Hoppy Thanksgiving from Thebeerchaser

Posted on November 24, 2025 by Thebeerchaser

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title 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)

Rather than focus on a bar or brewery in this post, I’m going to end November with some miscellaneous tidbits I’ve been saving for you – trying to emphasize the positive – at least for the most part…..

Here’s to the Scouts!

My two brothers and I participated from the time we were in grade school in Ohio (where our wonderful mom, Frannie was a Cub Scout Den Mother) and during early years of high school in Oregon. We went camping, hiking, earned merit badges and did community projects and our Dad (FDW) was also an encouraging influence and helper.

My late brother, Garry, went to the Scout National Jamboree in Valley Forge and earned his Eagle Scout. This was, in part, a pathway to his appointment to the US Military Academy, where he graduated (1972) and became commissioned.

Similarly, my youngest brother, Rick and I were able to secure four-year NROTC scholarships and commissioning in the Navy and our scouting background helped in that selection process.

(Rick was career Navy and retired as a Captain after he served as skipper of the nuclear sub USS Spadefish – SSN-668). Read about his remarkable career in this article from “Deep Dive” – the newsletter of the Deep Submergence Group Association.)

I even found the one remnant from my scouting history – a medal our troop received when we completed an eleven-mile hike along the Whitewater Canal Trail in Indiana after an overnight camping trip when I was ten.) (#2)

Two years ago, my wife and I were walking through a development near our new house on Veterans Day and noticed that almost every house in the two cul-de-sacs had an American flag in its parking strip.

Upon inquiry, I found that this was a project of a West Linn Scout Troop. For an annual fee of $50, the scouts place a flag in your parking strip on four holidays – 4th of July, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Labor Day. At the end of the holiday, they return to pick-up the flag and store it.

I asked them if they would expand to include our neighborhood and it is gratifying to see flags in front of houses regardless of party affiliation or political beliefs. These are people who love America and want to support the young men and women in their endeavors.

Terms of Endearment!?

While in Lincoln City along the Central Oregon Coast, I passed the following street sign outside of a Valvoline Oil Change outlet on Valentine’s Day. To Janet’s chagrin, I insisted on stopping and taking a photo for a later blog post.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Honey – it’s full-synthetic 30-weight….

As Janet scoffed, I theorized that this begged the question as to whether on the 10th anniversary, he presented a transmission repair and on the 25th, new Michelin tires.

Speaking of Lincoln City

I like many homeowners in the Roads End district of Lincoln City are somewhat puzzled at what is purported to be the solution to speeders along a main residential street along the ocean. While there is a need to mitigate the excess speed problem along Logan Road, the solution seems a bit convoluted.

Rather than put speed bumps across the entire intersection, they staggered them. And in what seems like a matter of common sense, 95% of the cars (including me) veer into the other lane to avoid the bump. I guess, at least if there’s going to be a head-on collision, it will be at a lower speed.

One of my sons-in-law is a traffic engineer and I’m waiting for him to explain the rationale.

No More Flack!

I was sorry to see the passing of American vocalist Roberta Flack in February at the age of 88. Not only did she have a few wonderful tunes such as “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face,” but in a sort of peculiar and perhaps morbid way, I felt a personal connection, of sorts, based on of all things, a one-vehicle auto accident I had in 1974.

I had moved back into my mom’s house in Oregon City after my dad’s untimely passing in 1974. I was returning in my subcompact car from a date in Canby – about nine miles south of her house. It was very late and I took a bypass along a rural road to save some time.

Having burned the midnight oil during the past week, I was pretty sleepy, but it was only a twenty-minute drive and I thought I would be fine. Well, when the road curved, I went straight because I had momentarily dozed off. Rolling across the gravel side of the road immediately woke me up.

It was surreal – like being in a slow-motion movie…Although the car didn’t role, it tipped and bumped through the ruts in a field. A projector in the back seat went flying by my head into the front windshield.

My vivid recollection is the song on the radio – Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly” – 1974 Grammy winning Record-of-the-Year. (#3 – #5)

In a brief moment of lucidity and insight while contemplating that if the car rolled, I might not survive, I remember thinking, “That would really be ironic in light of the song playing, but no-one would ever know!”

Fortunately, the car stopped – tipped at an angle. I reached up to turn off the headlights cutting my hand in several places on the glass fragments from the cracked windshield. I climbed out the driver’s side, walked through the field, crossed the road and knocked on the door of a rural house (at 2 AM in the morning.)

The sleeping occupants didn’t answer and unfortunately, a decent amount of blood from the cuts in my hand stayed on their doorsill. I imagined what they’d think when they came out on their front porch the next morning – was this a re-enactment of the Children of Israel story in Exodus?

“And the blood on the doorposts will be a sign to mark the houses in which you live. When I see the blood, I will pass over you and will not harm you when I punish the Egyptians.”

My neighbor, the stepfather of my best friend, was the Chief of Police in Oregon City and I called him to see if I could get the car towed and not have to make a police report. He told me to wait until the next morning, and it didn’t require any filing.

I thanked the Lord the next morning when I saw the tire tracks through the gravel – I had missed hitting a telephone pole head-on by about six inches.

Farewell to Rogue Brewing – We Mourn the Passing of Dead Guy

Beer drinkers in Oregon, throughout the Northwest and beyond were shocked and saddened by the abrupt closure of Rogue Ale and Spirits in mid-November. The company shut down its operations in Newport, Oregon and all of its pubs in the state. Rogue was a respected and admired company, founded in 1988 and one of Oregon’s top ten craft beer companies.

“It is uncertain what the financial state is of the company, but breweries have been a difficult market lately. Six of the 10 biggest craft breweries in Oregon saw sales decline in 2024, according to data from the Brewers Association.” Oregon Live 10/19 (#6 – #8)

The testimony to Rogue’s legacy may be best summed up by Jeff Alworth, one of the nation’s foremost beer experts, in his Beervana Blog 11/17

“We shouldn’t lose sight of its legacy as one of the most important breweries in the early craft era, or why people once thought it was so special.

Thirty-five years ago, most of the people making and selling beer were thinking small. Not for nothing, their businesses were called ‘microbreweries.’ But Rogue thought big at a time when the industry needed to see ambition in order to grow. Its importance was much greater than its absence today.”

Non Alcoholic?

Not only the pandemic, but other factors have added to the struggle of craft brewers – one of them being the trend to avoid alcohol. And Rogue never merged with a larger brewery or produced non-alcoholic beer:

“The push into nonalcoholic beer is a reminder of how much the industry is struggling. Craft beer peaked. The hard seltzer boom fizzled. Younger adults are going out less. Legalized cannabis is replacing six packs.

Weight-loss drugs are a threat. Global beer volume has declined the past two years. Meanwhile, stocks of the world’s big brewers haven’t returned to their pre-pandemic levels.” Bloomberg.com 7/9/25

Lest you think this just an American phenomenon, check out this excerpt from a recent New York Times article “Germans Are Going Off Beer. That’s Forcing Brewers to Adapt or Go Bust.”

“Alcohol consumption in Germany has been sliding for decades. But the sudden, accelerating drop has caught brewers and bar owners by surprise. Out of approximately 1,500 breweries in Germany, more than 50 have closed in the past year.”

Good Taste or Taste Good?

My wife and I have tried some NA beers – on weekdays if we drink – and they are fine e.g. Athletic and Best Day Brewing. And Deschutes Fresh Haze IPA (.05ABV) is the best NA beer I’ve tried. (#9)

And Then There’s Sam Adams

Founding Father, Samuel Adams, took risks when he became a leader in the American Revolution and rebelled against the British. While his patriotic role is well known, many are unaware that Samuel Adams inherited his father’s brewery in Boston and also worked as a brewer or maltster.

