Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top 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)
Based on the name of this blog, one would think that it is primarily about beer and breweries, however, I regularly venture into other territory as you will see below.
For example, in February, my post was a farewell tribute to lawyer and civic leader, Steve Griffith, who died at 80 while ascending 20,540 Chimborazo, the highest peak in Ecuador.
“It’s a new world, but it’s the same Constitution” (2)
US Supreme Court Chief Justice, John Roberts, made this terse retort to Solicitor General John Sauer, in the April 1st birthright citizenship case. That statement, which will be quoted for years, would have had great meaning to Steve and Jim Westwood – both former partners at the Portland law firm Stoel Rives.
That’s because both spent many years as unpaid dedicated coaches teaching high school students the history and principles of the Constitution for the national We the People Competition which culminates with simulated congressional hearings where students testify before a panel of judges acting as members of Congress in the National Finals each year in Washington DC. (#3 – #4)
Jim Westwood
Westwood’s Grant High School Team won the National Championship in 2013 and 2015. The 1783 tattoo you see below was a result of the promise he made to his team if they won in DC. It was followed by two more – one in 2018 and even though he retired from full-time coaching in 2019, he got a third inking in 2024. The legacy continues as Grant High will compete in the National Finals this month although Jim will be cheering from a distance.
Jim Westwood
Griffith’s teams from cross-town rival Lincoln High School have a similar penchant for the Nationals.
“Under his guidance, Lincoln High’s Constitution team achieved significant success. The program has won the national ‘We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution’ competition multiple times, including three national titles in the past decade.”
In these times where there appears to be a disdain for the Rule-of-Law by political leaders, I salute the efforts of these two attorneys in trying to preserve it during their careers.
Celebrating Rabbie Burns
The aforementioned Jim Westwood and I go back many years – both Oregon City High School grads as well as professional and civic relationships. Even though our politics diverge, he has been my most frequent Beerchasing companion during the last fifteen years as you can see from just a few of these prior exploits.
Robert Burns’ Night
The esteemed counselor and I also have an affinity for whiskey and have occasionally downed a shot of Scotch while Beerchasing. (It’s a generic term…) So, I was honored when Jim extended an invitation in January to attend the Robert Burns Supper at the University Club – one of the premier venues for dinners and events in Portland. (#5)
“Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide…as a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and after his death he became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism.
Before the dinner, I did a little research to make sure I could wax eloquently about the liquid which was a focus of the evening. I found out through AI that: (#6)
“Whiskey is a broad category of distilled spirits made from fermented grains such as barley, corn, rye or wheat and aged in wooden barrels. Scotch, on the other hand, is a type of whiskey produced exclusively in Scotland, following strict rules regarding ingredients, distillation, and aging…Traditional Scotch is made primarily from malted barley, though some variations use malted wheat or rye.
Scotch must be aged for at least three years in oak casks, sometimes previously used for wine or other spirits. Whiskey is typically aged in charred white oak barrels, with aging requirements varying by type and region…To be labeled Scotch, a spirit must be distilled and matured in Scotland, contain only water and caramel coloring as additives, and be bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV.”
After I eagerly accepted the invitation, however, I reflected on my last major encounter with Scotch since at the dinner, we would be sampling eleven different types of this whiskey. I retired in 2011 after working my last twenty-five years at the Schwabe firm – a NW regional law firm based in Portland.
The last twelve I was the Chief Operating Officer when the firm had grown to about 150 lawyers in five offices. I loved both the firm and my job, although the demands of the job were daunting. When I retired, the firm was extremely generous in sending me off to a “life of leisure” and what would soon include my new hobby — Beerchasing.
Two of the gifts they presented at my retirement party were bottles of Herding Cats wine and a wonderful bottle of 15-year Balvenie Scotch. (The wine label was supposed to be a reference to my job description at the firm and I readily accepted the fact that the 50-year Balvenie – now listed at $49,999 – would be too extravagant even fifteen years ago.)
