May Meanderings

Posted on May 21, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

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

Pappy’s – That’s all there is to it!

This is a blog about bars, saloons and breweries – colloquially labeled as “watering holes” – not bistros or cafes. I’ve made a few exceptions where a great bar is located within a restaurant, but only for those of historic significance.

These have essentially been restricted to the McMenamin establishments which reek of history – the White Eagle Saloon, the St. John’s Pub, the Old Church and the Fulton Pub.

The following is an exception, however, because of the compelling character of both the bistro and the owner. It’s not a bar – I don’t even know if they serve any alcohol, but Pappy’s Greasy Spoon in the heart of Canby – a small town in semi-rural Clackamas County about twenty-five miles south of Portland – is a destination I would unequivocally recommend.

And it’s not that often when the charisma and personality of the owner are so integrated with the overall character of the bar, that it becomes a focal point and the highlight of the visit.

Those I remember from my eleven years of Beerchasing are John Runkle of the Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak, Montana and the others all in or near Portland.

There’s Adam Milne, the entrepreneurial owner of Portland’s Old Town Brewing; the late Mayor Bud Clark and his unforgettable Goose Hollow Inn and former Irish soap opera actor, Tom O’Leary, the owner of T.C. O’Leary’s.

I can’t forget amiable Amy Nichols of the Cheerful Tortoise and Cheerful Bullpen; the inimitable Frank “The Flake” Peters of the Grand Cafe (RIP) and last but not least Patrick Whitmore, the generous and down-home, cowboy-hat wearing owner of the Beavercreek Saloon (formerly Buffalo Bill’s and Kissin Kate’s in rural Clackamas County.)

I heard the stories of the grit and determination it took to open and manage their bars from each of the individuals above and pictured below, while I was at their establishments and they were unique and rewarding to hear.

Beerchasing Icons

From top left clockwise: John Runkle, Adam Milne, Tom O’Leary, Frank Peters, Patrick Whitmore, Amy Nichols and Mayor Bud Clark

However, on my May 4th birthday, I met another icon like those above – this one at Pappy’s Greasy Spoon where I had breakfast with two former work colleagues – Dick Templeman and Walt Duddington.

Dick, who is now retired in Canby, was the first manager (Director of Operations) I hired when I started working at the Schwabe law firm in 1985. We worked together until I retired in 2010 and he was outstanding at his job.

Walt was a skilled technology consultant, who saved our bacon on a number of projects. And speaking of bacon, see below.

Pappy came over and spent twenty minutes relating his story and just chatting with us – at the end being joined by his wife, Lisa. But first he thanked Dick for supporting the business during the pandemic years when takeout was the only option much of the time.

While you can get an excellent burger or fried chicken sandwich with a milk shake before their 2:00 PM closing time, the specialty is breakfast of “generous” portions which Pappy’s starts serving at 6:00 A.M.

Before telling you more about Pappy’s and maybe out of a sense of guilt, I should tell you about my breakfast that day as it probably shortened my life by several years. That said, I would do it again.

The Riley Special for only $9.00, is two eggs, four strips of bacon (or sausage), hash browns (or red potatoes) and two slices of toast (with jam). At least I didn’t have the biscuits and gravy…but as a recent article in Oregon Life stated:

“:…this isn’t a place for those who are counting calories or watching their cholesterol. This is classic American diner food in its truest form. “

Birthday bacon, itself, is worth remembering but as stated in one of the many articles:

“But what makes Pappy’s truly exceptional is Pappy himself (whose real name is Mike Merrill), who’s owned and run the diner for over 20 years and absolutely loves what he does.

The business originally started in a bowling alley, Canby Bowl, which has since closed down and has been replaced with an O’Reilly Auto Parts.” (Oregon Live 4/18/23)

Photo May 04 2023, 9 44 39 AM

Pappy told us that he and his first wife moved to Oregon from New Hampshire. He’s had the business for over twenty years. Walking into Pappy’s is taking a trip back to the classic diners of the 50’s.

The long counter with red stools reminded me of the drugstore where I used to get nickel Cokes after my Oregon Journal paper route in Oregon City was finished.

And speaking of Coca Cola, much of the memorabilia (which he states is about 90% donated – even some from the East Coast) is Coke related.

There’s numerous Coke signs, a clock, an upside umbrella hanging from the ceiling and best of all, an antique Coke cooler which I assume still functions because there are current bottles of Coke underneath it.

Don’t forget the Aunt Jemima sign and the photos of celebrities’ ranging from Elvis to Nat King Cole to Danny Thomas and Al Hirt to name just a few.