The American brewery named after him has also shown audacity and is bucking the trends mentioned above with its 2025 release of its limited-edition Utopias. You can pay $240 for a bottle of this barrel-aged brew:

“Utopias has a staggering ABV of 30%. The company’s website claims it is ‘perhaps the strongest beer on Earth.’ In fact, it’s so potent, it’s illegal in Oregon and 14 other states that have caps on how high a beer’s alcohol by volume can be.” Oregon Live 11/6

I will not soon forget one time when I did buy a Sam Adams. I still laugh about when Portland Mayor, Sam Adams (2009 though 12/31/12) and I Beerchased at the Tugboat Brewery (RIP) in downtown Portland. (#10)

Our visit occurred soon after he left office and became the Executive Director of the City Club of Portland in spring of 2013. The big grin on Matt, the Tugboat bartender’s face when the recently departed Mayor with a straight face said, “I’ll have a Sam Adams,” was priceless.

Oh, for the Love of Beer!

Happy Thanksgiving

External Photo Attribution

#1. Bing AI Images

#2. Wikimedia Commons (White water canal trail Inc. – Trails, Hiking/Biking) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Attribution: Chris Light at English Wikipedia – April 2006.

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Roberta Flack 1976.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1930 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. For further explanation, see Commons:Hirtle chart as well as a detailed definition of “publication” for public art. Source: Atlantic Record – 26 April 1976.

#4. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Killing Me Softly with His Song by Roberta Flack US vinyl.png – Wikimedia Commons) This logo image consists only of simple geometric shapes or text. It does not meet the threshold of originality needed for copyright protection, and is therefore in the public domain The depicted text is ineligible for copyright and therefore in the public domain because it is not a “literary work” or other protected type in sense of the local copyright law. Source: Atlantic Records – 1973.

#5. Gemini AI Assistant Image Generator

#6. Wikimedia Commons (File:Rogue Ales in NW Portland, Oregon in 2012.JPG – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Another Believer – January 2012.

#7. Wikimedia Commons (File:Dead Guy Ale (5913690805).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Source: Dead Guy Ale – Author: Erik Cleves Kristensen – 5 July 201.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (File:Astoria Pier 39 (Clatsop County, Oregon scenic images) (clatDA0065).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) The copyright holder of this file allows anyone to use it for any purpose, provided that the copyright holder is properly attributed. Redistribution, derivative work, commercial use, and all other use is permitted. Attribution: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Best Day Brewing beers – January 2024 – Sarah Stierch.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Attribtution: Sarah Stierch (CC BY 4.0) – 27 January 2024.

#10. Wikimedia Commons (File:BTA’s Alice Awards 1 (7172943200) (cropped).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Team Sam Adams – 10 May 2012.

Baerlic Brewing – It’s Not Just the Barley!

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Thebeerchaser

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 – #2)

I loved Baerlic Beer Compnay

During my fourteen years of Beerchasing, I have visited a lot more bars than breweries. Many of the newer brewpubs don’t reflect the character of a dive bar or neighborhood tavern. Baerlic Beer Company’s Ranch which houses its brewery and taproom is an exception.

Baerlic has a great story – founded 2014 by Ben Parsons and Richard Hall – two home brewers who became entrepreneurs and have won numerous beer awards.

They’ve expanded their operations to three locations, contribute to the community, successfully self-distribute and have shown creativity throughout their eleven years. The slogan of Baerlic reflects the owners’ enthusiasm for their craft:

“The Beer Here is Near and Dear“

What the Heck is Baerlic?

I’m always interested in the derivation of a brewery’s name and Baerlic’s website states it clearly:

“First things first, where does the name of this Oregon brewery come from? Baerlic (bear-lick) is an old-English adjective meaning ‘of barley.'”

I’ll tell you below about some of their awards, but it takes more than good beer to make my list of favorites and Baerlic hits the mark on all the criteria. That said, my assessment is just based on visiting The Ranch – the original brewery and taproom.

It will take return trips to experience the other two locations – the Barley Pod in NE Portland and the Northeast Alberta Taproom both of which look great. (#3 – #4)

The Space

The Ranch is not overly impressive from the outside, but the interior is laid out in a long and interesting manner. There are different sections – some with booths, individual picnic tables (also on their attractive patio in the front) and an expansive area with community tables around an inviting woodstove surrounded by stools after you pass a long and attractive bar.

Upon entering you see an area of individual picnic tables in front of a giant mural which appears to be an aerial shot of Portland International Airport. The style is basic – exposed ceilings, ventilation and rafters with bulb lighting and concrete floors and it fits the ambiance quite well.

The Beer

Ambiance and character are meaningful, but of paramount importance is the beer – and Baerlic doesn’t disappoint. It was identified as one of the best Portland breweries in The Oregonian’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards which stated:

“Baerlic offers well-crafted beers that effortlessly span styles….Readers love their IPAs as well as the variety of styles Baerlic offers while delivering consistently high quality brews.

Or take the opinion of Northwest writer, Jeff Alworth in his Beervana Blog – one of the most respected national resources on beer in a 2023 article on Portland’s Best Breweries

“Baerlic is one of the most reliable breweries in Portland, and they always have an interesting selection….their IPA game is one of the best in the city—and I consider their Helles Chill, to be a true Portland classic.”

The Ranch had sixteen beers on tap plus their “On Cask Rotating Tap” and their “On Nitro Night Howler Imperial Stout.” They also have cider and wine on tap plus Kombucha and a “Mela Watermelon Water” which one of our party tried and said was “ripe for the sipping.”

Some of Portland’s Best Beers

And Doug, our friendly and helpful bartender, was very accommodating while informing us about the options and letting us sample them. Three of us rated the Pioneer Pale Ale as a great pour and another companion had a good reaction to the Noble Stout.

Baerlic is a repeat winner in major beer competitions such as the Oregon Beer Awards and the World Beer Cup – the Olympics of Beer – in 2024 its Night Howler Imperial Stout won a silver medal in the WBC and they also brought home a silver in the Oregon Beer Awards for its Fresh Hop Splishy IPA.

Beerchasing Companions

While I try not to let who joins me at a particular watering hole overly influence my opinion, I admit to a slight bias. You will note below that five of the eight people in the photo from 2025 on the right (wife Janet, David and Kate Dickson, Roy Lambert and Mary Maxwell) also joined me at Wayfinder (a favorite listed above) in 2023. Doug Blomgren and Chris Hamm were great additions.

Creativity, Confidence and Innovation

Many hospitality businesses didn’t survive the pandemic, but Baerlic came through and the example below from a 2020 Willamette Week article shows why they are still thriving:

“Baerlic Brewing was among that inspired group of entrepreneurs that looked at the cracked, gray parking lot behind its building and somehow saw a socially distanced party.

Although it took several days of cleanup and construction, the crew managed to turn the 6,000-square-foot space into the Bavarian-inspired drinking lawn the owners envisioned—despite the fact that the only original vegetation were weeds filling in the cracks in the pavement.

‘We really wanted to create a beer garden,’ says Baerlic’s co-founder, Ben Parsons, ‘so we had to bring in the green.'”

It’s gone now, but they use the moniker for the event space adjacent to the taproom. (#5)

Where else in a Portland beer place can you walk up to a vending machine and get Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood for $5, a plastic mustache $3, a mystery pack entitled “Find Your Inner Animal” $3, fake dentures $8 or “mystery socks” $8. (I may have to return to find out what was in empty bins A5 $7and D2 $5.)

