Stride-for-Stride with Seattle Brew?

Posted on June 18, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

800px-Rainier_and_Olympic_Beers_(1895)_(ADVERT_408)

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 at the end of the post. (#1 – #3)

Nostalgia…

When I started Thebeerchaser blog in 2011, the goal was to visit and review bars and breweries just in the Portland metropolitan area. I figured with hundreds to choose, I would have new options for years. However, we started traveling in retirement…

Janet and I could not resist the allure of watering holes throughout the State of Oregon and then when we took some road trips – across the country. We even hit a few, as you can see from the photos below, in our 2013 Rick Steve’s Best of Europe Tour where we visited six countries in twenty-one days.

These included the Devils Forest Pub and Bacaro Jazz in Venice, Amsterdam’s historic Café Karpershoek and the Horner Pub in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.

We can’t forget the Miscellanea Pub in Rome and one of our favorites – Hell’s Tavern (Zur Höll) in Rautenberg, Germany – as one reviewer stated, “I didn’t think Hell would be so awesome!”

Others included the Publican Pub in Beaune, France and in Vernazza, Italy (The Cinque’ Terra) – the Blue Marlin Bar..

So I abandoned the logo that Teresa Lovegren, my former assistant, so generously provided when I started Beerchasing and prevailed upon my fraternity brother and friend of almost sixty years, Jud Blakely, to design a new logo.

Jud’s great effort has stood the test of time although my hair color has changed slightly.

But in reminiscing recently, I realized that although I’ve visited and reviewed over 400 watering holes, throughout the USA, only a handful of those have been in my neighboring state – Washington.

Perhaps one reason is my older daughter, Lisa and her husband, Jamie, who live in Lake Forest Park have two beautiful granddaughters and although Beerchasing is an avid pursuit, it would never replace time we can spend seeing these two little angels.

On one of our trips in 2012, before the granddaughters came along, we visited The Pour House in Port Townsend and then not another pub in the Evergreen State until 2016 when we stopped at the Ice Harbor Brewery in Kennewick on the way to a wedding in Coeur d’Alene.

Then a three-year lapse until a visit to the Loowit Brewery in downtown Vancouver – right across the Columbia River from Portland.

I was with my retired colleague “General” Larry Paulson, who I first met as a lawyer when we both worked in the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt firm. He then served with distinction as the Executive Director of the Port of Vancouver when we

We affectionally called him “General” because he also had a career and retired as a Brigadier General in the Oregon Air National Guard. (#4 – #5)

Assuming you’re still with me on this Beerchase down Memory Lane, fast forward to a trip in the fall of 2019 when we visited Lisa and her family. Her husband, Jamie, his brother, Rob and dad, Jon and I hit the historic Caroline Tavern and then had dinner at Elliot Bay Brewery’s Lake City Pub. (#6)

2019-07-22 20.10.07

I finished that trip the next night with a memorable visit to Daphne’s in Edmonds in which I got to meet the legendary bartender, Desmond van Rensberg.

The bar is a hole-in-wall, but Desmond’s personality radiates and seems to expand the structure! (#7 – #9)

Coming out of COVID

Jump ahead four years and the full-scale resumption of Beerchasing after the pandemic waned. Another Seattle trip provided an opportunity to visit two new establishments.

The granddaughters were both in school, so it didn’t interfere with my time to visit them and see a swim meet, a piano recital and marvel at their wonderful personalities.

As happens on a number of occasions, the enjoyment of spending time with my Beerchasing companions heightened the discovery of a new bar or brewery – in this case Salish Sea Brewing Pub in Edmonds and Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar in Bothell.

Salish Sea Brewing

Salish Sea Brewing is owned by a husband and wife team – Jeff and Erika Barnett who started their enterprise in 2013 and were foresighted when they purchased American Brewery.

They acquired a competitor brewery and taproom including brewing equipment – a short distance away in Edmonds – in 2021 American struggled during the pandemic.

