Double Mountain’s 5th Anniversary Party

We left home base in Portland around 1pm. Our destination was Hood River for Double Mountain’s 5th Anniversary Party. The weather was actually shaping up nice. It was a little overcast at first, but the further we traveled east in the Columbia Gorge the more the sun was determined to reign the sky. By the time we arrived at the City Center exit for Hood River the sky was pretty much cloudless. It was going to be a great day.

In Hood River, we met up with our friend’s and Eyeluvbeer Senior Travel Correspondents, Mark and Brenda. We planned an overnight stay at the Hood River Hotel, which proved to be a wise choice as it turned out to be a long day of walking, standing and drinking delicious beer. Mark and I ended up heading directly over to Double Mountain to check out the scene and have a pint. The ladies opted to check out a few shops, but it wasn't long before they showed up to join us under the tent.

Portland Fresh Hop Tastival

In Portland, at The Fresh Hop Tastival at Oaks Park, people gathered to celebrate the fact that Oregon is the second largest hop producing state in the United States, most of which are grown right here in The Willamette Valley. To be honest, I am not super fired up on fresh hop beer, but the fore mentioned fact makes me proud knowing that Oregon hop growers play a key role in helping produce one of the things I enjoy entertaining my mouth with, beer.

The Fresh Hop Tastival is an Oregon Brewers Guild event. The Guild’s Director, Brian Butenschoen oversaw the festivities and did an excellent job at coordinating volunteers and making sure everything stayed on track. The breweries in attendance brought a variety of fresh hopped beer styles; some even featured two or more selections. The #1 hit for me was Double Mountain’s, Killer Green, a beer that ran out shortly after the festival began. I am sure some of this was due to the fresh hop preview event that took place the evening before. My favorite non-alcoholic drink of choice was Portland U-Brew’s, Homemade Root Beer. This stuff was amazing, and both the kids and grown-ups kept coming back to get their fix. Unfortunately, it was the 2^nd keg to kick that day. I hope U-Brew realizes that they are sitting on a potential root beer gold mine.

To conclude this post, I leave you with photos. They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Oregon Brewers Guild, Brian Butenschoen
headed up the festival.

Glasses and tickets patiently waiting
to be loved.

Thank you sun for hanging out with us all day.

Lots-o-fresh hop beer to choose from. 

The beer lines were not bad at all, which
was nice.

It was a pleasure to have actual restrooms rather
than the standard beer festival porta-potty.

Philadelphia's brought the killer cheese steaks.

Curbside Grill was there to satisfy.

These things kept me alive while working.  I was
pop chipped out at the end of the day.

Festival shirt.  Sweet!