Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

It’s the most wonderful time for a beer!
It’s the hop-happiest season of all!
There’s a buzz in the air of Pioneer Courthouse Square
when mugs flow with ales…

Photo by Dan Leithauser, via Flickr

That’s enough of that, but prepare to uncork a beer-inspired carol of your own during downtown Portland’s 17th annual Holiday Ale Festival (Nov. 28 – Dec. 2). This celebration of winter suds set beneath the region’s largest decorated Christmas tree features big, bold beers designed to keep revelers warm on cold winter nights — from Terminal Gravity Festivale to Deschutes Jubelale and He’Brew Jewbelation to Great Divide Hibernation. Every beer is made or blended specifically for the festival, so they’re pints you’ll not likely to find anywhere else.

The event also includes delicious, holiday-themed foods, live music and a Sunday brunch with exclusive beers alongside European pastries, cured meats and artisan cheeses. Wear some Santa pants, because you’re going to need a bigger waistline.

For some, there’s nothing like the taste of a cool beer on a hot summer day. Others pine for their favorite fruits to be in season, so they can pop nature’s sweet treats into their mouths. Both, no doubt, would agree on the Portland Fruit Beer Festival (June 9-10) and the North American Organic Brewers Festival (June 29 – July 1), two celebrations of suds that tap local ingredients to delicious effect.

Kicking off more than a month of beer festivals in Portland, the Fruit Beer Festival proved popular in its first outing last year. This time around, 25 breweries are slated to pour their creations in the street-party setting outside Burnside Brewing Company. Rare kegs will be tapped and a fruit beer home brewing competition allows amateurs put their recipes to the test. An all-ages event, the Fruit Beer Festival will also feature live music and plenty of eats — food cart PBJs Grilled is even making a special sandwich just for the occasion.

The North American Organic Brewers Festival’s eighth annual event is a weekend-long, no-admission-fee gathering that pairs ales with eco-friendly ideals. Serving organic beers and ciders, NAOBF takes over North Portland’s tree-lined Overlook Park, a sunny spot with great  views of the downtown cityscape. With compostable drinking glasses, a supervised bike corral, organic food and other sustainable vendors, the entire event leaves a minimal footprint. But with great beers, a children’s play area and live music, it’s sure to leave behind some great memories. — John Patrick Pullen

Photo by Allison Park, via Flickr

As the holidays approach, the grocery store aisles and bar taps around Portland welcome full-bodied seasonal ales to help weather the cold winter months. This year, Widmer Brothers Brewing is back with its BRRR Seasonal Ale and BridgePort Brewing Company will help cure any bah-humbug tendencies with their Ebenezer Ale.

For those looking to sample seasonal ales not sold in stores, Portland’s annual Holiday Ale Fest offers dozens of brews created solely for the festival. Considered the premier winter beer-tasting event on the West Coast, the 16th annual festival will feature beers from more than 40 breweries Nov. 30 through Dec.4, 2011, in Pioneer Courthouse Square. A heated, clear-top tent keeps attendees cozy while allowing for holiday light-viewing in the heart of the city. And, plenty of holiday shopping and dining options are located on adjacent blocks. The festival website features a full list of breweries and their 2011 submissions, ranging from Belgians and barley wines to porters and stouts.

I’ve got a beer in one hand, science in the other, and I’m in a museum where the only kids are 21 years or older. Such is life at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry’s monthly After Dark series, where adult beverages and food accompany live music, dance and circus-like performances.

On this last trip my inner nerd was uncaged upon stepping into the temporary exhibit, Game On 2.0,which features a history of video games from the clunky handheld units of the past to state-of-the-art virtual reality. Temporary exhibits and After Dark themes change, but the fun remains constant.

Photo by M.T. White

The last full weekend in July marks a rite of passage for beer lovers in the Pacific Northwest as Portland’s Tom McCall Waterfront Park welcomes the annual Oregon Brewers Festival. Known as BrewFest to locals and beer lovers from afar, this festive celebration in the heart of Beervana will have people clinking glasses with friends and strangers as they tip back a few samples of the 85 domestic craft brews on tap throughout the weekend.