“The purchase of American was made possible by Salish Sea’s ability to navigate the pandemic. The brewery’s downtown location resulted in regular walk-up business and, despite having a limited distribution network, Salish Sea made use of 32-ounce mason jars to sell beer-to-go.”

The brewing equipment was moved down the street to what is now the Salish Sea Boathouse near Edmond’s picturesque waterfront. (#10 – #11)

The brewpub was very pleasant and it’s obvious from the reviews and just observing, that they have built a loyal community in and around Edmonds. Dawn, our friendly server, told us about a running club which uses the pub as a base and it is definitely family oriented.

I was there with my colleague on the Board of the Abbey Foundation of Oregon, Rex Wardlaw who lives in Edmonds although he and his wife migrate to Kona for most of the bad weather months in Washington – a good portion of the year.

I didn’t eat but Rex had a great looking green salad and we split a gigantic soft pretzel ($11). Salish has a good varied menu of moderately priced pub food ranging from soups, salads, burgers, flatbreads and standbys such as Fish & Chips and Mac & Cheese in addition to a nice kid’s menu.

Photo May 24 2023, 2 36 40 PM

I didn’t bother to write down the specific beers either of us had, but we were able to choose from eleven of Salish’s own beers and both of us enjoyed our drafts.

As was the case with my Beerchasing companion the next day at lunch, I always learn a lot from just listening to Rex who had a remarkable career in investment banking and wealth management – one reason he is now Chair of the Abbey’s Investment Committee which manages its endowment fund.

He ran his own investment research and consulting company for ten years after retiring as managing director/portfolio manager at Wells, US Trust and then First Republic.

Rex attended NW Nazarene Collège and then earned his MBA at the University of Oregon. (#12 – #16)

And Rex’s self demands are not modest. For example, in 2015, he successfully completed the Swiss Jura Challenge on a 4000 feet of daily climbing.

Rex is a man of faith – he also completed two pilgrimages – hiking the Portuguese Caminho from Lisbon to Santiago, Spain in 2018.

He followed with the Via Francigena Pilgrimage from Canterbury, UK to Roma, Italia in 2022 – solo hiking the first 560 miles of the VF, a pilgrimage route incorporating parts of the ancient Roman Road across France and Switzerland.

As we were leaving the brewpub, Rex asked me if I wanted to go for a twenty-mile jog to work off our beer and pretzel. I politely demurred…

Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar

When Jon Magnusson asked me if I wanted to go to lunch at Stack 571 in Bothell, I was curious about the derivation of the name. A bit of internet searching revealed that it’s named after the ASARCO smokestack – once the world’s largest which had an interesting demise according to Historylink.org.

“At 12:40 p.m. on January 17, 1993, demolition experts collapse the landmark American Smelter and Refining Company (ASARCO) smokestack as part of a Superfund toxic cleanup of the old copper smelter in Ruston.

As many as 100,000 people gather to witness the detonation that, with one push of a plunger, sets off charges that in eight seconds reduces the structure to rubble and dust.” (#17)

2_DMDHPA_asarco

I wondered why the bar’s President and Operating Partner, Attila Szabo, chose that symbol for the name of his new venture in 2016.

(Further searching revealed that it is because their burgers are “stacked” or tall). They have five locations including Vancouver, WA and emphasize organic, free-range and locally sourced ingredients.

Just as Rex Wardlaw’s intellect and experience is worth noting, my older daughter’s father-in-law always makes a very stimulating dining companion.

While Jon ate one of the Stack’s good cheeseburgers (single patty…) I had a chicken sandwich with what I assume was a diminutive chicken. The French fries and onion rings were delicious, although I don’t know under what conditions they were grown.

Jon Magnusson is now a Senior Principal with the Magnusson Klemencic Associates structural engineering firm which he joined in 1976 and:

“….advanced to CEO, and ultimately Chairman of the Board, a role he held for 18 years. Now a Senior Principal, Jon has been structural engineer-in-charge for over $2.5 billion of construction in the last 10 years alone.

He has worked on projects in 47 states and 49 countries, including major sports stadiums, healthcare facilities, signature convention centers, and high-rise buildings.

