Portland is such a great city. Not only are there always fun things to see and do, but there are also some really unique and crazy things to do. This weekend, there is the Running of the Bulls pub crawl. A few hundred people show up for this and dress in a white shirt with a red scarf or tie. Then they all head to a designated pub and start drinking. A few of the folks are dressed up in a Bull uniform and promise to 'gore' anyone that straggles when they blow the whistle to head to the next bar. Everyone then runs down the street to the next pub and continues the festivities. It goes on for a few hours and not only do you get to taste some great beers (hopefully organic!), but you also get to meet tons of people!
Then the following day, another pub is hosting a 'wear your PJ, make your own bloody Mary, and eat some chocolate stout pancakes'. What a cool idea!
Following this, another pub is hosting a Belgium Beer Tasting Extravaganza! You get to try 5-6 classy Belgium beers while nibbing on some appy's. I'll post some reviews of these events when they happen over the next few days. CHEERS!

Hopworks Urban Brewery - Survival Stout

Today, I cycled on my Azor Opa down to Hopworks Urban Brewery. This establishment is pretty new to the Portland area and is getting a name for itself due to their wonderful beers. Today, I tried their Survival Stout. This dark organic beer is very unique in that it is brewed with seven different types of grains and finished with an infusion of Stumptown Hairbender expresso coffee. The beer arrived to me in a heavy solid glass stein, with the HUB logo printed on it. It's nice to see this style of glass being used. As I smelled the beer, the aroma of the coffee immediately hit me. In my opinion, stout and coffee compliment each other very nicely. I took a sip of the beer and noticed how smooth it was. It wasn't a heavy stout by any means. It is not a beer that you can chug. You need to slowly sip and savour each mouthful. I enjoyed the flavors of toffee, coffee and the mild hopiness - 35 IBU [now that I think about it, a toffee stout sounds like it would be delicious]. I rank this stout very high. It was served at the proper temperature, had a wonderful aroma, was smooth to drink, and the coffee kick was an added benefit. I will be back to have this beer again. Happy Hours prices are only $3.50/pint. The atmosphere was great too with a full bar, friendly bartenders, and many echo friendly things to look at and appreciate.

Oreganic! - A Journey into the World of Tasty Oregon Organic Beers

The liquid joyfully falls into the slightly chilled glass. As the liquid rises, bubbles form and play together like children on a playground. You hold your glass in your hand and gracefully hold it up to the sun. It looks like liquid gold, only more stunning and beautiful. As you place your nose near the top of the glass, you inhale and a rush of endorphines flow through your body. You can picture the fresh organic hops being harvested on a warm summer day. Eagerly, you place your lips on the rim of the glass and take a swig of the chilled beverage. The flavor bursts through your body and makes your fingertips tingle. You sigh in disbelief. Yes my friend, you have just experienced the taste of your first organic beer. Welcome.