Two Weeks is Way Too Long

Wow, no excuses...I can't believe I haven't written in two weeks. I am going to do my best to get back "up to speed". I've actually missed writing on this blog everyday!

First I'd like to share with you a nice night out I had the other day. Jeremy's good friend from college, Ray, came out to Portland from Tennessee for a visit. Being a merchant mariner he was the perfect friend to show-off all Portland's wonderful microbreweries to! We decided to take him for samplers at a number of the best breweries in town, and I'd like to share them with you so you can enjoy them too!

One-Night Beer Tour of Portland

First on our list was my personal favorite...Deschutes. Widmer has the best beer, but Deschutes has the most amazing food. If you are going to go here the one thing you MUST order is their pretzel. All of Portland's breweries serve the classic soft pretzel with spicy mustard, but Deschutes' version is almost like a croissant. Served with a cheese dip and mustard, you can't miss this twisted delight. Oh, the beer is pretty good too!

Deschutes - 210 NW 11th St., Portland 97209

Next we went down the street to Bridgeport. Basically it's safe to assume the beer at all of these places is really good. Personally, I think if you're going to navigate the breweries you have to get a sampler at each. That way you can compare each brewery and each beer within their selection...AND it's a cheap night out! Most samplers run for about $6-$8 a piece. Beer of choice at Bridgeport is the Hop Czar...even hoppier than the traditional IPA, be prepared! As for the food, they have great burgers and pizza.

Bridgeport Brewing Company - 1318 NW Marshall St., Portland 97209

After Bridgeport we headed over to New Old Lompoc. I had never been to this bar/brewery, so it was a new experience for me too! The atmosphere was very far from Deschutes and Bridgeport (which are architecturally awesome brewpubs), New Old Lompoc has much more of a "dive bar" feeling. The beer was good, but we also ordered a Hot Apple Cider cocktail...disgusting. On the upside, Tuesday night is trivia night out on their heated patio!

New Old Lompoc - 1616 NW 23rd St., Portland 97210

Fourth on the tour was MacTarnahan's. Okay...new favorite! This place was DELICIOUS! The beer was so refreshing and the atmosphere was great...they even had a fireplace! I especially loved their apricot ale...I can't remember the name but it was amazing. I highly recommend this place for a big group, dinner, or a date. The food is also worth a trip to this Taproom.

MacTarnahan's - 2730 NW 31st Street, Portland 97210

Last but not least, we headed to another new spot...Tugboat Brewing Company. This place takes the prize for unique atmosphere. The bar is all old wood and red booths, surrounded by floor to ceiling bookshelves. Every wall is covered with books. Me being a huge bookworm, loved this place. The ales they brew are all extremely bitter...I mean way too bitter even for Jeremy and Ray. But, they did have the most delicious cider on tap, called Spire Mountain Draft Cider. This cider was so good, it's worth a trip to Tugboat just for a pint.

Tugboat Brewing Co. - 711 SW Ankeny Street, Portland 97205