Golden Valley Brewing

What a groovy Football filled weekend! 
Friday night lights. Watching my Frosh stomp around with the Varsity, super exciting!
A late night of high school football playoffs, yielded us a late Friday night visit.
With frigid temps, and an amazing football win, we were thrilled to pull up and find the Beaverton Golden Valley Brewing still serving to all ages.

Warmly greeted, our experience was spot on. This was our families second adventure to GVB.
The service was great. The food was HOT! 
Most importantly, we didn't get snubbed at the door because we rolled in after 10pm, with our family. 
For many of us beer imbibing, pub appreciating patrons, a family friendly late night atmosphere, is a deal breaker. Having an inviting brewery to patronize, where we aren't snubbed at the door is beyond refreshing.
We started our feast with Beer Battered Onion Rings, complimented by a cold round of brewskies. Which varied from the Dundee Porter, to the Bald Peak IPA, finishing with the Muddy Valley Oatmeal Stout. My sons thoroughly enjoyed the house Craft Rootbeer option.
Both the beer and root beer were outstanding!
The Bald Peak IPA was wonderfully fragrant, deep hop aroma, followed with a crisp bite, finished clean.
The Dundee Porter had a deep drop, dancing on the palette with a toasty kick.
The Oatmeal Stout, hands down featured the warmest malt delivery I've had in a while. The essence of chocolate and coffee roast aroma warmed me up from the frigid temps outside.

The food was scrumptious. I enjoyed the Northwest Veggie Sandwich, served Hot on an olive ciabatta bread, the beet addition, pulled the entire sandwich together. My husband chowed down on the Southwest Rice bowl, my 15 year old son enjoyed the house Fettuccine Alfredo, and my little guy swooned about his handcrafted, locally raised, fresh Hamburger. On a side note, GVB is 1 out of only 12 restaurants NATIONWIDE that raise their own cattle! Stand up appreciation right there. They know exactly where their ingredients come from. They definitely give a damn. THANK YOU Golden Valley Brewing. 



Golden Valley Brewing is two thumbs UP! WAY UP! 
Local sourced, graciously open, polite, no question a classy joint.

We'll be back!!!
I'll be absolutely certain, to spread the positive word around my hood!
Cheers! Until the next episode.

Fresh HOPS for ALL!

My oh my. What a whirlwind of late summer.
The lovely hops have bloomed!
Beautiful hop creations were introduced. 
The hop harvest season was good to all of us brewsky loving, imbibers. 

I made way this year to the Portland Fresh Hops Festival! 
http://oregoncraftbeer.org/events/freshhopsfest/

With the hubs in tow, I was pumped! 
Good times were had beneath the beautiful oak trees, along the lovely Willamette river.

With absolute glee, the fresh hop tastings began. 
I felt like a kid in a candy store. 
I started my initial taste with 'The Green Pig', by Coalition Brewing. YOWZA! A kick in the taste pallet. The Wet Cascades were like fresh slop to my taste buds. Big, bold, a little slippery, full of robust fragrance. 
Thank you Coalition for starting me off right with a 4oz. Pour of pure OINK!!! http://www.coalitionbrewing.com

From there, I headed on down to the Ecliptic side of the playing field. 
I was pumped with anticipation. 
Altair Fresh Hop. John Harris's brews always fall onto my pallet like a shooting star. 
He scored on this fresh hop selection. Perhaps those Meridian hops were picked with just the ideal gravitational pull. In sync with the mystifying grain moon, found only during the month of August. This Pale Ale was in a galaxy all of its own!
I went back for a full pour on this freshness. Thank you Ecliptic!
http://eclipticbrewing.com

Next up, I popped in for a pour from the Lucky Lab, where the beautiful Margaret, was pouring. 
She served up some homegrown goodness. 
The Mutt. 
Bold. With a bite that any good, protective mutt would deliver. 
There really is something sacred in folks coming together, growing their own hops, and uniformly contributing them to create a FRESH hop brew. The entire ideology that came forward, with this Lucky Lab, Fresh Hop Mutt mix, felt like home. Cheers!
http://luckylab.com

The final fresh hop creation that took my taste buds for a loop was the Widmer pour. 
Fresh Hop Hefe. She came in like a warm Summer wind.
The fall equinox is creeping. I find myself holding on to every last bit of Portland Summer I can wrap my memories around. The Willamette fresh hop induction sent this Hefe spin straight to sunshine, happy times for this lass. 
http://m.widmerbrothers.com/beer/
Widmer Beer. One of the OG homies of P-town. I will always have a tender place for them in my heart. 
They've created quite the playing field here in Oregon, where all craft beer is celebrated. 

Fall is upon us now. 
Cooler temps. Lustrous foliage, and oh so many cozy brews. Looking forward.

Until the next episode. Sail on! 
-The Brew Lass

The Cedar Tree of Lebanon

Her lovely just is.
Her bounty is strength and shade.
Her magnitude is timeless.
Her rarity in Oregon soils creates a tick in ones soul.

