We were booked on Train 14 from Albany to Portland at `13.22. Anytime Taxi took us to the station in time for the check-in of luggage. Having met drivers Ben, Brett and Brock, it was a lady driver this morning. We must have completed the set.
Due to a collapsed tunnel some hundred kilometres south of Albany, our train was cancelled. A bus was running instead, and it was leaving before the allotted train departure time. With road being faster than rail we would arrive in Portland before our scheduled 15.32. More – VDT!
With more than an hour to kill, we had lunch at the Depot across the way from the station. The Prawn dish seemed like a good idea. Had it been Prawns and Dressing I may have managed it, however there was a gritty cereal-like filler and not enough moisture. This was also my first exposure to table service Coke with free refills. Doris had to keep them coming at speed until I persuaded her to stop filling the glass with ice and actually give me Cola.
I had been looking forward to another train journey, we still have Portland to Seattle in two days time. On the outskirts of Portland, away to my right, I spotted a familiar sight: a massive conical snow-capped peak. It was way bigger in real life than I could ever have imagined. This was Mt. Hood, one of the Cascade Range of volcanoes of which Mt. St. Helens is the most famous, i.e. until Mt. Hood does its business. My first glimpse was the best one, no photos, and the volcano ain’t visible from the city centre.
Arriving at Union Station we knew the lie of the land. After checking in to Eastside Lodge on East Burnside St., we would be walking thereafter, so no TriMet day ticket was purchased, just a single.
Check-in was efficient, Dr. Stan and Hector are sharing again. After nipping out to a local grocery to get some liquid for the fridge, it was time to get the day underway proper.
Burnside Brewing Co. was only a couple of blocks from the accommodation, if we didn’t check it out now we probably would never get back to it in time.
Burnside IPA at 6.5% with a most inviting 85 IBU is orange, hazy, and had a distinctive German taste to it, but was clearly still and IPA. I wondered if some Hallertau hops had been added.
The premises are quite substantial, the large bar and food serving area took up most of the front. I went, camera in hand, to survey the rest. A pity the photo of the board was too fuzzy to post, and this was us starting out.
The Tropic of Capricorn looks identical to the Burnside IPA. This time the abv was only 6.2% and a mere 62 IBU. This Bier tasted more mainstream, but as I write this I know that the New World hops present here would have the people at home going crazy over this.
The walk to our next brewery – Hair of the Dog – was fifteen minutes in a south-westerly direction, back towards the Willamette River. We crossed the railway line that we should have trundled along earlier. Off the beaten track may describe the locus of Hair of the Dog.
Hair of the Dog becomes the first Brewery on this trip where I cannot enthuse about their Bier. However, I shall always remember it for the food which was as Spicy as the Hector seeks and had oodles of flavour.
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Bier matters first, Lila at 5.5% is described on the Hair of the Dog website as a Vienna Lager. Keller Beer is how the menu had it. Also, Our Mother’s Day Beer? Indeed. This unfiltered lager has a sweet grainy flavour, I could taste the sweetness and the alcohol.
Having been quite a few hours since I had eaten, bunkers were required. The Chuck Norris Duck Wings ($9.00) were accompanied by strips of Capsicum, not a problem when Hector is not having Curry. A solid punch, and a kick, these were – Spicy.
Three Duck Wings, Capsicums and Onion were sat on what looked like a Soya based sauce. The kick hit instantly, the Capsicums were well marinaded and had lost their belch power. I love Duck, when I order food from that other Asian but not Indian source, it’s usually Kung Po Duck, meat and mixed vegetables in a spicy sauce.
Spicy? This took Hector to his limit, and only then did Sweet & Sour come across. This was magnificent.
To which corner do I crawl off and die? – I asked the barman when I had finished.
On enquiring about the ingredients of the sauce I was told it was not Soya but a Duck stock with Habanero and herbs. Habanero, my new friend. I should have ordered the Bread and Butter ($3.50) to mop up the sauce.
Bier #2 was Blue Dot, a Double IPA at 7.0%. Similar on colour to the Lila, this hazy DIPA was at an acceptable abv, but still I could the taste the alcohol. Not the best by any means, but standards in Oregon are high. Below average here still ain’t too shabby.
Still, a bit of a downer, maybe twelve consecutive days of Bier drinking is taking its toll? In Europe, ten days is usually the maximum for a trip. Five is the preferred, beyond that Hector looks forward to not drinking alcohol. The palate had to be resurrected. Cider is a great alternative to Bier, we passed Schilling Cider House between Hair of the Dog and Cascade Brewing Barrel House as we walked the few blocks east.
Dr. Stan was never going to visit a Cider House, and Hector’s duty was to look after – The Good Doctor.
Cascade Brewing Barrel House was just what we needed, – The House of Sour – is their self proclaimed appellation. If one does not appreciate Sour Bier, then this is not for you.
The staff were keen, very keen, very proud. The prices here reflected the effort gone into the Bier, this was Craft Beer plus.
When I tasted the Kriek 2016 I was gobsmacked. Even in Belgium there are so many Krieks that are so sweet they are avoided. Kriek 2016 at 7.4% had the full on cinnamon that Hector associates with his very favourites. I dare to write Hanssens (Belgium), this Kriek was worthy of being included at that level of Lambic. The given description remains puzzling – Red ales aged in oak wins barrels with Bing and sour pie cherries. If I looked up – Bing – it would spoil the mystery.
I have referred to the music played at a few venues, tonight it was Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin). We have yet to be exposed to the horrors of disco, rap or American – Schlager music.
More Kriek would have gone done down very well, that is not our way, on this trip anyway. Mulled Apple Sour at 7.1% was described as – A blend of blond and red ales with fresh apple cider, honey, vanilla and spices. Hector summarises this as – Apfel Glühwein, with body, served cold, thankfully.
I have studied the t-shirts in every Brewpub visited to date. None have been worth the money, the designs have been poor, iron on transfers too common, no polo shirts. Finally, here was a range that I could not resist. The tie-dye t-shirts proved to be irresistible.
We crossed the road to Rogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery, what a massive venue. The place was virtually empty, a Tuesday night, the quietest one of the week even in the USA. It was getting late, our last Brewery of the day. Needless to say we were in a good place when we entered and took prime seats at the bar.
The choice was plentiful, a Cask version of a Younger’s (Scotland) ale was dismissed, I didn’t come here to drink a Scottish Bier.
However, where else would I find such Bier in Cask? The palate was ready for more hops.
Outta Line at 6.5% was probably appreciated more than it would have been had we not stopped off at Cascade. This West Coast IPA had in face hops, tremendous.
We had settled in sufficiently that the serving Doris was happy to pose with Dr. Stan, then take our photo. This is something Dr. Stan is finally coming to terms with. No photos, no records, no memories.
Hector the Squirrel had to finish on a nutty note.
Hazelnut Brown Nectar at 5.6% was disappointingly thin after the previous indulgences, but the flavour of nuts was there. All was forgiven, though I could have murdered an equivalent to Komes Baltic Porter.
We weren’t last out but were late enough to see the taps being cleaned and put to bed. I led Dr. Stan up the hill to our accommodation. Where are the Kebab shops when you need one?
The Brewpubs visited today:
Burnside Brewing Co. – 701 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214 – Closed
Hair of the Dog Brewing Company – 61 SE Yamhill St, Portland, OR 97214
Cascade Brewing Barrel House – 939 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97214
Rogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery – 928 SE 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97214