Portland's Provincial Past is Slipping Away

People look at Portland's craft beer scene and they wonder how it happened here. Well, that used to be a popular question. It was certainly a question posed to a lot of people when I was doing interviews for Portland Beer a few years back.

There is no simple answer. However, one of the things almost everyone mentioned in some way was that Portland is highly provincial. If you look up provincial, you'll find some interesting definitions. "Narrow minded," being one of them.

What these folks were saying about Portland is that people here have tended to value local products over things imported from other areas. There's also an implied nod to do-it-yourself values. Historically, this was a blue collar city where residents learned to do things for themselves. That general notion has carried forward.

When it comes to craft beer, virtually all of the founding brewers, and many who stepped into the scene later, started out as homebrewers. That's related to the strong DIY culture that dates back more than a century to the city's blue collar past.

As homebrewing transitioned to pro brewing back in the 1980s, a benefit of provincial attitudes was that people were willing to try local craft beers. It didn't matter that they were happily sipping or guzzing their macro lager. They were willing to try the early craft beers at least partially because they were local. The looming shadow of Henry Weinhard undoubtedly contributed to that mindset. Anyway, it turned out that, in a lot of cases, consumers liked what they tasted.

One of the other interesting effects of provincialism, as it pertains to Portland's affection for craft beer, is that brands from outside the area have had a tough time attaining traction here. Countless times you'd see a brand appear in a big splash, only to be gone in less than a year. This was true as recently as a few years ago.

But things have changed. One sign of that is our attitude toward Washington beers. Not so long ago, Washington beers had no standing in Portland. Oregon beer was popular in Seattle and elsewhere, but Washington beers had no clout here. That's not so today. A number of Washington brands have gained a foothold here, including Fremont, Georgetown, Chuckanut and others.

We see further breakdown of provincial Portland in the form of carpetbaggers from out of state (or country) who have or will soon open pubs. There's a big difference in commitment, by the way, between selling your beer in stores or bars and opening a pub or brewpub.

• San Diego-based Modern Times opened in the former Commons space on Southeast Belmont and has gained a solid, apparently lasting following. 
• Denmark-based Mikkeller recently opened in the vacated Burnside Brewing space and seems to be doing well, despite mediocre beer and overpriced everything. Proof positive that P.T. Barnum was right. 
• There's word that Iceland-based KEX Brewing will set up shop in Portland. KEX beers will be featured at a hotel and restaurant being built on Northeast Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Obviously, out-of-state chains aren't new here. Colorado-based Rock Bottom has been around for many years. California-based BJ's Brewhouse at one time had several Portland-area locations and contributed some amazing brewers to our scene. Pittsburgh-based Fatheads earned a sold following when it opened in 2014 and has continued to do well since rebranding as Von Ebert Brewing.

But it seems to me that we've moved into uncharted territory. The growing acceptance of out-of-state beer bars, pubs and brands means more of them will be showing up here, that provincial barriers are breaking down, at least as they apply to beer.

Why would that be the case? There are probably several reasons. I suspect the most significant one is that we've seen and are continuing to see an influx of people from around the country and world. They have little connection to Portland, except that they now live here, and they are far more accepting of outside brands than Portlanders were 10 or 20 years ago. In effect, we're losing some of our ancient heritage as we become more diverse.

This was probably inevitable, given migration, and maybe it isn't such a bad thing. It's unlikely to be reversed, so best get used to the idea.

Mastering the Art of Sport Drinking

One of the worst kept secrets in beer is the emergence the specialized, sport drinker. The sport drinker is much more than a legend in his/her own mind. Indeed, these individuals have been instrumental in propping up a new kind of beer establishment.

What is sport drinking? It's the art of collecting as many beer pelts as possible during any and all drinking sessions. Folks engaged in this sport usually don't care about quaffing mass quantities of any particular beer. Instead, they chase smaller servings of many beers.

Even in beer-centric Portland, that represents a fairly dramatic change from earlier times, when folks visited breweries and brewpubs to enjoy a pitcher or pints of a favored beer. There was no real hunt for specialty beers, no desire to seek out variety. People drank what they liked and called it good.

