What happened to Deschutes?

I had the exact same experience when I was there a while back. No interesting taps.... only options you can get on any grocery store shelf. Service was bad. We had planned to settle in for a bit, but ended up having a few small pours and getting out of there. Don't plan on stopping there next time through.

 

What? You joined BA just to badmouth Deschutes? They're not the most exciting new thing out there but I think they're doing just fine.

 

I can’t speak for the PDX pub specifically, but my experience here in Bend does not lead me to think there’s anything wrong with the company.

 

It's an airport pub.....not sure if that's the best representation of Deschutes. Even still, I think you can buy their barrel aged stuff.

 

If I remember right, all the PDX restaurants are the responsibility of PDX and the brands whose names they use have very little control over them. I’m guessing Deschutes controls the beer they serve, but given the location it makes sense to serve the things that appeal to the broadest audience and have the most availability to lead to more sales.

 

Expecting a great food or beverage experience at an airport is not a good gamble.

having said that, Anchor Steam on tap at SFO is a welcome refreshment if I'm stuck there for more than an hour.

 

Had a BA black butte porter while eating pancakes last time I stopped in there flying out of PDX. I was happy.

That said, I would take Deschutes regular shit over 99% of what most airport bars have to offer. Black butte porter?? Sign me up

 

Hopefully all your airport experiences from now on will be at LAX. or Chicago. LOLOLOL

 

I had a similar experience when requesting a tasting sample. So split and hit Henry's instead. And I agree with @sharpski this experience is in polar opposite to my experiences in Bend and their Portland Public House.

Seems though that @jason_nwx nailed the reason.

 

Dude, I’ve got a tip for you. If you’re ever in Chicago and want the Rick Bayless experience, don’t go to his spot in the damn airport. Get real.

 

If my workplace is any guide (I work at Spokane's airport), the actual running and staffing of restaurants and bars is doneby one company that has a contract with the airport and which provides such services to multiple airports. It's highly unlikely there's any Deschutes employees involved past whoever hands out kegs to the distributor who runs them out to the airport.

 

The absolute bedlam in the Bend pub every Summer i am in Bend says they are doing fine..just not my bag baby

 

Did they have Obsidian?

 

this just in....

I have learned that PDX does not run any of the businesses at the airport, they (the Port of Portland functions as landlord) lease the spaces directly o the businesses (restaurants, shops, and the car rental and of course the airlines).

The do not have a single food concession operating all the restaurants. It's a mix of larger foodservice companies that work with local brands and small indpedent business owners that lease their spaces from the airport.

Some of the smaller F&B outlets that run their own show include Blue Star, Capers, Elephants, Beaches, Bambuza.

The national F&B operators you'll recognize from airports everywhere: HMS Host and SSP America.

Tamale Boy and Starbucks use HMS Host.

The Deschutes Brewery website actually says their pub at the airport is partnered with SSP America. Kenny & Zukes as well as Hop Works also are parntered with SSP America.

Country Cat is hooked up with Andale Management. (I think the airport location is the sole location for Country Cat now, after their original location in SE Portland closed in August. that makes it interesting that their "brand" is solely represented by an airport concession.)

But, back to the OP's experience at Deschutes...if you haven't already done so, maybe visit the Deschutes website and tell them about you disappointment. I'm sure Deschutes would stlil expect SSP America to uphold their brand reputation and service standards.

for further reading, this is a nice review of the F&B options on Eater PDX:
https://pdx.eater.com/2016/5/24/11762184/portland-international-airport-restaurants-pdx

 

Wait...Country Cat closed? That sucks, that place was fantastic!

 

Yeah, back in August.

 

Rereading the original post, seems maybe he/she was talking about a bad experience at the Portland Pub?

Anyhoo, killing some time before flying to the Big Island and the Airport Deschutes has Black Butte XXXI, Abyss, and Obsidian stout on nitro all in tap. This alone is better than 99% of beer options at airports in the world.

 

I thought that at first, too, except for the reference to Henry's that no longer exists (also only at the airport, like Country Cat).

 

There's been a lot of discussion generated by an OP who joined BA to complain about Deschutes PDX and hasn't posted another thing since. Enough.