Clackamas.

It moved to its current beer garden location after Lompoc Brewing closed it after fourteen years as reported in Portland Eater article 11/20/17 Lompoc owner Jerry Fechter stated:

“The competition is greater and frankly, business is slow….We’ve seen decreasing sales for the last two years.“

Well, Little Beast continues to strive, notwithstanding the competition and perhaps, creativity, excellent beer and outstanding food overcome the struggle for market share.  You should find out yourself. (#6)

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Facebook page for Little Beast Brewing (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=540816814406810&set=a.540816787740146)

#2.  Facebook page for Lawless Barbecue (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=513171177477762&set=a.513171140811099)

#3. Lawless Barbecue Website (Lawless Barbecue – Slow Smokes Legit Kansas Style BBQ in Portland (lawlessq.com).

#4. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Thai translation & transliteration of “Meitei language” (alias “Manipuri language”).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) File is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.   The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work. Author: Haoreima – 21 July 2024.

#5.  Portland State University Inside Portland State (Historic 1965 College Bowl victory gave PSU national visibility, local credibility – INSIDE PORTLAND STATE (pdx.edu))

#6. Facebook page for Little Beast Brewing  (https://www.facebook.com/littlebeastbeergarden/photos/t.100054354896107/234642883900263/?type=3)

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 the video at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened.              (External photo attribution at the end of the post # 1)

In Part I on the Little Beast Brewery and Beer Garden, I covered the history and the backgrounds of the co-founders and owners, Brenda Crow and Charles Porter. Porter’s excellent beer was a major focus.

My companions always make these outings enjoyable, and this was no exception. I’ve had numerous Beerchasings with the “Faust Clan” – Jack, Amy, and Charlie. (Kevin Frazier, Amy’s husband and Max, Charlie’s son also joined us. Jack’s wife Alice, joined us a number of times in the past and passed away last year.)

Similarly, lawyers Jim Westwood and my former and now-retired Schwabe law colleagues, Dave Bartz and Jim Finn – all three of which had notable legal careers as did Jack were also there.  As mentioned, Susan Bartz also was a great companion.

Our server, Preston, did a great job of accommodating us with our own table in a prime spot as well as taking the photo below:

Photo Jul 29 2024, 4 41 25 PM

Clockwise Sue Bartz, Thebeerchaser, Dave Bartz, Charlie Faust, Jim Westwood, Amy Faust, Max Faust, Jack Faust and Jim Finn

The Eats

Although Brenda Crow with her culinary background, including a stint at Portland’s Olympic Provisions, has been the guiding hand for the food offerings, Little Beast (hereafter “LB”) entered a partnership with Kevin Koch, the owner of Lawless Barbecue in October 2021 when it became available at the beer garden. (#2)

302051895_513171167477763_9096067598087057205_n

“The result is a menu that includes 13-hour smoked prime brisket, burnt ends, spare ribs and pulled pork….

The mains are rounded out by a handful of classic sides, like barbecue beans, loaded potato salad, mac and cheese, and a vinegar-based slaw—dishes that Koch says are carefully crafted from scratch and not just an afterthought.” (Willamette Week 10/27/21) (#3) 

452701457_18235846555280346_1591207561206125642_n

Dave Bartz had the Mac-n-Cheese with two pork ribs. “Delish,” he stated. (I was sitting next to Dave and was tempted to surreptitiously dig in but was still remembering his years as my boss as Co-Managing Partner at the Schwabe firm…..)

Sue Bartz enjoyed the burnt ends and Jim Finn took an order home. 

I was tempted….

The menu is more than inviting with starters such as nachos, pastrami salad and even Frito pie, sandwiches and inviting sides and the prices are very reasonable.

But let’s look at this 12/10/23 Yelp review which does a decent job of making one want to double his or her dose of statins to partake:

We were a little hungry so we decided to order from their bbq menu, option for their brisket and potato salad. Both items were chef’s kiss! The brisket was tender and juicy and absolutely melted in my mouth.

