Beer Guide 2015: Portland Brewing

By JOHN LOCANTHI

Portland Brewing

2730 NW 31st Ave., 228-5269, portlandbrewing.com. 11 am- 9pm Monday, 11 am-10 pm Tuesday-Thursday, 11 am-11 pm Friday, noon-11 pm Saturday, noon-9 pm Sunday.

[INDUSTRIAL GRADE] The industrial edge of Northwest Portland is not where you'd expect to find a taproom. But there is a strong scent of cooked grains as you wander nearer to the Portland Brewing operation. The taproom, with its beige exterior and red roof, feels out of place amid the dull grays, loud trucks and blue-collar workers of the area. Portland Brewing, which returned to its original name in 2013 after operating as MacTarnahan's for over a decade, is owned by Washington-based Pyramid Brewing. You'll find a mix of Portland Brewing and Pyramid beers among the 12 taps—including the seemingly heretical Washington-brewed Schonz red session ale—along with a fairly generous taster tray (five 5-ounce tasters of anything for $8). Grab yourself a flight of tasters to sip on while the gregarious server explains that their bourbon barrel-aged imperial porter is actually two separate bourbon barrel-aged beers with a touch of their BlackWatch to mellow it out.

DRINK THIS: While the Amber Ale is what made this brewery famous, the BlackWatch Cream Porter is a solid winter beer.

WWeek 2015

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