No Longer Incognito

Yep I have returned to the Bay area, well this past Saturday. So where was my undercover mission? The great city of Portland, Oregon. Let us call it an early 50th Bday trip as well as a celebration of a recent promotion. The goal was to eat, drink, and sight see. Goal accomplished-I had wanted to hit a Portland Pickles (Independent minor league team) game. But we just couldn't do it.

If pictures of food, beer, and sights isn't for you please feel free to scroll to the end.

Day 1 (Saturday)

Pre-Flight Brew(Almanac Gose) at SFO Gastropub

First stop after arriving, Raccoon Lodge/Cascade Brewing-if you appreciate sour beers this is the place for. The sampler is all sours and the beer menu hit 18 brews.

We stayed the week at the McMenamins' Kennedy School which is an old elementary school convertedinto a brewery, hotel, with so many bars, and other activities-like a cruise ship on land.

Day 2 (Sunday)

After hitting the Portland Art Museum we stopped at Tasty & Alder for a snack and a couple of beers

then we hit one of our favorites-Deschutes. We had been to the one Bend which we thought was better regarding selection, then we hit Ohio transplant Fathead's Brewing, then AB/InBEV sell-out 10 Barrel-we hit the one in Bend before they sold out, then finished at the nano brewery-literally next to 10 Barrel, called Backpedal. What I learned is at 50 I can't hit 4 breweries in one day-and don't think I can hit 3 either.  We wrapped up the day with an interesting and delicious Indian meal at Bollywood Theater.

Day 3 (Monday)

Like a cruise ship, I felt fine the following day-but it was hella hot. So after a delicious meal at a Southern breakfast spot called Pine State Biscuits, we hit a fantastic ice cream place called Salt & Straw (of course one flavor made with spent grain)-yes we were there at 11am, but if you get there later in the day the line goes around the block, then Great Notions Brewing-again sour beers, then Lompoc Brewing-5th Quadrant-with a stop in between at Stash Tea-for delicious tea drink.

Day 4 (Tuesday)

This was an extra special day as we were having dinner with our good friend "Super Dave" who moved in February to Portland, so we had another Southern breakfast-this time at Screen Door-prailine bacon and hush puppies (both not that great but our other dishes were fantastic), then a visit to Hop Urban Brewery, then later dinner at the Imperial-I discovered Bacon Chops (a combo of Pork Belly and Chop).

Day 5 (Wednesday)

We didn't roll back to the hotel until very late so we rolled later on Wednesday.  Had to find real bagels-yes bagels. Those here in California are generally terrible-let us call them what they are-rolls. We went to Kornblatt's Deli for real boiled bagels, knishes,  and Blintzes. Then we hit the Japanese Garden (they had a 500 year old bonsai tree!), then Hair of the Dog Brewing (one I have wanted to go to for years-but very malt driven beers-great for cold weather), Commons Brewery-more sours, then a snack at Olympic Provisions, then Breakside Brewing, then a great BBQ meal at Podnah's Pit BBQ.

Day 6 (Thursday)

This day we took a field trip to Hood River with a stop at Multnomah Falls, pFriem Family Brewers, Double Mountain Brewery, then Walking Man Brewery in Stevenson, WA on the way home.

Day 7 (Friday)

Sad day-I love Portland and though I was anxious to sleep in my own bed and to see my cats I was already missing PDX. So we headed to Vancouver, WA to meet "Super Dave" but once over the river we stopped at, you guessed it, a Soul Food place for breakfast-Moma's Kitchen-catfish and grits anyone? Only one brewery-Zoiglhaus Brewery-really nice to get a real solid German brewery in the trip. Fantastic Spring Bock, then a meal at a food cart pod called-appropriately Cartlandia-sushi burrito.

Day 8 (Saturday)

All good things must come to an end-so it was so for our trip to PDX. One last brew at the Laurelwood Brewing-

So, if you were counting we hit 16 breweries-it sounds like a lot and it was. Most of the time we did samplers, 1/2 pours, or one pint per. Next post will be a recap of Nacho Grandes' Group Break.