Beer Guide 2014: Fearless

By Matthew Korfhage

Fearless

326 S Broadway St., Estacada, 630-2337, fearless1.com. 4-9 pm Wednesday-Thursday, noon-10 pm Friday-Sunday.

Fearless bills its Estacada location as the "center of the beer-brewing universe." This is perhaps true, but only if the beer-brewing universe begins in Portland and ends at Hood River. Otherwise, consider the tagline a gentle nudge to its neighborhood's ribs by brewmaster Ken Johnson, who knows that his cozy rec room of a brewery is isolated out in Dodge Ram country. Accordingly, he has his whole damn clan with him in the bar as backup: The walls of the deeply family-friendly, Celtic-style taproom are stocked with pictures of Johnson's own heritage, from his grandparents' wedding photo to a snap of his wife Bennett's great aunt Hazel. The family of Celtic-style beers is equally welcoming. The Scottish Ale is the flagship, but the smooth-drinking Loki Red Ale was one of our top 10 beers of 2013. MATTHEW KORFHAGE.

DRINK THIS: For a smooth ride, you can't go wrong with the Loki Red. But for a roller-coaster ride, go for the Mjolnir Imperial IPA, a caramel-malted pine forest of a beer.


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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