Beer Guide 2014: Mt. Tabor

Mt. Tabor

113 W 9th St., Vancouver, 360-696-5521, mttaborbrewing.com. 4-8 pm Thursday, 4 pm-close Friday.

Stepping inside this cozy neighborhood brewery, located on a bustling block in the heart of downtown Vancouver, is like stepping back in time to the mid-1990s, a simpler time when Sublime was on the radio, Will Smith was in theaters and everyone was rocking JNCOs. Inside Mt. Tabor Brewing, I had the sudden urge to feed my Tamagotchi. The beers are a throwback, too, to the days when craft beer was brewed by bros, for bros, with none of this namby-pamby, rose-petal infusion crap. You can choose between dark, coffee and hoppy, all redolent with the citrus scent and big, bitter aftertaste of Cascade. A seasonal winter blonde was as coppery and malty as a Scotch ale, with enough hops to choke a horse. After that, the Bridge Lifter IPA—named in honor of all those suffering drivers who have gotten stuck on I-5 between Oregon and Washington—seemed light and well-balanced, despite its 86 IBUs. It's something Bruce Willis might have enjoyed, perhaps, after a session of dying hard with a vengeance. ADRIENNE SO.

DRINK THIS: The Little Bull Stout, which has enough heft and body to stand up to all those hops.


Portland-Area Breweries from A to Z | Beer of the Year | Favorite Beers #2-10

Portland-Area Cideries | Top 5 Ciders of the Year Beer Bars and Bottle Shops

Local Growler Makers | Surprising Growler Fills | Homebrew Shops

Restaurants With Great Beer | Local Beer and Liquor Pairings

An Oral History of BridgePort IPA | Beer Events Calendar | Beer Tours

Day Sips: North Oregon CoastHood RiverEugeneSeattle

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