The potato salad had nice chunky potato without being mushy. I love that the bbq sauce came on the side so I can choose how much sauce I wanted to eat.

The Company

I’ll finish below with some final thoughts on LB, but first I need to single out three of my Beerchasing companions.  Periodically on this blog, I recognize an individual or group who may or may not have anything to do with bars or breweries but has good story. 

In my opinion, they have made a contribution that should be recognized – thus my Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter. (BOQ)

Past recipients of this “honor” have included veterans – most notably some war heroes, academicians, media personalities, lawyers, athletes including the 1967 Oregon State Giant Killer Football Team and even my retirement oboe instructor.

In our group at LB, I had three former Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter – Jack FaustAmy Faust and Jim Westwood – and I want to briefly highlight their stories.

Jack Faust

Jack Faust – Beerchaser of the Quarter 9/2/14 – the senior member of our group, has been a mentor and friend to all of us there that day.  He graduated first in his class at University of Oregon Law School, served as a special agent in the Army Intelligence Corps and was regarded as one of the best appellate lawyers in Oregon when he practiced.

But he also had a memorable broadcast media career:

“For 13 years, Faust moderated Town Hall, a weekly public affairs television program on ABC affiliate KATU. The program featured discussions, often contentious, between public officials, experts and plain citizens on topics that ranged from serious (child abuse) to light (alien abductions).

It drew high ratings and received numerous honors including national awards.”

Another of the many interesting Jack Faust tales can be viewed in the 2014 prize-winning Netflix documentary “Battered Bastards of Baseball.” 

Jack served as the Portland Maverick’s lawyer and a good friend of actor Bing Russell, team owner and his son, actor, Kurt.  He obtained a notable victory for Russel in an arbitration with the Pacific Coast League.

Besides his intellect, one of the traits that endeared Jack, not only to his partners but the entire law firm, was his keen sense of humor.  He was always willing to participate in my schemes to make presentations at the firm’s retreats more interesting.

For example, take the two YouTube videos below – the first being part of a retreat video and the second being the outtakes to produce the final product.  Jack is “admonishing” a colleague who has a definite resemblance to former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Art Vandelay.

Amy Faust

Amy Faust – BOQ 4/11/17 – Jack’s daughter (the only father-daughter BOQ) had an extended radio broadcast career.  For nineteen years – in two different stints – she was the Amy in the Mike and Amy Show on KWJJ – The Wolf

They received the CMA award for Major Market Personalities which was accepted on a national television broadcast.

At one point, Jack co-hosted with Amy when Mike was gone and did a very credible job – probably feeling as much pressure to perform as when he argued in front of the Oregon Supreme Court…..!

Amy is a talented and creative person with a fascinating career besides her time in radio.  This includes stints in documentary film production, freelance writing, authoring advertising copy, producing TV commercials, television production and as location manager for the show Portlandia

She currently works as a social media/marketing expert for New Seasons Market. If you want to view a sample of Amy’s excellent writing and Jack Faust’s amazing connection with the Rajneesh, read her 1859 Oregon Magazine article from 2018 entitled “Rajneesh in Review – A Memoir.”

Jim Westwood and Amy having a spirited debate with oversight by Amy’s husband, Kevin.

Jim Westwood

Jim Westwood – BOQ 3/28/13 – Jim joins Jack as being regarded as one of the premier appellate lawyers in the Pacific Northwest. 

In fact, we deliberately separated the two during the event to avoid them having an animated discussion of Jack’s 1986 victory in front of the Oregon Supreme Court (June v Roberts) involving initiative ballot titles, nuclear energy and Trojan (not the one you’re thinking of….)

Of course, they would have also discussed Jim’s 2005 case before the Oregon Supremes (City of Nyssa v. Dufloth/Smith) involving free speech, nude dancers, prohibited touching and the distinction between the distance of four feet and one foot.  (Surprisingly, Trojans were not involved in this case….)

The Portland Mercury elaborated in its article “Nude Justice – Oregon Supreme Court Appreciates Strippers.”  (It appears that Miss Sally’s Gentlemen’s Club is gone but not forgotten!)

