Choosing Sides
The tale of two pubs
Posted by: John Chandler on Jan 11, 2011 at 11:00AM
10 Comments
It’s all in a night’s work. I devoted Saturday evening to checking out a pair of newish brew pubs, Breakside Brewing on NE Dekum, as well as the freshly opened Burnside Brewing, and found them to be a study in contrasts. Me? I don’t have a problem with contrasts—sure beats dull uniformity.
Breakside Brewery It’s been open since the summer but I don’t get over to that part of town as often as I’d like. Breakside is exactly as I imagined a contemporary neighborhood pub; a stylish, upmarket industrial space replete with loading dock garage doors and tables made from rustic barrels. It’s dark and woody inside, and despite the presence of a TV tuned to ESPN, it’s a sedate scene. There’s an upstairs dining room, and a slightly more casual bar area, both of which emphasize the space between you and the other patrons. This is the spot for a romantic rendezvous for lovers who love beer more than a sophisticated list of the latest pinots.
I tried a pair of the house beers with mixed results. The dry stout compares favorably to a good ol’ Guinness; the roasted barley gives it that smoky disposition in the mouth, but it’s a relatively light beer at only 4.5 percent alcohol. To me, this is the sort of beer that proves an ideal accompaniment to a blustery night of threatening weather—a dark, distinctive brew that can ward off the damp and chill. The Aztec, an American strong ale, was less successful. The presence of malt and honey gave it plenty of body, but the menu description indicated that Thai chilies and habanero peppers were part of the mix. My mouth was all set for some sizzle that sadly didn’t arrive. Sad face emoticon.
Not feeling ravenously hungry, I opted for the “carnivore” mac and cheese ($9). I’m not sure why I thought this starchy staple would be something I could casually graze on, but it turned out to be a seriously hefty serving. Loaded with Tillamook white cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, romano, and asiago cheeses, sun-dried Roma tomatoes, Andouille sausage and bacon, this dish proved to be my Waterloo. I should have boxed it up and taken it home, but the piping-hot, rich confluence of cheeses and pig parts was impossible to resist. I envisioned my leftovers in the morning, shrunken into a shivery and sticky state nestled in my fridge next to the Arm & Hammer, which inspired me to bravely soldier on till I was stuffed like a Christmas goose. Other items that teased my attention were the steak dip sandwich ($12) and the beer-braised short ribs ($15) which I spied being greedily devoured at nearby barrels (tables).
A final observation-slash-complaint. This joint needs better signage. On a dark night it’s tough to spot through the gloom.
Burnside Brewing It’s only been open two weeks, but this joint is jumping. The transition from Breakside’s comparative tranquility to the loud, rowdy crowd all up in each others’ grills at Burnside was like jumping into an icy stream after a night in a toasty feather bed. Suddenly, you’re social! When I peeked and saw how many people were inside, I assumed it was closed for a private party. There were groups of folks standing, drinking, and chatting all over the 90 degree-angle room. On this night at least, there was no hope of being snugly sequestered in a zone of your own. The breathless waiter zipped over to our booth to announce that several items on the menu (cured meats are the specialty) were sold out. I was still groaning over my mac and cheese so I settled for a beer, though the Kobe burger cooked in duck fat ($10) was a strong persuader. But I would have died. Then where would we be?
At the moment, Burnside only offers one house beer (there are more to follow), a very sturdy IPA that should satisfy anyone’s cravings for hops. From the guest taps I selected a darn good kolsch from Double Mountain. The $5 price tag was a bitter pill to swallow, but at least management has the good taste to pour the beers into 20-ounce glasses, which greatly elongates one’s visit. That’s no accident.
So make note: Here we have two very different venues for your consideration. The Breakside beckons to small groups or parties of two that are kenn on each others’ undivided attention. At Burnside, there’s a party goin’ on—and everyone’s invited.
Double Mountain’s kolsch is the best beer in Oregon, imho. $5 for 20 ounces of it really isn’t a bad deal at all. It’s hard to find on tap in Portland, so consider yourself lucky!
Wish I’d have gone with you on this field trip. The food sounds fab. Although, I must say I’m slightly biased toward the quieter places. Extra points if they have gluten free menu options too.
Kobe-beef confit? I am born again.
I’m with Laura on both counts. If you order an imperial pint, you get 18+ ounces of beer—or 28 cents an ounce. A four-dollar shaker pint delivers about 14 ounces. Twenty NINE cents an ounce. And, since a single shaker never satisfies, you’re in for 8 bucks plus tip.
Double Mountain Kolsch is one of the best beers in Oregon, full stop. Easily worth a hard-earned five spot.
I’d eat my own head if it were cooked in duck fat.
I love the Breakside! It’s a perfect neighborhood joint—mellow, with friendly servers and great food. I agree their house beers can be hit-or-miss, but I admire the ambition—I had some crazy tea-flavored beer there during the summer and while I can’t say I loved it, I’m not sure many other places would have had the guts to serve something that weird, especially when they were still trying to establish themselves.
@Laura and @Jeff: I have no complaints about the quality of the kolsch, it’s an outstanding brew. Rather, it’s the breaching of the $5 barrier as it portends loftier prices for tap beers. Yep, it’s an inevitable fact that prices go up but it’s disconcerting for a cheapskate, such as myself, who loves his kolsch. The “bitter pill” refers to the demise of my own fragile finances.
JC,
I understand that to some people, and you put yourself in this category, $5 seems steep or not a good value. First, let’s address the Value portion. Value is 100% subjective, and as such relies almost entirely on perception. Does the beer you are having_taste_like $5 worth? Can you reasonably finance such an expenditure?
second, what did it cost to produce said $5 beer? to keep it relatively short, I really doubt Breakside or Burnside or any other craft brewer are making piles of money from $5 beers. Funny thing is you know who is? PBR from $2 beers….that said, if you either can’t taste the difference or justify its premium, then be ok with it.
What I guess I am saying is, despite your clarification as to the meaning of your criticism, your original post sets extremely bad expectations for what the consumer should expect from craft beer producers. I think a bit more forethought, and a better attempt at keeping your own financial situation out of your writing would go a long way at making your reviews/write-ups more useful for both the reader and the brewer/restaurant/bar.
Also of note(that I didn’t see you mention) is that Burnside Brewing also sells 12oz glasses for $3 if $5 is too bitter a pill…..although that is a decidedly poorer $/oz scenerio.
sorry, JC – I still think $5 for 20 ounces of microbrew is comparable to any joint in town. Go to Amnesia and you’ll pay $4.25 for a 16-ounce pint – about what you’ll pay for any decent beer around here. Unless my math is off, you actually paid slightly less per ounce for the $5 kolsch than you would’ve if you’d gone to Amnesia – you’re simply getting more of it. $5 for 20 ounces = $4 for 16 ounces = 25 cents per ounce.
Sorry to split hairs here, but it’s just not correct to say that the kolsch you drank cost you any more per ounce than any other local microbrew. Yes, more expensive than a PBR, but that’s a different story altogether.
Hey BP, stick to your guns. Don’t let these trust-fundy beer snobs tell you that five bucks for a pint is a good deal, cause it ain’t. In this economy that’s brutal.