beer

Lunch at Fort George Brewery in Astoria

Beer

On a sunny October Sunday, I drove out to Astoria with my parents and Sheri. The real reason for the trip was for my parents to see Tillamook Rock Lighthouse – the only one they hadn’t seen yet on this trip.  However after we hiked to see the lighthouse we were all starving! So it was off to Astoria and Sheri recommended Fort George Brewery for lunch. We snagged a sweet parking space…I love that so many towns have free parking on Sunday!

The Taster Tray at Fort George Brewery

Now it got a little confusing when we walked in. We could eat at the Public House or the fancier restaurant upstairs or the Tap Room just down a few doors. I wanted seafood so the waitress recommended the Public House. We got a taster tray to share among three of us, as my mom doesn’t drink beer.

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I liked quite a few of the beers but when I ordered my pint I went for the seasonal Drunkin’ Pumpkin. My dad got the Cavatica Stout.  I believe we paid $17 for the 12 beer taster tray.  Everything was good but rather pricey as we spent $95 before tip on lunch for four.

The brewery does weekend tours at 1pm and 4pm. We didn’t finish lunch in time to catch the 4pm.

Taking the Bend Ale Trail

Beer

bendaletrailDid you know there are 11 breweries in Bend, Oregon? Just hop on the Bend Ale Trail to see them all. While you’re doing it you might as well pick up (or download) your passport. Visiting all eleven for stamps will get you a free silipint (that’s a silicon pint glass, I had to look it up) from the Bend Visitors Center.   Just be sure to check the hours as the Visitors Center is closed on Sundays during their Winter hours.

On our trip to Bend last weekend Sheri and I decided we’d collect a few stamps. Our first stop was 10 Barrel Brewery on the west side of Portland. We shared a 10 glass taster tray and I ordered the Mac & Cheese while Sheri got the Steak & Gorgonzola Nachos. Next time we will just order the nachos and split it..it was huge! Sheri only at half and I was helping. My favorite beer was the Red Faucher Red Ale.

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We were also lucky enough to be there for 10 Barrel’s Pumpkin Smash festival. For $10 you got a mini snifter and 5 beers. My favorite was the Pumpkin Crush – a sour weiss beer with pumpkin.

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We had planned to hit up Boneyard Beer after dinner but since it’s just a tasting room it was already closed. Instead we stopped there around lunch time. Most of their beers were IPAs so I just got 2 tasters. The first was free and additional tasters are $1.

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I enjoyed both beers I tasted – Diablo Rojo and Black 13. Sheri took a half growler of Fuego Rojo home.

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Since we decided to take 20/22 back to Portland we figured we’d stop at the extra credit brewery – Three Creeks in Sisters.  The taster tray cost $9 for 6 beers.

Interestingly they had 2 rye beers in the taster tray. I loved the Stonefly Rye but not the Raptor Rye IPA. We got a taste of a bourbon barrel aged porter that was amazing, but I don’t remember what it was called.

So that’s 3 down and 9 to go!