Over the course of his career, Jon has been an invited speaker for over 240 presentations and participated in more than 100 media interviews.”

Jon also donates a lot of time and travels extensively for professional associations. He’s a second generation Washington Husky (both his son and my daughter share the same alma mater) and we always enjoy talking about the Pac12.

The one football game I attended with him in Seattle (in the renovated and expanded Husky Stadium that his firm managed as they did when it expanded in 1982), the Huskies clobbered my Beavers.

This was also the case when son, Jamie, and I attended the same rivalry in 2019 in Reser Stadium in Corvallis. (Jon’s firm also did the work on the expansion and improvement of Reser at OSU last year.) (#18 – #21)

The MKS portfolio includes NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, MLB, and collegiate projects where they have provided engineering services to 56 major facilities.

These include Safeco Field and Lumen Field in Seattle as well as Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara (Home of the 49’ers and Guangzhou International Arena in China to name a few.

Stack 571 had about fifteen beers on tap including three of their own although they say nothing about their brewing capabilities on their website.

But what intrigued Jon and me is the claim that their selection of whiskeys exceeds 100 although the sign at Bothell indicated 179! The availability of a “Whiskey Passport “ may merit a return trip(s). (#22 – #23)

Since there was still time before the granddaughters got home from school, Jon asked if I wanted to come over and review the engineering stress equation (σ =F/A0). I politely demurred….

In closing…

I started this long post with some nostalgia including three historic images of Seattle breweries that were a mainstay during my college years – Rainer and Olympia.

I realized that my Beerchasing adventures in Washington and more specifically, Seattle, have lacked energy and will do my best in the future to stay “Stride-for-Stride with Seattle Brew.” (#24)

750px-Seattle_Slew

External Photo Attribution

#1. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Olympia Beer (1906) (ADVERT 444).jpeg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1928. Author: Olympia Brewing Co. 8 May 1906.

#2. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Rainier and Olympic Beers (1895) (ADVERT 408).jpeg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1928. Author: Seattle Brewing and Malting Co. 18 May 1895.

#3. Public Doman – Wikimedia Commons (File:Rainier Beer (1903) (ADVERT 65).jpeg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1928. Author: Seattle Brewing and Malting Co. 19 December 1903

#4. The Columbian (https://www.columbian.com/news/2012/apr/29/port-of-vancouver-paulson-pleased-with-what-hes-le/?print) 29 April 2012.

#5. Oregon Live (https://www.oregonlive.com/clark-county/2011/03/port_of_vancouver_head_larry_paulson_will_retire_next_year

_deputy_named_next_executive_director.html)

#6. Caroline Tavern Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057254417974&sk=photos).

#7. Facebook Desmond Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=363412525792143&set=pb.100063701944401.-2207520000.&type=3

#8. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3800244813342206&set=pb.100063701944401.-2207520000. exterior

#9. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=398421555624573&set=pb.100063701944401.-2207520000.&type=3 interior

.#10. Facebook – Salish Sea Brewing (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=708879491245450&set=pb.100063702153820.-2207520000).

# 11. Facebook – Salish Sea Brewing (https://www.facebook.com/SalishSeaBrewingCompany/photos/pb.100063702153820.-2207520000./1877741669009209/?type=3

#12. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jura_Mountains#/media/File:Juragebirge.JPG) This file is in the public domain in the United States because it was solely created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that “NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted”. Author: Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC 22 October 2002.

#13. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trek_820_(9518781581).jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: order_242 from Chile 3 August 2013.

#14. Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Way#/media/File:Caminos_Santiago_actuales.svg) By Paulusburg – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74883466.

#15. Wikimedia Commons (map) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Francigena#/media/File:VF_Ruta_completa_con_principales_poblaciones.svg.) By Paulusburg – Own work con los datos proporcionados por Cristina Menghini [1]; Switzerland Mobility [2] y AEVF [3], CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45235532.

