This is the second installment of this type of oral history of a Portland beer that would go onto help shape not only the Portland beer scene, but impact the national beer climate as well. Crazy to think that before this beer debuted in 1996, most beer drinkers in America had no clue what an India Pale Ale was.
Image courtesy BridgePort
For nearly 500 years, Germans mandated that beer be made from only water, hops, and barley. More recently, however, Northwest brewers began embracing virtues of rye. This segment of Portland Monthly’s feature, “Wallet Guide,” explored five rye-fueled brews that embrace the flavor-packed grain.
When the new Short Season A baseball team announced it was coming to the Portland suburb of Hillsboro, there was a modicum of excitement. Who needs an MLB team when we’ve got MLS and even MLU teams? However, when the hardball team from Hillsboro announced they were going to be called the Hops, well now, stand back. (Though confoundingly, the hop cone team mascot’s name is Barley…) Stepping up to the plate to sponsor the Hillsboro Hops and create an exclusive beer is Oregon’s longest running craft brewery, BridgePort. Long Ball Ale was brewed to honor beer’s MVP ingredient as well as the sports team named after it. The beer is a light-bodied, summery golden ale.
The first of my monthly local beer reviews for Drink Portland. Because it’s fun to get paid a little bit to sit down and reflect on the beer in hand. In the summer of 2012, that beer was BridgePort’s seasonal ode to another of Beervana’s nicknames, Stumptown Tart, which I tied into both OBFs (Oregon Brewers Fest AND Oregon Berry Fest. Oh yeah.)
Brian Yaeger: Beer Writer 