But Jim – one of my most frequent Beerchasing companions – has a story that transcends his legal accomplishments. 

(And I’m not talking about being a fellow graduate of Oregon City High School where his mom, Catherine was my Latin teacher for two years, his stint as a fill-in weatherman on KGW television or how he learned Thai when he was in Naval Intelligence). (#4)

Thai_translation_&_transliteration_of__Meitei_language__(alias__Manipuri_language_)

Jim was the Captain of the legendary Portland State College, GE College Bowl Team in 1965. The College Bowl story is remarkable as evidenced by this excerpt from the Portland State Alumni Association News article by Kathryn Kirkland, May 2, 2005:

“The 415 points scored in their final match ties them for fifth-highest single-game total achieved, and their 1725 points total set a new record at the time and is fourth highest overall.

The March 26, 1965, issue of Time has an article on how the College Bowl victories helped change Portland State’s image as ‘the flunk-out school’ for University of Oregon and Oregon State drop-outs…” (#5)

college-bowl

To obtain some idea of the erudition of this team (Jim describes them as students with GPA’s around 3.0 who were just “nerds.”) take a look at this YouTube link from the University of San Francisco match:

GE College Bowl 1965 – Portland State College v University of San Francisco (youtube.com)

Finishing the Little Beast Story

Little Beast started in 2017 in the former quarters of Brannon’s in Beaverton which never gained traction (Kevin Brannon is a former Schwabe lawyer).  LB also has a brewing facility in Clackamas.

It moved to its current beer garden location after Lompoc Brewing closed it after fourteen years as reported in Portland Eater article 11/20/17 Lompoc owner Jerry Fechter stated:

“The competition is greater and frankly, business is slow….We’ve seen decreasing sales for the last two years.“

Well, Little Beast continues to strive, notwithstanding the competition and perhaps, creativity, excellent beer and outstanding food overcome the struggle for market share.  You should find out yourself. (#6)

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Facebook page for Little Beast Brewing (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=540816814406810&set=a.540816787740146)

#2.  Facebook page for Lawless Barbecue (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=513171177477762&set=a.513171140811099)

#3. Lawless Barbecue Website (Lawless Barbecue – Slow Smokes Legit Kansas Style BBQ in Portland (lawlessq.com).

#4. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Thai translation & transliteration of “Meitei language” (alias “Manipuri language”).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) File is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.   The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work. Author: Haoreima – 21 July 2024.

#5.  Portland State University Inside Portland State (Historic 1965 College Bowl victory gave PSU national visibility, local credibility – INSIDE PORTLAND STATE (pdx.edu))

#6. Facebook page for Little Beast Brewing  (https://www.facebook.com/littlebeastbeergarden/photos/t.100054354896107/234642883900263/?type=3)

The Burnside Brewing Company – Try the East Side

2017 has seen Thebeerchaser’ Tour of Bars, Taverns and Pubs move slightly away (although never too far in physical proximity and thought) from classic dive bars to breweries and brewpubs.  Recent visits to the relatively new Portland brewpubs of Ten Barrel and Breakside in the Pearl District were interesting (the reviews are forthcoming) but the east side of the Rose City cried out for attention.

While not in the legendary Barmuda Triangle southeast of the Willamette River and not a new establishment, having been opened in 2010, Burnside Brewing Company has a nice atmosphere, some good beer and a reputation for being a progressive and innovative force in the Oregon beer community.

Not only experts on the Code, but great people!

As has been the case at two prior Beerchasing events (Life of Riley Tavern (3/16/16) and Brannon’s in Beaverton (3/3/15) – a venue which had great potential, but unfortunately a rather short lifespan, I joined a distinguished and erudite group (if you will…..) – eight individuals who all are either current or former members (or have a direct connection) to the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt law firm Tax and Estate Planning Group.