Pappy stares out from galley where he cooks hundreds of breakfasts each week and periodically walks out like an army general to greet his customers who are already being giving loving attention by his servers including Lisa.

He told us that his first wife died a number of years ago from an extended illness, but Lisa, who was working as a server became a friend and then a perfect match. They were married about five years ago.

Dick said the wedding was held in a large vacant room down the hallway, but the reception was in the diner:

“Marilyn and I attended along with half the town. It was standing room only. Fun time.”

Pappy’s is well worth a visit, but it may require a wait. It’s worth it!

Pandemic Recovery Challenges Continue

In my last two posts I wrote about the number of bars and breweries that struggled during the pandemic and listed a number of my favorites which are no longer in business.

One would think the challenges are largely past, however, the City of Portland unfortunately and to the detriment of business owners, has not recovered to the extent of other major US cities.

While it’s easy to point fingers and there have been unprecedented challenges, most citizens feel that elected officials, most notably the Portland Mayor and City Council and the District Attorney of Multnomah County fell down on the job. Don’t forget the last Oregon Governor’s constant equivocation on COVID closure and occupancy policies for hospitality establishments.

P1030537 (2)

One of my favorite historic Portland dive bars I first visited in 2015 is Kelly’s Olympian. A May 10, 2023 Willamette Week article is entitled, “The Owner of Kelly’s Olympian Is Despondent About the Fentanyl Den Across the Street”:

“Since it opened in 1902, Kelly’s Olympian, the bar on Southwest Washington Street, has survived two world wars, the Depression, Prohibition, the Great Recession, the 2020 protests and COVID-19.

It’s an open question whether it will survive the fentanyl den across the street between 4th and 5th avenues.”

When I visited Kelly’s, the scene was typical of that until the pandemic – people sitting at picnic tables in front of the bar, a few motorcycles parked out front by patrons who wanted to see the vintage collection of the machines inside and a friendly, engaged and diverse crowd at the bar as described in this Zagat Review:

”a mix of punks, business types and ‘street urchins’ gathers for Pabst and ‘strong’ pours of Jack Daniels….”

And there would always be crowds to enjoy the bands who played there several times each week. At one point, Kelly’s was purported to have the second highest liquor sales of any establishment in Oregon.

But what attracted many people – both regulars and visitors – were the unique trappings of the bar. Hanging from the ceiling were about a dozen vintage motorcycles which had each been beautifully restored.

Adding to the flavor were museum quality neon signs, antique gas pumps and historic photos of Portland and an old-fashioned pinball machine.

Our friendly bartender, Mary Kate, when we asked about the bar’s history, showed us the trap door behind the bar and the stairway down to the cellar which although they are now boarded up, used to have a maze of “Shanghai” tunnels:

“Legend has it that there used to be several secret entrances to the Shanghai Tunnels, Chinese immigrants and dockworkers lived and made their way about the underground of Portland.” Kelly’s Olympian website

P1030756 (2)

It should be noted that not all of downtown currently Portland presents the same picture as the area around Kelly’s Olympian. As stated in the Willamette Week article, the times of prosperity have changed:

“Kelly’s is hanging on ‘by a string,’ says owner Ben Stutz. Blight, crime and untreated mental illness and addiction in downtown Portland are driving customers away, and Stutz is spending $15,000 a month on full-time security guards for Kelly’s and tenants on the floors above

…I would like more police patrols. Just walk the street. Go in and deal with people. Make it uncomfortable for people to break the law. I’d also like to see the governor get some State Police and National Guard out here like they’re doing in San Francisco.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is not what you’d call a bleeding heart. He took a look at San Francisco and said, ‘We can’t have this happen.’ But our governor isn’t doing that. The mayor talks about a reset. The governor needs to talk about a reset too.”

Next time you are in Portland stop at have a beer or whiskey at Kelly’s and tell them you’re glad they’re still going. And ask to see the trap door behind the bar!

But Let’s End on a More Uplifting and Ethereal Note!

Those who follow Thebeerchaser know that my favorite brewery is Mount Angel Oregon’s Benedictine Brewery – on the grounds of the Mt. Angel Abbey. The Brewery is one of only three in the US owned and operated by Benedictine monks.

I was fortunate to get involved in the planning and development in 2016 until the Brewery and St. Michael’s Taproom Taproom opened in November 2018.

It has been extremely successful and Fr. Martin Grassel, the Head Brewer, has developed a regional following for his excellent beers. ( External photo attribution is at the end of the post. #1)

344802021_629864725241498_6362897291403019954_n

Recently, he was featured in an episode of “The Beer Hour with Jonathan Wakefield.” The episode covers a wide variety of topics, from the history of monastic brewing to monastic formation and Fr. Martin’s vocation story, to the origins of the Benedictine Brewery.