Find your Inner Animal!

And if you want to add to your vinyl collection, you can do that in another little nook below some items such as a Rubik’s Cube or The Mummy’s Hand by Weirdest – an action figure – (“The severed hand of horror, long detached from its hideous host, single-handedly searches for someone to gratify its evil grip.”)

If your tastes are more refined and want to buy a classic album, pick up a platter by such groups as The Linda Linda’s – an all-female LA rock group formed in 2018, whose 2021 hit, “Racist, Sexist Boy” went viral (although unfortunately, I missed it…) (#6)

Smart, Adaptive and Customer Oriented Owners

Their space, their beer selection and quality as well as the trappings are refreshing and almost a bit irreverent – refreshing in these days of somewhat sleek, modern and formulaic brewpubs and taphouses.

It bespeaks confidence in their mission, staff, product and business approach. I loved the example from Yelp, where I was impressed because co-owner, Ben Parsons takes the time to politely respond to reviews which are critical or find fault with some aspect of service.

One doesn’t often find this approach – in part because some Yelp reviewers have the common sense of a new college grad who decides that importing/exporting is a good career option.

Ben’s reply to a woman named Lisa R from Anaheim California was admirable – the best I’ve ever seen. It’s rather lengthy, but worth reading:

Original Response from Ben: “Hey Lisa R., thanks for your feedback! We take all reviews seriously so that we can take the appropriate steps to rectify issues as they arise.

Just so you know, as a business that serves alcohol, we are required to be licensed with the Oregon Liquor & Cannabis Commission (OLCC) and must comply with their rules or risk fines and/or suspension of our license and our ability to operate. And one of the OLCC’s top concerns is serving alcohol to intoxicated persons…cause you know…liability.

….To claim that you were discriminated against is not only a red herring, but also patently untrue…as outlined above. Falsely accusing our staff of discrimination is not only dangerous, it’s also not fair given your actions when you visited.

The good news is that the OLCC has no specific rules against serving idiots. (emphasis added by Thebeerchaser) So had you come in and just been an idiot—and not proclaimed that you were drunk after admitting you were tipsy—then we could have served you no problem and I’m sure you would have had a great time with your friends, you know cause…that’s what drinking at a brewery is for. Cheers! (#7)

Ben Parson’s and Rik Hall – Creative Management

UPDATE 3/17/25: Your crew came in and you announced that you were drunk when attempting to order an alcoholic beverage. This is what you removed from your original review: ‘ALTHOUGH I told the girl … I was drunk.’

Then when my bar staff stated that they were not comfortable serving you based on state laws, you go online and falsely claim racial discrimination—which you conveniently forgot to mention in your follow-up. That is completely unfair and frankly, idiotic to claim. If you decide to own your mistakes—and apologize for falsely claiming racial discrimination—then we’d love to have you back! Cheers! Ben”

A Community

We enjoyed the comradery – not only of our own group, but that permeating the space. There were families and groups sitting at community tables, people at the bar chatting with Doug the bartender and even a couple sitting at the woodstove – she reading a novel and he doing a Rubik’s cube.

Drink and Draw – I even talked to a great guy who was set up in the space near the entrance with Wacom – evidently a corporation that sells digital art supplies which had a Drink and Draw event at Baerlic – and you could even bring your kids until 9:00.

“Join us for the first Drink & Draw of 2025! We’re partnering up with our friends, the Digital Dabblers, for a fun night of doodles, sketches, and community. So, dust off that sketchbook — traditional or digital! — grab a friend, and let’s get creative.” (#8)

Woodworker Holiday Market – A very successful annual event and brilliantly tied into their business is summarized in the following paragraphs:

“A few times a year, we design and brew beers destined to lead double lives—first as a brewery fresh beer and second as a beer that will age in oak barrels for months or years at a time. This working of the wood, the evolution of liquid and solid, is the foundation for our ongoing WoodWorker Beer Series and the inspiration for The WoodWorker Holiday Market.

The WoodWorker Holiday Market is a celebration of all things inspired, made and evolving from nature’s most honest material—wood. From furniture to housewares; syrups to aged cheeses; jewelry to pizza; coffee to beer, wood has inspired scores of artisan makers in and around Portland. This is a celebration of them.” (#9 – #10)

Dream Vest Friday – “We don’t know about you, but on Fridays our crew hangs tuff and gets all fancied up in our favorite Denim Vests to celebrate DENIM VEST FRIDAY!!

The Food

I’ll close with the food, which although limited to pizza at Baerlic’s Ranch, is a real plus. It’s an arrangement with Ranch Pizza – another progressive Oregon company which has grown substantially since its inception – “We’ve been cutting corners since 2017.”

They are known for coating their pizza with Ranch Dressing and you could get a side of Ranch for $1.50 or a pint for $9.50, but we were content to get their sausage and ricotta cheese which was thick and delicious.

At the Barley Pod, they have multiple and varied food trucks including Flew the Coop Fried Chicken, which beckons me to visit. At the Northeast Alberta Taproom, they have two food carts.

After visiting over four hundred establishments in my almost fourteen years of Beerchasing, I don’t often get overly enthusiastic about a new one, but “Bear”lic sank its claws into me….

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Baerlic Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/baerlicbrewing/photos/pb.100063710403867.-2207520000/1456263527900039/?type=3)

#2. Baerlic Brewing Facebook Page ((https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=481975337269476&set=a.481975310602812).

#3. Baerlic Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/baerlicbrewing/photos/pb.100063710403867.-2207520000/1867794323413622/?type=3)

#4. Baerlic Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/baerlicbrewing/photos/pb.100063710403867.-2207520000/1734435746749481/?type=3.

#5. Willamette Week ((The First Rule of Baerlic’s Hidden Beer Patio Is Please Talk About Baerlic’s Hidden Beer Patio).

#6. Wikimedia Commons (File:The Linda Lindas – First Avenue – 7-11-2022 – 011.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license – Author: erintheredmc – 11 July 2022.

#7. (StarChefs.com website (StarChefs – Brewers Ben Parsons and Richard Hall of Baerlic Brewing Co. | Portland, OR).

#8. Wacom.com (Drink & Draw With The Digital Dabblers – Wacom Events).

#9. BrewPublic.com (Baerlic Brewing 2018 WoodWorker Holiday Market).

#10. Baerlic Brewing Website (WoodWorker Holiday Market — Baerlic Beer Co).

Let’s Talk Turkey – at Hubers

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Many people in Portland, say a visit to Huber’s Cafe – the City’s oldest bar – should be scheduled during Thanksgiving week. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)

Huber’s, famous for its turkey, however, is a great place to have a drink or combine that with a lunch or dinner any time during the year.

“Established in 1879, Huber’s is Portland’s oldest restaurant. If you visited us in the 1890s, you’d have seen patrons conversing with a drink in one hand and a turkey sandwich in the other. Over 100 years later, we’re still known for our turkey. Along with our traditional turkey dinner, you can expect majestic decor that’s reminiscent of another time.” (Huber’s website)

And that was the case in late January when our walking group had drinks and a wonderful dinner at this historic Portland bistro. Our walking group consists of nine of us who periodically take a several-mile “hike” and then hit a bar or brewery to eat and drink afterwards.

During the bad weather, we still call it “our walking group” but skip the stroll. Since this was a fowl weather day…we decided that Hubers was a good option.

Oh, the History….

I stated “oldest bar“ above because it was founded as the Bureau Saloon in 1879.

