I’m enjoying a double hazy IPA while I contemplate an impending trip; Did I pack everything I needed? Or too much? What the weather like…oh damn better pack another jacket, it’s Portland, after all.
Beervana?
Yeah, I’m heading back to the promised land of a local brewery every couple of blocks, where young people go to retire, and cults form around taco trucks. I’m super excited to stop at my favorite beer spot IN THE WORLD, John’s Marketplace in Beaverton. It will be my first stop after leaving the airport, and the local transit has me covered down to the block. People ask why Portland and, like, honestly, if I could live within walking distance of a John’s and a transit stop, I’d be happy.
I don’t really have plans for the weekend I’m there, and I don’t really need any – I know my way around well enough to make any trip worth my time. Maybe I’ll go play Magic the Gathering at Moxx, or catch the new Captain America movie at the swanky movie theater on Friday. It’s guaranteed to rain, sleet and even snow while I’m there, PERFECT February Portland weather.
SO THAT HAPPENED
As predicted, the weather was cold and snowy, with several inches piling up until the day I left, when it all melted. It’s funny in that way when you spend a bunch of money to go somewhere and then you spend most of the time in the expensive room you rented is funny – it’s kind of not.
At least the trip was overall decent – the flights were alright, the layovers at LAX gave me the chance to try some new beers, and it was nice to get away from my caretaker duties for a few days. I spent a few hours at the LAX Rock ‘N’ Brews, which is a spot dedicated to rock n roll on the screens and some brews on the tap rail. I rolled up thirsty but oblivious to the host and plopped down at the bar before noticing the empty nature of the place. I had inadvertently walked about half a mile to a place that was closed 15 minutes before I got there. But the bartender was nice enough to pour me an IPA and chat while he cleaned.
My first stop in Portland was indeed Johns Marketplace in Beaverton, a short walk from a MAX stop and basically empty on a Wednesday afternoon. I walked the store, looking at all the new beers I haven’t had, and some old favorites, and lamented the state of distribution in New Mexico. So many breweries here, and I can’t get their beer without a road trip. Sad. I picked up a couple of stouts to sip on at my rented room, that served me well.
Portland is a great walking and transit town, when it isn’t snowing and 20-ish degrees with a stiff wind. I knew what to expect and was only saved by the bold application of winter snow tires by my friend, who relished the chance to use them someplace other than Mt Hood on a ski trip. I was rather impressed, and would get a set for myself if it ever snowed here. We made it around to a few places on my usual list, most notably Loyal Legion in downtown Beaverton for a dinner with friends, It was a stout weekend for me, so I went dark and 14% with an aptly named ‘Power Stout’ from Little Beast, a Portland favorite. A chocolate nitro milk stout followed, with a strong finish from Level beer and Platformer Porter… My friend would have taken me anywhere, but he knew where my heart was. Good friends are worth keeping around, it seems.
THE FUTURE
I will keep posting here, but I’m not sure what what kind of crap I’ll end up writing about. My beer adventures are on a kind of hiatus, for health and financial reasons. It turns out that a bunch of empty calories every day isn’t very healthy for you long-term. I keep hearing that from people who look like they’re in way better shape than me, so maybe there’s something to that.
There is motivation to go to the gym – not just the monthly cost, of course. We’ll see how it adds up in the coming months as I vacillate on a daily basis, like everyone else ever trying to quit drinking. I have my own methods of persuading myself to do the right thing that are pretty effective when engaged. I really just need to find something else to do to get away from the house for a couple of hours than drink beer. Yes, a hobby. Maybe I’ll get back into drones or something, it seems like a good time to get back into flying FPV. Yeah.
*Originally drafted in March of 2025