With a room to myself for the first time on this trip, there were no middle of the night disturbances as a room-mate gets up for the necessaries. Hector awoke at sensible o’clock and took the plunge. Being used to swimming a kilometre, six days a week, one gets withdrawal symptoms. The Travelodge here in Eugene is one of two opperchancities in this trip.
I put a toe in the Pacific Ocean back in 2000, so I was expecting the worst. OK, the pool water has not come from the cold California Current, but may as well have. Once you’re in it’s fine. Aye right. My normal forty minutes was truncated. The pool was too small anyway to get into one’s stride and work up a sweat. It also rained on me, but how could I become any wetter? Dr. Stan emerged from his room to observe/inspect/marvel/despair. The head was shaken in the manner in which only Dr. Stan can manage – Ah, Herr Schneider.
With no nearby diner for Dr. Stan to have his grand breakfast, he joined me at Evergreen Indian Cuisine which was a twenty minute walk west from t’Travelodge. From there, Blair Boulevard would take us on a direct diagonal route to our first Brewery of the day – Ninkasi Brewing.
Dr. Stan fared better with the Buffet at Evergreen. Hector was not impressed by the a la carte offering. My fifth Curry of the trip and unfortunately I am reaching the conclusion that the bar has not been set high. Surely if Hector can source authentic Bier, then Desi Cuisine must be available somewhere?
Ninkasi Brewing occupies an extensive site. Having walked past a series of Brewery-type buildings we entered a surprisingly small Taproom with a seating area outside. At $4.50 for a 16oz glass, the Bier was the cheapest of the trip, so far. Initially we had to take a place at a standing table, soon we were in our preferred spot – at the bar.
Prismatic at 5.9% is a Juicy IPA, this is what we want. Full of flavour, dry and hoppy with a tangy finish. The featured hops: El Dorado, Simcoe, Centennial, and Citra. It was time to up the abv and the IBU, and this was only Bier #2 of the day. Total Domination at 6.7% and 81 IBU was again totally – in the style. This time the hops were: Summit, Amarillo, and Crystal.
As we worked our way through this, so stickers for the above were presented along with Maiden The Shade, a very respectable sample of which duly followed.
Maiden The Shade at 6.8% and 72 IBU has a magnificent range of hops: Summit, Centennial, Simcoe, Columbus, Crystal, Palisade, Amarillo, and Magnum. There was a slight sweetness in aftertaste, however, the hops were once again – in the face.
Shall we just cancel our tickets home? – I put to Dr. Stan. Eugene was simply getting better and better. Whose idea was it to come here?
Whose idea was it to leave Ninkasi?
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Hop Valley Brewing Co. was around the corner and across the railway tracks. We never heard the bell that always rings at level crossings. The five minute walk was well timed, we avoided a soaking.
The brewing plant was again substantial, we entered the taproom and took a high table at the far wall. With twenty taps to choose from, there was no difficulty in finding Bier in our preferred style and with seriously high – International Bitterness Units. My two choices were adjacent on the board. 
Citrus Mistress IPA at 6.5% and 80 IBU features Munich malt, 4 unnamed hops. Gold, clear, – dances on the tongue – was my unusual note. The body was impressive, and this Bier must count as one of the driest ever.
There was a lot going on here today and none of it was to do with the fact that my Williams Bros. (Alloa, Scotland) t-shirt blended in so well with the brewery logo. A very screechy guitar was being played over the sound system. When it gave way to a very familiar – dong! – I recognised the guitarist – Michael Karoli – of CAN, Hector’s favourite band of all time. Krautrock, here!
In the venues where music has been played it has tended to be British classic rock, not – Sweet Home Alabama / Hotel California – played endlessly as feared. Mother Sky (CAN – Soundtracks), what a treat.
The TVs were showing a female college athletics event in Eugene – NCAA. The changeover in the final leg of the 100m relay caught the eye. Krystal Ellis (?) was in fourth at the final handover but still won. Wow! More Bier.
Alphadelic, a Northwest IPA at 6.7% and an even more impressive 90 IBU, has the required dryness but not the flavour of Citrus Mistress. Still, there was nought wrong with this Bier.
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Another five minute walk around the corner, and this time in pouring rain lies Oakshire Brewing Public House. The actual brewery lies a few blocks to the north. Once again the seats at the bar were occupied and so I chose at table to the rear of the room. With a choice from five IPAs, Citrafonix lost out.
Watershed IPA, and American IPA at 6.7% with 70 IBU is as gold and clear as lager, but with a hop hit. Sharp tasting, but no astringency – was noted. I keep waiting for the back of the throat to be attacked, it has not been a feature of the Bier enjoyed on this trip.
Whilst Dr. Stan was up at the bar getting our second Bier, so Hector engaged the young lady sitting at the end of our table in conversation. This was Elizabeth, a herb graduate working at – The Rogue Farm – in Buena Vista. As we learned at the Rogue Pearl Public House (Portland), Rogue Ales grow their own brewing ingredients. This at least guarantees the supply and stops third parties buying them up. There had to be photos. So engrossed were we that the formal photo of our second Bier was omitted. The Drop Bear IPA at 7.3%, with 76 IBU, was again gold and clear. Full bodied, there was a hint of syrup. So well bodied, and the Hops were once more to the fore.
Compared to the last two short walks, it was a good twenty five minutes back in the homeward direction, not aided by having to negotiate the junction at Coburg Road and Mill Street. Sam Bond’s Brewing was closed last night when we got here, tonight we were earlier.
A band was playing, fortunately not – yee-ha – music despite some of the attire. The room was long enough for Dr. Stan and Hector to sit far enough away, nearer the bar to hear, but still able to converse.
Crankshaft IPA at 6.6% and 68 IBU was the sensible choice. Instrumental Double IPA at 8.3% was a possible Bier on which to end. So good was the Crankshaft, we stuck with it. The hop flavours were delightfully complex. This was our last chance in Eugene to have the same Bier twice.
As I toured the premises, so I could not help notice the Bass, what a machine. When the band finished their set I engaged the bass player. He told me he bought this Bass some twenty years ago, a very fine instrument.
There had to be more music, again, mostly classic British rock. A Forest by The Cure (17 Seconds) was a highlight.
Over the next hour or so we seemed to be in conversation with everyone. The barmen were well onside, so photos of them, photos of the band, I believe Hector was – in the zone. What a sociable gathering.
The place was deserted by the time we left. As there is no photographic evidence, Hector could not have been last out.
Tomorrow we head downriver to Albany, a third of the way back to Portland. Salem was halfway, but there was something about the name which seemed off-putting. We have been asked more than once in the last couple of days why we are going to Albany. Why not? Maybe we are about to find out. Nearby, Corvallis keeps being mentioned, ah, there’s a Curry House there.
The Brewpubs and restaurant visited today:
Ninkasi Brewing Company – 155 Blair Blvd, Eugene, OR 97402
Hop Valley Brewing Co. – 990 W 1st Ave, Eugene, OR 97402
Oakshire Brewing – 207 Madison St, Eugene, OR 97402
Sam Bond’s Brewing – 540 E 8th Ave, Eugene, OR 97401
Evergreen Indian Cuisine – 906 W 7th Ave, Eugene, OR 97402