Of course, that scenario is still in play. Plenty of folks go to breweries and brewpubs and drink pitchers and pints in what might be best-described as an entry-level craft beer experience. Because there are more casual beer fans than serious beer geeks, the best breweries and brewpubs continue to flourish.

But the evolving, maturing beer culture is producing a growing number of sport drinkers, who existed in previous times only in small numbers. These folks demand special beers. Local beers, no matter how good, aren't enough. They want stuff from outside the city and state. The result of that growing demand is the eccentric beer bar.

Some of our notable local destinations include APEX, Beermongers, Belmont Station, Baileys/Upper Lip, Bridgetown Beerhouse, The Imperial Bottleshop, Roscoe's and Tin Bucket. But that's only a fraction of the possible list because there are countless places that feature extensive tap lists and don't quite fall into the beer bar category.

"These bars fill an important niche," an industry source tells me. "They showcase beers from far flung breweries like Barley Brown's and Arch Rock, which many Portlanders would never have heard of otherwise. They also provide a sense of what's happening across Oregon without driving to Bend, Hood River, Eugene and the coast."

I have to admit I'm far more likely to visit a beer bar than a brewery. I enjoy the variety. The downside for many is the snobbishness that's sometimes part of the deal. Beer bars can be intimidating places for casual drinkers, which is shameful and needs to change.

By the way, it turns out sport drinking and beer bars are nearly a perfect fit. We just learned via a Brewers Association article that the smaller pours generally preferred by sport drinkers actually deliver higher profits per keg to bars  Go figure.

Where do were go from here? Honestly, who knows. Portland's maturing, evolving beer scene presents creative entrepreneurs with a nearly endless array of opportunities. We've passed the point where you need to own or operate a brewery to tap into the beer economy. There are alternatives.

Those who have mastered or are mastering the art of sport drinking can be proud.

Fred Meyer Enters Portland Growler Sweepstakes

Fred Meyer this week launched growler filling stations in three of its busiest Portland stores: Burlingame, Hawthorne and Hollywood. I visited the Hollywood store Thursday evening and Friday, just as they opened the taps. This was a very soft opening. In fact, I'm Hollywood's first growler customer...a quart of Lucky Lab Super Dog IPA. Almost famous.

First growler filled at Hollywood store

Freddy's is entering the growler game on a virtual tsunami. Let me explain. Places that fill growlers are popping up everywhere around town. And not just in town. A couple I met at Belmont Station told me about a store in Damascus that fills growlers. Damascus!

The reality is, we are awash in these things. Not so long ago, it was considered chic and forward-thinking to offer growler fills. Now the idea is almost passe. You wonder where this is headed, how many of these places the community will support. But never mind.

Hollywood Freddy's is an excellent target for the growler concept. The store is located on the fringe of the affluent Irvington neighborhood. They sell a boatload of wine here. Until the recent (2012) reset, this store was down in the dumps on the beer side. Not any more. They now have a great beer selection. And it sells.

What they have now is 16 taps of craft beer and cider. When I arrived Friday morning, they were offering 14 beers and two ciders. The gent manning the taps (who preferred that his name not be used) said they will eventually add kombucha and maybe a couple of wines. That mix would be similar to what I've observed at Whole Foods locations, though most of those stores have fewer taps.

Freddy's will fill clean 32 and 64 oz containers. Bring in a bottle that smells like a dead raccoon and they won't fill it. If you don't have your own container, they sell standard 64 oz growlers for $4.99, not a bad deal. They will likely be selling 32 oz grenades and stainless steel growlers at some point. Of course, this is Fred Meyer. They sell all kinds of containers, many of which would be perfect for beer.

Pricing is on the high side in my estimation. My 32 oz grenade of Super Dog was $5.99, cheapest in the house. The highest priced full growler (two beers at this price) was $15.99 and the lowest (again, two beers) was $9.99. Not exactly cheap. Prices will obviously fluctuate with the beers, which will rotate quickly since they have mostly 1/6 barrel kegs in the coolers. I get that. But the list will have to be more spectacular to capture my interest at those prices.