Since it’s 53 minutes long, I was just going to listen for about ten minutes, but got hooked and listened to the entire thing. He’s a good storyteller!

The Beer Hour with Johnathan Wakefield: Benedictine Brewery’s Father Martin Grassel on Apple Podcasts

But I want to end this post – not with a review of a watering hole – but a movie. Fr. Stu: Reborn was released by Sony Pictures in December, 2022.

As unlikely as it seems from his past roles, it stars Mark Wahlberg (who is a devout Catholic) and was produced on a shoestring budget of only $4 million. Evidently, the film received mixed reviews; however, my wife and I really enjoyed it. (#2 – #3)

The focus of my interest was the role of the Mt. Angel Seminary. As stated in the Mount Angel Newsletter:

“An injury ended Stu’s heavyweight professional boxing dreams, and after a succession of short career starts, a motorcycle accident caused him to spend months in hospital care.

In that time of recovery, he realized his vocational call to the priesthood and entered the seminary for the Diocese of Helena. He studied at Mount Angel Seminary from 2004 to 2007 and was ordained in 2007.”

Since I serve on the Abbey Foundation Board, I’ve gotten to know many of the monks, priests and seminarians including Fr. Pius Harding OSB (shown below) a monk who was Fr. Stu’s spiritual director at the Abbey and who just celebrated his 30th anniversary of ordination. He stated:

“Stu had a casual, upbeat way about him: very interested in the people around him. He was most generous; as a matter of fact, you had to refrain from admiring things in his presence, or he would buy them for you.” (#4)

frr pius

During his years in seminary he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that mimics the symptoms of Lou Gehrig’s disease and for which there is no cure. The movie chronicles his courageous battle with the disease.

“He took [the illness] on like the fighter he was trained to be,’ recalls Fr. Pius. ‘And he went on to live the vocation of love. I know several who embraced the Catholic faith due to his kind example and zealous catechetical ministry.’” (#5)

I’m confident that you will enjoy the movie. Blessings and Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Benedictine Brewery Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/BenedictineBrewery)

#2. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mark_Wahlberg_(6908662467).jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: Eva Rinaldi – 20 February 2012.

#3. Mount Angel Letter (https://www.mountangelabbey.org/fr-stuart-long-lifelong-fighter-for-christ/)

#4 Mount Angel Letter https://www.facebook.com/MountAngelAbbeySeminary/photos/fr-pius-x-harding-osb-celebrates-25-years-of-ordination-at-the-mass-for-trinity-/1612137055508896/?paipv=0&eav=AfZLE-ZipJYEIS3d0endrLmmaDP01ldf2GuMQlXxWffe36RtDUmu0_V1g1Nw0EuDYTY&_rdr)

#6. 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. Redistribution, derivative work, commercial use, and all other use is permitted. Source: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives.

Thebeerchaser’s 2017 Annual Report

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Thebeerchaser

Cheers from Thebeerchaser

I would suggest that 2017 was a year of good cheer – but isn’t that what you would expect from the author of a blog entitled “Thebeerchaser.” While there were national and international events which make me shudder, the following speaks strictly to my idiosyncratic retirement hobby i.e. visiting bars, taverns and pubs and then blogging about them. The following is my rationale for asserting, “It was a very good year.”

Buffalo Bill’s Saloon in rural Beavercreek

Blog Statistics – while I would still pursue this hobby even if the only people reading my posts were family members (out of a sense of obligation), it is gratifying to see that the number visiting the blog has increased – a lot – each year from my first full year in 2012.

The chart below shows the total number of views with the darker blue being the number of visitors each year.

The unique Multnomah Whiskey Bar

For example in 2017, I had 24,577 views from 18,623 visitors – meaning each visitor looked at an average of 1.32 different posts.

This compares to 2013 when the views rang in at 15,223 by 10,031 people – a 60% increase in views over that four year period. My first full year, only 6,704 ventured in, so the increase has been gratifying.

Thebeerchaser’s Statistics from 2012 – 2017

Since its inception in August, 2011, I have published 189 posts – each one averaging about 1,500 words. In 2017, followers of the blog saw twenty-nine posts, which is pretty close to the annual average over the six full years I have been on this “Tour.” But in 2017, since we were on the road more, we visited more different public houses than in any prior year.

Wonderful scenery (and breweries) along the S. Oregon Coast

When we travel, I describe multiple bars and breweries in each post. For example, in September we headed down the Southern Oregon Coast through Redwood National Park to Eureka.

