Beer Friday: PM Dawn by Trillium Brewing Company

On most Fridays, I'll share a beer I particularly enjoy, and think you might as well. This series will feature beers from all over the U.S. (and when we're lucky, the world). Cheers! 

Since we moved home, I've been drinking basically nothing but Trillium (and Bissell Brothers...) beers. I have been a huge fan of Trillium since they entered the Boston beer space a few years ago, and I've been very eager to visit their second brewery - with full pours and all! - in Canton, Massachusetts (they opened it when we were living in Oregon). 

On Thanksgiving weekend, my opportunity to check out their new spot came - and boy am I glad it did. Canton is only about a 40-minute drive from Boston, and Trillium's new space is fantastic. The large, open setting was crowded on this Saturday afternoon, but lines moved swiftly (and, smartly, Trillium has a separate line for cans, etc. to-go and one for pours and/or bottles to be consumed on-site).

I usually opt for Trillium's hoppy beers, but after a few of those, I decided to try their latest batch of PM Dawn as well. And good god, it was delicious. Here's why:

What: PM Dawn by Trillium Brewing Company

Style: American stout

ABV: 9%

Tasting Notes: Freshly roasted coffee beans (they infuse this brew with their neighbors', Barrington Coffee Roasters', cold brew), smooth vanilla, rich cocoa, and a hint of peanut butter makes this beer delightfully sweet - but balanced out nicely with some necessary bitterness from the coffee. The mouthfeel is also silky smooth, making this 9% stout go down a bit too easy. 

Pairing Suggestion: I'm drooling over the thought of pairing this with a piece of chocolate cake, but if sweets aren't your thing, I love pairing good coffee stouts with brunch, too.

Where Can I Find It? Both Trillium locations in Fort Point and Canton currently have PM Dawn available in 22-ounce bottles or growlers, but it also can be found on tap at the Canton location, when available (their Fort Point location only sells bottles, cans, and growlers to-go - no pours on-site).

Have you had any great beers lately?

Beer Friday: The Substance by Bissell Brothers Brewing Co.

On most Fridays, I'll share a beer I particularly enjoy, and think you might as well. This series will feature beers from all over the U.S. (and when we're lucky, the world). Cheers! 

We drank a lot of great beer in the Pacific Northwest. But in my humble, liver-quivering opinion, nothing beats East Coast IPAs.

Many of them are juicy with just the right amount of hop presence on the tongue to prevent them from being too sweet - a fantastic balance of crushable flavors.

And Bissell Brothers, located in Portland, Maine, is one brewery that has perfected these "hop juice" creations. 

What: The Substance Ale by Bissell Brothers Brewing Co.

Style: IPA

ABV: 6.6%

Tasting Notes: Dank yet juicy and oh-so crushable, this IPA quenches my thirst no matter what time of the year it is. Available weekly via can and on tap at the brewery (they got new digs since we moved - great space!), this brew is one of the few that's worth the wait...as you will likely be in line to get it. Brewed with Falconers Flight, Centennial, Appolo, Summit, and Chinook hops, this beer packs a hoppy punch with a bright, well-balanced finish. 

Pairing Suggestion: Um, everything? But for a few recommendations: something spicy, like these Spicy Seitan Tacos or Spicy Chickpea Salad Sandwiches. Or, since this is a juicy beer - pair it with brunch! This Chipotle Sausage, Scallion, & Tomato Frittata would be a great pairing.

Where Can I Find It? The brewery in Portland, Maine! Or, if you're lucky, you might be able to find it on tap at these Maine locations. 

What have you been drinking lately?

Highlights From Our Cross-Country Road Trip

Wow. What a whirlwind month it's been!

After taking 11 days to drive cross-country home to Boston, we quickly returned to our respective offices...and life has been non-stop ever since. As I write this, I am actually on a plane to Orlando for my company's customer conference. Talk about getting right back to reality!