For the brewery’s grain storage

Burnside Brewing, like many of its competitors, is housed in a building with roots other than malt and hops – in this case an industrial laundry built in 1927, according to Mary, the manager.  The exterior is pretty Spartan and aside from the massive and distinctive silo (used to store the grain for brewing) and the patio in front, Burnside looks like a plain industrial facility.

The availability of parking in its lot and spaces available on the street is a plus, however,  and one which makes parking in the Pearl District frustrating.

The interior is spacious and pleasant with high ceilings, an exposed kitchen, a long walnut bar with walnut tables and a Pacific Northwest décor that is tasteful and interesting.  Compared to a similar nearby (5 minutes or 2.3 miles) venue previously visited by Thebeerchaser – that being Ecliptic Brewing (5/6/15) – it has much better ambiance.

The lunchtime crowd had a nice energy – and it wasn’t just because of the outgoing natures of our cadre of tax lawyers who not only earned law degrees, but supplemented those three years with Master of Tax (LLM) degrees.  This graduate degree required an additional year of focus on such stimulating topics as conduit entities, the assignment of income doctrine and constructive receipt.  

The brewery prides itself on innovation and their “think-outside-the-box approach to brewing reminded me of the nearby Hair-of-the-Dog Brewery reviewed on this blog in February23, 2016 –  https://thebeerchaser.com/2016/02/23/hair-of-the-dog-brewery                  

  For example Burnside’s website states:

“The people of Burnside Brewing Co. make it what it is. They are risk takers, lovers of food to be enjoyed with easy to drink beers……takes an alchemist approach to enhance the craft beer and culinary experience……is widely recognized as a visionary leader in the Northwest brewing industry—bold enough to take risks and smart enough to leave a creative impression on your palate. The finished product is an outstanding combination of original cuisine and beer, both deeply rooted in innovation and quality.”

And the press and media reviews are very positive about this seven-year old venture of co-founders Jay Gilbert and Jason McAdam and echo plaudits for their creative approach to brewing, which the Portland Mercury described in a 4/28/2011 article, the year after the brewery opened, as “Beer-ed Science – Burnside Brewing’s Futuristic Fermentation.”

Beer-ed Science

Another example is this excerpt from the 2016 Willamette Week Bar Guide:

“Between its extensive, off-the-wall lineup of seasonals and decor guaranteed to appease the expectations of tourists visiting a Real Portland Brewpub™, Burnside has maintained its status as a must-visit for nearly six years…….. To complement its enduringly popular IPA and throwback Couch Select Lager, Burnside has concoctions infused with everything from Earl Grey tea to galangal, pumpkin puree and pepitas.”

We had various sandwiches on the lunch menu ranging from the chicken and the schnitzel sandwiches to the cubano and the burger.  All were good and had a generous helping of fries although the prices were a little bit high at $14 and $12 for the burger.  And one of the more pleasant parts of our lunch was the demeanor and competence of our server, Amethist, (she changed the y to an “i” but she is still a real gem!)

Amethist – a real gem!

Burnside takes pride in its food prep (“a menu offering cured meats, charcuterie, pickling, and culinary artistry all done in-house”) and gets good marks especially on the dinner menu for such entrées as Maple Cured Pork Loin ($15), Grilled Octopus ($16) or the old standard – Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($16.

There are also some good bargains during the Fermentation Hour menu and beer is only $3.75 for a pint on Wednesdays – $4.75 on other days)  Check out their brunch menu – Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 3:00, where you might want to try the Pork Belly Eggs Benedict.

A Jambalaya special with chicken, shrimp and andouille sausage.

Since a majority of our group was still working, partaking of beer was minimal, but I returned a few weeks later and had a sample of the Isomer IPA and a pint of the Burnside IPA, two of their flagship beers – I understand why.  The Isomer had a nice fruit taste and the IPA was just the right hoppiness for me.

Grace, the bartender also talked about the cherry wheat beer they were introducing later that day which would have been a good bet.  And the pints were only $4.25.