In three different posts, I described eleven breweries, one bar and one bottle shop that we visited on that trip including our favorite, Mad River Brewing in Blue Lake California.

Drinking with the friendly staff of Mad River Brewing

And I am always amazed to see the locations at which the visitors to Thebeerchaser are doing their Google searches which bring them to my domain.

For example, in 2017, 85% of the views were from the US, but 3% were from India, followed by 1.8% from Canada and even ten views from Saudi Arabia.

Known to roam both New Guinea and Khazakstan

Perhaps that’s some people getting vicarious thrills from reading about watering holes because Saudi Arabia has a complete ban on alcohol – it is illegal to produce it, import it, or consume it.

In fact, in 2017 I even had two visitors from New Guinea and one from Khazakstan. Perhaps they got to my blog by mistake and they meant to do a search for The boar chaser……

Thebeerchasing Itinerary

At the wonderful dive bar AC Tap outside Sister Bay in Door County, Wisconsin

My practice when Beerchasing in the Portland area is to generally visit an establishment at least twice – that gives me a better feel for the place and more opportunity to meet patrons and talk to the bartenders or staff about the bar or brewery’s history and distinguishing characteristics.

Now 2017 set a record for the most venues visited. Although the Portland area total was lower than most years at fifteen bars and breweries, this number was supplemented by twenty-seven outside Portland including multiple entries in Wisconsin, California and the Oregon Coast.

Lakefront Brewing in Milwaukee

You can see the list for both categories at the end of this post. And one brewery is in a special category – the Benedictine Brewery in Mount Angel which will be discussed below.

Friendly owner Tom O’Leary

For Portland establishments, I devote the entire post to one venue. For example, my favorite bar in 2017 of the nine Portland area watering holes, was TC O’Leary’s Irish Pub where I got to know the owner, Tom, a former star from Ireland’s most popular soap opera.

And the brewery which captured my imagination of the five Portland area enterprises reviewed was Tigard’s Flyboy Brewing. The outstanding people in these establishments gave them the nod plus you haven’t lived until you have tasted their Pilot’s Peach Pale Ale.

Michelle Faubion and Mark Becker of Flyboy Brewing

Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter

Each quarter I also write about an individual or group for which I bestow the “honor” Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter (BOTQ). In the past, these have included authors, athletes, war heroes, media personalities and even my graduate school Professor of Public Finance, Portland State’s Dr. John Walker.

The only Beerchaser-of-the-Year was named in 2016 – my wife of thirty-eight years, Janet, who has shown the patience and given her support for the time I spend checking out these colorful and many times historic, public houses.

The only Beerchaser-of-the-Year

Fortunately, she has grown to have a fondness for IPAs (Buoy Brewing’s of Astoria is her favorite) – a change from generally consuming an Oregon Pinot when we dined out in prior years.

Amy Faust of 99.5 – The Wolf

I was somewhat remiss this year and only named three BOTQ – Portland radio personality, Amy Faust, of the Mike and Amy Show and then a tribute to the late author and my friend (as a result of this blog) Brian Doyle.

And then there’s Father Martin Grassel, who is the head brewer at the Benedictine Brewery at the Mount Angel Abbey (in addition to being the Procurator for the Abbey – a very big responsibility.) He is a wonderful man with a fascinating background.

Father Martin of the Benedictine Brewery

Stay tuned for a catch-up effort in 2018, when my first BOTQ will be Portland developer and civic leader, Mark Edlen.

For a list of past recipients of Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, see the tab so designated on the header at the top of this post. These people are interesting and have compelling stories and you probably know some of them.

Looking Back and Reflecting……

Dave Booher and Steve Larson at the Central Pastime Tavern in Burns

Since my visit to the Brooklyn Park Pub in August, 2011, my first bar on what has been a six and one-half year journey, I have visited and reviewed a total of 257 different watering holes.

While my initial intent was to restrict these visits to Portland locations, our retirement travel was conducive to telling you about bars in Europe and Alaska, Hawaii, Montana and a bunch of other states in addition to saloons all over the state of Oregon – from the coast to John Day and Baker.

The personable Phoebe of the Brooklyn Park Pub

By the way, I was very happy that I returned to the Brooklyn this summer and had a visit with their wonderful bartender Phoebe Newcombe, one of my favorite of many dynamic personalities (also third place in Willamette Week’s Best- of-Portland Bartenders) I have had the pleasure of interviewing since 2011.

Darwin’s Theory – An OSU Beaver in Anchorage

So of that total (257) 114 have been in Portland and 143 in the aforementioned other geographical locales. (Sometime if we have a beer, I will tell you about our visit to the bar right below the summit of top of Mt. Schilthorn in Switzerland – at an altitude of 9,744 feet.)

