Beer Guide 2014: Columbia River

By SAVANNAH WASSERMAN

Columbia River

1728 NE 40th Ave., 943-6157,
columbiariverbrewpub.com. 11 am-10 pm Sunday-Thursday, 11 am-11 pm Friday-Saturday.

You can get so used to the east side's hipster crowds that a place like Columbia River Brewing surprises you. Rick Burkhardt and his wife, Lynn, started homebrewing in 1974 and made their public debut in 2010 when they bought the Columbia River space from the previous tenant, Laurelwood Brewing. The bar style is classic and the bartender seems to know every customer by name. The magic happens in the back corner, where tall glass windows extend from floor to ceiling to reveal a seven-barrel brewing system below (thank the previous tenant for cutting the hole in the floor). Stumbler's Stout won the silver medal at the World Beer Cup in 2012, and it's popular with regulars. It's a traditional English oatmeal stout: roasted, malty and delicious. There are a dozen beers on tap (try them all on a $12 taster tray), and Burkhardt has created 40 recipes in the past three years. Get some crisply fried beer-battered snacks on the side—the onion rings are highly recommended. SAVANNAH WASSERMAN.

DRINK THIS: Stumbler's Stout, or, if it's on tap, a killer chocolate coconut porter.


Portland-Area Breweries from A to Z | Beer of the Year | Favorite Beers #2-10

Portland-Area Cideries | Top 5 Ciders of the Year | Beer Bars and Bottle Shops

Local Growler Makers | Surprising Growler Fills | Homebrew Shops

Restaurants With Great Beer | Local Beer and Liquor Pairings

An Oral History of BridgePort IPA | Beer Events Calendar | Beer Tours

Day Sips: North Oregon Coast, Hood River, Eugene, Seattle

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