Entering Huber’s is an historic encounter, in itself:

“Located in Portland’s historic Pioneer Building, Huber’s contains arched stained-glass skylights, mahogany paneling and terrazzo flooring. Original fixtures such as spittoons, overhead lights, a pewter wine stand, and cash registers, fans, and operable clocks made of brass still remain, reminders of its rich history.” Wikipedia (#2)

Although Huber’s has operated in four different Portland locations, it’s occupied the present space since 1910. Notwithstanding its loyal clientele, the pandemic hit Huber’s with the same intensity that competitor establishments faced.

Take this excerpt from a November 2020 story in the Oregonian entitled, “Huber’s Cafe – Portland’s oldest restaurant imperiled by COVID 19 freeze“. It ends with a quote from James Louie, the co-owner:

“Founded in 1879, the city’s oldest restaurant has survived WWI, the Spanish Flu pandemic, the Great Depression, WWII, the Great Recession and the months of protests that have shuttered many of the surrounding businesses….

‘Huber’s could be history in six months or so. Our lease is up in July 2021. We’ll have to decide by this spring whether to renew it.'”

Jim and David Louie, co-owners (Kerry Eggers.com) (#3)

Fortunately, it weathered the storm and appears to be doing well. We were there on a late Tuesday afternoon and by the time we left, the spacious dining room and bar were packed. That said, the hospitality sector still struggles after the pandemic, especially in Portland.

“‘Sales are improving,’ James says. ‘We’re still not profitable. Even though sales are higher, so are our costs. Products have gone way up. Labor prices have gone up. It is harder to get staffing. We had to raise wages in order to attract employees.’ ” (Kerryeggers.com)

Given it’s long and captivating history with the same family, there are numerous news and related media accounts about Huber’s, however, I would suggest that the most comprehensive and interesting is by Kerry Eggers.

Kerry is a wonderful writer and also one of my favorite Oregon State Beavers – graduating with honors in 1975 after serving as sports editor, managing editor and editor of the school newspaper, The Daily Barometer.

The column is engrossing and you should read it:

“Huber’s is more than just a restaurant — it’s a Portland institution.”

Before I continue with Huber’s, a few more words about Kerry and why you should follow his column – not only for insightful sport stories, but the human-interest narratives.

Don’t overlook his ten print books including my favorite: Civil War Rivalry – Oregon vs. Oregon State. (#4 – #5)

“Kerry Eggers has been writing sports for Portland newspapers since 1975. He worked for the Oregon Journal from 1975-82, at The Oregonian from 1982-2000 and at the Portland Tribune from 2001-2020.

Eggers is a six-time National Sports Media Association’s Oregon Sportswriter of the Year, winning in 1981, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2011 and 2018.” (Kerry.eggers.com)

Below are just a few tidbits from Kerry’s column that I found fascinating. It’s a compelling story not only about a family institution, but Portland’s history.

Co-owners Jim and David are the great nephews of Jim Louie who Frank Huber hired in 1891. Jim Louie had arrived in Portland ten years, earlier, at age eleven as a stowaway on a clipper ship from China.

“When Prohibition hit in 1920, Huber’s nearly closed its doors. But a delegation of Portland citizens urged Jim and Augusta to stay in business by selling the slices of turkey it had previously been serving for free, and the landlord offered easement on rent.

The establishment was converted to a restaurant, with roast turkey as the house specialty, but also expanding the menu to include ham, steaks, veal, lamb chops, pork chops and seafood. During Prohibition, it also operated as a speakeasy, covertly serving Manhattans in coffee cups.”

Spanish Coffee – The Signature Drink (#6)

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“Since 1975, the signature item at Huber’s has been the Spanish coffee. For several years, the waiter theatrically pouring the drinks to customers was James Louie. The Huber’s name is now synonymous with the Spanish coffee flaming drink and James’ name is synonymous with its popularity.

…That’s giving me too much glory,” says James, who got the idea when eating dinner with wife Helen — they were dating at the time — at the Fernwood Inn in Milwaukie. They were served a Spanish coffee tableside, featuring rum and Kahlua and topped off with whipping cream.”

“Before long, Huber’s was being called the ‘Buena Vista of the North,’ referencing San Francisco’s Buena Vista Cafe, the birthplace of Irish coffee in the U.S.”

“James says Huber’s has sold as many as 600 Spanish coffees in one day. The average, he says, is about 250 daily….Because of the Spanish coffee’s popularity, Huber’s is the largest user of Kahlua in the state of Oregon, and one of the largest in the U.S.”

And don’t forget to check out the photo of a 1941 menu in Kerry’s column. The “$1.25 Dinner Special” included:

Oyster, shrimp, crab or fruit cocktail salad
Soup or Salad
A choice of five entree’s
Vegetables and potatoes
Dessert
Coffee, tea or buttermilk

I assume although it wasn’t customary at the time, you would want to do a 20% tip which would be a quarter!

Our Experience

Connor, (photo above) orchestrated the Spanish Coffee ritual at our table. He was excellent and the drink was well worth the $14.50 cost (+ a tip for Connor, of course…)

This description from Willamette Week may be a bit hyperbolic, but it still scrupulously portrays the experience:

“As blue flames swirl in the bottom of each glass, rising to lick its lip, the vested bartender rotates the glasses around each other with a sort of belly dancer’s shimmy. It’s impossible to look away from the flame—pepped up by nutmeg and unaffected by the Kahlua and coffee poured from great heights.

The coffee snakes its way into the glass from as high as three feet above its rim—never spilling even a drop, and never dousing the eternal flame—while the bartender turns, sways and swirls.

By the time the fresh-whipped cream finally blankets the fire, you already feel a little drunk. And that’s before tasting the smoothest, most satisfying Spanish coffee in town.”

And Don’t Forget

While Hubers is known for its turkey, it has other menu items – all worth trying, most notably ham and coleslaw, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu from hamburgers to its Reuben or clam chowder or the Shrimp Louie. And the prices are very reasonable. (#7- #8)

After eating an outstanding barbecue turkey sandwich and coleslaw for just under $20, I was well pleased. And why not stick to one of their turkey dishes such as the hot-turkey sandwich, turkey enchiladas, turkey pot pie or just a drumstick with mashed potatoes (and gravy…) (#9)

Support our Portland Restaurants and Bars

I mentioned above that Huber’s, is recovering, although not abounding in earnings, however, one needs only to travel 1.1 miles away to see a long-term and signature Portland waterfront restaurant – opened in the early 1990’s – now closing permanently.

Portland’s economy is still racking up casualties. According to a March 29th Oregon Live article:

“Neighbors and regulars first heard the news Wednesday, learning from longtime employees that they had been given five-days notice before (McCormick and Schmick’s Harborside at the Marina) imminent closure.” (It’s the last M & S establishment in Portland) (#10 – #11)

And this is not just a typical hospitality sector closure we’ve come to expect – especially in Portland. This one is noteworthy for those who follow Portland’s rich beer history.

As noted by Jeff Alworth’s well-known and respected blog Beervana:

“We learned today that a Portland institution was closing down: McCormick and Schmick’s RiverPlace restaurant. It was once the toast of the town, featuring the best view in the city. It was also the home of Full Sail’s Portland outpost, an important formative location in creating Portland’s beer scene.

The closure of McCormick and Schmick’s is melancholy on its own terms—it was once a piece of Portland’s culinary character. Full Sail was no less a part of the city’s beer character. It was a great place, and John really helped elevate Portland beer. RIP”

Cheers and Happy April

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (File:Turkey dinner.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Mark Miller – 1 January 2014.

#2. Huber’s Facebook page (Huber’s Cafe | Facebook).

