There is a storm "brewing" in Cascade Locks

Brenda and Tandra at the grand opening of
Thunder Island Brewing

Guest bloggers Mark and Brenda, headed to Cascade Locks to sample new craft brews and report from the beer front lines:

After hiking in the Gorge on this beautiful fall day with our friend, Tandra, and our dog, Raymond, the whole crew found ourselves hungry and thirsty. We headed to Cascade Locks to enjoy some burgers and homemade veggie burgers at the Waterfront Cafe. The fries were crispy and the pear and apple salad was fresh and delicious. Then, it was on to the event that we had been waiting weeks, dare we say months, to attend: the opening of Thunder Island Brewing.

Located on the banks of the Columbia River, we couldn't imagine a prettier or more deserving place to serve as the headquarters for this new brewery started by our friend Dan Hynes, and his partner, Dave Lipps. Having sampled some of Dan's excellent home brew in the past, we were highly anticipating our first taste of Thunder Island. The experience did not disappoint. From the welcoming tap room decorated with wood paneling, bubble lights and antique camping gear to the tables and benches handmade by the brewer himself in his dad's workshop, we were impressed from the start.

Mark, Beer Lover and Dan, Co-Founder/Brewer

Tasting Room

But how was the beer?
Excellent: refreshing and clean tastes that represented true to their styles. Our hands down favorite was the IPA: perfectly balanced hops that explodes over the palate with a wave of flavor. The Scotch Porter was a lighter porter in color only, with some dark flavors of chocolate and a smooth finish. The light and refreshing Kolsch really hit the spot on a beautiful fall day. We left the Pale Ale to try on our next trip to Thunder Island which we hope will be in the near future.

All in all, we are excited to have a new place to quench our thirst whether we're enjoying a bike ride or a hike in the Gorge and proud of our buddy for having a dream and seeing it through to reality. Cheers!

Satisfied Thunder Island Brewing Customer