Visiting Portland - Winter 2017/18 update

Finally cards! I'll stop by more often now that I don't need to do a cash check before walking through the door.

 

yeah, a year after it was released, APEX already marked em up $10. Me and a buddy split a bottle for $30 at thanksgiving. it instantly became one of my all-time favs. fast forward 4 years and now they are at least $50-$60.

APEX has no shame with their markup game.

so i basically wait and have a pour every November.

 

Indeed...

 

Is there actually a new Green Dragon, or are you talking about Rogue?

 

Rogue.

 

Something against the company? Because they probably have 25-30 non-Rogue beers on tap and the venue was super nice

 

I mean I've been working in the craft industry here in Portland now for 4 years. I have never been personally slighted or inconvenienced by Rogue as a company, but damn if I haven't heard some industry horror stories about how their employees are treated.

Also, it's worth noting the distinct history surrounding that location. It went from being known as the Green Dragon when it opened, to the "Green Drama" after the Rogue purchase. Still, I'm not beyond checking out their new outdoor patio during the summer. I always thought that location was underutilized considering its prime location to so many other craft beer spots and restaurants.

 

Just came back from PDX from Pittsburgh, PA. The list was very helpful. I would add Modern Times as a must and take off Deschutes as a must. I forgot how great Hair of the Dog can be. Some of those vintage bottles were banging.

 

huh. interesting. Ive never heard anything about them, but I also dont work in the industry so I really dont know all that much about how any brewery operates. I know that most of their beer sucks, but thats about it

 

Well, they've cleaned it up quite a bit, but check this out: https://www.rogue.com/jobs

 

Looks like they have PNC on tap today. $10 per 6 oz pour. They have Cantillon on at that price too.

 

Super Covert Fermented Beverage Extraction Mission!

I'll be in Vancouver, WA this Thursday and Friday for a conference, and I have one to two hours midday Friday to do a beer sweep - take-home, mainly - before returning to the Seattle area. I'm mainly on the hunt for Block 15 (IPAs, saisons, sours), Upright (anything), and de Garde (anything), but I'm also up for suggestions if there's been a recent, radar-worthy release. Which bottle shops might best cover those? Belmont? Saraveza? Tin Bucket? I might have a chance to actually go to Upright on Thursday night (if I remember my Upright location secret decoder ring), but the chances are small.

Regarding Grape Lotion, has their new facility slaked the hype-thirst? More succinctly, if I tried to pick up a crowler or two, should I need not apply sans pack of early-camping mules, given I can't make it into the city until 1pm or so?

A future "thanks" to any who oblige!

 

When I've gone during the week before 5, they almost always have crowlers available. Now if it's some one-off special thing, that screws with the system. They've only done one can release at the new brewery so far and it seemed to go fine. I didn't attend, but the thread suggested they didn't sell out and the line moved quickly.

 

Thanks, @weaverr ! To clarify, so far, crowlers are only at the old location, and cans (though most likely sold out by now?) are just at the new location: Does that sound about right?

 

Based on their Instagram, they still have 4 packs available, plus Super Ripe crowlers today at their pub on Alberta.

 

The new brewery isn't open yet. Well, it's open as in they're brewing, but their pub is still under construction. it's an industrial brewery at this point. They've done one can release there. If you want to buy beer, you are almost definitely going to Alberta unless you found a can release event on their Facebook page.