NDSU vs Ducks Drink Beer in Oregon.

[heffray]

I need to broaden my horizon a bit with the craft beers. I’m more of a lager drinker and that’s about it. I can handle an IPA or an Ale every now and again but lagers are what I focus on. Like a good Amber Bock.

Have you tried any hazy IPAs (also called Northeast IPAs)? They are typically lighter on the malt backbone and very floral and citrusy, whereas your standard IPAs, like Furious, are more bitter and piney. A lot of breweries make these now. Next time you're in Fargo, check out Junkyard or Drekker, they normally have a few options to try of these.

[NDSUBowler]

Astoria is a great starting point. Aside from the sea stacks and the Goonies movie and other touristy stuff. Brewing good beer is all about the water and there’s something about the water in Astoria that brews really, really good beer. Fort George is a must stop, Bouy is a close second. But you must must sample the gamut of Fort George beers. The Vortex IPA is a year round staple that crushes it. Depending on the release cycle look out for Skies Of Wonder, From Astoria with Love and the 3-Way IPA. You can’t go wrong. Cavatica Stout is delicious and if you want to blow Midwestern minds, bring a few back to Fargo, pour a can of it in a blender with a decent Java chip ice cream and make the best beer float you’ve ever tasted.
I’ve not yet had a bad beer from Ft. George or Bouy.

Pelican Brewing is a local coastal chain. They’ve got some cool view brew pubs located right on the beach. In a couple of cities, unfortunately for some reason I dislike their beer a lot. So I don’t recommend it other than the view, but one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure so you might give it a try.

Eat chowder on the coast, it’s delicious.

Pelican Brewing is worth it for the view itself. Not many places can you grab a beer, walk outside, pull a chair to the edge of the beach, put your feet in the sand and watch the ocean all while still on brewery grounds!

A pain in the ass to park there, though...

[23Bison]

Have you tried any hazy IPAs (also called Northeast IPAs)? They are typically lighter on the malt backbone and very floral and citrusy, whereas your standard IPAs, like Furious, are more bitter and piney. A lot of breweries make these now. Next time you're in Fargo, check out Junkyard or Drekker, they normally have a few options to try of these.

No I haven’t but will definitely try it out. Haven’t been to Drekker in many moons. Thanks for the tip.

[Ode2Luke]

Here’s a good write up on the Coast. Repeats some that I’ve already mentioned but has pictures and maps and such. I’m not quite that ambitious to include all that...

Oregonian’s 12 coastal breweries.

[Ode2Luke]

Have you tried any hazy IPAs (also called Northeast IPAs)? They are typically lighter on the malt backbone and very floral and citrusy, whereas your standard IPAs, like Furious, are more bitter and piney.

Great point. We call them New England style out here and they along with “juicy” IPA’s have been the rage for about the last year or three. Just about everyone out here makes at least 4 versions it seems like now. As Heff pointed out they are much more approachable for the casual or “newbie” IPA drinker because of their sweet, floral/citrus character. Think about a beer with a sweet grapefruit/orange taste that smells like soft flowers and has a malt/brown sugar hint on the back of the nose. You’ll find unfiltered versions that will pour in a glass and look more like orange juice than a beer. It’s a great way to really experience the different characteristics of the hops used to make the beer because the IBU’s (measurement of how bitter a beer is, higher # = more bitter, many argue that you can’t really taste an increase above 80, but you’ll see beers clock in at 100+) aren’t so high as to destroy your palette. (Hops are a cone flowering vine (related to pot, so they can have a similar smell) that initially were used to help preserve beer for storage, and now are used more like spices in cooking to flavor the beer.). You’ll have a beer that is say Citra hop dominant and it will taste/smell different from the same beer made with say Simcoe, or Columbus or ....Fremont Brewing’s Head Full of Dynamite series is a great example of this. They put out a different hopped version of basically the same beer every month or so. There’s thousands of different strains of hops. A large chunk of them were developed by our friends at Oregon State and are grown here in the NW, which is why the IPA style and beer culture are so dominant out here.

[heffray]

Great point. We call them New England style out here and they along with “juicy” IPA’s have been the rage for about the last year or three. Just about everyone out here makes at least 4 versions it seems like now. As Heff pointed out they are much more approachable for the casual or “newbie” IPA drinker because of their sweet, floral/citrus character. Think about a beer with a sweet grapefruit/orange taste that smells like soft flowers and has a malt/brown sugar hint on the back of the nose. You’ll find unfiltered versions that will pour in a glass and look more like orange juice than a beer. It’s a great way to really experience the different characteristics of the hops used to make the beer because the IBU’s (measurement of how bitter a beer is, higher # = more bitter, many argue that you can’t really taste an increase above 80, but you’ll see beers clock in at 100+) aren’t so high as to destroy your palette. (Hops are a cone flowering vine (related to pot, so they can have a similar smell) that initially were used to help preserve beer for storage, and now are used more like spices in cooking to flavor the beer.). You’ll have a beer that is say Citra hop dominant and it will taste/smell different from the same beer made with say Simcoe, or Columbus or ....Fremont Brewing’s Head Full of Dynamite series is a great example of this. They put out a different hopped version of basically the same beer every month or so. There’s thousands of different strains of hops. A large chunk of them were developed by our friends at Oregon State and are grown here in the NW, which is why the IPA style and beer culture are so dominant out here.