Our trip home was nothing short of incredible, though. It was a lot of driving, but our trusty Subaru Outback stayed in great shape the whole way - we didn't even encounter so much as a flat tire. Here was our full itinerary:

Oregon ---> Redwood Forest ---> Reno, NV ---> Park City, UT ---> Denver, CO ---> Kansas City, MO ---> St. Louis, MO ---> Louisville, KY ---> Asheville, NC ---> Richmond, VA ---> Boston, MA

Along the way, we saw a ton of old and new friends, ate a lot of great food, sampled a ton of great beer, and saw #allthesights. It would take me days to recap our entire trip, so instead, here are some of the highlights from our 11-day journey across the country (in no particular order).

1.) The Redwood Forest

We hit the Redwoods on the tail-end of the typhoon that was hitting the Pacific Northwest, so a lot of the parks were closed. However, we stopped at one of the park ranger offices and got some fantastic recommendations for open parks - and frolicked through the massive trees in the rain. It was really a remarkable experience, and definitely a big highlight for both of us!

2.) Louisville, KY

We stopped in Louisville on a whim - it was a great way to cut our original ride from St. Louis to Asheville shorter - and I am so glad we did. Louisville really surprised us: the downtown was gorgeous and quaint, with Louisville Slugger baseball bats scattered throughout, recognizing famous baseball players who used them. (Z loved that part!). Against the Grain Brewery was also a fun stop for dinner and fresh beers, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options to boot.

3.) Vegetarian Reuben from Laughing Seed Cafe in Asheville, NC

Z actually ordered this, and I had major food envy. I mean...how good does this look? It was phenomenal, and definitely a food highlight from our travels.

4.) The roadside scenery

From the Salt Flats in Utah (first photo) to the snowy mountains in Wyoming to the gorgeous views of the Pacific in California (second photo), we saw some gorgeous, ever-changing sights along the way. 

5.) The beer...obviously.

Just like our last cross-country trip, we made a ton of stops at some breweries and beer bars we were eager to check out. Some of my favorites included: Wicked Weed (they have two locations in Asheville, but we both liked the Funkatorium the best); The Answer in Richmond - great hoppy beers and stouts; Side Project in St. Louis; and Sergio's World Beers in Louisville - very unassuming place with a brash yet super friendly owner behind the bar; who will be happy to show you his extensive beer collection, if you're nice to him. This place had some great beers on tap and for sale via the bottle; really impressive options here!

Our trip back to Boston was definitely exciting and too so much fun, but I am so excited to be home - and I promise, I'll get back in the kitchen again soon, too!

Your turn! What's new with you??

Beer Friday: Fresh IPA by Fort George Brewery

On most Fridays, I'll share a beer I particularly enjoy, and think you might as well. This series will feature beers from all over the U.S. (and when we're lucky, the world). Cheers! 

Um, apparently I haven't written a Beer Friday post in over a month? I promise, at some point, this will be a regular thing again...

But for today, we're talking about fresh hops (sometimes called "wet hops"). Fresh hops are bold and unblemished hop oils, and they only drop in Oregon once a year - but they go quickly - so I've been trying to get my hands on #allofthebeers before they disappear!

One particular fresh hop beer I've enjoyed so far is Fort George's Fresh IPA (we actually visited the brewery in Astoria a few weeks ago). Here's why it rocks:

What: Fresh IPA by Fort George Brewery

Style: Wet Hop IPA

ABV: 6.4%

Tasting Notes: Super clean, and borderline crushable, this is a fantastic IPA for those of you who might not love the hop bombs. It's also a great transitional IPA from summer to fall - still light and slightly citrus-y, with a bit more malt flavor and floral, grassy notes.

Pairing Suggestion: Although this beer is nicely complex and flavorful, it's still on the lighter side - so I'd pair it with something a little more bold, like spicy Thai (or Indian) food. It can also stand up to the heaviness (read: grease) of a great bar pie...so go ahead and treat yo self.