#16. Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Francigena#/media/File:Via-Francigena-Signposts-In-Italy-2012.jpg) By Bjørn Christian Tørrissen – Own work by uploader, http://bjornfree.com/galleries.html, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23161344

#17. Washington Department of Ecology – Ruston Smoke Stack (http://(https://www.historylink.org/File/8744)

#18. – #19. Magnusson Klemencic Website (https://www.mka.com/people/)

#20. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Husky_Rugby_Club_at_University_of_Washington.png) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Will.Wheaton.Rugby.Arch 22 January 2022.

# 21. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:University_of_Washington_Block_W_logo_RGB_brand_colors.SVG ) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1928. Author: University of Washington 1902.

#22. – #23 Stack 571 Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10100790612460240&set=br.Abr-8zKssI_mhXble6zBKuoRiIiSOQqkUegvw5UcOldoULcofb7Pegw)

24. Wikimedia Commons (File:Seattle Slew.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Pawneese 7 September 2015.

Thebeerchaser’s 8th Annual Report – 2019

Posted on January 5, 2020 by Thebeerchaser

240 blog posts totaling 370,188 words since 2011

A little over eight years ago, I hesitantly walked into my first bar as Thebeerchaser. Having recently retired as COO of the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt law firm, I became convinced after visiting Lumpy’s Landing in Dundee, Oregon and the Stanley Rod and Gun Whitewater Saloon in Idaho, that visiting and writing about bars, breweries and pubs would be an interesting hobby.

The Rod and Gun in Stanley

Thanks to the warm greeting I got at the Brooklyn Park Pub when I told Phoebe, the bartender, in August 2011, that her bar was the first of what I hoped would be many on this somewhat curious project, I was motivated to go forth!

She gave me a BPP cap and autographed it, gave me great info on the bar and posed for a picture.

Phoebe – where it all started….

The Beginning of 2019

The count of watering holes I had visited and reviewed (Unless on the road, I virtually always hit a watering hole twice to get a more accurate picture.) was 287 establishments of which 111 were in the Portland metro area and the other 176 in locations ranging from Europe to most regions of the US and all over Oregon – from the coast to the desert in Eastern Oregon.

For the complete list, check out the link below which categorizes them by year and in or out of Portland. https://thebeerchaser.com/2019/01/17/hey-have-you-seen-thebeerchaser-during-the-last-seven-years/

2019 Was a Very Good Year

The Gemini – a classic in Lake Oswego

Now the good news is I visited more bars this year than in any since the blog’s inception – 80. I’m somewhat reluctant to admit that only 8 of those were in the Portland area – another 1 on the Oregon Coast and 3 in Washington.

The Caroline Tavern in Seattle

All of the remaining 68 were on three trips – Phoenix for Spring Training in March (8) and two wonderful road trips – Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas in June (48) and the Southwest (New Mexico and Colorado) in September (12).

To see the list for each trip, click on the links above. The picture below from the Trappers’ Bar in Eureka, Montana was one of my favorites.

The chart below will give you the history by year of “Thebeerchasers 366”

Year	Portland	Outside Portland	Yearly Total	Composite Total
2019	8	72	80	366
2018	12	30	42	286
2017	15	27	42	244
2016	14	39	53	202
2015	11	36	47	149
2014	17	17	34	102
2013	13	21	34	68
2012	20	5	25	34
2011	9	0	9	9
	119	247	366

Blog Statistics

I’m pleased to state that Thebeerchaser.com for the fourth year in a row, had over 20,000 “visits” or internet hits – with 20,030 in 2019 by 14,800 individuals – that means each person who reached the blog looked at an average of 1.35 different posts.

The Flag of Ukraine –

Persons from 111 different countries found Thebeerchaser with 17,621 from the US with India in second place at 601 hits.

And even the Ukraine registered 9 although I can’t tell if any were from the Embassy staff. As was the case in 2018, one bold individual from Iraq took at least a momentary glimpse. That’s where internet sites featuring bars and alcohol are probably discouraged…..

Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter

First Quarter 2020 – B-O-Q

While the number of bars I hit was a new high in 2019, I was remiss in “honoring” Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter, naming only two last year.