#3. Kerry Egger’s.com (Huber’s is more than just a restaurant — it’s a Portland institution — Kerry Eggers).

#4. National Sports Media Association (2019 Awards Banquet | National Sports Media Association).

#5. Annie Bloom’s Bookstore Website (Kerry Eggers presents Jail Blazers | Annie Bloom’s Books (annieblooms.com).

#6. Spanish Coffee ((2) Huber’s Cafe | Facebook).

#7 – #9. Huber’s Café Website (Huber’s – Downtown Portland, Portland, OR (hubers.com).

#10 – #11. McCormick and Smick’s Harborside Restaurant (McCormick & Schmick’s Harborside at the Marina | Facebook).

Head Downtown to Old Town (Pizza and Brewing)

Posted on January 13, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Adam Milne is a creative and savvy entrepreneur.

Adam Milne is a visionary.

And more importantly:

Adam Milne is a great human being!

I first told the story of Adam and his founding of Old Town Pizza and Brewing in two Beerchaser posts from February 2019 entitled New Energy and Ideas at Old Town Brewing | Thebeerchaser:

On his ninth birthday, Adam first visited Old Town Pizza which was owned by the Accaurdi family who opened it in 1974.

“It was in the historic Merchant Hotel in Old Town and a hub for like-minded people with a radical agenda. It stood as a beacon for the local community; a place to break bread and enjoy your neighbor.” (Old Town Brewery website)

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

As stated in my first blog post:

“That visit had an impact and demonstrates this young entrepreneur’s vision since he bought Old Town Pizza in 2003 when he was only in his early thirties – 33 to be exact.

…..He subsequently expanded to NE Portland on NE Martin Luther King Blvd in 2008, where he built the brewery and pub. Assistance came in the form of a low-interest loan from the Portland Development Commission in its effort to promote enterprise close-in NE Portland.” (#2)

In those posts, I didn’t cover the initial location in Portland’ Old Town, and in light of some recent developments at the original site along with Adam’s own goals, I’ll tell you about them in two new posts.

But first a little background from my prior visits with Adam at the NE Portland location in 2019. Two Oregonian articles in early and mid-2023 and an interview I had with Adam at the spot last July expand on the story.

I was joined on that visit by his fraternity brother from the Sigma Nu house at the University of Oregon for four years – Carson Bowler. (You will hear more about this outstanding environmental and natural resources lawyer later.)

Carson was a colleague for many years when we both worked at the Schwabe law firm.

Thebeerchaser, Carson and Adam in July

Have things been easy for this guy who is now in his early fifties? Adam’s example is similar to many craft brewing owners – ups and downs and long hours to both become and stay successful. Many have not made it. Adam has!

From the prior blog post:

“In 2003, to raise the capital to purchase Old Town Pizza, Adam mortgaged the equity in his home and sold a rental house to make the down payment. Only one month into the new venture, their primary refrigerator went out – they had no cash to replace it.

He had to buy all new refrigeration and new pizza ovens. When I asked how they resolved it, Adam chuckled and said, ‘I suppose that’s what credit cards are for!’” (#3)

A deal – on credit!

Then there was the fire upstairs at the NE brewpub in 2012, which resulted in closure of the pub for about three weeks. (He continued to pay his staff during the closure.)

And, as evidence that the City of Portland’s questionable decisions did not just start with the pandemic, in Old Town Brewing – Part II | Thebeerchaser, I chronicled, in part, Adam’s unbelievable battle over the trademark issue:

“….an example of bad judgment on the part of the City – an ill-advised bureaucratic foray which drew the ire of the micro-craft community, business groups and those who value common sense….. (#4 – #5)

Many citizens wondered why Portland was taking on this small business when Old Town Brewing had applied and been granted the image for its logo by the US Patent Office. Moreover, Milne had come to the City offering to compromise before the fight escalated.”

Adam said that he views the stag logo as a symbol of unity and pride. Intellectual Property law can be very technical but for an interesting and detailed account of the legal issues involved, check out Jeff Alworth’s blog Beervana:

“Have you heard the one about the big brewery that sends the little brewery a cease-and-desist letter for trademark infringement? Of course you have….A little brewery owned a valid, long-standing trademark, but a deep-pocketed large city refused to acknowledge it and told the little guys they planned to license the disputed image to AB InBev.”

“https://www.beervanablog.com/beervana/2017/11/13/the-city-of-portland-versus-old-town-brewing

Adam and the City settled in 2018 and Old Town can continue to use the logo for five years and the agreement will have to be renewed to avoid future litigation.

https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2018/01/22/local-brewery-wins-battle-with-city-hall-over-leaping-stag-trademark/

Photos from the NE Pub and Brewery

Things were going well in 2018 and 2019, as Adam stated on their website:

“2018 was incredibly fun and certainly the most memorable year for us to date. We kicked off with a major rebrand of our company, canned our first brews, made it through a dispute that brought our community together and forever changed the way we hold our love and admiration for this industry.

We started our videos series, collaborated with some of the most amazing and talented people, drank amazing beer and celebrated…“

Beer Awards

OTB had received numerous awards for its beers in previous years. The honors continued in 2019 with three medals at the Best of Craft Beer Awards in Bend where brewers from 33 states competed.

The list of awards for OTB beer is extensive and the styles of beer garnering awards very diverse as can be seen from this link:

https://www.otbrewing.com/dock-sales

And not only did they have excellent traditional beers, but their experimental beers gained a lot of attention – OTB’s Mushroom Ale. Take this review from Ratebeer.com.

“Not only does this beer give you an experience that I can guarantee you’ve never had, it also tastes amazing. Like drinking carbonated maple syrup with a touch of umami character. Amazing.” (#6)

https://www.pdxmonthly.com/articles/2015/8/5/old-town-brewing-mushrooming

Adam has a tradition of thinking outside the keg. For example, OTB started delivering beer by bicycle in 2012:

“We were the first brewery in America to do that based on our research. I had the idea and called the Oregon Liquor Control Commission who expressed doubt it was legal. They called back and said they all met and couldn’t find a reason it was illegal.”

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/portland-brewery-delivering-beer-on-bikes-149010975.html (#7)

The Pandemic

But Adam joined the ranks of countless small business owners – most notably those in the hospitality industry in 2020. That’s when the global pandemic hit small businesses, but especially those in the hospitality sector, like a contagious sledge hammer.

At one point in late 2021, his receipts in the original location for the day were $17 and he made the difficult decision to temporarily close that location. After eighteen months, it reopened five days per week in 2022. The NE Pub continued to operate during that hiatus.

So how did Adam react to that setback and what are his plans for the future – not only for his own enterprise, but for the city he loves:

“But Milne is a self-described and unapologetic optimist, and where some see a reason to turn out the lights, he sees motivation to add wattage.

‘I wanted to come out of the pandemic and really be a part of the solution to making Portland better,’ Milne said. ‘So we started with that. How can we be a positive voice for Portland?’” The Oregonian – Andre Meunier 2/22/23

Stay tuned for the next post of Thebeerchaser and you will find out the encouraging answer(s) to that question. (#8 – #9)

Great beer and great food!

Oh yes, one parting shot:

Unfortunately, Adam Milne and Carson Bowler are both U of O Ducks. Go Beavs! Go PAC2!

Cheers

External Photo Attributions

#1 -2. Old Town Brewing Website (Old Town Brewing (otbrewing.com).

#3. Wikimedia Commons (File:Nevera Philco, año 1950, Museo del Pueblo de Asturias, 01.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Malopez_21 – 10 September 2019.

