Beer and the Craftsmanship of Culture
In Portland, we respect our beer. I’ve learned, it’s my civic duty to ask for a couple samples prior to making a decision on a pint from the tap. I imagine, a 5 gallon Carboy (a fermentation vessel for home brewers) is just as much a staple in a PDX home as a road bike is. Trendsetters we’re called, Portland craft brewing is more than creating the best IPAs (shout out to Migration Straight Outta Portland IPA) or barrel-aged sour ales from Cascade Brewing (props to founding father Art Lawrence). We’ve taken our pioneering spirit and NW imagination in creating bold and beautiful beers to another level with beer experiences.
One of my all-time favorite experience was sipping a frosty while watching the documentary film Meru at Cinema 21 in Portland’s historic NW district. Want to dive deep into the history and the culture of craft brewing? Well then, Brewvana, will take you there. Hair M has served beers to accompany their men’s grooming services for 15 years now. Beer and biking unite with BrewCycle, a mobile bar that allows groups to sip beer while pedaling the streets of Portland.
As the title holder of “The Best Beer City in the World,” it’s no surprise that there is always a beer event to attend around town. Portland celebrates the Oregon Brewers Festival in July, the Holiday Ale Festival in December, and dozens of others in between. “Dogtoberfest” is a thing. LuckyLab Brewing Co. provides an outlet to wash dogs and raise money for Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital while dog moms and dads of Portland enjoy a special batch of “Dogtoberfest Lager.” If there is fun to be had in Portland, it probably involves a beer.
Lucky Lab Brew Pub – great spot for beer experiences.
A great beer needs to be savored, and it all starts with the opening of the bottle.
These beer-centric activities hardly even scratch the surface of what’s available in Portland, but you get the idea. Truth be told, I really don’t know as much as I should about the PDX beer scene. From what I do know though, beer appreciation in Portland is far different from where I come from. Back in my hay day, I spent my summers along the American River. With the temperature reaching 105, our only requests were, “Is it cold, is it in a can, and is it light so I may drink it fast?”
I also know that the Portland beer drinking experience is just as much a part of our city culture as the smell of hops is to a brewery. So, when I set the task of “beer representation” for the Slice of Portland box, I searched for a bottle opener. There were many great options, but there was something special about Folk. Folk is a Portland based company that designs and builds thoughtful and well-crafted furniture, lighting, and goods that are made best to last. Founder, Richard Koehler, aims to master the crossroads of precision and charm – in my opinion, much like our craft beer.
A great beer needs to be savored and it all starts at the opening of the bottle. Working with a foundry in Portland, each alloy bronze FOLK bottle opener is sand-casted and meticulously ground, sanded and polished by hand. Beer Aficionados, I invite you to showcase this work of art on your bar cart for all to enjoy.
Cheers to a Slice of Portland and the Craftsmanship of Culture.
Learn more about FOLK folkbuilt.com