Where Can I Find It? For my Oregon friends, this beer is widely available in 16-ounce cans and on-tap throughout the state - but only for a limited time! Click here to see where it's available near you.

What have you been drinking lately?

Exploring Astoria, Oregon

Before I had to fly back to Boston (on Labor Day) for work, Z and I took full advantage of our holiday weekend. We kicked things off Friday afternoon, first stopping at de Garde Brewing in Tillamook, and then making the gorgeous sunset ride into Astoria (about 1.5 hours away).

Astoria is a place I've wanted to check out for a while now. Z and I love the Oregon Coast, and Astoria is saturated with history (and the house from The Goonies is there, which is extra cool).

We stayed at an Airbnb Friday night, which was located right in downtown Astoria...AKA only a short walk to the breweries we wanted to visit. Astoria's downtown is located right on the water, so everywhere we went during our short stay had lovely, ship-filled views.

Some of our most noteworthy stops in Astoria included:

The Riverwalk

The Riverwalk in Astoria stretches for over 6 miles, but we enjoyed walking just a short distance of that after our breakfast (see below). The Riverwalk was a nice way to get around the downtown area on a beautiful day - right along the water, with lovely views everywhere you look.

Fort George Brewery

Inside the Taproom.

Fort George was high on our must-visit list. The brewery has two different settings, including their Public House (with an upstairs and downstairs menu) and, right next door, their Lovell Brewery & Taproom. We had dinner upstairs in the Public House Friday night, where mason jars full of beer and delicious pizzas (and a just OK tofu banh mi) hit the spot. On Saturday afternoon, we hit up the taproom, where the beer list was more "special" (i.e., featured several brewery-only beers, which the Public House lacked). Oh, and the bartender at the taproom put fresh hops in my 3-Way IPA sample (pictured above). Winning!

Buoy Beer Company

To be honest, I wasn't a big fan of the beer I tried at Buoy (their IPA). However, their taproom floor is open to the water below - where several seals were sleeping! It was really cool to drink a pint and watch the show below us. We checked out Buoy right before it closed Friday night, but I'd be open to going back during the day time to enjoy their views of the river (and more seals, obviously).

Columbian Cafe

It looks incredibly unimpressive from the outside, but this teeny little joint pushes out some incredible breakfast dishes - with plenty of vegetarian options to boot. There are only a few booths, as well as bar stools overlooking the one chef/griddle, which is where we delightfully sat and enjoyed the show. We were lucky to go here on an unusually quiet weekend, but expect some wait time (it's worth it!) if you're not as fortunate as we were.

There are many other places to visit in Astoria, but we made the most of our short trip!

How did you spend the last long weekend of summer?

Beers, Eats, and Views - The Seattle Edition

Seattle. Is. Awesome.

You've already heard a little about our trip to Washington (here and here), but these are the remaining noteworthy stops we visited during our weekend getaway.

Columbia Center - Sky View Observatory

That photo above? That was just one of 10,000 pictures I took at the top of Columbia Center. My cousin told me about it, and I am so glad she did. No lines + affordable entry price + the tallest building in Washington = better experience and better views than the Space Needle. Winning!

The Hangar Cafe

The Hangar Cafe is a small, no-frills spot in the Georgetown area of Seattle, and we lucked out with zero wait time. (An apparent rarity here!). The abundance of sandwiches as well as savory and sweet crepes and waffles on the menu was enticing, and they have several different kinds of mimosas. Oh, and plenty of vegetarian options/substitutions to boot. I went with the Hangar Crepe ($10.75), filled with egg, Swiss, cheddar, slivered red onion, Roma tomatoes, baby spinach, and Field Roast Chipotle Sausage in place of Black Forest ham. The crepe was also drizzled with housemade poblano-basil vinaigrette and creme fraiche. 

On the side: a mason jar glass of the OG mimosa (OJ + champagne).

Pike Place Market

I mean...duh.

Pike Place Market was high on my list - mainly for the "full Seattle tourist experience" - and it was definitely worth the walk-through.