National and State recognition for its beers

Burnside has been recognized for its beers, winning its first gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver in 2012 for Sweet Heat Ale (The chutney inspired wheat beer made with apricots and Scotch bonnet peppers won the gold medal in the Herb and Spice Beer category.”

Sweet Heat Ale –  Gold Medal Winner

More recent awards were at the 2017 Oregon Beer Awards including a silver medal for their Juin in the Belgian category and a gold in the dark and hoppy category for their Keg Nog.

One way to explore the broad selection of beers at Burnside and which draws rave reviews, is to try the sampler.  As Grace explained, one can either sample the nine seasonal beers or seven perennials for $12 each or try the entire menu (usually 18 beers on their tap list) for a very reasonable $20.  Typical reaction to the deal is this 12/5/16 review on Yelp:

“The fact that they offer a sampler of everything on tap for $20 is amazing.  We split that sucker 3 ways and left feeling good.   The vibe here is a cool and definitely different from the typical hipster brewery feel.  It’s more classed up and full of adults on dates and stuff.  That and 3 wet dudes at the bar drinking 17 beers (it’s now 18) for $20.”

Sample either the Perennials or the Seasonals or all 18 for $20

The following complaint about the sampler was a little bit unusual – it’s from 2014 so the sampler had only 12 beers for $16:

“……the sampler tray (made of wooden blocks) was filled with beer that the bar tender over poured so the sampler tray was seeping beer onto the table and the cups were dripping a lot when picked up.”  Yelp 10/14

Most of my Beerchasing companions would not look at this as a negative and would just ask for a sponge and then slurp up the seepage, but then we are not a genteel crowd.

Now some who have read the past posts in which the Beerchasers attending are tax lawyers have questioned the quality of the conversation with such a learned professional group.  They have asked rhetorically, “Who wants to ponder the advantages of an S versus a C corp while swilling the seepage on a beer sampler or downing a pint of the Burnside porter named ‘Guts and Black Stuff?’” 

A great law firm with an outstanding Tax and Estate Planning group

But as I have stated before, this team is a well-rounded and quality group of individuals involved in broad civic, athletic and intellectual adventures.  As evidence, take Pete Osborne – now partially retired and of counsel at Schwabe, but recognized by his peers as one of the brightest tax lawyers in Portland.

Pete Osborne

Pete and his wife Terry, now retired from the legal department at Standard Insurance, are reading the Modern Library list of the 100 best 20th century novels.  Pete has checked forty-seven off his list although he admits that a number of them were read in his twenties ((on top of his law school reading….) including A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises both of Ernest Hemingway’s works on the list .  He also stated:

The biggest surprise author for me on the list was Carson McCullers’ ‘The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter’. The weirdest book so far is ‘A Clockwork Orange’ by Anthony Burgess.”

Note:  I can identify with Pete’s earnest ambition although from a slightly different focus.  Pete is reading 100 of the greatest novels and after five years of Thebeerchaser, I have now visited and/or written on 208 bars, taverns and pubs in Oregon, Europe and throughout the US.  Having a “worthwhile” educational goal in retirement is very important!

Obornes rendering of The Three Sisters

In the prior posts, I also included some of Pete’s art, which is impressive and asked him to send me his latest piece which is untitled –  a collagraph (a print made from a collage of various materials glued onto a board.)

Untitled caligrograph

As additional evidence that Pete is a Renaissance Man besides understanding the nuances of the Internal Revenue Code  he is a skilled poker player.   He travels to Las Vegas each year for the World Series of Poker and reported that in 2016 while playing in the Super Seniors (over 65) No Limit Hold Em event last June, he placed 36th out of 1,476 entries –  “This was in the money.”

Finished “In the Money”

One final note on Burnside Brewery.  Some patrons prefer a venue where they can raise a mug without having to watch or listen to youngsters as part of the equation.   Burnside is one of a number of breweries and pubs where kids are welcomed  – until 10:00 PM when accompanied by an adult.  However, sometimes this creates dissonance with the patron who craves a more sedate experience as evidenced by this 2/28/16 complaint on Yelp:

“Special note for Parents who bring in their precious spoiled children:  DON’T!!  Can’t you monitor your brood and keep them from tearing up the crayons so OTHER children may play with them???? Is it really that hard?? JUST STOP IT.” 