Good info here. Junkyard and Drekker out here do a variation of these called “Milkshake IPAs” where they add vanilla, lactose, and sometimes some fruity adjuncts. Really fun.

[Ode2Luke]

Back on the road, West of Sisters in Central Oregon, there’s a fork in the highway. You can head west towards Salem, or head south west towards Eugene. SW is a “prettier” drive, but less beer so we’re headed towards Salem. It’s a pretty drive along HYW 22 but there’s not much to do till you get to the Silverton/Silver Falls exit. Take it. Silver Falls state park is a wonder. Massive beautiful waterfalls you can drive up to or take a leisurely hike. There’s a loop trail that takes you past 10+ depending on the season. The geography makes this area one of the most beautiful waterfall areas in the world. Abiqua Falls is stunning, but is a serious hike in. (Video)

Back to reality now that your thirsty. Head into Silverton and there’s a couple spots worth checking out. Ratchet Brewing is a Salem brewery transplant, that started out as homebrewers and now have a significant brew pub. They make good beer. Silver Falls brewing is also worth a stop.

[Ode2Luke]

15 miles west of Silverton is Salem, Oregon’s capital and second largest city (barely). Unfortunately it’s about the 7th-8th best city for beer, and all of that has come about in the last 7 years or so. That’s not as much of a knock as it used to be because there are some GREAT cities making beer in Oregon, most of whom had a pretty significant head start. Not that long ago I would have suggested beer lovers take a left or right turn onto I5 and not to bother with Salem, but it’s finally picking up.

til:dr Salem doesn’t suck anymore.

*Full disclosure: I live here, and while I don’t have any interest in any of the breweries I’m mentioning, I own part of a Taphouse/bar downtown.

The ”old guard” breweries. We’ve got 2 McMinnemans and a RAM brewing that have been here for a long, long time. They’re still worth a visit for beer and pub food, but no one would recommend it as a place to stop. Kind of like a beer version of Perkins. You’ll be happy if you go there, but no local is going to say, “Oh you’re visiting the Midwest. You have to eat at Perkins.”

The “Vanguard” Breweries. Gilgamesh Brewing’s the oldest and largest, they make staple and some unique beer that’s worth a taste. Their Mamba is a nearly hopless beer that initially was hopless, but they can’t legally call it a beer unless it has hops in it so they throw a hop cone or 2 into the batch, it’s different from anything I’ve ever tasted and people either LOVE it or WTF is this? They make good IPAs and their Terry Porter (Blazer HOF’er) Porter, is delicious, and they give a % of sales to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital so I rep the shit out of that beer. For you Inception fans, I’ve got a pic of Terry Porter at my spot, drinking a Terry Porter, playing a Terry Porter NBA Jams arcade game as Terry Porter. Wrap your brain around that.

Santiam Brewing is the second oldest new guy and is based on English style ales. They make really good beer and I sell a TON of it. Ecotopia and Bloody Hell IPA, Spitfire Amber, and the Pirate Stout (coconut stout aged in rum barrels) are standouts. For a small, already diverse, brewery they make really good barrel aged beer along with some cask conditioned beer. This alone is worth a stop, get a taster flight of a typical CO2 conditioned beer and compare it to the naturally carbonated cask version of the same beer and you will be shocked at the difference. It’s mostly in the mouthfeel to me and I describe it to people as drinking liquid Teflon. It just seems to slide effortlessly down your throat. The CO2 beers will feel thick and “sticky” by comparison. If you’re in Salem and stop at one place, stop here.

The “New Guys”
Vagabond Brewing. is a good brewery founded by 4 Marines so there’s a lot of Semper Fi vibe. They make great IPA’s and their Northwest Passage Stout is one of my favorites. They’re kicking ass and have expanded with satellite taphouses, downtown and in Albany, and a satellite brewery in Portland. (That’s very well regarded) there’s a funny story about the FAA looking for a plane crash in their bar.

Salem Ale Works, Bine Valley, and Xicha round out the breweries. SAW is solid, and Xicha focuses on a Mexican beer flair, but Bine Valley is the smallest and my favorite the three, I haven’t had a beer from then I haven’t liked.

1859 Cider Co, is worth a stop, they make a lot of single varitial and heirloom hard apple ciders, that are polar opposites from Angry Orchard crap. Like comparing a good white wine to Old English 40.

There’s about 25 other good spots to visit on any given night that have all popped up in the last 6 years or so, 5-10 of which I’d recommend to a serious beer taster, but that starts getting close to advertising my spot. So rather than tell you about our great beer and food, I’ll just say that my co-owner is a huge Eagles fan so any day he’s working there’s about a 60% chance he’s wearing a Carson Wentz Jersey.