I have already got three good candidates for 2020, so that performance issue will be SOLVed. (That’s a hint for the first quarter as is the untitled picture here.)

Retired Colonel Terry “Spike” McKinsey

Terry McKinsey became a friend when we were shipmates on our first midshipman cruise on a WW II destroyer – the USS John R. Craig – DD 885 – he from the US Naval Academy and me from Oregon State NROTC. We discovered that we attended rival high schools in Oregon – he West Linn and me Oregon City.

Two other middies on that cruise were Larry Walters also USNA and Ken Guest from University of Kansas NROTC. The four of us spent the summer learning about how a ship operates, trying to meet young debutantes at Navy sponsored dances and making fools of ourselves on liberty in Honolulu and San Francisco.

Larry and Terry on 1/c Midshipman cruise in the Mediterranean

Terry and Larry took their commissions in the United States Marine Corps. Terry married Anna, his college sweetheart and they had two children during their forty-nine year marriage.

Spike distinguished himself as an aviator and had a remarkable career after the USMC including Base Commander of the Oregon Air National Guard and as the Assistant Chief Pilot for Horizon Airlines.

After a lapse in contact, we reconnected in the mid-1980’s through a humorous business incident when Spike had moved back to Oregon and I was Business Manager at the Schwabe firm.

Terry died last January after a short illness. My reason for trying to honor Terry with his story including the legendary “steamroller escapade” at West Linn High School when he was on summer leave from the Academy is summarized well by this quote from Larry, his classmate and best friend since Academy days:

“I met Terry ‘Spike’ McKinsey in 1966. The country was chaotic and would get worse. But for Terry, the choices were always clear. He was guided by his love of God, family, good friends, and country. He didn’t have to tell you about it, he lived it!”

To read the story and remarkable service of this amazing patriot, athlete and family-man, click on the link above on his name.

John Runkle

After visiting 366 bars, I can say without equivocation, my favorite and the most interesting was the Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak Montana. And John Runkle, the owner of both the bar and the nearby Yaak River Lodge where I stayed for two nights in the Moose Room during my two nights in Yaak was a clear choice for Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter.

This former paratrooper and California real estate entrepreneur is a prime reason why the Shame got three separate Beerchaser posts and more print in this blog than any of the waterholes during the past eight years.

He bought the Lodge in 2004 and the Saloon at auction in 2013 after the ignominious departure of the former owner left it in foreclosure (after being extradited back to Maryland). John was the driving force to bring this fabled dive back to the status which had made it a destination for bikers, hunters and Beerchasers as well as a community gathering place.

John is a charismatic guy, who is a great story teller, born salesman and shepherds community events such as the Crawfish Festival, Yaak Attack and the Sasquatch Festival.

When we had a discussion in the bar with, Todd Berget – who died later last year – John described his friend as a guy “having a political philosophy slightly left of Stalin…”

Todd and I tried to tell him without result that his politics were somewhat misguided and John needed to shift back and reflect some of his California upbringing, but at least we all ended laughing, shaking our heads and toasting rather than cursing each other. (Rest in Peace, Todd!)

Todd and John – Still smiling after discussing national politics…

John puts in a work week at the Lodge and Saloon that would “shame” most people. his age.

He is also a devoted family man. His beautiful wife, Dallas, just delivered their second daughter in August, shortly after I was in Yaak.

As author, Joan Melcher, wrote in her second book Watering Holes – A User’s Guide to Montana Bars (Page 88):

“The Dirty Shame is the fresh, sharp smell of pine, and the dank odor of dirt-laden, beer-splashed floors, wild nights of revelry and mornings of shared pain.”

The Dirty Shame was on my bucket list before my trip and now is the only item on that dwindling slate that returned to the list after getting there. If John Runkle stays in Yaak, you should add it to yours’ as well.

And 2019 Final Highlights

Beerchasing has been a wonderful hobby for a guy whose friends and family wondered how he was going to “survive” retirement. As I’ve stated before, “I really like beer – especially a $2.50 Happy Hour PBR – but I could go to the bars and drink soda water rather than alchohol and continue this hobby indefinitely.”

