Two Drink Minimum; The After 5 Cocktail Blog

When I moved to Portland three years ago, I became a real beer drinker. Not that there was anything wrong or “unreal” about my old California daily diet of Mexican imports with lime wedges, but I quickly realized something once I traded in my palms for pines: The climate and culture of the Northwest demand beer with greater flavor, depth and variety – and there’s a proud local heritage to boot.

For instance – did I know, upon moving to Oregon, that I was entering the second largest craft beer market in the nation? Was I aware that the city of Portland boasts more breweries than any other city in the world? Hell, yes, I was aware! The beer thing figured heavily into my decision to move here!

But I was pleasantly surprised to witness a sort of Old West pioneer/entrepreneurial spirit here, too. Portlanders have mastered the art of balance between work and play. The landscape is a playground in all directions, and five minutes out of downtown you can get yourself lost in the rain forest, grape vineyards, U-pick farms, and myriad rivers with Tom Sawyer islands scattered everywhere.

It’s this bounty of nature that allows for a bounty of the best beer ingredients: fresh hops, malted barley, and glacier-fed water.

So, yeah, I’ve become a churchkey-carrying beer snob. In pubs and restaurants, I order my brew exclusively on tap in big, thick pint glasses. And at home, instead of piss-pale Pacificos and Coronas, now I fill my fridge with hoppy, bold and aggressive local beers that bring a satisfying smile with every gulp.

A few of my Portland favorites:

BridgePort IPA

The first American beer to win the 119-year-old Brewing Industry International Awards for “champion beer” in London in 2000 (beating 750 beers from 43 countries). It slipped to silver in 2002, but regained the title in 2005. Check the fridges of most Portlanders, and this is the beer you’ll find – the quintessential hoppy Northwest suds.

MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale

Check the garage fridges of most Portlanders, and this is the beer you’ll find. (This is the stuff they buy in bulk!) In its debut year, “Mac’s” Amber Ale captured a coveted gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. It’s dry-hopped, smooth and rich – and rockin’ tasty with grilled salmon or a thick steak.

McMenamins Hammerhead Ale

To experience a McMenamins beer, you have to visit a McMenamins pub/hotel property: A century-old schoolhouse, a sprawling Depression-era poor farm, a renovated pioneer farmstead, landmark hotels, assorted haunted barns – no vacation or business trip to Portland is complete without a McMenamins stop or three. And oh, yeah, the beer: Hammerhead is rich and caramelly, with an intense hoppy (are you noticing a trend here?) flavor.

Widmer Hefeweizen

Whenever I get to missing my old citrus-in-the-beer California days, I just order a Widmer and drop in a slice of lemon. Another frequent award-winner at the Great American Beer Festival.

Can you buy these beers where you live? I hope so. Can you experience the full flavor of Oregon without sitting here amongst the droopy douglas firs and impossibly green hillsides? Nope.

Words by Trevor Pitchford

This entry was posted on Friday, July 20th, 2007 at 4:50 pm and is filed under Food and Drink, cocktail, alcohol. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.