Skamania Lodge Offers Beers with a View

This weather we're having around Portland isn't the best. We usually have great weather in September and early October. I suppose the recent monsoon-typhoon is payback for our drier than average summer. Like they say, paybacks can be a bitch.

On a clear day...

If you're looking to revisit summer briefly, a trip up the Gorge for Skamania Lodge's 5th Annual Celebration of Beer might be a nice fit. It's happening Saturday, Oct. 5, from noon to 5 p.m. It looks like Saturday weather might just cooperate. There's a Full Sail brewer's dinner Friday night and a Sunday brunch. You'll find more info on the Skamania website here.

The tasting part of the Celebration of Beer sets up shop on the Cascade Lawn, which features spectacular panoramic views of the Gorge. The list of attending breweries includes some common names: Deschutes, Hopworks, Lompoc, Full Sail, Double Mountain and Amnesia. Then there's the list of less known breweries: Walking Man, Backwoods, Big Horse and Arcadian Farms. Hmmmm.

This year's Celebration of Beer is part of the 20th Anniversary Celebration at Skamania Lodge. It's hard to believe Skamania is celebrating 20 years. I remember going out there to play golf many years ago (and losing many golf balls in the woods). I've been out there on other occasions since. I've never been out there for this festival. But that view of the Gorge while drinking a few beers is mighty tempting.