What You Should Know About Portland And San Juan Brewpubs

Going to a brewpub is the in thing now.  You can find a lot of brewpubs on the west coast of the United States, in particular, Portland, Oregon and San Juan Islands, Washington.  Portland and the San Juan Islands have more than their share of nice brewpubs. 

For a long time, that part of the west coast has been known for hop growing and brewing beer.  This area was one of the first ones that introduced the microbrew. 

Since they already had the grain, the hops, spring water and fruit to use for making beers for the summer, they were already equipped when it came to the microbrew. 

After that, other microbreweries and brewers followed suit.  Not long after that, came the introduction of the brewpubs.

Years later, the brewery industry was making adjustments.  During that time, it was realized that people weren’t buying beer just to chug down their throats.  Beers that were hand crafted came into play. 

If you thought brewpubs in Portland and the San Juan Islands were only serving beer, you were mistaken.  The hand crafted beer was also being used when cooking food. 

So the brewpubs decided to include appetizers and meals on the menu in addition to drinking beer.  In addition to that, the hand crafted beers were being used in salad dressings and marinades.  This idea became a hit and more food offerings where beer was being used were added to the menu.

Going to a brewpub is an interesting experience.  You can taste samples of their micro brewed beers.  There are a variety of beer flavors available that can be sampled.  Some of them include light and dark beers.  There is also sweet and bitter tasting ones. 

When you’re about to take that sip, there are some things you should know before you take that first taste:
· The beer should be poured very carefully.  Be sure there is a good on the pint.  Having this indicates that the brew will have a strong smell.

· When you get the brew, make sure you’re using a glass.  This may seem elementary, but there are some people who may not know and end up drinking it from a cup.  The glass should be clean and free of spots. 

· If you hear people say “mouth feel”, they’re referring to the brew’s body.  Just because a beer may be on the heavy side doesn’t mean that it’s dark in color.

· The beer shouldn’t be consumed if it’s been refrigerated for a while.  When it gets like this, it gets too cold and then you can’t take in the actual taste of the beer.  A brewpub knows that their beers should be cool, not cold.

Microbrews are becoming more popular.  It’s catching up there with fine wine, but in a laid back way.  Homemade brews are the in thing at brewpubs nowadays. 

If you go to either Portland or the San Juan Islands, you should be able to find a brewpub that will delight your taste buds.