The farm stands and people-watching were fantastic (as expected), but it was also fun to check out the Pike Brewery for a quick pint

Fremont Brewing

Fremont Brewing was high on our must-visit brewery list, and it did not disappoint. Their bustling Urban Beer Garden had great views of the water + boats + sunset across the street - I could have sat out there all night. 

 

At the time of our visit, Fremont also had their Ales for ALS IPA on tap, which was a delicious, borderline juicy IPA (my favorite!). Great beer for a great cause = win-win.

Holy Mountain Brewing Co.

Holy Mountain was also fun to check out, despite the lack of air conditioning in their not-so-breezy taproom. (Heads up: Few places we visited actually had A/C, so plan accordingly if you visit Seattle during the hot summer months!). I really enjoyed the Somnium saison - wonderfully thirst-quenching on such a hot day.

Elliott Bay Brewery & Pub

Elliott Bay has a few locations in and around Seattle, but we stopped into the West Seattle location before heading back to Portland. The beer, in all honesty, isn't anything too special - and the space inside is dark, loud, and overall unimpressive - but I'd go back here 500 times for the sandwich above alone. This here is the Pan-Seared Tofu Sandwich ($10.50), piled HIGH with chile garlic-marinated tofu (cooked to perfection), tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, sliced avocado, and cilantro-garlic sauce, all sandwiched between a fantastic, toasted seed bread. Served on the side were addictive fries and housemade pickles.

For being a no-frills spot, I was really impressed with this sandwich and the thought that went into all of the food overall.

Who's seen "10 Things I Hate About You"?

Other notable breweries/beer bars to visit in Seattle: Reuben's Brews, Cloudburst Brewing, Outlander Brewery & Pub (for weirder beer flavors - like Lavender!), and Toronado.

Have you done any traveling this summer? 

Three Magnets Brewing Co. | Olympia, Washington

Last weekend, Z and I hopped in the car and headed to Seattle.

Seattle's almost a three-hour drive from Portland, so we made a much-needed pit stop along the way at Three Magnets Brewing in Olympia, Washington.

We've tried several of Three Magnets' beers since we moved to Portland, and we've been big fans of every one of them - so we were excited to finally check out the source.

Three Magnets is setup where you can seat yourself, outside on their medium-sized patio (overlooking apartment building construction - normal stuff in these parts), or inside their bar/lounge area. We opted to stand at the small bar (that had a few stools), as we just drove over an hour and wanted to stretch our legs. The service behind the bar was odd at first - no one could understand why we opted to stand vs. sit, and we waited a solid 10 minutes before anyone even asked us what we wanted to order. Thankfully - and strangely - the service got much better as the night went on (and after we got hungry/a table), but the first impression was not ideal.

Regardless: the beer here is good, and the food was also quite tasty.

For beer, I loved the Little Juice IPA as well as the New Mex Lager - something I would typically never order, but it was delightfully refreshing on a hot night (and paired well with guacamole).

For an appetizer, we got the Nopales and Guacamole ($9), which included lime, cilantro, pickled red onion, tomatillo, queso fresco, and tortilla chips. 

This was some good guac, and all of the toppings worked nicely. The chips were also delightfully sturdy and salty - making them able to stand up to the thick guac and accompaniments.

For my entree, I went with the Grilled Sockeye Salmon Veracruz ($14), which consisted of grape tomatoes, Castelvetrano olives, caperberries, cilantro, lime, aji amarillo crema, and grilled flour tortilla.

The salmon was cooked a fantastic medium-rare, and the accompanying crema and vegetables made this dish really fantastic. The grilled tortilla, however, I found to be an odd choice as a "side." I would have preferred something a little lighter - like rice - to help soak up the sauce.

Overall, we really enjoyed checking out Three Magnets, and the location is a prime pit-stop between Portland and Seattle.

More on our Seattle adventures coming soon!

Beer Friday: Haze by Tree House Brewing Co.