Or there was my favorite dive bar of all time – Darwin’s Theory in Anchorage, Alaska – owned by an Oregon State University alum.

The Schilthorn Taverne in Switzerland

You’ve got to be kidding? Beer at 9,500 feet!

The List of 2017 Venues

The charts below show the name, location type of establishment and date of the post for each place reviewed in 2017 – separated by those in the Portland metropolitan area and those outside the Rose City.

Name of Venue	Location	Type	Date of Post
Multnomah Whiskey Library	Downtown	Whiskey Bar	January
Nineteen 33 Taproom	West Linn	Neighborhood	February
Buffalo Bill’s Saloon	Beavercreek	Neighborhood	February
Ancestry Brewing	Tualatin	Brewery	February
The Independent	Downtown	Sports Bar	March
NEPO 42	Northeast	Neighborhood	April
Burnside Brewing	East	Brewery	April
Gil’s Speakeasy	Southeast	Dive Bar	May
Flyboy Brewing	Tigard	Brewery	May
Cascade Brewing Barrel House	Southeast	Brewpub	June
Labrewatory	North	Brewery	June
Renners	Multnomah Village	Dive Bar	August
Slow Bar	Southeast	Neighborhood	October
TC O’Leary’s Irish Pub	Northeast	Neighborhood	October
ZARZ	Downtown	Whiskey Bar	December

Wisconsin Beerchasing

On the Oregon Coast

Name of Venue	Location	Type	Date of Post
Nauti Mermaid Beach Club	Lincoln City, OR	Neighborhood	July
Scooters Pub	Milwaukee, Wisc.	Neighborhood	July
Dukes on the Water	Milwaukee, Wisc.	Dive	July
Water Street Brewery	Milwaukee, Wisc.	Brewery	July
Badger State Brewery	Green Bay, Wisc.	Brewery	July
Hinterland Brewery	Green Bay, Wisc.	Brewery	July
Door County Brewing	Bailey’s Harbor, Wisc.	Brewery	August
AC Tap	Sister Bay, Wisc	Dive	August
Coyote Road House	Bailey’s Harbor, Wisc.	Neighborhood	August
Cornerstone Pub	Bailey’s Harbor, Wisc.	Neighborhood	August
Pourman’s Bar	Milwaukee, Wisc.	Neighborhood	September
Lake Front Brewing	Milwaukee, Wisc.	Brewery	September
McGillycuddy’s Bar	Milwaukee, Wisc.	Neighborhood	September
Bar None	Milwaukee, Wisc.	Neighborhood	September
The Aly Asylum Riverhouse	Milwaukee, Wisc.	Brewpub	September
Yachats Brewing	Yachats, OR	Brewery	November
Defeat River Brewing	Reedsport, OR	Brewery	November
Seven Devils Brewing	Coos Bay, OR	Brewery	November
Bandon Brewery	Bandon, OR	Brewery	November
Broken Anchor Bar and Grill	Bandon, OR	Neighborhood	November
The Beverage Barn	Bandon, OR	Bottle Shop	November
Arch Rock Brewing	Gold Beach, OR	Brewery	November
Chetco Brewing	Brookings, OR	Brewery	November
Six Rivers Brewing	McKinleyville, CA	Brewery	December
Humboldt Regeneration	McKinleyville, CA	Brewery	December
Lost Coast Brewery	Eureka, CA	Brewery	December
Mad River Brewery	Blue Lake, CA	Brewery	December
Benedictine Brewery	Mount Angel, OR	Brewery	November

The Benedictine Brewery

Sign designed and created by Brother Andre’ Love

Fans of great beer and the rich history of brewing can look forward to the opening of the Benedictine Brewery and Taproom in mid-2018. After an incredible community timber raising on November 11th, the Brewery is now framed and its flagship beer, Black Habit got a wonderful review at this link in Willamette Week. http://www.wweek.com/bars/beer/2017/12/12/in-a-bavarian-village-in-oregon-you-can-drink-beer-brewed-by-benedictine-monks/

I have been working as a volunteer on this project for the last fifteen months – it’s a vision of Father Martin Grassel. When completed, it will be the only brewery west of the Mississippi in which the ownership and brewing is by monks – in this case those at the Mount Angel Abbey, established in 1882.

To see some videos which will amaze you and give you an idea of the energy and spirit shown at the timber raising at which about 100 monks, seminarians and friends from the Mt. Angel community worked as a team all day, check out the following link from my post on 11/21.

