Portland: HOTD & Cascade Brewing

I have family members in Oregon and I get out there two or three times a year. I always try to spend a few days in Portland, exploring familiar beer places and trying out new ones. Last month I had a couple of days in Beervana and, on one wonderful afternoon-evening, went to the Hair of the Dog Tasting Room and Cascade Brewing Barrel House. The next evening was spent mostly at Bailey's Taproom. Finally, the day before I was to return to Japan, I had an e-mail from the airline company, saying that my Seattle-Osaka flight had been cancelled, giving me a free day to explore a few spots in Seattle).

 

The Hair of the Dog Tasting Room is always a treat. It has a large, airy, semi-industrial yet pleasant decor, with very friendly staff and a comfortable atmosphere. Seven HOTD brews were on tap. They were offering a sampler of four (Greg, Blue Dot, Fred, and Adam) for $7. Bottle of earlier vintages were available for consumption on premises only (e.g., first vintage of Adam (’94) for $75). This place is a must for beer lovers in Portland. Some of the very best beers in town made by one of the finest brewers around. 

Last time I was in Portland, the Cascade Brewing Barrel House was a couple of weeks away from opening, so this time I made sure to visit. It's just a ten-minute walk from HOTD. This is the place for aged sour beers; they had many types to try -- some aged 12. 16, or 24+ months.

 The bar area is spacious, and there is a large patio full of tables out front right on the street. They had 22 taps going. Bottle sales, too -- and they also sell bottle-shaped bubble wrap packs for those who are traveling. I had samplers of the Blueberry Bourbonic. L'agent Orange, Sang Noir, and Pater, all great. The first two of these were one-time-only single casks, 55 gallons fruit- infused and aged. I also picked up a bomber of Sang Royal to take back to Japan.