I’m back from my joyous escape from reality in the beautiful state of Oregon – and while I am happy to be back in Brooklyn, NY – I am still going through major nature withdrawals. Luckily PDX Airport had an awesome craft beer collection, so I flew home with enough Oregon-made alcohol to soften the blow.
My trip west coast was mostly spent in Hood River – a small town about 1 hour from Portland – with some pretty awesome breweries including Full Sail, Double Mountain, and pFriem Family Brewers.
When I finally made it to Portland – one of my favorite cities – I stopped by one of my local loves – Breakside Brewing ❤
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the place was buzzing – but we were sat quickly. With such lovely weather, we chose a large shareable table outside and I dove straight into the impressive variety of their tap list. From IPAs to a Sour Ale to a Dry Stout – I was thrilled to try so many different styles from Breakside – as I had only tried their ever popular “Lunch Break” prior to my visit.
The lovely waitress did not hesitate when I asked to try everything on tap, and with a bit of help and a truly delectable pretzel, I drank the entire beer list at the NorthEast location – Dekum Pub (12 5oz samples to be exact.)
See below a review from my fellow beer blogger, A Beerded Gentleman‘s review of Slabtown – Breakside’s NorthWest Location!
The clear winner for me was the Double IPA – India Golden Ale. Packed with citrus flavors and surprisingly light and easy to drink for 8.2% ABV. The runner-up was the Wanderlust IPA – a balanced, bright, citrus IPA.
Top Flight:
Pilsner – German Pilsner – 5.2 % ABV
Lunch Break – Session IPA – 5.2 % ABV
Breakside IPA – IPA – 6.2% ABV
Wanderlust IPA – IPA – 6.7% ABV – Runner Up
India Golden Ale – DIPA – 8.1% ABV – The Favorite
Passionfruit – Sour Ale – 4 % ABV
Bottom Flight:
Lucky as Helles – Bavarian Style Lager – 4.9% ABV
Toro Red – Red Ale – 6.3% ABV
Wisco – Cream Ale – 5.5% ABV
Irish Stout – Irish Dry Stout – 4.5% ABV
Nao’s Dunkel – Munich Dunkel Lager – 5.2% ABV
Old Lord Chubby Cheeks – Strong Ale – 11.6% ABV
*Cheers*
Brewing Beauty ❤
BONUS
Breakside Slabtown Review by A Beerded Gentlemen 🙂
Seattle and Portland are cut from the same cloth; the same family bloodline. Both are full of causally weird scenes painted with an abundance of foodies and breweries. However, Portland is Seattle’s hip, laid-back Uncle that lets everyone know he’s weird. He has friends that still wear Docs, mom jeans, and plaid flannels around the waist – I love the 90’s.
Portland is my Uncle Rico. He lives in the past, boasts about the past, but makes the present interesting. Portland boasts about their craft beer, and they should. The Pacific Northwest (PNW) has great beers. However, my taste buds have been intensely exposed to hops that I either seek for the “Wow” factor or the easy, but flavorful beer that I can drink continuously throughout the summer.
Breakside opened its newest pub in Slabtown just 5 miles southwest of its Dekum location in Portland, OR. I arrived at Breakside Slabtown as the clocked turned 4 PM and the sun dialed the heat up to 71 degrees – perfect timing for the summer beers on their patio in the sun. This brewery, like many others in the PNW, is kid and dog friendly. I witnessed a cockapoo and 4 year old girl meet and become friends – nothing weird about that!
Breakside feels like home. I enjoyed their Slabtown Sampler Tray with my wife and the company of neighbors. I did not find my “Wow” factor beer, but I did find that summer beer; “Wombat vs Wallaby.” It delivered a smooth texture with a slight bitter finish. There are many out there that enjoy this beer, and I recommend trying it for yourself. If you don’t trust me, read other, more in depth, reviews on Untappd.
Overall, Breakside Slabtown is a beautiful location for all to enjoy. It may not be in the heart of downtown Portland, but it does offer opportunities that are in walking distance. Unfortunately, I did not have much time to explore before my train headed back up to Seattle. Next time I will visit Breakside’s Dekum location.
Cheers,
James // A Beerded Gentleman
Brewing Beauty 