Well, a month later, my wonderful brother-in-law, Dave Booher, and I embarked on a two-day camping trip (we didn’t even have to do it on a weekend…) to the San Juan Islands. Dave is a wonderful cook and grilled steaks while I sat back aside our Strait of Juan de Fuca campsite and initiated my bottle of Balvenie while smoking a cheap cigar.
Fully realizing that I didn’t have to get back to work after this trip ended, I still tried to pack as much into that wonderful evening as I could. To make a long story short, I didn’t touch Scotch again for years afterwards.
The fact that I learned my lesson in 2011 and the eleven tastes of Scotch (which would include three Balvenie vintages) at the Robert Burns dinner would just be sample sips and done over a three-hour dinner/ceremony, mitigated my concern about another major excursion with Scotch
The dinner was wonderful – the company, the Scotch, the food and the ambiance. Rabbie Burns would have been proud. We followed the standard format of this event celebrated all over the world: (#7)
“Burns Night (dating back to 1802) in effect a second national day, is celebrated on Burns’s birthday, 25 January, with Burns suppers around the world, and is more widely observed in Scotland than the official national day, St. Andrew’s Day
The format of Burns suppers has changed little since. The basic format starts with a general welcome and announcements, followed with the Selkirk Grace. After the grace comes the piping and cutting of the haggis, when Burns’s famous ‘Address to a Haggis’ is read and the haggis is cut open.
The event usually allows for people to start eating just after the haggis is presented. At the end of the meal, a series of toasts, often including a ‘Toast to the Lassies’, and replies are made… The event usually concludes with the singing of ‘Auld Lang Syne'”.
Even after listening to the news that day, I left the UC with an air of optimism embracing the assertion of David Daiches Scottish historian and literary critic:
“The proper drinking of Scotch whisky is more than indulgence: it is a toast to civilization, a tribute to the continuity of culture, a manifesto of man’s determination to use the resources of nature to refresh mind and body and enjoy to the full the senses with which he has been endowed.”
It was a night to be remembered and Jim’s generosity will be toasted with a good IPA at our next Beerchasing although I’m ready for another robust Balvenie experience. As we departed, I reminded Jim of one apt Burns’ quote:
In my recent Beerchaser post, I restated my annual gripe about Moda Health and the Portland Trailblazers purported “generous” contributions to build community playgrounds in Oregon – a combined $20 for every assist in a Blazer game which has averaged slightly less than $40,000 per season – the same amount since it was initiated in 2013 notwithstanding inflation.
The irony is that the Trailblazers were groveling at the 2026 Oregon Legislature for a combined contribution of about $870 million from the State, Multnomah County and the City of Portland to renovate Moda Center for the next twenty years.
Well, they were successful and the funds will be forthcoming from the citizens of Oregon. I guess this begs the question: “Will they raise the $20 next year?” Want to make a bet!
#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (PG 1063Burns Naysmith – Robert Burns – Wikipedia) Alexander Nasmyth (1758-1840). National Gallery of Art – Scotland – 1787. The author died in 1840, so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. Painter: Alex
Rather than review a specific bar or brewery, this post is about some miscellaneous topics that continue to fill my cranium at the beginning of the year.
Welcome to Thebeerchaser. If you’re 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)
For the Record…
In previous posts, I’ve mentioned my eclectic taste in music as evidenced on my iPhone – previously on CDs, cassettes and before that vinyl – 33, 78 and 45 rpms, in part, from my dad’s platters.
He had a great collection and it was one reason that from junior high, I became a fan of Big Band music – Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Bennie Goodman, et al. Background is in the first post I wrote about my wonderful parents, who met in New York City in the mid-forties when both worked for American Airlines. (#2 – #3)
Paula Kelly and the Modernaires
The young couple established their home in Merrick, Long Island, where my sister, Lynne, was born in 1946 and I in 1948. Dad loved Big Band music and they danced to the Glenn Miller Orchestra at the Glen Island Casino. They became friends with Paula Kelly and the Modernaires who performed there.
