Category: USA

So we had a great time at OBF!  We are a little new to the “media” side of things, but we did our best to be outgoing and as a result, we met some really cool people that could really talk beer! Plus, after a few pints, even the most shy of us can mingle with the best of them. It was nice to talk with like-minded (and some not-so-like-minded) people who are as much into beer as we are. I don’t know about you, but in our circle of friends, we are seen as being pretty obsessed with all things beer and sometimes made to feel like our obsession is way out there.  Well, when you are in a whole group of beergeeks, a girl can begin to feel pretty darn normal and really feel part of the big beer world out there. Ya know, I don’t profess to be an expert on beer or even be able to talk technical beer speak, but I’d like to think I can hold my own in a beer conversation.  I just hope that I didn’t make a total dork of myself!  If I did, please don’t tell me.  I’d like to keep thinking that I did okay! Besides, I’m just a little beergeek girl who appreciates good beer and good beer conversation. So here’s to my new friends and I look forward to more beer parties to come. . .assuming we will get invited to some . . .

We are finishing up our 2 day stay in Portland and about to head out to the Oregon coast. I have to say Portland has changed a lot since our last visit in 1999 but it is still a great beer-filled city.

After the excellent brewers guild dinner on Wednesday night, we did our traditional walk up to the Bridgeport Brewery in the Pearl District. The redevelopment of the neighborhood was amazing… old warehouses being replaced by brand new condo complexes. Whether that is progress or not, I am not sure but one thing is for sure; it was the Bridgeport Brewery that started the revitalization of the neighborhood. It was also nice seeing our old friends Roscoe and Fidel… and Eve too.

Our day at the OBF started early… 10am at the Rogue pub in the Pearl District for breakfast, beer and kazoo practice. Then the parade of revelers started down to the festival lead by the mayor of Portland, bagpipers and a keg of Rogue ale. And just like in Munich, the mayor tapped the keg to officially open the festival. My hats off to the Rogue crew and the brewers guild for pulling off a great event.

The festival continues to bring in some of the best beer in the Northwest and we tried too many great brews (and a few stinkers) to list here. We also met some great people who, like us, are trying to make the world more enjoyable through beer.

We finished off a long beer filled day by visiting the world famous Horse Brass Pub… Don Younger has been pouring great beer in his pub for over 30 years and I am ashamed to have to admit it was our first time there. We definitely missed out on our previous trips to Portland. What an incredible pub.

All the pictures can of Portland can be seen here.

 

Last night we stayed in a brewery hotel in a historic building. Chris had warned me that the bathrooms were in the hall and I figured that I would suck it up because I wanted to experience this cool place. I am happy to say that I survived it without any problem! The bathroom ended up being right across the narrow hallway from our room and it was amazingly clean!

Last night a rowdy group came in around 2am and they sounded pretty drunk. I thought, “Oh god, someone is going to be puking in my bathroom all night and it will be super gross in the morning”! And then, this morning I heard people taking a shower before me and I was getting more anxious by the minute. Well, when I went in, it looked like no one had been in there. Apparently, the hotel has someone cleaning it up after each person. Excellent for a germaphobe like me!

I don’t know if all places are as clean as this place (I don’t think so), so I don’t know how many chances I will want to take in the future. However, I’m glad that I didn’t pass up staying in this cool hotel because of the bathroom situation. If I survived, anyone can!

So far the trip has had a few things I didn’t expect.  1) It’s raining and wet.  Okay, maybe one should expect that up here and I even knew what the weather forecast was, but rain like this at this time of year is apparently not usual. 2) The beer hasn’t been tasting that great to me.  Weird!  Chris and I decided that my taste buds must be off from a recent cold.

Other than that, it is beautiful up here and Sequim is having their annual lavender festival, with all things lavender!  Very cool! Even though I have a number of lavender plants at home, I decided that I want to plant a small plot just like a farm! (Chris doesn’t know that yet!)

We’re going to try to hike today and we hope that the weather cooperates.  But who knows, I guess I need to learn to go with the flow and expect the unexpected!