When you get your growler filled, the barkeep will attach sealant tape and a tag with a PLU#. Yes, this is similar to what you do when you put a number on a bag of bulk nuts or whatever. The tag also specifies whether the growler belongs to the customer or store. Now you take your growler (growlers, for the greedy) to checkout and it is handled just like bulk food. Pretty smooth.

If I were installing a growler fill station in a store like this, I would want to ensure that it didn't cannibalize existing sales. Fred Meyers gets it. The gent I spoke to said they will address that concern by featuring mostly one-off beers that aren't for sale in packaged form. One of my industry sources had already told me that's what they were doing, but I'm stubborn...and nosy.

As I mentioned near the top, and have mentioned in past posts on the proliferation of taprooms and growler fill stations, we simply do not know how many of these places the market will bear. Grocery stores entering the fray is a significant development. Competition is the reason.

Because grocery stores do so much more volume than your average taproom, bar or convenience store, distributors are going to want to keep them happy. Now we have a situation in which behemoth stores are competing with taprooms and smaller growler fill locations for special beers. This is going to get interesting.

Atomic Pizza and Hollywood Theater Team Up

The recently opened Atomic Pizza in the Hollywood District is a nice addition to an area that is bustling with growth and activity. They've got great pizza and a rotating selection a craft beers pouring from five taps. They made add more.

Welcome

I stopped in not long after they opened a while back. This was based mostly on info from social media. They were pouring beers by Occidental, Breakside, Burnside, Ninkasi and Oakshire. They also have a small selection of bottles. Good stuff.

What goes good with great beer? Great pizza, of course. For me, great crust is the most important element of good pizza. Atomic has it. They make their own dough and the sauces are handmade, as well. When baked, the crust is crisp and crunchy without being too hard. I think it could use a bit more salt, but that's a personal preference easily addressed with a salt shaker after the fact.

Main ingredients

Another cool aspect of this place is its connection to the nearby Hollywood Theater. Folks who attend movies and other events at the theater can purchase Atomic Pizza via a pie hole in the main lobby. If you look at the sidewalk space between the two entities, you wouldn't think a connection possible. But this is an old building with catacomb-like passages. 

Atomic can't serve you a beer from the pie hole. No worries, though, because Hollywood Theater has a decent tap selection of its own. When I stopped in to watch The Wrath of Khan for the millionth time back in mid-April, the theater was pouring Occidental Kolsch and beers from Deschutes, Laurelwood, Ninkasi and Lagunitas. And Miller High Life by the (16 oz) can. It doesn't get much better.

The pie hole defined

This area is undergoing a rejuvenation process. A long-empty space next to the theater is now filled with a new building. I believe these are apartments or condos with shops below. New businesses have opened along this strip and the amount of foot and bike traffic is amazing. I live close-by as the crow flies, so I'm happy to see this happening.

By the way, Atomic Pizza has another shop in the Overlook neighborhood on North Killingsworth St. That's actually their original store. I haven't been there, but I understand they offer the same selection of great pies and beers there. No theater, though, unfortunately.

A view from Atomic Pizza to the Theater

Speaking of the theater, this place has some history. It opened in 1926, smack dab in the middle of Prohibition and silent films. No beer or wine served then, folks. It was an odd setting for a theater, remote from downtown. In those days, Sandy Blvd. had streetcar and automobile access. It was considered a luxury theater.

After difficult times in the 1970s, the theater was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The non-profit group, Film Action Oregon, bought the place in 1997 and has worked to refurbish it ever since. Today, they screen films from all over the world and support Oregon-based independent film projects. Cool stuff.

New marquee coming soon

Part of the renewal project involved a fundraising campaign to purchase a new marquee for the old girl. That campaign exceeded its goal in late 2011 and the new marquee has been under construction. They hope to get it on the building by summer. More improvements are also planned and you can donate to the cause on their website here if you wish.

Good times in the Hollywood District.