Beer Tasting in Beertown

Before arriving in Portland, I’d already heard about the many microbreweries and local craft beer I was supposed to try when I got there. Having no idea where to even start, a friend and I decided to sign up for a brewery tour with an expert who could show us all the good places.

So these are what hops are 

We signed up for the tour with BeerQuest PDX, a three hour walking tour with 12 beer samples total from three different breweries included. The first stop was Rock Bottom Brewery in downtown, just a few blocks from Pioneer Square. Our tour guide started us off with one of their lighter beers, then brought us into Rock Bottom’s brewing room for a quick overview of the brewing process. There were several huge tanks, some of which were full of the various flavors of fermenting beer that we were going to try. 

Full of fermenting beer

We went back to our table and received five more samples in quick succession. My favorite beer from Rock Bottom was probably the “Dim Wit”, a white ale with “flavors of orange peel and coriander”. The samples went from light to dark, and towards the middle I rediscovered my dislike of IPAs. Some of our fellow tour-mates liked them, but I couldn’t handle the hoppiness. At that point I thought I was done with that brewery, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually liked the “Rise and Shine”, a dark oatmeal stout with hints of chocolate flavor. 

Some of the beers we tried at Rock Bottom

After the six samples, we set off towards the next brewery, my Asian glow already shining strong. On the way to our next watering hole, our tour guide showed us a couple notable sights as we walked north into Old Town. We stopped by one of the “Benson Bubblers”, a drinking fountain with water bubbling out of four separate spouts. The bubblers were apparently constructed in an effort to curb Portland’s drinking problem. It’s debatable how successful it was. 

The Benson Bubblers

We also stopped by Huber’s, one of Portland’s oldest bars. Back in the day, they would attract customers by giving free turkey sandwiches to anyone drinking there. During the prohibition they stayed open by continuing to sell sandwiches. Today, Huber’s is a great place for both a drink and a meal. 

Huber's, remodeled but still recognizable

The second part of our tasting took place at Kell’s. Ground floor looked like a perfectly normal establishment, but the basement, where we did our tasting, looked almost like a dungeon. We tried three more beers there, once again ranging from light to dark. I actually liked the stout there the best. It had an interesting creamy feel to it, and had a taste similar to what I imagine coffee would taste like. 

We finished our tour at Pints, a newer looking bar with an appropriately hipster feel. There we tried some of the strangest beers of the day. There was a maple flavor beer that was just weird and I wasn’t a fan of. I did really like the chocolate orange candy beer though, with its festive taste. 

Vats on display at Pints

Overall I had a great experience on my first ever brewery tour. Our tour guide did a great job exposing us to a wide variety of beers and brewpubs. I, personally, learned about a whole other kind of beer that I never knew I liked, and have a greater appreciation for beer in general and respect for the people honing their craft of drink. To anyone visiting Portland with even a mild interest in beer, take a brewery tour! It’s an excellent way to see the city while getting to know the beers of Beertown, USA. 

The North Oregon Coast

After a short three months at home, I’m off on another work trip again, this time to the greater Portland area. So far the transition has been pretty smooth. Portland actually seems very similar to the bay area, in that there’s lots of great food, a relatively diverse population, and debilitating traffic during rush hour. Just like home.

Hello Portland!

Last weekend my parents came up for a brief visit, and we decided to take a day trip outside of the city. There’s a charming little town on the coast that several people had recommended called Astoria, just under a two hour drive from the Portland area. Situated right next to the Columbia river and present day Oregon-Washington border, Astoria is where Lewis and Clark ended their journey and search for the fabled Northwest Passage. 

Lewis and Clark with their dog and a friendly Native American

The first place we visited was Fort Clatsop, part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park. There was a nice little visitor center with exhibits and videos telling the story of Lewis and Clark’s travels, and a life-size replica of Fort Clatsop. Many hiking trails also extend out from the visitor center. One of the trails was the Fort to Sea Trail, starting at the fort and leading to the sea unsurprisingly. The entire trail was six miles one way, so we decided to just do two miles up to Clatsop Ridge and turn back from there. It was a pleasant trail, but the view at the ridge was a little underwhelming. There were probably nice views at the end of the trail, but not sure I would recommend going to the ridge in particular. 

In line for fish and chips

For lunch we went to the highest rated place in the area on Yelp, Bowpicker Fish and Chips. The restaurant is actually just a foodboat (as opposed to a foodtruck) - a boat parked in the middle of a dirt lot repurposed to serve fish and chips. The line was pretty impressive; we ended up waiting an hour before we got our food. 

Freshly fried fish and chips

But with all the locals in line raving about how good this place was, the wait didn’t feel too bad. When we finally got our food everything was freshly fried and crispy. The fish was nicely textured, and the freshest fish I’ve ever had for fish and chips. Definitely worth a try despite the wait.

Visited this ship next to the Maritime Musem

After lunch we visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum before making a stop at the Astoria Column. The museum had some interesting exhibits about all the shipwrecks around the mouth of the Columbia - apparently it’s one of the most dangerous rivers in the world to boat on - and we also got to walk around on a ship as part of admission. But I think the highlight of the day was the Astoria Column. 

The Astoria Column

Built on the highest hill in the city, the Astoria Column features the best view of the surrounding water and land at the observation deck on top. With the great panoramic views, it’s the perfect place to pause and appreciate the beauty of the northwest coast. 

View from the top of the column

New places to explore, new experiences to be had. Looking forward to seeing what else Oregon has to offer!