[Ode2Luke]

Head south on I5 towards Eugene, there’s a ton of smaller breweries in the towns along the way but don’t bother, save your time and detour over to Corvallis home of our beloved OSU Beavers. Besides being highly regarded for their contributions to the beer world, they also play championship baseball, produce a shocking number of Playmate of the Years, and are relevant in football occasionally, and make news for playing and not for stealing a ram from an animal homosexuality study...ugh that punchline writes itself. Their new coach is their glory days QB who led them to CRUSH Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl so I really like the guy. They’re going to be decent. But I digress with this football talk.

First off. Two Towns Cider. Stop here, this is the best cider company I’ve come across. They make an incredible lineup and all of them are good. They also sponsor the Timbers and Thorns for you futbol fans. Most of the decent bars in the state carry a few of their ciders. If you’re traveling with a non beer person or want to cleanse your palette I can’t recommend them enough.

Flat Tail Brewing. I love these guys. They’re the local OSU campus brewery and it’s full of sports memorabilia. Part of the OSU marching band parades through every night before a home game and plays the fight song in the bar. 6am stout and their IPA’s are good. Look out for the Same Day IPA it’s as fresh as you can get. Their DAM Wild sour beers are exceptional as well.

Block 15 Their Sticky Hands IPA is a must drink IPA, IMO it’s one of the best made in the state. They’ve got a great cave cellar BBA program. So lookout for Nebula or other offerings. It’s not far from Flat Tail and definitely worth a visit.

[DakotaOkie]

15 miles west of Silverton is Salem, Oregon’s capital and second largest city (barely). Unfortunately it’s about the 7th-8th best city for beer, and all of that has come about in the last 7 years or so. That’s not as much of a knock as it used to be because there are some GREAT cities making beer in Oregon, most of whom had a pretty significant head start. Not that long ago I would have suggested beer lovers take a left or right turn onto I5 and not to bother with Salem, but it’s finally picking up.

til:dr Salem doesn’t suck anymore.

*Full disclosure: I live here, and while I don’t have any interest in any of the breweries I’m mentioning, I own part of a Taphouse/bar downtown.

The ”old guard” breweries. We’ve got 2 McMinnemans and a RAM brewing that have been here for a long, long time. They’re still worth a visit for beer and pub food, but no one would recommend it as a place to stop. Kind of like a beer version of Perkins. You’ll be happy if you go there, but no local is going to say, “Oh you’re visiting the Midwest. You have to eat at Perkins.”

The “Vanguard” Breweries. Gilgamesh Brewing’s the oldest and largest, they make staple and some unique beer that’s worth a taste. Their Mamba is a nearly hopless beer that initially was hopless, but they can’t legally call it a beer unless it has hops in it so they throw a hop cone or 2 into the batch, it’s different from anything I’ve ever tasted and people either LOVE it or WTF is this? They make good IPAs and their Terry Porter (Blazer HOF’er) Porter, is delicious, and they give a % of sales to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital so I rep the shit out of that beer. For you Inception fans, I’ve got a pic of Terry Porter at my spot, drinking a Terry Porter, playing a Terry Porter NBA Jams arcade game as Terry Porter. Wrap your brain around that.

Santiam Brewing is the second oldest new guy and is based on English style ales. They make really good beer and I sell a TON of it. Ecotopia and Bloody Hell IPA, Spitfire Amber, and the Pirate Stout (coconut stout aged in rum barrels) are standouts. For a small, already diverse, brewery they make really good barrel aged beer along with some cask conditioned beer. This alone is worth a stop, get a taster flight of a typical CO2 conditioned beer and compare it to the naturally carbonated cask version of the same beer and you will be shocked at the difference. It’s mostly in the mouthfeel to me and I describe it to people as drinking liquid Teflon. It just seems to slide effortlessly down your throat. The CO2 beers will feel thick and “sticky” by comparison. If you’re in Salem and stop at one place, stop here.

The “New Guys”
Vagabond Brewing. is a good brewery founded by 4 Marines so there’s a lot of Semper Fi vibe. They make great IPA’s and their Northwest Passage Stout is one of my favorites. They’re kicking ass and have expanded with satellite taphouses, downtown and in Albany, and a satellite brewery in Portland. (That’s very well regarded) there’s a funny story about the FAA looking for a plane crash in their bar.

Salem Ale Works, Bine Valley, and Xicha round out the breweries. SAW is solid, and Xicha focuses on a Mexican beer flair, but Bine Valley is the smallest and my favorite the three, I haven’t had a beer from then I haven’t liked.

1859 Cider Co, is worth a stop, they make a lot of single varitial and heirloom hard apple ciders, that are polar opposites from Angry Orchard crap. Like comparing a good white wine to Old English 40.

There’s about 25 other good spots to visit on any given night that have all popped up in the last 6 years or so, 5-10 of which I’d recommend to a serious beer taster, but that starts getting close to advertising my spot. So rather than tell you about our great beer and food, I’ll just say that my co-owner is a huge Eagles fan so any day he’s working there’s about a 60% chance he’s wearing a Carson Wentz Jersey.

Dam', There are some respectable breweries opening up in the buckle of the bible belt (Oklahoma), but I am ready to move west and have you adopt me!
To heck with football (for a few months anyhow), this thread rocks!