Updated picture from 1/4/18

https://thebeerchaser.com/2017/11/21/the-benedictine-brewery-beam-me-up/

Happy New Year!

The Doctor is in at T.C. O’Leary’s

Posted on October 24, 2017 by Thebeerchaser

In the six years of Thebeerchaser’s Tour of Bars Taverns and Pubs, I have found that while there are some bars which leave a bit to be desired (such as my last visit to Portland’s Slow Bar), there are none for which I regret my visit(s). Most of the bars or breweries are admirable small businesses, which radiate warmth, character and are replete with stories of the owners, regulars or the trappings of the watering hole itself.

Such is the case with Northeast Portland’s “T.C. O’Leary’s – A Little Irish Pub.” Located on 29th and NE Alberta, the pub has interesting space, an excellent patio, innovative music and activities, and the background of Thomas Christopher O’Leary, the owner/manager, including the story of how he got to Portland and his PDX connections, could fill a small book.

Some people will remember this space as the former Branch Whiskey, which was also managed by Tom and was a favorite neighborhood spot known for its classy selection of hard liquor which Tom has retained. As one Yelp reviewer opined in May, 2016, “Branch is an amazing spot for sophisticated food and cocktails in a casual atmosphere.”

Tom has a strong background in managing bars and hospitality based on years working in bars in Ireland, New York City and Los Angeles. When the opportunity arose in 2016, he with the advice and financial help of family connections who had confidence in the investment potential, became the owner and changed the name and theme to that of an Irish Pub. The bar would be a family-friendly neighborhood gathering place and would not serve pub or bistro grub, but authentic Irish food.

Tom Kelly

And those “family connections” are some of Portland’s finest citizens ranging from his wife, Siobhan’s, mom and dad – Anne Kelly Feeney and Dick Feeney to uncles Tom and John Kelly and aunt Susan Kelly – all individuals celebrated for their sustained community and public service and entrepreneurship.

Neil Kelly Co. logo

(Tom is the President of the Neil Kelly Co. started in 1947 by his father with a $100 investment and which is now nationally recognized for its award-winning design and innovative practices in home remodeling).

Dick and Anne from article in the “Catholic Sentinel” magazine

Anne was the Multnomah County Auditor for two terms and later served as CEO of Loaves and Fishes. I remember Dick when he was the Public Affairs Director for Tri-Met and a skilled and effective lobbyist for the agency in the 1970’s and I worked for the Clackamas County Commissioners.

Besides being an investor, Dick has stopped by the bar almost every day since its opening. He stuck his head into the Snug that day to say “hello” to our group. The couple now devotes much of their time to charitable work. http://www.catholicsentinel.org/Content/Faith-Spirituality/Living-Faith/Article/Faith-fuels-their-ongoing-public-service/4/29/18615

In the short time since the bar’s “soft opening” – the day after Thanksgiving in 2016 – Tom and Siobhan O’Leary have taken big steps in achieving their goals for the bar. Let’s look at two other Yelp reviews which reflect the overall sentiments of those commenting on the social media site:

“This establishment is pretty fantastic….Ever changing specials, Guinness on tap and entertaining live music including a fiddler! You’ll find it here. The fish and chips are delicious. Their Shepard’s Pie is delectable and the service is outstanding. It is nice to know that you aren’t just a customer here, this is your friends and family. ” (7/10/17)

“Sweet addition to the Alberta neighborhood! Really nice genuine people own the place and their actually Irish- full accent and all! I have never eaten Irish food before. I really enjoyed the Vegetarian Blaa beet sandwich on soda bread and the fresh garlic and herb fries were pretty damn tasty!” (6/30/17)

Chuck enjoying his fish and chips

And on my first visit with retired Portland lawyer, Chuck Mitchell, who had not been Beerchasing since our 2012 visit to 1856 – a NE Bottle Shop. We both concurred that the fish and chips – one of T.C. O’Leary’s specialties – was superb. Just looking at the menu with items such as Guinness Braised Beef, Bacon and Cabbage, Shepherds Pie and Haddock Chowder made my mouth water and made me come close to addressing Chuck as “Paddy…”

Besides those mentioned above, Tom talked about the compliments they receive on their bread roll and baked beans. Their Saturday and Sunday brunch (Irish breakfast) is a neighborhood favorite with pork sausage and black pudding (pig) as favorite menu items. They also have a good Happy Hour menu from 4:00 to 6:00 and all food items are $5, including a new offering of a half order of fish and chips and the “new O’Leary’s hot dog.”

A smiling Trinity coed

Adding to the Irish authenticity on my second visit was our server, a wonderful young woman named Caoiimhe (that’s the Gaelic spelling for Quiva) who is a third-year Trinity College student visiting and working in the US for three months before her final year in college. Trinity is the oldest (1592) and most prestigious university in Ireland.

