Beer Guide 2015: Columbia River Brewing Co.

By MATTHEW SINGER

Columbia River Brewing Co.

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

[HOLLYWOOD KIDS] Columbia River is the brewpub equivalent of a dad-rock band. It's not particularly hip, but the craftsmanship is impeccable. Also, it's entirely possible the owners beta-tested their pale ale on Bruce Springsteen when he came through town on the Greetings From Asbury Park tour. Yup, that's how long Rick and Lynn Burkhardt have been making their own beer. It wasn't until 2010, however, that they decided to go legit, moving into a space in the Hollywood District previously occupied by Laurelwood. It's a no-frills sort of establishment— unless the seven-barrel brewing system, visible in the main hall through wall-length windows, counts as a "frill." Culled from recipes refined by the Burkhardts over the decades, the beer program is equally traditional but exceptionally well-made. No experimental kale ales or Skittlebraus here. In particular, the Stumbler's Stout, which won a silver medal at the World Beer Cup in 2012, is rich and chocolaty without being overly bitter. Your dad will love it.

DRINK THIS: Stumbler's Stout. A panel of specially selected international beer nuts can't be wrong, right?

WWeek 2015

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