With sunshine in the forecast, BrewFest, which welcomes 80,000 people annually, will be open and ready for business from noon-9 p.m. Thursday, July 28 through Saturday, July 30, and noon-7 p.m. Sunday, July 31. Admission is free, but the souvenir cup ($6) is required for sampling. Beer is purchased with $1 wooden tokens and a full mug runs four tokens while a taste will cost you just one. Bottoms up!

Photo: Rich Grant

Our CFO, Ron Melton, passed along an engaging blog post by Rich Grant, a former colleague from Visit Denver who recaps a wide-ranging trip to Oregon and locates the soul of Portland in the “three B’s, which this ‘city of roses’ can claim above any other American urban center: beer, bicycles and bookstores.”

Even the name of Rich’s blog – Walking and Drinking Beer — feels just right for Portland. Which brings to mind two things:

1. Oh, how Rich suffers for his art.

2. Ron: Any way to get him on our payroll?

Not your usual tourism pitchman: My uncle J.R., visiting from Omaha.

Yes, we’ve seen the bicycle frames that decorate the popular, kid-friendly and ec0-minded Hopworks Urban Brewery on Southeast Powell Boulevard.

But for further proof of Hopworks’ commitment to bike culture (and, I suppose, a sign that my uncle is a too-willing photo subject), check out this picture of the banana-seat headrests affixed above the urinals in the men’s room.

Brewmaster Ron Ginsberg at Cascade Brewing Company.

I’ll be the first to admit that the idea of sour beer doesn’t necessarily entice the palate, but that’s exactly the latest trend in Portland beer, and it’s every bit as delicious as it is sour.

And while barrel-aged and sour beers are a new trend, they are also decidedly old – as in old world. Back before metal kegs and refrigeration, beer-making began as a way to preserve grains. Rather than letting them spoil, our brilliant ancestors discovered how to make them into beer. However, as the beer aged in barrels, it gained complexity from the wood and, in some instances, took on sour characteristics.

Fast-forward to modern-day Portland and several of our local breweries are barreling beer just like in the old days, and sometimes introducing ingredients to encourage souring of the beer. (more…)

September is my favorite month in Portland.  The weather’s warm, the streets are busy and activities are in full swing.  Here are a few of the things I’m looking forward to experiencing:

See

Robert Crumb, Illustrated Book of Genesis: It took five years and 200 drawings for artist Robert Crumb to illustrate the 50 chapters of Genesis.  Portland Art Museum’s exhibit runs through Sept. 19.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night: A collaboration between the Artists Repertory Theatre and the Sydney Theatre Company, this American classic stars William Hurt.  The show has been extended through the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

PICA’s Time Based Art: Ten days of performances and parties kick off with a collaboration between the Oregon Symphony and Rufus Wainright.

Shop

Compassion Coupons: From now through September, customers can print coupons for discounts at downtown shops and restaurants and New Avenues for Youth will benefit.  For every redeemed coupon, New Avenues receives $5 to help fund their outreach programs.

Fashion’s Night Out: On Sept. 10, Downtown Portland retailers throw open their doors for fashion shows, exclusive appearances, samples and giveaways.  Director Park is the headquarters for this event, which includes free evening parking at SmartPark’s 10th and Yamhill garage.

Art in the Pearl/Pearl Sidewalk Sale: The Pearl’s the place to be on Labor Day weekend, when artists take over the Park Blocks and vendors take over the sidewalks.  Bring your credit cards and good walking shoes for this three-day event.

Savor

Tasty n Sons: From the legendary folks at Toro Bravo, this restaurant in North Portland packs them in for brunch.  Starting Sept. 9, they’ll bring ‘em in for dinner, too.  A warm-weather bonus?  The roll up garage-style door at the front of the restaurant.

Pinot: “An American Brasserie” featuring beer, wine (yes, there is more than just Pinot Noir on the menu) and eats from the Pacific Northwest.  This newly opened downtown restaurant opens early and closes late.

Hair of the Dog: This legendary brewing company has finally opened a public brewpub.  Their website hasn’t been updated, but the Oregonian wrote a preview in April.

Let’s raise a glass to BridgePort:  The Portland brewer’s new TV spot is as tasty as their citrusy, hoppy IPA. I’m a big fan of both.