The Brews Brothers:Munich on the Willamette
According to Don Younger, longtime owner of the Horse Brass Pub in Portland, Oregon and a legend in the craft beer industry, the revolution in craft brewing started in Portland. And evidence is that Portland continues to lead the way, justifying its nickname "Munich on the Willamette." With long hair and energy flowing, and a perpetual smile on his face, Younger is happy to take a visitor to the Hillsdale Pub and regale an interested listener about the beginning days of craft brewing. Portland, which established a very early reputation for having a lot of taps available for beers (mostly imports) other than the major national brands, developed into a ready market for craft brews. In 1984, this market allowed the Bridgeport Brewery, Oregon's oldest, and several other microbrewers to make beer and have a ready market available for distribution and sales. Shortly after Bridgeport was started, brothers Kurt and Rob Widmer formed the Widmer Brewing Company, not long after to be followed by Portland Brewing and Full Sail. Today, Portland has XX brewpubs, more brewpubs per capita than any other American city; about 1 for each 50,000 people. The Oregon Brewers Association likes to describe how Oregonian's have a pioneering spirit; how people wanted more flavor in their beer; and how the region is renowned for its hop production. These factors probably all converged, but were immensely aided by market conditions and a receptive clientele with advanced tastes developed through a beer diet of tastier, mostly imported, beers rather than just the blander nationals. In 1985, changes in Oregon legislation, fostered by the microbreweries, allowed the establishment of brewpubs. Mike and Brian McMenamin purchased a small tavern in SW Portland, installed a small brewery in addition to serving a variety of craft beers, and launched the Hillsdale Pub, Portland's first (although not the first in the nation) and the forerunner of many to follow. Today, in Oregon craft beers account for almost 9 percent of the total beer market compared to about 2 percent nationwide. A recent study conducted by a national brand determined that over 60 percent of all draft beer poured in Portland is craft brewed. While Portland is sometimes called Munich on the Willamette, Oregon is called Beervana. Oregon currently has 56 microbreweries, including such well known brands (although not always nationally distributed) as Rogue, Nor'Wester, Deschutes, and Hair of the Dog. Over 85,000 people attend the Oregon Brewers Festival, compared to about a third of than number for our Mid-Atlantic Beer Festival. Widmer Blackbier, a porter made by the Widmer Brothers Brewing Company of Portland, OR, had a light/medium chocolate malt aroma. The flavor started with an early sweetness, and moved into a medium bitter hop which lasted into the finish, and was joined with a very fine chocolate roast taste which stayed to the aftertaste. The Blackbier also has been generally available on tap at the Clarendon Grill in Arlington. Both in bottle and on draft we rated it at 7. 0 and 7.5. Adam Hearty Old World Ale, by the Hair of the Dog Brewing Company of Portland, OR, has only recently become available in our area. Hair of the Dog is a very small brewery which only bottles two beers, both of which are strong bottle conditioned, and broadly admired. In addition to the Adam, the second beer is a Belgian Trippel style called Golden Rose. The Adam had a strong malt and yeast aroma. The very smooth, extremely malty taste was noted by an early sweetness and some smokiness in the middle. The Adam finished with a strong malt taste and aftertaste. It is an excellent barleywine and received 8.0 and 8.5. Nor'wester Blacksmith Porter by Portland's Willamette Valley Brewing Company, introduces itself with a strong, floral hop nose. It had a medium body and an enormous roast flavor. A medium bitterness catches late in the back of the throat, followed by a slight roast aftertaste. There was no detectable chocolate flavor normally characteristic of the style. We rated it at 8.0 and 9.0. Younger's Special Bitter by Oregon Brewing Company (Rogue) of Newport, OR was specially developed by Rogue for Don Younger's Horse Brass Pub in Portland and, therefore, is very British in nature. It is named for Younger's deceased brother Bill, and is now widely available in bottles. It had a huge malt aroma with some spiciness. The light malt sweetness that entered early in the taste was followed by a gentle fruity hop which lasted through the finish. The aftertaste was primarily noted by a very light bitter hop and a return of its malt sweetness. This medium bodied, extremely smooth, and very drinkable beer rated 8.5 from both of us. Rogue Shakespeare Stout by the Oregon Brewing Company of Newport, OR is a totally opaque stout with a wonderful chocolate aroma and a slight tang. It was smooth and medium bodied, with a slightly smoky taste and a very bitter aftertaste which outweighed any other flavor and aroma. Both of us rated this at 4.5. Rogue Smoke Ale received the gold medal for smoke beers at the 1996 Great American Beer Festival. With an aroma of fire smoke, this medium bodied brew had an early smoke taste which stayed through the aftertaste along with a light hop flavor which entered in the finish. It received ratings of 7.0 and 7.5. Saxer Lemon Lager, made by the Saxer Brewing Company of Lake Oswego, OR was noted by a slight citrus and malt aroma and a light lemon taste with some malt overtones. The noted Lemon Lager was quite smooth but thin bodied. As a very pleasant summer lager, it rated 6.0 from each of us. Saxer Three Finger Jack Hefedunkel, the 1994 GABF Gold Medal Winner (Dark Lager), had a huge malt and yeast nose, a strong, full yeast flavor akin to a Scottish Ale, and was extremely smooth, The bitter hop middle was followed by a sweet finish, and a sweet yeast and malt aftertaste enhanced by a hint of caramel. With much more taste than most lagers, this medium bodied beer was rated as 7.0 and 8.0. Obsidian Stout, by the Deschutes Brewery of Bend, OR, had a large creamy head with a beautiful coffee roast aroma. This incredibly smooth beer had a coffee roast taste in the middle and end, which also featured some light bitterness, and a chocolate roast aftertaste. It was medium/heavy bodied and received joint scores of 9.5. If you can get to Portland, make sure to visit some of the many brewpubs which are no more that 10-15 minutes from any point in the city. The excellent beers available in bottles in our area are even better on tap. And make it a point to visit the classically British Horse Brass Pub with its friendly neighborhood atmosphere and about 40 taps, mostly filled with northwest craft beers supported by some of the best beers from England and Europe. Absent being able to get to Portland for their fresh brews, at least locally we can enjoy many of them in bottles.