#4. Wikimedia Commons (File:Portland, Oregon sign + Old Town tower, 2012.JPG – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Another_Believer – 8 January 2012.

#5. Old Town Brewing Website (About Us — Old Town Brewing (otbrewing.com))

#6. – #9 Old Town Brewing Website (https://www.otbrewing.com/beers)

Chuck Another One (Medal) Up for Chuckanut…

Posted on December 4, 2022 by Thebeerchaser

Breaking News!

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

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

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

That Said…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And so the story of Chuckanut begins in 2008!”

Beerchasing Companion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why is Chuckanut Notable?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Space at P.Nut

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chuckanut P.Nut Beer Hall

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

Cheers!

External Photo Attribution

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

10150266616630072/10165515874085072)

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

0CA8QjhxqFwoTCLiypIvU4PsCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jumping in June

Posted on June 10, 2022 by Thebeerchaser

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

I’m still not fully back in the groove on exploits to new bars and breweries although I still have a few visited in the last few months to write-up, but first wanted to throw out a few miscellaneous topics which may be of interest. These include dogs, the Dirty Shame Saloon and its former owner, John Runkle along with his new venture) and the Benedictine Brewery.

Grand-puppies!

Janet and I during the forty-three years we’ve been married, have never had a pet. That said, our two daughters and their spouses each had wonderful dogs and they became our “Grand-puppies.” We always looked forward to our visits with Sullivan – a wonderful thirteen-year old Havanese and Wesley – a beautiful six-year old Golden Retriever.

First there was “Sully Bear.” He always waited with anticipation at the window for his “parents” to come home and was the ultimate lap dog – he loved to cuddle.

Wesley loved to run and swim especially at the river and the beach. A big dog, but he was always gentile with the babies at his house.

Both dogs were wonderful with our granddaughters and both loved the beach. They also got along very well with each other at family gatherings.

We were grief-stricken on March 10, 2021, when Wesley, after a few cardiac episodes, died of a heart-attack. Exactly one year later, his “brother” Sullivan succumbed to multiple health issues based on his advanced years. The memorial stones below will always provide memories of these wonderful members of our family.

A Resurrection, of Sorts

Followers of Thebeerchaser know that I was captivated in the fall of 2019 with my two and one-half day visit to The Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak Montana where I thoroughly enjoyed my interaction with its charismatic owner, John Runkle – one of this blog’s memorable Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter.

The Shame remains my favorite bar visited in the eleven years of Beerchasing as reflected in the multiple blog posts needed to relate the rich history and stories of the fabled watering hole.

Thus, when John announced last year that he was selling the bar, I was downcast, thinking about how the many and robust fables which still lingered within the log walls of the bar would be lost – the second-hand smoke is largely gone….) . Now why should I be maudlin about a dive bar – 514 miles (8 hours and 38 minutes) – from my home in Oregon closing when I’ve visited and reviewed almost 400 incredible bars and breweries in the last eleven years?

Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes???

Perhaps the short description excerpted from Joan Melcher’s first book “Watering Hole – A User’s Guide to Montana Bars” written in 1983 conveys some of that emotion:

“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.”

It brought to mind the song “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” by my favorite country-western singer, the late George Jones – (Okay maybe a little overdramatic, but remember, I’m Thebeerchaser!)

“Who’s gonna fill their shoes?
Who’s gonna stand that tall?
Who’s gonna give their heart and soul
To get to me and you?
Lord, I wonder who’s gonna fill their shoes?

Yes, I wonder who’s gonna fill their shoes?”

George Jones Asked the Rhetorical Question! *1

Would the out-of-state buyers, who also purchased the Yaak River Tavern across the street, retain the trappings described, in part, in my second blog post on the Shame:

“…a large rifle, cowboy boots, an old wood stove, a pool table and Fox News on the big screen TV over the bar. (The bullet holes in the wall when John bought it, from its hard-core biker days were removed after John bought it.) Two bottles of MD 20-20 wine prominently displayed on a shelf and which John says dates back to 1978.”

And the stories are incredible….even the more recent ones such as that reported in a December 1, 2017 edition of The Missoulian about a Saturday night incident which John described in an e-mail to me when I told him I was coming to Yaak:

“Don, you will see an article where a guy went nuts in the Dirty Shame with an AR-15 and you will also see the video of me bear spraying him and his brother trying to fight their way back into the bar and another video embedded in that article showing him running around the parking lot trying to shoot me through the window and then almost shooting his brother in the head.

It was a crazy night. The Dirty Shame is truly still the Wild Wild West.”

Then there’s the tales related to the Shame involving the Yaak River Road murderers, the “Crack Pillow” or how I was privileged to meet two personable and well-mannered relatives of Chevie Keyhole, the leader of the infamous Keyhoe Gang. (Chevie is now serving three life sentences in Florence Prison – known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies” – in Colorado.) There are too many others to relate.

Murderer and White Supremist – now “rehabilitating” at the Alcatraz of the West….*2

The Dirty Shame was a community in itself and a key part of the Yaak locale. What would replace its role in events like the Adult Easter Egg Hunt, the Sasquatch Festival and the Crawfish Festival which involved other attractions such as The Big Foot Run, a mechanical bull, a giant inflatable Sasquatch and the Ceremonial Leg-Shaving to name a few.

(The Dirty Shame has not reopened at this time and who knows what the new owners are doing to the interior of the bar.)

What would John, a former Army paratrooper and instructor, successful real estate firm owner and entrepreneur-at-heart do? I couldn’t see him as Mayor of Yaak or another elected office – except possibly Governor of Montana…or talk-show radio host or land developer of environmentally responsible communities. It should be noted that helping raise their three young children will significantly occupy what he self-describes as “the oldest and proudest dad in the World!”

Fortunately, that question has been answered – at least for a time. John didn’t sell the Lodge and now — the Hungry Hunter Saloon – within the confines of that edifice opened just before Memorial Day – it’s already having live music and events! As John told me in a phone conversation this morning, “We’re rocking.”

He has some of the same crew who worked at the Dirty Shame including Darilyn. Of course the “Montana Motif” as John described it, is present with taxidermy, artifacts of the West and even a skunk hanging over the bathroom doors. There’s a long bar which seats twelve people made of yellow poplar from back east – people love it! With its tables, the Hungry Hunter can accommodate about sixty people. (Photos *3-5)

During my time in Yaak, I stayed in the Wolf Room at the Yaak River Lodge, where I had great conversations with John (besides those over beer at the bar) and reveled in the breakfasts featuring unforgettable blueberry pancakes.

The Lodge remains intact other than the bunkhouse which slept twelve. There’s an added benefit to the bar. Those imbibing too heavily at the bar can just walk down the hall and rack out in the Wolf Room or one of the other rooms – all with character – then wake up in the morning to the smell of bacon and take the short walk to the dining room for pancakes, hashbrowns, eggs and bacon with unlimited Folger’s Coffee.

944915_10151789883094928_1934453164_n

John also bought two food trucks – one that serves tacos, Philly cheese steaks, etc. (also to go) and a larger one to supplement the kitchen. And their prices are very reasonable!!

John’s wife, Dallas, who is a dedicated teacher and counselor is teaching in Washington and the family has moved east of Yakima. John has been commuting regularly to Yaak and will spend most of the summer there. (Photo *6-7)

Stay tuned for more stories about the Hungry Hunter and see the connection between the picture of John and Don with Benedictine Beer I presented to him in 2019, relates to the next segment of this post.

The Benedictine Brewery – More Accolades!