Besides Guinness, the bar has nine other beers on tap, (I tried my first Feckin Bewing beer – a tasty “Top of the Feckin Mornin”) several wines, a cider and numerous specialty and classic cocktails plus an amazing selection of liquor – try a shot of Whistle Pig Farm’s 2012 Boss Hog Rye for $48, which will allow you to see if you want to invest in an entire bottle which runs between $100 and $200…..

Kevin – Amys better half..

Our group on the second visit, besides my wife, Janet, comprised a number of Beerchasing regulars including the Faust clan (Jack and Alice, daughter Amy and her husband, Kevin) Jim and Janet Westwood (the combination of Faust and Westwood meant that we had two of the most respected appellate lawyers in Oregon on our side in the event of post-visit litigation….) and intellectual property lawyer, John Mansfield.

Mansfield, preoccupied with establishing his new practice at Harris Bricken, had not accompanied me to a watering hole for some time although he had made his mark at three noted dive bars – The Ship in Multnomah Village, the Slammer in SE Portland and Billy Ray’s Neighborhood Dive Bar. (click on the names for a link to the posts)

He also Beerchased at the classic Mock Crest Tavern and finally at Church – a great SE bar where he tried to emulate Martin Luther by posting 95 patents on the entrance to commemorate the renowned theologian’s 95 Theses at Wittenburg.

A clowning Westwood with Mansfield – the Ivy Leagues finest..??

Westwood and Mansfield, both Ivy League law graduates (Columbia and Cornell respectively), obviously did not talk about their law schools’ undergraduate sports teams, but we all harkened back to Mansfield’s more creative undergraduate days at the University of Oregon where he played in a rock band and majored in music composition and theory. He is a talented musician.

The picture below (I think taken by one of his clients) shows he is not a traditional, staid member of the Bar.

Kiss My Patent…

It also is evidence that Amy Faust, who is a co-host on the Mike and Amy Show on 99.5 The Wolf, will not be spinning any of the tunes on his Pandora playlist on her stint at the crack of dawn each weekday morning. (She and Mike just received the 2017 Country Music Association 2017 Broadcast Personality of the Year for a Major Market.) Interestingly enough, Amy and John played together in a band for their respective daughters’ school event where Amy dusted off her mandolin and they both sang.

It should also be noted that both Jack and Amy Faust and Westwood have been prior Beechaser-of-the-Quarter “honorees.” To see their stories, click on the licks here.

https://thebeerchaser.com/2014/09/02/john-r-jack-faust-fall-2014-beerchaser-of-the-quarter/

https://thebeerchaser.com/2017/04/11/amy-faust-beerchaser-of-the-quarter-and-mandolinist/

https://thebeerchaser.com/2013/03/28/portland-attorney-jim-westwood-beerchaser-of-the-quarter-for-january-march-2013/

Call ahead to reserve….

Tom had kindly reserved one of the distinctive features of his bar for us – The Snug – a comfortable and fabulously quirky little alcove at the front of the bar which is a tradition in Irish pubs. It accommodates about twelve people and provides a wonderful small-group nook that allows a modicum of privacy while still facilitating enjoyment of the T.C. O’Leary ambiance. (Call ahead to reserve it)

The Snug observed from the street.

A great patio

Although the bar with its fifteen authentic whiskey-barrel tables, historic family pictures and memorabilia is a cool place to sit, another good place to congregate is on the patio at the back, which T.C.’s essentially shares with the adjoining bistros on either side.

Family pictures add to the character of the bar

Speaking of décor, I noted the red athletic tool that looked a little like a hockey stick hanging above the bar. Tom said it was a “hurling stick” and I didn’t hear him, so naively asked if he said it was a “Curling broom,” to which he replied, “God no!” Probably the reason for the vehemence of the response was that the pace and action of the sports are total contradictions. “Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic and Irish origin and is the fastest field sport in the world. It is administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association. The game has prehistoric origins, and has been played for 3,000 years.” Wikipedia

The antithesis of curling…

Of course, the theme of this bar begs the question, “What is it like on St. Paddy’s Day?” Tom said they had about seven times the number of patrons on the first celebration of this “sacred” event since their opening, and it was kind of a three-day celebration. They also moved a separate bar out to the patio and there was a line down Alberta Street.

And Tom, like many of the owners or bartenders I have met so far on this six-year journey, has a great story. Of course, the most unusual aspect of it was the notoriety he accrued in his six years starring as Dr. Brendan Daly on Ireland’s most popular soap opera, Fair City.