At least the dispute wasn’t about the President.

Or perhaps the complainant was irate because his or her kid didn’t get to use the crayons.  This was not a problem with the tax group because they unequivocally deferred to Pete’s use of the crayons given his artistic talents.

By the way, another interesting feature of the décor is the local art they feature.  Most recently, one of the prominent pieces is the one of the “hairless cat” which changes colors and one unnamed source opined that the regulars would probably not be sorry to see it go.  (While having no artistic judgement, it did appear to be inconsistent with the rest of the décor and was a distraction.)

In summary, Burnside Brewing Company earns good marks for ambiance, beer, food, parking, the staff and its entrepreneurial spirit.  While there are some good options on the Westside, try this near Eastside venue and you will want to return.

Amethist and Grace at work with local art in the background (notice that the cat is now green…)

Be sure to say “hello” to both Amethist and Grace, and if it is a nice day, stretch out with a pint of Burnside’s Immaculate Decoction Belgian Strong Golden Ale and dig into W. Somerset Maugham’s novel Of Human Bondage.

British novelist and playwright

Then return and have their Too Sticky to Roll IRA and start your second work on the Modern Library 100 list – let’s say, Oregon’s own, Ken Kesey’s Sometimes a Great Notion.  Maybe Pete Osborne will be willing to start a book club with meetings at breweries – “Book and Brew” might be a good moniker!

Note:  I see that Book & a Brew is also the label for a “……one stop monthly subscription (£12.99) service for book lovers and people who appreciate a nice brew,” but it should be noted that the brew, in this case, is tea rather than beer. 

A good place for a book and a brew on a sunny day…

Burnside Brewing Company           701 East Burnside

Life of Riley Tavern – Visit this Bar in the Pearl

P1040096

Those of you who have lived as many decades as Thebeerchaser probably remember watching William Bendix, the loveable wing-riveter at a California aircraft assembly plant, who was the star of the television show, Life of Riley, which ran for five seasons in the late 1950’s.

William Bendix and his son "Junior"

William Bendix and his son “Junior”

Only a few of the group who had a great lunch at this Portland bar recently were even born at that time.  But the majority were tax lawyers from Schwabe Williamson &  Wyatt and probably didn’t watch TV when they were kids anyway.

They were drawing images of the IRS logo with crayons, which served them well as five of the six lawyers present that day, in addition to having their law degrees and passing the Oregon State Bar went on to get an LLM – essentially a masters degree in tax law.

While Thebeerchaser’s only other experience with a dive bar in the Pearl District was less than memorable (the Low Brow Lounge), Life of Riley Tavern (hereafter LoR) was a very good venue – not only for the lunch we enjoyed, but when I returned for a beer several afternoons later.  An apt description is this one from Yelp on 3/26/2015

The upstairs bar

The upstairs bar

Amazing bar, exemplary staff. I don’t usually find myself in The Pearl but I do make it down here at least once a week because of the great service, free billiards, shuffleboard, and darts in the basement nightly.

The upstairs is nice as well, but the basement feels more homey. Both the upstairs and downstairs have great TVs for sports viewing…..the music in the basement is top-notch…..Oh yeah, they’re happy hour is ridiculously awesome.”

Good lunch-time specials

Good lunch-time specials

So let’s start with the upstairs portion of the bar – one reviewer compared it to a ‘50’s diner, which is not too far off.  There’s only a small bar and some small, round bar tables with the rest of the seating as tables for the restaurant.   In fact, I didn’t even realize that they had a great bar space downstairs until I read some of the reviews after my first visit.

Scrumptious mac & cheese

Scrumptious mac & cheese

The food is a strength.   I had a scrumptious and plentiful serving of Cajun Mac & Cheese (which required a long workout after lunch out of guilt….) and the remainder of our party of eight all were very positive about their lunches ranging from the Riley Burger to the Pulled Pork Sandwich. 