My wife, Janet, has been a wonderful Beerchasing companion on our trips and even flew into Billings to join me so I could spend the first six nights solo – driving through Montana (in a Prius with no gun rack and a Starbucks mug) meeting bartenders and regulars at thirty historic bars before we continued to Wyoming and the Dakotas.

One of the highlights was hitting my 300th bar in June at the Leaky Roof in Portland, which was more memorable because I was joined by my friend of forty years, Denny Ferguson.

And for those of you who followed Thebeerchaser from the beginning and have continued through this post in January, 2020, you have read 241 posts which filled you with 372,173 words about bars, breweries and interesting people. Thanks for sharing your time on this pursuit with me.

An always cheerful and youthful looking, Fergy..

The people I met this year continue to be unforgettable and supportive ranging from Ernie Bob at Second Street Brewing in Santa Fe to Edmonds Wash. Daphne’s Bar, legendary mixologist, Demond van Rensberg.

Ernie Bob and Janet in Santa Fe

Then there was Pete Pete Andrijeski of Seattlebars.org King of the Beerchasers with 3,906 bars reviewed since he started his journey in 2006. (1,659 of the bars in Seattle)

I met Pete at Daphne’s after coming across one of his posts when I was researching the history of the Caroline Tavern in Seattle.

Pete and Desmond on our night drinking cocktails at Daphne’s

And I can’t forget James “Horse” McHorsney, who is a regular at Eiler’s Place in Pueblo, Colorado. Horse is in both of the pictures you see here and to learn the story, click on the following link: https://thebeerchaser.com/2019/12/28/pueblo-rich-in-history-and-dive-bars/

The Benedictine Brewery

Followers of the blog know I have been involved with this unique project for the last three years as a volunteer and I am proud to report that since the Brewery and St. Michael’s Taproom opened in September, 2018, it has been an impressive success.

Fr. Martin, the head brewer and general manager has now developed seven beers after the initial positive reception to Black Habit – our flagship beer and his brews have drawn rave reviews.

The Brewery is one of only three in the US where the monks own and operate the enterprise. Plan on coming to the Taproom in Mt. Angel and visiting the beautiful Abbey Hilltop.

Beerchasing Event at the New Oakshire Beer Hall

In October, about thirty Beerchasing friends gathered at the Oakshire Beer Hall in NE Portland to try out the establishment which opened in July – a Portland addition to the popular Oakshire Brewery in Eugene. One of the attendees was Oakshire Brewing Board member, Dr. Sam Holloway, a professor at the University of Portland, President of Crafting a Strategy and a former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter.

Br. Thomas, Sam Holloway and Fr. Martin at the Oakshire Beerchasing

Thanks to the followers of this blog for their support and if you have suggestions for bars or breweries to add to my travels in 2020, please let me know by a blog comment or send an e-mail to dwilliams2951@gmail.com.

Although some might think it redundant, I loved the piece by Edgar Allen Poe which I used to end 2018. While he is not known for a positive outlook, Poe got this one right!

Happy New Year.

Fill with mingled cream and amber,
I will drain that glass again.
Such hilarious visions clamber
Through the chamber of my brain —
Quaintest thoughts — queerest fancies
Come to life and fade away;
What care I how time advances?
I am drinking ale today.

At least he was positive about ale!

The list of the bar’s outside Portland can be found at the links in the narrative above. The list of Portland establishments is shown below:

2019 Portland Area Bars

	Name	Location	Type	Date of Post
2019-1	The Gemini Bar and Grill	Lake Oswego	Neighborhood	January
2019-2	Old Town Brewing	NE	Brewery and Pub	February
2019-3	Xport Bar and Lounge	SW	Hotel Bar – Hotel Porter	June
2019-4	Bantam Tavern	NW	Neighborhood	April
2019-5	The Leaky Roof	SW	Neighborhood	June
2018-6	Roots	Lake Oswego	Non-profit Neighborhood	August
2019-7	Oakshire Beer Hall	NE	Brewpub	October
2019-8	Mad Hanna	NE	Dive Bar	October

Daphne’s and Desmond in Edmonds…

Posted on December 15, 2019 by Thebeerchaser

In my recent review of the Caroline Tavern, I mentioned that my Beerchasing exploits in the State of Washington, paled in comparison to those in Oregon and surrounding states.