On most Fridays, I'll share a beer I particularly enjoy, and think you might as well. This series will feature beers from all over the U.S. (and when we're lucky, the world). Cheers! 

Z and I have some awesome friends.

Last week, we hosted two of those friends here in Portland - they flew in from Boston - and they were gracious enough to bring us a whole slew of goodies.

Goodies like Tree House beer. One of my very favorite breweries from the East Coast. 

While all of Tree House's beers are good, I'm focusing on Haze today because that's what I drank on the beach. And it doesn't get any more "summer" then enjoying a good beer by the sand and waves...am I right?

What: Haze by Tree House Brewing Co.

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

ABV: 8.2%

Tasting Notes: If you're not typically a fan of IPAs (or, Imperial IPAs), this beer might just change your mind. While it definitely packs a hop punch, it is in no way those hop/malt bombs we've all been burned by before. Instead, Haze is a refreshing, hoppy, tropical fruit-forward beer that tastes delightful on a hot summer day. (Let's be honest: it tastes delightful on a freezing cold day, too).

Pairing Suggestion: This beer could stand up to salty (and/or stinky) cheeses, like a sharp cheddar or blue cheese. IPAs always go well with spicy food, too - and for dessert? Carrot cake. Trust me.

Where Can I Find It? Tree House Brewing in Monson, MA! (Even though they're moving eventually). It's worth the short drive from Boston, and it's worth waiting in line for. I promise.

Cheers to the weekend!

Two Days in Ohio

After all of our July 4th shenanigans, Z and I unfortunately had to make a quick - and unexpected - trip out to Ohio for a funeral. Although we were only in the state for a little over two days, we decided to make the most of our time there, outside of the sad yet touching services.

We flew in and out of Cleveland, although the bulk of our trip was spent in Wooster, Ohio. (We actually stopped here first when we started making our way cross-country!). We revisited JAFB Brewery (this place rocks - the bartender even remembered us from our last visit), and also tried the cheesiest pizza I've ever had in my life at Coccia House - a no-frills spot right in town. This pizza is an odd yet deliciously indulgent obsession of the locals (at least, the locals we know), so we had to try it! (Um, and you can also get the pizza with "extra cheese." As if it doesn't already have enough cheese on it...).

(Side note: After getting your fill of beer and extra cheesy pizza in Wooster, be sure to stay at the Market Street Inn. Everything about it is delightful!).

From Wooster, we also made the 45-minute drive (ish) to Akron to visit Hoppin' Frog Brewery, a spot that's been on Z's bucket list for quite some time now.

Hoppin' Frog had a ton of tap room-only beers on tap (I love that!), so we both ended up getting a sampler tray of four 5-ounce pours. Hoppin' Frog also has tap room-only "Infusions," typically blending two of their current draft beers - such as the Peanut Butter & Jelly I ordered after my sampler. So. Good.

On our second day in Ohio, we both worked at our B&B before making the trip to Cleveland a little early for our evening flight. (Which was delayed about 600 times. But that's besides the point).

For lunch, we sat outside at Great Lakes Brewing, which had an awesome patio.

The beers were fine here, although the tap list was not as impressive as we had hoped. Nonetheless, the food was worth the visit alone - especially the Housemade Tater Tots, which are filled with cheese. (We obviously needed more cheese...).

For my entree, I went with the Salmon Salad, made with Homestead Springs salmon, mixed peppers, red onion, tomato, and feta, and served with a simple dressing of oil and vinegar on the side. It was fantastic, and a nice balance from those giant, cheese-filled tater tots.

After Great Lakes, we made a quick pit stop at Fat Head's Brewery & Saloon. We love visiting their Portland location, so it was fun checking out their Cleveland spot! (Side note: There's a second Fat Head's location in/around Cleveland, but we opted for this one as it was closest to the airport).

Despite our quick trip, we were able to fit a lot in! I just don't know if I can eat cheese again anytime soon....