SNOW DAZE ...will hike for beer. Hillsdale Pub & Brewery

Mode: Urban Hike
Start and Finish: Hamilton Park
Route: Loop
Distance: 8.3 miles

Urban Hiking in Southwest Portland

This trip was supposed to be an urban mountain bike ride and I planned the loop in the opposite direction but the recent "winter blast" in Portland prompted some last minute changes. The best adventures are spontaneous and this was no exception.

It was just another typical winter day in Minnesota, Michigan or even Pennsylvania where I grew up, but not in Portland. Despite our northern latitude, winters in Portland are typically mild and snow that "sticks" is rare. It doesn't take much for schools to close, businesses to send employees home early or drivers to lose control or abandon their vehicles. This weekends storm is more intense than usual so the city is on high snow alert. The unplanned "snow day" made it feel like a holiday and we were amazed how many people were out walking and X-C skiing through the neighborhoods of SW Portland.

Because our nordic gear wasn't available we decided to take a snow hike to Hillsdale Brewery & Pub using a mix of neighborhood streets and urban trails. Our route included a short descent through a wooded trail I'd never traveled connecting Fairmount to SW18th on our way there and then returning along the scenic and steep SW Trail #6 to Fairmount on our return.


The Hillsdale Brewery & Public House



We were amazed to arrive at the Hillsdale Pub and find it packed with other winter walkers, hikers, skiers and sledders.

Our server seemed overwhelmed but quickly warmed to us when we told him we were in no hurry. Service was excellent despite the crowd; people were constantly coming and going while we were there.

The Hillsdale Pub is small, cozy and a part of Oregon brewing history. It was the first McMenamin establishment with on premises brewing. I recently saw it in OPB's The Oregon Experience episode called "Beervana" documenting the history of Oregon brewing and the rise of modern craft brewing. Definitely a documentary worth watching if you love Oregon's brewing phenomenon.

Debbie had her seasonal favorite, Red Riser IRA, to accompany her very delicious tuna salad sandwich. I had a beer ladder starting with the Pounder Porter (a session beer with 3.9ABV and more like a brown ale than a porter) and finishing with the very satisfying Anticipation Stout on nitro. I had the house special sandwich, a grilled cheesesteak sandwich on a perfect baguette, which was amazing. The sweet potato fries were possibly the best I've ever had.

The Pub is clearly a well-loved neighborhood meeting place in the best tradition of McMenamin's establishments. It's clearly another benefit of living in the close in SW Portland neighborhoods.

Cheers!