Dr. Brendan Daly…..

Tom grew up in Killeny. “During years working as an actor in Dublin – from small theatres to six years playing Dr. Brendan Daly on Ireland’s most popular soap opera, Fair City, Tom and fellow performers communed at local pubs, drinking pints like they would never age.

For his wedding reception, a magical pub in the West of Ireland suited him and his new wife better than any hotel.” (T.C. O’Leary’s website)

“Fair City is the most watched drama in Ireland, with average viewing figures of 550,000….. tackling many controversial and taboo issues previously unseen on Irish television, such as rape.” Wikipedia

Siobhan, his wife of ten years, first met Tom in Ireland when she spent nine months at Trinity College. Tom knew her sister, Catie, and agreed to show Siobhan around Dublin. Tom had a girlfriend at the time, but he and Siobhan had an “instant connection.” Tom lived in a big house with extra rooms and offered (partly as a gesture to her sister) to let Siobhan be a boarder. Her sister told Siobhan somewhat jokingly, “You will fall in love with Tom.”

Catie was correct . Tom broke up with his current girlfriend. Siobhan in the subsequent term, got her lowest grades at Trinity. They decided to pull a practical joke and Siobhan told Catie that she detested her landlord (Tom) and couldn’t wait to leave. For the next month, the fiction gained momentum until her mom, Anne, insisted that she was going to fly over to Dublin to rescue her “baby.” As with many practical jokes, after Siobhan revealed the truth, the family was not amused although fortunately, they approved of the relationship.

Tom came to New York and he and his future wife drove across America while camping along the way. Fast forward and Siobhan moved to Ireland for a year where they were married on December 29, 2007

They moved to New York City where Tom had some acting gigs and worked in bars on the Lower East Side. That’s where the dream of owning an Irish pub first crept into his consciousness.

With family on the west coast, they moved to LA for three years, where Tom worked in high-end bars, working two jobs six nights per week with the goal of building collateral to own his own Irish Pub. And now they had a little girl in the family……

Moving to Portland in the summer of 2014, Siobhan labored at an office job while Tom worked construction. (Contrary to the popular belief, good bartending jobs are not that easy to get in the Rose City.)

Anne Feeney knew the manager of Branch Whiskey, and with his extensive experience in bars, he hired Tom immediately which began a two-year stint until the owner announced he was closing.

Tom got good advice from his investors and negotiated successfully. After only a three-week interim closure, they were back in business with some new trappings thanks to a great work by their general contractor Megan Beaver of Eight Penny Nail, and T.C. O’Leary’s “Little Irish Pub,” has become a neighborhood fixture ever since.

I was somewhat critical of the last bar visited on Thebeerchaser’s Tour of Bars, Taverns and Pubs i.e. Slow Bar on Grand Avenue. While it is known for its great hamburger, I questioned whether the bar lived up to its potential by simply relying on its notorious burger and a juke box known for its collection of Heavy Metal selections.

Let’s examine some of the activity Tom has orchestrated at TC’s compared with Slow Bar’s “hot” juke box as a comparison:

The James Joyce book club – a bunch of serious dudes…..

On Tuesday nights, TC’s hosts a James Joyce book club in the Snug and they plow through about fifteen pages reading Joyce’s classic Ulysses with each participant reading his or her selection until the egg-timer rings for the next reader to start. (Maybe it takes longer because James Joyce, according to one recent article I read, is an “exclamation point fanatic.”)

Of the ten authors with the most prolific use of exclamation points ranging from Elmore Leonard – 10^th place to Virginia Wolf – sixth place to F. Scott Fitzgerald – 4^th place, Joyce came in first with 1,105 exclamation points per 100,000 words in his three novels!!! — What the Numbers Reveal About the Classics, Bestsellers and Our Own Writing by Ben Blatt, published March, 2017. (Read the book and you will also learn stuff like Nabokov’s favorite word was “mauve.”)

Every second Monday night, they have Irish music with a fiddler with the other Mondays devoted to other local musicians. On Thursday evenings patrons see a specialty act – Michael Sheridan, a unique and nationally recognized singer-songwriter who has packed them in according to Tom. https://www.facebook.com/events/1917437525206189/

If my two visits are typical, you should definitely drop by TC O’Leary’s where Tom will greet you as he does every patron at the door. This personable Irishman, entrepreneur and former actor can give you advice on which draft beer or one of their specialty cocktails will enhance your visit.

But if he approaches you with a scalpel in his hand, you can be assured, it’s to carve some of the high-quality beef they use and he is not reenacting his days as Dr. Brendan Daly.