Great sandwiches too

Great sandwiches too

As Megan, our friendly server explained, “You should try our barbecue – its’ awesome,” and the traeger, right outside of the bar is well employed.   She also was justifiably proud of the fresh sauces and dressings – their own recipes and made fresh each day.  The prices are typical of Portland and a bit lower than you would expect in the Pearl.

But it’s the lower level that really defines LoR.  Down the steps into an intriguing, dark basement space with just a few small windows – it reminded me of the fallout shelters the government promoted when I was a kid.  (They also told us with sincerity during drills that we should assume a position under our desks in order to avoid the impact of a nuclear warhead…..)

Get under your desk, cover your head and kiss your *#@ goodbye."

“Get under your desk, cover your head and kiss your *#@ goodbye.”

Down to the "Fallout Shelter" bar

Down to the “Fallout Shelter” bar

And I had a great conversation with Dave, the bartender, who has been there for ten years –  a former carpenter who  helped build the bar and with construction after the current owner purchased the building …….

Dave draws rave reviews from customers and he told me about the 22 beers on tap and let me sample a few – free, which was nice after our experience at Hair of the Dog Brewpub where you had to pay from $1.25 to $3.50 for a 2 ounce sample.

He stated that his clientele includes a bunch of regulars who work in the Pearl to neighbors who show up in hordes especially when there are Blazer or Timber games or when March Madness is running.   Dave also stated that one thing that distinguishes the bar is that all the games including pool, darts and a great shuffleboard game are free.    P1040158

Almost all of the comments about LoR on social media were positive although speaking of the Timbers, a rant is in order.  It demonstrates the reason why a number of Portlanders who think soccer is boring and should be confined to Europe, also get upset at the pretentiousness of some Timber fans.

Free shuffleboard

Free shuffleboard

While this comment goes back to August 2011, here’s the remarks by a guy who trashed what he admitted was a great bar simply because of one objection – and he signed the review “Anonymous.

“What a shame. Great beer, lovely TV projection screen, decent food but totally cynical staff with the ‘no sound during a Timbers game’ attitude. Come-on owners! This is Portland, Home of the Timbers.

My friends and I were amongst the 15 people watching the game vs the 4 that were at the bar with no interest and the staff insisted that there was not enough people in the joint to put the sound of the game on. I am very disappointed with the patriotism of Life of Riley. You disappoint your patrons and you disappoint Portland. Shame on you!”

Dave, the friendly downstairs bartender.

Dave, the friendly downstairs bartender and a guy with good judgment!

No, you misfit!  Shame on you for not having the guts to even identify yourself and for your myopic perspective.

A little due diligence revealed that the Timbers played 34 games in 2011 in which they scored a total of 42 goals.  Games are 90-minutes and assuming no overtime matches (which may not be totally factual, but this is a bar blog….) that means one goal scored by the Timbers every 72.86 minutes.

This begs the question, “What would the narration have added in a game that probably ended either in a scoreless tie or one with fewer than two goals scored?” (That’s a rhetorical question….)  I think this rant is justified especially in light of one other comment on Yelp“……… music in the basement is top-notch and suited for whatever crowd may be in at the time.”

Cheers to the 2009 Oregon Legislature.

Cheers to the 2009 Oregon Legislature.

One other very dated and interesting complaint from Portland Barfly dating clear back to 2008, again demonstrates the wisdom in the Oregon Legislature’s 2009 expansion of the Oregon “Smoke-free Workplace” Law which provided that bars and taverns could no longer permit smoking on or within ten feet of the premises.

“I visited Life of Riley for the first time this friday night, my friend and I hung out downstairs because I love smoky dens. It was a pretty cool place – the servers were quick and friendly and stayed on top of things even though it was packed. The drinks were good and strong. We managed to meet some cool people……

Now I hate it when people bitch about how smoky bars are and… I am a smoker and I love smoky dives, but holy shit!! This was by far the smokiest space I have ever been! Our eyes were burning! And this feeling lingered the next day. My advice to the owner: crack a few windows when it gets that busy….. You gotta have a little more circulation in there.”

