OREGON LEAF
TA N N I N S & T E R P E N E S I S S U E
H OW T WO E L I T E C U R ATO RS P I C K FO R T H E S H E LV E S
Belmont Station
STORY BY RYAN HERRON | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN
but it’s already had a pretty Oregon has more than 270 robust history of beer drinking. As the beer selection here breweries and Oregonians end in the Pacific Northwest grew so did the shop. The small up drinking north of 50% of business that shared a wall with beer-centric Horse Brass the beer they produce. That’s grew too big for it’s space and moved a few blocks away. a lot of competition to get on Later expanding that space into a 24 tap room and bottle the shelves at your local beer shop that tends to stock those hard to find selections beer bar. Belmont Station is as full nerds are always posting on their social media feeds. They as it can get without feeling routinely make rank on America’s top-ten beer bar lists. cluttered. The refrigerators that We talked briefly with Lisa Morrison, the part owner of line the walls are split between Belmont Station. Morrison, a self-proclaimed Beer Godstyle and region and chock-full dess and lover of all things Pacific Northwest, is also the of interesting options. author of Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest: When I wonder A Beer Lover’s Guide to Oregon, Washington CO-OWNER LISA MORRISON aloud if we’re and British Columbia. reaching peak beer WROTE “CRAFT BEERS OF saturation, Lisa Morrison was kind enough to share a little about why Oregon is such a beer mecca, THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST: laughs and informs how to stock the things you want (even if no A BEER LOVER’S GUIDE TO me that we’ve got one else likes them) and why we’re still a less breweries in the US now than we OREGON, WASHINGTON AND did pre-prohibition. Around 3,000 at long way from saturating the beer market. The ever-expanding beer scene in Oregon last count. BRITISH COLUMBIA.” stems from our love of craft products. The Having an owner with an encyfact that many folks here have a job that pays the bills and clopedic knowledge of beer and brewing can be a fulfilling side gig (you know, like brewing beer) provides daunting for sales reps that stop by the shop but a base of knowledge that not every market can claim. it helps Lisa connect with the “real-ones” that are It doesn’t hurt that the long rainy season keeps most advancing beer brewing. Evident in their vendor of us indoors, reading up on trendy beers and quaffing days with producers like Culmination Brewing a wider selection than most people have access to. For a and on their tap selection where rare finds like beer nerd, it’s hard to find a more robust community. Lisa DeGarde are surprisingly commonplace. punctuates my thought, “Especially in Portland, beer is a More competition means more beers vying for thread of our community that’s so important.” the customer’s attention. Artful cans and interestBelmont Station just turned 21,
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ing recipes are nice but Lisa points out that “A beer should represent something, a style, location, or even an interesting idea.” Lisa leans into this and lets the background of a beer be one of her guiding values when choosing for the shelves. Even if it means buying something that’s a little more challenging for the traditional pallet, people come to Belmont Station to expand their beer-vocabulary, and are more willing to take a chance, particularly if the well-studied staff recommends it. The fast moving and relatively short brewing time for most beers tends to produce a lot of product that hits on what is popular in the moment. Trendy beers occupy a decent amount of shelf space at Belmont but with a wider selection, they’re offering beer aficionados of all stripes an outlet to pick up something out of the ordinary. “The deep catalogue helps us go beyond just scratching the surface,” Lisa said. “Life is too short to not drink deeply!” 4500 SE Stark St, Portland, OR Belmont-Station.com 503-232-8538 Mon-Sat. 10a to 11p | Sun. 11a to 10p