Sunday 19th June 2011
Bob Thompson
To get to this pub I caught the number 6 bus north from Convention Centre station along Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard and after about four miles I alighted at the crossroads with NE Dekum Street. I then walked five blocks easterly through a pleasant district until arriving at the Breakside Brewery at 820 NE Dekum Street.
This is a purpose-built building for the pub and brewery and opened in 2010. Inside I perused the blackboard showing the day's offerings.
These were, commencing with beers from the home side, Dry Stout (4.2%), Aztec Ale (9.4%), Hoppy Amber (5.9%), IPA (6.9%), Margaret's Beet Beer, NW Strong Saison and Sazerac. Guests from other breweries were Coalition Nu Cream, Upright Engelberg Pils, Flat Tail Sticke (sic), New Belgium Wit and Ace Joker Cider.
I partook of a sampler tray of six of the house beers excluding the Strong Saison, not a favourite style. The Dry Stout was excellent and was in the Irish Style. Aztec Ale was one I was prepared not to like but had a different impression after tasting. It's made with cocoa and chillies added. It's an extremely distinctive beer. Hoppy Amber was exactly the same as the description, nice. IPA, an excellent example.
All the above beers are regulars, Margaret's Beet Beer is a special and had beetroot as a flavouring agent and again here I found that the drinking was a lot better than expected. The taste of the beetroot was there but in the background.
Finally an occasional beer, Sazerac, can be best described by the menu: "brewed in collaboration with Jacob Grier and Ezra Johnson-Greenough, the team behind Brewing Up Cocktails. Modeled (sic) on a famous New Orleans beverage, this beer was aged in a whiskey barrel with star anise, lemon peel, and Peychauds bitters" (?). It tasted odd, not like beer, but not awful.
Well worth a visit.
Important Information:
Breakside Brewery, 820 NE Dekum Street, Portland OR. 97211. Tel: 503 719 6995
Open: Monday-Thursday 15.00-22.00; Friday & Saturday 12.00-23.00; Sunday 12.00-22.00
The No 8 bus terminates outside and comes from the city centre.
The No 6 runs North-South along Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard from the City Centre.
Alight at NE Dekum Street and walk four blocks east.