Outside the Caroline Tavern with the Magnusson clan

Based on the great experience at Caroline’s, I decided to expand the journey into the Evergreen State by visiting a bar in Edmonds, Washington.

And I definitely would not have discovered Daphne’s or its legendary bartender, Desmond van Rensburg if it had not been for Pete Andrijeski – a blogger, whose adventures at bars since 2006, far exceeds my own count of about 375 since I started Thebeerchaser in August of 2011.

I came across Pete’s blog when I was researching the history of Caroline’s and was impressed with both his narratives and the extent of his travels on our mutual topic of interest.

So I contacted him by e-mail and we agreed to meet and exchange stories and raise a mug together the next time I was in Seattle.

That occurred in November and I asked Pete for a recommendation. Without hesitation, he stated “Daphne’s in Edmonds – it’s my favorite bar.” (More about Pete and his exploits below….)

http://www.seattlebars.org/2019/08/3128-daphnes-bar-edmonds-wa-12222016.html

After a very enjoyable 90 minutes downing some of Desmond, the bartender’s, craft cocktails, I understand his affection for this place – essentially a medium sized room (250 sq. feet) – a former barber shop – whose character and ambiance far exceeds its physical dimensions.

Desmond in the “Living Room” environment at Daphne’s

A 2007 review in the Seattle Times was entitled, “Where Taste Trumps Elbow Room.” And one recent Yelp reviewer (6/8/19) stated:

“This bar is literally the size of our living room. It’s cozy, lively, and is a local favorite. The bar top can seat up to 9, the booths up to 3, and outdoor seating up to 8.”

Desmond!!

Now after visiting about 375 bars, breweries and pubs over the last eight years, I can say that a primary factor in defining the character of the establishment is the bartender. And I have met some outstanding barkeeps who affirm the statement by internationally acclaimed Canadian economist, Harry Gordon Johnson who said:

The economist who opines on mixologists…..(on the right)

“The greatest accomplishment of a bartender lies in his ability to exactly suit his customer.”

(Why this quote is attributed to a noted economist, transcends the scope of this blog post.)

It so happens that two of the most memorable bar personalities I have met during my visits to watering holes in the US and Europe have been in the last two posts i.e. Ernie Bob from Second Street Brewing in Santa Fe and Desmond van Rensburg at Daphne’s.

Ernie Bob with Janet in September

It is noteworthy that the great majority of social media reviews on Daphne’s mention Desmond and the impact he had on their opinion of the bar.

An example is this 8/30/17 Yelp review:

“Desmond is the man, he takes the time to get new faces names and welcome them to his bar. He shows passion in every cocktail he makes.”

Since I research each place I review before I visit, I wondered if the narratives about this personality might be overstated….

They weren’t!

Desmond knew Pete from his previous visits and welcomed me in the same animated manner as he did every Daphne’s newcomer. And his exuberance had a positive impact on everyone else in the “living room.”

He is a native of Johannesburg, South Africa and is married with one son. After a short sit-down conversation in a coffee shop near the bar, one of the co-owners, hired him in May, 2011 and he now practices his craft four nights per week.

In his new job, he quickly made an impression and was named in 2011 as one of KOMO Television’s Most Fascinating People in Edmonds:

“There are so many reasons why Desmond is one of Edmond KOMO’s most fascinating people, but OI think the main one is that he makes each and every person feel like they are the most fascinating person he’s ever met……He adds to the Main Street charm. Desmond is always armed with a joke to tell and a smile to share.”

Daphne’s has a few beers on tap, but the specialty is cocktails and following Pete’s lead, I had two of the specials listed on the menu which range from the Moscow Mule at $10 (draws rave reviews) to a $12 Manhattan.

