Beer Guide 2015: Rock Bottom

By JOHN LOCANTHI

Rock Bottom

206 SW Morrison St, 796-2739, rockbottom.com/portland. 11 am-midnight Sunday-Thursday, 11 am-1:30 am Friday-Saturday.

[GASTROPUB GENERICA] Much like the rest of the area near Pioneer Place, Rock Bottom is part of a chain. Launched in Colorado in 1991, it now has 34 locations. Given its sterile interior of well-maintained booths, the downtown Rock Bottom would be just as at-home in central Minneapolis as in front of a downtown MAX stop. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The large menu has everything from Tuscan chicken pasta to lobster enchiladas. The predesigned six-beer taster flight feels fittingly generic, with the brewmaster's choice invariably being the best offering. (I'm talking about you, Hoppy New Year.) But this is all fine. You don't go to Rock Bottom in search of the most exciting craft beer experience Portland has to offer. You wind up at Rock Bottom because you were already downtown and weren't feeling Buffalo Wild Wings.

DRINK THIS: Hoppy New Year. It's a good beer. I recommend it.

WWeek 2015

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