I’ve mentioned this wonderful Benedictine Monk – owned and operated – brewery many times and was fortunate enough to be involved in the planning before it opened in the fall of 2018. Fr. Martin Grassel, the Procurator (CFO) of the Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary – a former software engineer before seminary, is also the General Manager and Head Brewer of the enterprise – one reason he gets by on very little sleep because his primary dedication is being a Benedictine Monk.

Notwithstanding a number of skeptics, the Brewery and St. Michael Taproom have soared since the erection of the structure in November, 2017 at an old fashioned “barn raising”, where over 125 monks, priests, seminarians and members of the Mount Angel community started in the morning with a concrete slab.

Bolstered by a wonderful buffet lunch, by the end of the day, the frame of the structure was completed. (Be sure to check out the amazing videos in this Beerchaser post “Beam Me Up.”

The Brewery’s motto – “Taste and Believe” – was in full force from the inception. Since that time, the beautiful Taproom has been extended with an expansive patio and Fr. Martin has increased his beer offerings – now about ten on tap including the original Black Habit.

He has developed, not only a local, but a regional following for his excellent beer and people repeatedly clamor for its availability – now only at the Brewery itself or the Abbey Bookstore – a short walk away on the beautiful Abbey Hillside.

Unfortunately, one of the other Monk-owned Breweries – Spencer Brewery – in Massachusetts, which was formed by the Trappist Monks eight years ago, just announced it was closing due to financial reasons. With that closure, there will be only four ongoing monk-owned breweries in the US.

Jeff Alworth, prolific author and one of the nation’s leading beer experts (shown below at the Benedictine structure-raising in 2017) posted a very informative piece on his Beervana Blog entitled, “The Beer Market is Rough – Even for Monks.” It contrasts the business plan of Spencer Brewery with Fr. Martin’s successful strategy. Jeff also did a subsequent post entitled “Benedictine Brewery Thriving – both are good articles.

And furthering the exposure of Fr. Martin and his brewery, internationally recognized micro-craft industry consultant, Sam Holloway, who is also a full professor at the University of Portland, posted an outstanding nine-minute video interview of Fr. Martin on his “Crafting a Strategy” site. (*10-12)

Sam is President of CAS which is:

“.. a learning community which pursues understanding oneself, the industry and business strategy while combining the three wisely to craft a business. We provide a platform for members in communities to engage with others as they learn.”

Sam gave us some meaningful advice during the planning stages in 2016, and has been a good friend of the Brewery since that time. Fr. Martin is a devoted follower of the CAS site and it has enhanced his brewery and business acumen.

Expect to hear more good reports on Fr. Martin and the Benedictine Brewery going forward!

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

*1. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons –https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Jones.jpg) This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Secisek at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide.

*2 Southern Poverty Law Center: (https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2013/two-members-notorious-kehoe-family-arrested-again)

* 3-5+8 Hungry Hunter Saloon Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/hungryhuntersaloon (religionunplugged.com)

* 6-7 Runkle Facebook Pages (https://www.facebook.com/john.runkle.73) (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100017127797846)

*9 Spencer Brewery Facebook

* 10-12 Crafting a Strategy Website (https://craftingastrategy.com/)

Contemplating Life and Beer in the Fall

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Thebeerchaser

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

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

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

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

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

And Then There’s Gimmicks

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

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

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

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

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

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

Focus on the Basics

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

At the Benedictine Brewery Structure Raising

His comments about styles in The Beer Bible are edifying:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More on ABV

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And Speaking of Giving Someone Else Your Keys…

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

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

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

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

And Finally….

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

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

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

In any event, drink responsibly and drive carefully.

Cheers

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

Go Beavs! Beat the WSU Cougs.

External Photo Attribution

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

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

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

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

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

The Benedictine Brewery – “Beam” Me Up

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Thebeerchaser

The slab at the start of the day

On Saturday morning, November 11th, the future Benedictine Brewery and Taproom started as a concrete slab adjacent to the Mount Angel Abbey Hilltop, which is also the home of the Mount Angel Seminary.

By the end of the day, there was a structural frame with six bents ( two-dimensional transverse rigid frames and the building blocks that define the overall shape and character of a structure) using 14,000 board feet of Douglas Fir timber harvested from the Abbey tree farm. And the next monumental step for this project – in the planning stages since 2012 – was taken.

Project Manager and Director of Enterprises, Chris Jones

Chris Jones, on the Abbey staff and a key player in the planning and construction, arrived at the site before the sun rose at 5:00 A.M. to contemplate what lay ahead for the almost one hundred volunteers. They worked under the direction of the professionals from New Energy Works and participated in the modern-day equivalent of an old-fashioned barn raising. As Chris stated that day:

“This raising is a ton of right in a wrong-way world. Yeah, it fits right in with the mission of the brewery (support the Abbey, local charities and local economics), but it’s a lot more than that. It feels like making a change for good and right – one community step at a time.”

A little over one-half mile away, the monks were participating in their first of five prayer services that day, before many of them would join the seminarians and residents of the City of Mt. Angel when the work started at 9:00 AM. (The monks have “divine office” five times per day plus the Eucharist).

The beautiful chapel on the Abbey Hilltop

As inspiration, workers could see the impressive spire of the beautiful St. Mary’s Catholic Church visible through the Abbey’s adjacent hop fields. (And Fr. Philip Waibel, OSB, pastor of the church was among those at the Timber Raising that day.) The 350 acres of hops owned by the Abbey will be a source of the ingredients used in brewing Benedictine beer.

The steeple at St. Marys Catholic Church

The timber was milled through Hull-Oakes Lumber Company from Monroe – a family business founded in 1937 that specializes in cutting big timbers.

Another important firm which made the structure possible is Withers Lumber from Brooks – a family owned full service local lumber company with ties to Woodburn, Silverton and Mount Angel among other Oregon communities.

John Gooley, represented Withers (he’s worked there for forty-two years) that day and was a wealth of information.

A team effort by volunteers

To see the first bent raised by the group, check out the video I took below. Remarkable!

John told me that there were 305 pieces of wood that were joined for the structure. Besides the 14,000 for the structural components, another 11,000 board feet of lumber was used for the siding and the tongue and grove boards for the top of the structure. It will also be used for the actual bar in the Taproom. It took seven truckloads of logs for the Brewery and Taproom and additional load that went in exchange to the plywood mill.

Besides the source of the wood, there was another unusual aspect of the construction process:

“The timber was harvested, cut, dried, milled using mortise and tenon joinery, which is secured with wooden pegs — an age-old traditional craft — and prepared for a seamless, no-hammer, no-saw construction.” http://www.capitalpress.com/Orchards/20171113/unique-brewery-raising-at-abbey

Mallets rather than hammers and nails….

The volunteers that day know that there labor will be “captured” in the structure for its duration based on the fact that all were encouraged by John Gooley to sign the pegs that secured the bents before they were put in place. Thebeerchaser eagerly participated.

Thebeerchaser signing a peg

When completed in the spring of 2018, the 3,000 square foot Brewery and Taproom will house a five-barrel brewing system including boil kettles, burners, a heat exchanger, fermenters, chillers, bottle conditioners and related equipment such as siphons, pumps and hoses.

