I heard Madonna on the radio today and I became inspired. Now you’re probably thinking WTH does Madonna have to do with a beer post? Well, she does and but she also doesn’t.
Category: Breweries Oregon
As I was zipping along I-84 on my way to Portland Oregon, I pulled into the town of The Dalles Oregon. I was greeted by quaint brick buildings that lined the streets. Although I enjoy brick buildings of any age, some of these buildings have been around since the Oregon Trail days of the 1840’s to 60’s, making them a bit more admired. Even if you do not have time to stop for a beer, a quick drive down second street is worth the sidestep off of I-84, to take in the buildings. But if you don’t have time for a quick beer, we seriously need to talk.
With the faint aroma of fermentation and the saturation of moist, yes I said it, air, I stood in a group of strangers. A rush of air flew behind me, not from the wind, but from a man walking briskly past me. He paused slightly, gaining the group’s attention. And like a fan girl, I perked up and leaned forward to get a better look at the familiar bearded man. No, it wasn’t Santa Claus, but better. It was a brewmaster sighting. And not just any brewmaster, it was the brewmaster, John Maier.
Sometimes I see strange things while out on the road. Like a grown man dressed up as Minnie Mouse wearing combat boots walking into the Buoy Brewery bar and asking for a beer. The real question was, where was Mickey? And what kind of footwear was Mickey wearing?
Perhaps the guy was just bringing a little weird to Astoria.
Well done sir.
I always like a building with a bit of history and Seaside Brewing’s building has just that. Located in the former Seaside City Jail this historic brick building was built in 1914. It may no longer have unsavory men roaming the exercise yard but the bars from the windows are hung up on the walls inside reminding us of this building’s checkered past.
Located on the banks of the Columbia River in Hood River is pFriem Family Brewers. Established in 2012 this brewery may be new to the Hood River beer scene when compared to Full Sail Brewing and Double Mountain Brewing but they are kicking out quality beers and have a location you can’t beat. Who doesn’t like a view of the river while you are drinking beer? There is inside and outside seating, neither of which are dog-friendly, although there is a “dog parking spot” located outside the front door. I wasn’t sure if it was a joke or not, but there was a water bowl there, so maybe I could have parked Boomer and Jovi there while I went inside for a few beers. There is a dog-friendly park across the street from the brewery if you want to stretch your dog’s legs before or after you enjoy some beer.
While driving through Hood River Oregon you may be distracted by the kite-surfers who are taking advantage of the Columbia River and favored windy conditions. But don’t let them distract you too much as there is beer to be had. On this day while in Hood River the beer to be had was from Double Mountain Brewery.
Before I left on my trip, just as I stepped out the door from work, I said to my co-workers “I will never taste the Beard Beer”.
It was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 C) in Portland Oregon on the day I arrived to Pacific City Oregon. Pacific City is a town of just over 1000 inhabitants and my mouth was agape at the amount of people who had crammed themselves into this tiny seaside town. It was almost as though the entire city of Portland had left the inferno to seek shelter at the coast.
I believe I have a knack for spotting breweries. It’s like I’m a living brewery locator app. I often find myself driving down the road and out of the corner of my eye I see “brew”, which is just enough to catch my attention. I whip the car around, find myself a parking space and discover a new beer. It’s divine.
While driving through Newberg Oregon I was running late. I had planned on eating dinner on the Oregon Coast but was delayed due to Friday night traffic in Portland. Yeah I know who in their right mind tries to drive through Portland at 5pm on a Friday. After being stuck in traffic for 2 hours I was starving and knew I was not going to make it to the coast for dinner. As I started to contemplate what to do I saw a sandwich board on the side of the road that said “Brewery” with an arrow pointing to a building. I immediately pulled in and found Chehalem Valley Brewing.