I evolved in college and listened to groups like the Four Seasons, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, et al. (And as mentioned in my last post, during the time Craig “Dude” Hanneman was my roommate, The King of Cool – Dean Martin.)
As I progressed in my music (although unfortunately not in my selection of fiction) and I became enamored with both classical and jazz music. How I became an ardent fan of country-western, I don’t remember, but a major share of my playlists are now the greats such as George Jones, Don Williams (yes, I often get asked), Alan Jackson and Merle Haggard.
Rather than just using iTunes or YouTube, in my home office, I have a turntable and receiver and often play selections from the albums and CDs shown below:
“One could argue that country music from 30 or more years ago is close to extinct and that what you get now is a mix of pop and rock with a lap string guitar added and a southern accent.”
And Alan Jackson lamented the state of the music he loves during a recent interview by declaring that “country music is gone — and it’s not coming back.”
He and George Strait state their position in a wonderful number “Murder on Music Row.” Check out the superb melody on this link YouTube and this excerpt of the lyrics — Outstanding! (#4 – #5)
“But someone killed country music, cut out it’s heart and soul They got away with murder down on music row.
For the steel guitars no longer cry and fiddles barely play But drums and rock ‘n roll guitars are mixed right up in your face.
They thought no one would miss it, once it was dead and gone They said no one would buy them old, drinking and cheating songs Well, there ain’t no justice in it and the hard facts are cold Murder was committed down on music row.”
Another Perfect Example
Country-western tunes are often about aspirations. I came across this one recently on YouTube (check it out) and added it to my playlist. After all, who can quibble with the prayer “Lord Help Me Be the Kind of Person My Dog Thinks I Am ” by the Bellamy Brothers. (#6)
And the lyrics convey it well as evidenced by this excerpt:
“Sometimes I go to church on Sunday, With Saturday’s whiskey on my breath, But I keep praying and promising to quit Before I drink myself to death, Help me walk the straight and narrow, Change this light into a lamp, Oh Lord help me be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.
Now the preacher’s been real good to me, But I know who’s really been there in a jam. Lord help me be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.”
Country ballads often convey redemption such as George Jones’ classic “The Right Left Hand”:
“And the vows I took before Were all forever more But no matter how I tried, they came undone.
I put a golden band on the right left hand this time And the right left hand put a golden band on mine.”
“I made a wish upon a star I could have a brand new car Got tired of wishing So I stole one.
Seventeen and knew it all My dreams were big, but my thoughts were small So many roads somehow I chose The wrong one.
I wish mom could see me now And how I’ve turned it all around Lately I’ve been going down The right road.
But Jesus and mama always loved me Even when the devil took control Jesus and mama always loved me This I know.”
Now to finish, I have to share some of the fictitious country-western titles I’ve kept in my files for years – from the Oregonian’s former “The Edge” column. I don’t think either Kacey Musgrave or even Willie Nelson is going to sing any of these:
She was a bootlegger’s daughter and I loved her still
I’m sorry I made you cry, but at least your face is cleaner
I wish I were a woman so I could go out with a man like me
And in honor of the lawyers – “I can’t pass the bar and there’s one on my way home”
And Speaking of the Bar….
One of my favorite Beerchasing companions is attorney, Jim Westwood – a fellow Oregon City High School graduate where his mom, Catherine, tried to teach me the distinction between nominative and genitive cases for two years in Latin class.
In fact, to “honor” his mom, I’ll relate the dialogue at the last bar we visited when I gave the bartender my order:
Beerchaser I’ll have a martinus.
Jim: Don, that should be “martini
Beerchaser: Jim, if I had wanted a double, I would have told him.
Jim and I have been friends through legal-related issues and shared civic endeavors and then mug-raising for almost forty years. I tried to relate some of his story on my blog post published in 2013 where he was named a Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter.
This outstanding lawyer just turned eighty and the collage below, which I sent for his birthday, demonstrates his personality and affinity for Beerchasing.
Regardless of your political affiliation or philosophy, it’s imperative – possibly more than any time in US history – that Americans have a good grasp of the US Constitution. And I could go into a rant about the dearth of effective civic courses in our high schools.