The building’s architect is Henry Fitzgibbon of Soderstrom, a leading Portland firm founded in 1984 and which has done work for many faith-based communities and educational institutions. Henry donated many hours on the Brewery project and is one of the many skilled professionals without whose contributions this venture would not have been possible. https://sdra.com/henry-fitzgibbon-2/

Henry Fitizgibbon

Conceptual drawing of finished Brewery and Taproom

In fact, Fitzgibbon’s most recent project has been designing a basilica for the tiny village of Kibeho, in southern Rwanda, after being approached by author Immaculee Ilibagiza; who saw work he had performed in Mount Angel at the Abbey. http://sdra.com/interview-with-henry-fitzgibbon/

This blog has previously featured the remarkable story of Father Martin Grassel, O.S.B., the Head Brewer at Benedictine and under whose vision this project has come to fruition. Father Martin, who is also Procurator (essentially the Chief Financial Officer) at the Abbey was featured as the most recent Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter.

Father Martin with his current on-site brewing equipment at the historic Abbey “fort.”

He is a remarkable man with a unique story and background as a software engineer before his journey of faith and service brought him to the Mount Angel Abbey

https://thebeerchaser.com/2017/07/26/father-martin-grassel

Notwithstanding the almost continuous showers during the previous week the sun shone brightly in the morning as the work started. And the video below shows the remarkable process for raising each bent. (It may also be one of the few times you see monks wearing hard hats and jeans rather than their traditional black habits,)

New Energy Works, which has offices or shops in McMinnville, Portland and two locations in New York, conducts these public raisings all over the country – from private residences to barns to larger commercial buildings and they usually draw a crowd. And what a dynamic and environmentally conscious company it is.

They co-designed the building and designed the first layout and timber frame.

Father Martin – right – with the Jonathan Orpin from New Energy

As you will see from the video below in which the largest timber section – 80 feet in length, requiring forty workers was raised, Jonathan Orpin, the President of New Energy was the equivalent of land-based coxswain for his “crew” team. His enthusiasm and energy was inspiring to all present.

New Energy even supplied a drone to memorialize the action that day. You should check out the video below for a “start-to-finish aerial view. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psEJsPahTfM&t=130s

Cab Construction of Mt. Angel was the general contractor and Chris Bischoff, the owner, was at the raising all day working both on the ground and in the rafters…..

Cab Construction – the general contractor

That day was also the occasion of the first prayer in the Benedictine Brewery and Taproom – held at noon before we ate and in lieu of the standard noon-day prayer in the wonderful Abbey chapel. Fr. Vincent Trujillo, O.S.B., the Prior of the Abbey, led the service which was “uplifting” – very consistent with the theme that day! The monks sang and were joined by the other participants. See the video below:

At noon, in the tradition of historic barn raisings, there was a feast for the workers and attendees, prepared under the direction of the Abbey’s Chef Paul Lieggi. His spread of delicious barbecued chicken, baked beans, potato salad and green salad boosted the energy and spirits of the workers.

Chef Paul prepares…but not pig stomach…..

Research on the menu for historic barn raisings revealed that the traditional menu was often slightly different than ours that day, most notably for the main course. In Amish and Mennonite communities Pig Stomach was often the main course at these events. In case you want to try this yourself:

“Remove the inner lining of the stomach and discard. Wash stomach well and than soak in salt water several hours. Drain and fill stomach with stuffing. Sew securely.

Use recipe for filling……Place stuffed stomach in a large roasting pan and bake at 350 for 3 hours. Serve with gravy made by adding flour and water to drippings in roasting pan.” http://oldfashionedliving.com/barnraising.html

Although there are goats and sheep raised on Abbey property, fortunately pigs are not part of the livestock……

Beer expert and volunteer, Jeff Alworth

There were a number of print and social media reps and there covering the event. One of them is a well-known Northwest beer expert and writer, Portland’s Jeff Alworth, who first wrote about plans for the Benedictine Brewery back in 2014 in his excellent blog – Beervana. Jeff was there for the entire day with a hard hat on and actively participating.

His books include The Secret of Master Brewers and his award-winning comprehensive guide to beer, The Beer Bible. Jeff also writes a weekly column for All About Beer Magazine and co-hosts the Beervana Podcast, where he and Oregon State University economics professor Patrick Emerson discuss beer and the economics of beer.

The Benedictine saints Bonifatius, Gregorius the Great, Adelbertus of Egmond and priest Jeroen van Noordwijk (Circa 1529-30)

The legacy of Benedictine beer goes back to the Middle Ages:

““….when local water supplies were rife with disease, monks brewed beer as a way to sanitize the water and also produce a libation to serve guests who sought refuge….Beer was an important part of their diets, particularly because it could be consumed as a source of nourishment during Lenten feasts.” (Catholic Sentinel 2/21/14)

The Benedictine Brewery at Mount Angel will be the first monastery west of the Mississippi, and one of only two or three in the US, that does its development, major production, and taproom service on-site, with monks doing the brewing and running their own operation.

And the vision for this venture transcends the goal of making quality beer. As Father Martin eloquently wrote in a recent missive:

” To say it should be a place of hospitality and welcome and family-friendliness would be too shallow. I want it to be a place where people are more than just welcome: I want a place where they will feel blessed, where they will feel the peace of the Abbey, where they will encounter faith in an inviting and non-threatening way, where they will want to come back because of the spiritual atmosphere.”

Although the on-site brewery will not be completed until March, the Benedictine Brewery already has a record of producing great beer although much of it is done on a contract basis through nearby Seven Brides Brewery in Silverton. (Some of us chuckle at the irony of monks brewing at Seven Brides)!

The flagship beer is appropriately named “Black Habit”, and has sold out multiple times at the Mount Angel Octoberfest. Another of the beers garnering good reviews is the St. Benedictine Farmhouse Ale. Black Habit was first brewed with the help of the Oregon State University Fermentation Program. (Go Beavs!)

It is hoped that people traveling to the Taproom to taste the Benedictine Beer will also visit the Abbey Hilltop – a place of beauty and hospitality founded in 1882 and with a noted museum, expansive library and great bookstore.

And for a memorial experience, attend Vespers – almost every day of the year at 5:15 where you will be inspired by hearing the monks sing. Thebeerchaser is not of the Catholic faith, but has valued each time I sit in the beautiful chapel for this service.

And until the Taproom opens next spring, don’t hesitate to stop by the Bookstore and pick up a case of Black Habit or one of the other Benedictine beers on sale. It will bring new meaning to the Brewery’s slogan – “Taste and Believe.”

Thebeerchaser’s Note: As followers of this blog know, I started Thebeerchaser’s Tour of Bars, Taverns and Pubs in August 2011, (with the blessing of my spouse of 38 years, Janet) after retiring as the Chief Operating Officer at the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt firm where I worked for twenty-five years of my career.

I became involved with the Benedictine Brewery about eighteen months ago as a member of the Brewery Advisory Committee at the invitation of its chair, Stephen Zimmer.

After getting to know the people in the Abbey and its Foundation and given the unique story and mission of the Brewery, I decided to take a more active volunteer role in helping to set up the business operations until a general manager is hired in four to six months. This project is the epitome of a collaborative effort of individuals, companies and the Mt. Angel community.I chuckle at some of the similarities between the law firm and the monastery. Both are wonderful organizations, filled with intelligent, passionate individuals devoted to their profession and both organizations are consensus-based in making decisions. The primary difference is that lawyers do not wear habits and don’t get up at 5:00 AM and pray in church six times each day!

Thebeerchaser

Bars, Breweries and Watering Holes – An Exploration

Tag Archives: Jeff Alworth Beervana Blog

Baerlic Brewing – It’s Not Just the Barley!

Let’s Talk Turkey – at Hubers

Head Downtown to Old Town (Pizza and Brewing)

Chuck Another One (Medal) Up for Chuckanut…

Jumping in June

Contemplating Life and Beer in the Fall

The Benedictine Brewery – “Beam” Me Up