Thebeerchaser appreciates this law because having reviewed about 175 bars since late 2011 – many of which I visited multiple times, my health and possibly my lifespan would have been adversely impacted by the second-hand smoke, especially given my preoccupation with dive bars.  The tobacco lobby at the time, taking lessons from the NRA in opposing reasonable legislation, maintained:

“Cigarettes don’t kill people.  It’s the tars, and toxins in the smoke.”  

Upstairs bar area

Upstairs bar area

Look back at the comments from a prior post in this blog (check the link below) to see what the pre-2009 bar environment was like:

The Horse Brass Pub: “We worried that (the new law) would spell the end of …(the) venerable Brit Pub…Not because the 33-year old bar…wouldn’t retain its loyal patrons, but because we assumed its billowing, milkshake-thick clouds of cigarette smoke were load bearing structural elements of the building without which the sprawling pub would collapse.”  (“2009 Willamette Week Drink Guide”)

And finally, a couple of comments about my companions at LoR. Now one might think that tax lawyers, especially those who have over-achieved and gotten their LMM, might be boring company,  but they are a great and interesting group.

Interesting companions...

Interesting companions…Woodhouse, Reuter, Van Zanten and Eller

Roy Lambert, now retired, is an active masters competitive swimmer with some regional records.  In retirement, he audits courses in medieval and Renaissance history at Portland State.

Marc Sellers, besides majoring in chemistry as an undergrad, he was the first attorney in the U.S. to obtain an award of attorney fees against the Internal Revenue Service under the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998. 

This courtroom mentality may have been derived from his dedication to martial arts for many years where he competed at regional and national championship levels.  He was also an accomplished mountaineer and volunteer in mountain rescueand for years was a member of Mt. Hood Mountain Rescue.

Sellers - skilled litigator with a dry sense of humor

Sellers – skilled litigator with a dry sense of humor

Besides that, Marc has a remarkable sense of humor which he regularly demonstrates on firm e-mails such as the following:

“This week’s Tax Department Employee of the Week is Peter Osborne. Peter was recently recognized by Firm Management as the ‘Lawyer Most Likely to Get the Correct Answer’ with respect to issues arising under Internal Revenue Code Sections starting with the number three.”

Haystack Rock by Pete Osborne.

Haystack Rock by Pete Osborne.

Pete Osborne, who was accompanied by his spouse,Terri, is described by his colleagues as one of the smartest, if not the smartest, tax lawyer in Portland.  On occasion, he has been known to return to Portland with both a big smile and winnings from the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas – Senior Division….   He’s also a talented artist.  (See another of his works in the post about Brannons’ in Beaverton.)

Osbornes etching of the Three Sisters

Osborne’s etching of the Three Sisters

Jennifer Woodhouse, besides being fluent in Spanish, is a mentor at Lewis & Clark Law School where she graduated cum laude and leads Schwabe’s Women in Business group

Dan Eller received the prestigious Joyce Ann Harpole Scholarship and other law school honors at Lewis and Clark.  He is an skilled outdoorsman and cyclist and frequently cycles around the base of Mt. Bachelor – active in numerous civic boards and a scout leader for his kids.

Even the Tax Group endorses Thebeerchaser logo

Even the Tax Group endorses Thebeerchaser logo

Katherine Van Zanten is an avid skier and a girl scout leader for her kids.  Also active in the Oregon State Bar Tax Section.

And don’t forget one of Portland’s best legal secretaries, Gretchen Reuter, who has the technical expertise, interpersonal skills and patience to manage the workload of several of these people concurrently.

Having lunch with the Tax Group was enjoyable.  And Life of Riley is a really good bar with good food, a friendly and knowledgeable staff (with enough common sense to mute the sound during a sporting event to play great music) and an awesome cellar that you won’t find too many places in Portland.

Life of Riley Tavern 300 NW 10th Ave