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What's your favorite bridge? C'mon, every Portlander has one.
To commemorate the opening of our city's new murderous whale/friendship-themed bridge, BridgePort Brewing has released a new white IPA.
To celebrate, we made it square off against Widmer Brothers' Steel Bridge Porter, which debuted at WW's Pro/Am Beer Festival back in 2013 and is still readily available at your favorite local supermarket. Brewed with Lemondrop hops and orange peel, Tilikum is as inoffensively smooth as the gleaming monument to New Portland after which it is named.
Although very much a generic and only mildly citrusy wheat beer, it's very quaffable and an excellent companion for pretending to enjoy a Timbers game.
On the other hand, Steel Bridge threw me for a curve. This medium-bitter porter has a crisp body and is strong on vegetal umami flavors, particularly uncooked grain, light roast coffee and mushrooms. This is a beer best suited to drink with pot roast or beef bourguignon on a rainy autumn day.
Tilikum is pleasant, but it isn't anything special. Steel Bridge is a new classic.
Willamette Week