That’s why Jim and his fellow Oregon coaches in the We the People National Competition deserve accolades both for their dedication and effectiveness in teaching these principles.
“In the last 20 years, teams representing the State of Oregon have earned six National titles, two National Runner-Up titles, six Third Place wins, and 23 top-ten finishes.
…The We the People National Finals, hosted by parent organization The Center for Civic Education, takes place each year in Washington, D.C. Approximately 48 teams compete each year, representing almost all U.S. states and territories.
Except for one year when he coached full time at Portland’s Parkrose High School, he was a unit coach at Grant every year between 2002 and 2020. And he’s remained pretty involved at Grant and other schools such as DeLaSalle North Catholic.
Four times the team he coached or assisted won the National Championship! The Grant Generals won the title in 2013, 2015 and 2018. In 2024, the team from Grant beat more than 48 state winners nationwide.
And you would be amazed at the regimen these kids face to prepare. They may not run wind sprints, but the equivalent of football Daily Doubles might consist of immersing themselves in the Bill of Rights in the morning and probing the nuances of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment over lunch. (#8)
“(Jim’s) a great teacher, a great coach and a great model citizen.’ He was honored last year as the 2012 Legal Citizen of the Year by the Classroom Law Project.”
To demonstrate why Jim is such a good coach, I first want to preface with the historic figure he most admires – George Washington. That’s why the Multnomah Bar Association in 2013 presented him with the individual portrait shown in the photo below by his Pulitzer winning friend, political cartoonist, Jack Ohman.
As we entered one bar a few years ago Jim commented:
“It must have been easy for George when he got asked for ID at a bar. All he had to do was show them a quarter.” (#9)
2013 MBA Award of Merit
Well in 2015, Coach Westwood announced to his team that if they won the National Championship, he would get a tattoo to recognize that victory. “1783” was inked on his left arm. For those wondering, it was the year Washington bade farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern and resigned as Commander-in-Chief.
Grant won again in 2018 and his second tattoo followed with a continuation of the Washington theme. Jim stated:
“The cursive writing above 1783 consists of the first two letters (with a small ‘o’ to complete the abbreviation of ‘George’) from George Washington’s signature on the Constitution as president of the 1787 Convention.”
He retired from being a full-time coach in 2019, but as Jim, with his characteristic modesty, then stated:
“I intended to fade into nothingness, but as has happened with other retiring coaches, Grant Con team is the Hotel California. You can never leave. The best description of me is ‘involved volunteer.”‘
I would suggest that the alumni from Jim’s team would not only row him across the Delaware River, but even try the Columbia (in honor of Jim’s law school.)
Although he was a volunteer and not a coach at the time of the 2024 victory, the ink flowed again and requires an explanation as well as an illustration of a lawyer’s logic:
“The Washington family coat of arms features three stars in a row. When Grant won Nationals last April, that was my thought for a tattoo design – three stars.
But then I was struck by the similarity of the Grant High logo – a ‘G’ with four stars in a row. So I killed two birds by doing the four-star design to honor both Washington and U.S. Grant High School.” (#10 – #11)
Washington Family Coat of ArmsGrant High LogoA Meld!
The Oregon competition for We The People took place on January 25th. Grant placed third and also received special recognition for their outstanding presentation. Cheers to the kids and their coaches for the exemplary commitment.
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….)
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)
“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)
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:
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.
“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)
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.”
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.
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.
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….)
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)
“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)
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:
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.
“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)
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 our group at LB, I had three former Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter – Jack Faust – Amy Faust and Jim Westwood – and I want to briefly highlight their stories.
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.”
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.
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.
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….)
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)
“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)
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:
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.
“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)
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)
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:
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)
And the partnership seems to mesh as well as the beer and the barbeque as evident from the pairings available:
“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)
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 our group at LB, I had three former Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter – Jack Faust – Amy Faust and Jim Westwood – and I want to briefly highlight their stories.
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.”
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.
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.
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….)
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)
“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)
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:
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.
“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)
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