I tried the Sazerac – a rye whiskey concoction with New Orleans origin and also the Boulevardier – whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Campari.

Van Rensberg effort on these creations evidenced the same dexterity of Van Cliburn performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 – well, at least almost…….

I can’t remember which he drank that night, but Pete’s favorite cocktails are Old Pal, Negroni, Corpse Reviver #2 and Sazerac

One doesn’t go to Daphne’s to eat other than munchies such as pretzels, nuts and popcorn although one review had a reference to Desmond’s meat and cheese platter.

Contributing to the favorably dark and somewhat raucous atmosphere are some old signs and mementos including a gold plated telephone. The old (1923) Edmonds movie house next door on the City’s Main Street adds to the character.

A 2018 article in the Herald Business Journal of Everett amplifies:

“The coup, however, is a story written by actress Anna Faris in Delta Sky Magazine that names Daphne’s as one of her favorite places on her favorite street in her hometown of Edmonds.”

Pete!!

A major contribution to my enjoyment of the bar that evening was meeting and chatting with the aforementioned Pete Andrijeski. He is a burly guy, raised in Boise, attended the University of Washington and is a technology professional and now works for Expedia.

If you check out his website http://www.peterga.com/ you will find that he is a fascinating individual with diverse interests (besides bars…..) ranging from baseball to gardening to music and a voracious and impressive appetite for non-fiction.

Pete’s website cover photo

I identified with his zealous (some might say “compulsive”) tendency to keep lists such as this one which shows the breadth of his reading.

Time constraints limited our conversation that night to mainly sharing our favorite bars, but if you check out his website, you will also see that his sister, Julie is an acclaimed musician living in Pittsburgh

“….plays in several groups, as well as teaching classes and seminars……Julie has also played and recorded with several other orchestras (besides Chatham Baroque), operas, and early music groups, including the Cleveland baroque group Apollo’s Fire and the Celtic group Shanua.”

The section on his late wife of seven years, Cheryl LeRouix, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 1996 will bring tears to your eyes.

And as I mentioned in a previous post, my 375 + watering holes visited and reviewed since 2011, is dwarfed by his 3,906 bars of which 1,659 are in Seattle. http://www.seattlebars.org/ (Some may be incredulous about these figures, but I definitely believe him and check out his blog.)

He downplays this feat and jokingly referenced “recognition” such as one person who recently became aware of his blog and stated, “You are the God of bars.” (Maybe that would make Thebeerchaser a minor prophet equivalent.)

Pete made my blog procrastination less onerous when he lamented in an August post this year, “I’ve recently gone about 9 months without posting a blog entry, and I am now 1,154 bars behind.”

Off the beaten path in Shoup, Idaho…

His list of bars and other features are compelling including his favorite dive which will be on my list during the next trip to Idaho – the M.T. Saddle in Shoup, Idaho.

“I was not sure we’d actually reach this one, as it is 13 miles down a single lane dirt road along a river, and my car is the furthest thing from an off-road vehicle.”

My conversations and visits with Pete will continue in the future as he has an affinity for Tiki bars and wants to visit some of them in Portland. His suggestion that we meet at Daphne’s was a gem and I will return there on one of our frequent trips to Seattle – the next time Desmond will not have to regard me as a first-timer.

The bar opened in 2006 and is co-owned by Brian Taylor and Louise Favier, who previously owned other establishments in Washington, but sold all of them except Daphne’s when they moved back to New York in 2013, where they also own two bars.

Taylor shared the sentiment of many when he stated:

“Daphne’s wouldn’t be the same without van Rensburg. It was a great little bar before Desmond, but Desmond has taken it to a whole different level,”

Desmond stopped bartending for a minute to pose with Pete.

As the Edmonds celebrity, himself, aptly stated in one of the many articles about him and the bar:

“It’s the press, you know, the place, the cocktails and the dysfunctional bartender. It’s one great blend. That’s what it comes down to. When you mix it all together, it makes for a wonderful experience.”

Daphne’s Bar 415 1/2 Main St
Edmonds, Washington