Is there too much beer in the PNW?

While I fundamentally agree with him (as I suspect everyone on BA will), I'd like to point out that PDX has the highest percentage of craft beer consumption in the country, right around 30%. SEA is at 25%, and SFO is 20%. So, even in PDX, the vast majority of beer consumed, 70%, is from large domestic producers.

 

Was he drunk too?

 

The PNW needs to shed a few crappy breweries in my local area.

 

I'm pretty sure some people have actually asked if we need another coffee shop. Just saying.

In related observations, I notice that a couple out of the 4 Tibetan import stores that opened on Hawthorne last year have since closed.

 

I think I can get Banh Mi 4 places within walking distance of my office- and I actually applaud that!

 

That was a little pointless but awesome non the less. Thanks.

 

Authentic (meaning cheap) Banh Mi, or the trendy $9 things? I'd love having an actual Vietnamese-owned shop nearby so that I could grab a $3 sandwich for lunch, but if I'm going to spend $7-10 on a sandwich I'd rather get a fully loaded sub from East Side instead of something from Double Dragon that leaves me feeling less than full.

 

I've never had a problem with the sandwiches at DD seeming too small, but your appetite may be larger than mine.

 

They're tasty sandwiches, I'll give them that. I think mainly it's the ratio of size/price that throws me off. For the amount they charge I could go any number of places and get a 1/2lb burger, something from East Side, or half a pizza from someplace like Lonesome's. I guess I just feel like sandwiches are an "every man" sort of meal and shouldn't cost that much...

Come to think of it, that's probably the main reason I almost never go to Kenny and Zuke's, despite their food being delicious.

edit: to keep this beer-related, we should be getting Peche & Brett in tomorrow.

 

Not entirely pointless. There are about the same number of brewpubs in walking distance. I would argue more people drink craft beer than eat banh mi. If we can support 4 banh mi places than we should be able to support even more breweries.

 

Yeah, and I didn't mean to say that I think we're oversaturated with beer. (Although, I do think we've hit saturation of $10+/bomber beers.) Just poking fun at a video that's poking fun.

(Also, FWIW, a lot of the hundreds of Oregon wineries are really small. Like 100-1000 cases total production per year. It makes more sense to compare total production volumes rather than number of wineries vs. breweries.)

 

In all serious I have heard this question asked every year or so since I moved here in 1996. Hell, the number of breweries and overall beer culture was a main reason I moved here to begin with. I do agree with Kevin on the recent jump in high-end prices. We have already seen a fair amount of resistance to this (example- stores can still get Firestone Walker 15 from the distributor).

I think the biggest concern right now for Oregon breweries is the number of breweries going bigger- from startups Base Camp, pFriem, Crux, Worthy, etc. to expanding breweries 10 Barrel, Breakside, Alameda, Double Mountain, Fort George, etc. we may see too many breweries relying on distribution. The fight for tap handles and shelf space could get vicious.

I don't think we are even close to saturation on brewpubs (I can't easily walk to one from my house which is a huge problem in its own right).

 

I am always down for more breweries. Bring em on. Gigantic is an awesome brewery and I will support them as much as I can. I can think of 6 breweries, off the top of my head, that I wouldn't miss if they were to go away. Gigantic is not one of them.

Still, was he just spouting off or what. Was there a portion of that video that I didn't see? I am sure that Portland isn't the only place that question gets asked.

 

I would've been fine with Trade Route going out of business, but they changed their name and bought Three Skulls instead.

 

I just wish a few new WA breweries would go outside the box and start making more creative beer.

 

I can think of quite a few I wouldn't miss. Start with all "the Rams" and "BJs". (and give the north gate ram brewer a real job at a real brewery).

 

Did I accidentally happen upon the SE PDX forum?

 

Schooner Exact, Two Beers and Fremont are working on it, apparently.