I have noticed her. She catches my eye every time.
Her place of home, SW 2nd Street and Pine, old town Sherwood. There she stands. Still.
She's witnessed the many happenings and generations that Sherwood has unfolded.

Her cited date to go down is July 29, 2014. To be completed by July 30, 2014
Time is running out.
Her roots hold the ground steady.
Common sense reaps that conclusion.

This is my plea to you Mr. Lot Owner.
Give me a little time to create means to keep her steady, trimmed, well taken care of. I can guarantee you the foundation of your single family home resides on her roots.
Destroy her, in time, destroy your foundation.
Every action has a natural reaction.

My goal is to find a well qualified, inspired, loving, educated arbor that has a respect for old growth beauty. That has a desire to preserve. After all, that is what we are dealing with. An old growth, rare, endangered specie. Her timber is sought after highly. Not just by lumber companies, but by specialized woodworkers, as well as folks of religion. Her timber is eternally blessed. Referenced over 30 times in the Bible. They say Jesus' first boat was built from the Tree of Lebanon Cedar.
There is just 1 Cedar Tree of Lebanon, here in Portland, that has been respectfully protected and marked as a Heritage Tree, by the City of Portland. She is located at the corner of SW 20th and SW Howard's Way. She is believed to have been planted in the early 19th century by the renowned writer, Henry Miller. Your tree can be protected. Saved and celebrated.
Please take some time to contemplate the aftermath after she falls. If you so chose.
Much lays in your hands.
I ask you to move graciously and compassionately. As what you have in your yard is a gift. A gift to be honored, cherished, and celebrated. Let your community step in and give you a heartfelt hand.

The Buoy Beer Landing

97103.
The holiday weekend delivers the well deserved trip to La Pacifica ocean! 

After an adventurous weekend loafing about the campsite, delighting in amazing sunsets and hiking waterfalls, we made way to the Astoria River-walk, along the mighty Columbia River. 

There we basked in the new, Buoy Beer Brewing. 
The rejuvenated warehouse has been nicely transformed into a thriving attraction, along the lost Astoria piers. Which hold a near and dear place in my heart. 

Kudos to Buoy Beer for revamping, yet preserving and holding on to a sliver of Astoria pier history. 

Open is an understatement. 
Beautiful. 

Walking in felt almost tunnel vision. The natural river beauty abounds in every direction you look.

My first beer ordered was a 20oz. of their Cream Ale. It was almost reminiscent of the high school Bud days. Metaphorically speaking of course.

My second brew was their Porter. Better. Pretty head. Nice lace.

Their house made veggie burger, was bean on! Good stuff.

The ambiance of the joint was inviting. The scenery, to die for. The historic idea behind the creation of Buoy Beer, honorable. 

I will return. 

I've read plenty about how much hard work, effort and heart, has been invested in getting this beautiful brewery up and running. Gratitude is the perfect adjective. 

I have a hunch once a few tweaks are made, Buoy Beer very well, may be a lead contender in the Clatsop County Craft brew options. 

Until the next episode. 

Cheers! 

-Brewlass

Ex Novo GRAND OPENING!

First blog post. 

Grand opening of Ex Novo Brewing! Seems fitting. Beginning from Scratch. 

How exciting!

Ex Novo is the first, one and only, NON-PROFIT brewery to erect nationwide. 
Kudos to genius, compassionate, forward thinking folks. Portland is home to many breweries, but this my friends, is one of a kind.  

Gal pal, lady meet-up was the agenda. 

Miss Jodi, the inaugural LOLA She-Brew competition champion, and the lovely lady Cathy, was the plan.

Traffic was a nightmare. 

By the time I arrived the joint was packed. A good sign for Ex Novo indeed!

As I meandered back through the crowd to where Jodi was waiting, by the brewing equipment (but of course), I immediately concluded this shanty had great energy.  

Wow, the equipment was gorgeous. Shiny, fancy, aesthetically pleasing.

The live music playing up above set the mood. Rockin'. 
The heat permeated the building. We all resembled a hot mess, holding it together. For the sake of good beer, a great facility, and female comrade. Cheers!

My first beer was their Scottish Red. The Red was good. Subtle hints of hop, smooth finish. Malt charm.  

My second up was their IPA. Great Hop flavor. Opened up nicely, with a fun kick.

Lastly, I dabbled in their Saison. Murky, light, fragrant. Summer is here! 
My fave of the 3. 

The ambiance of the joint was earthy, yet invigorating. Exposed beams, wood walls, nooks and crannies where folks could hang, industrial cable rails, yet touches of modern thought throughout, with bold lighting fixtures, robot murals, and giant sized letters reminding you to always find celebration, CHEERS!

The bar slab was created from a beautiful tree. A classy touch.  

Bottom line. I liked Ex-Novo. I'll be back, everything added up in their favor. The nonprofit bonus, is an underlining reinforcement. They put their money where their mouth is. 

That's rad!!!

Until the next episode. 

-Brewlass