Five Dons

1158 11th Ave., Longview, Wash., 360-261-0956. 5:30-10 pm Friday, 3-8 pm Saturday.

[LONGVIEW LIGHT] The five dudes behind Five Dons—longtime friends from Longview, none named Don—don't take themselves too seriously. What's the story with the "hoof-washing sink" behind the bar? That's an inside joke about bovine growth hormone. Why is a rubber chicken wedged into the kangaroo pocket of a hoodie for sale? Because rubber chickens are funny, duh. And what's with that burly candy cane over there? Oh, that's leftover plumbing equipment—unused, don't worry—refashioned into a tap for the winter warmer, a rich ale redolent of nutmeg and cinnamon. Five Dons opened last spring in a brightly lit, no-frills tasting room out of a former office space on a side street in Longview. Expect five or so beers on tap, with an emphasis on easy drinkability—the word "light" appears in the description of the Dark Divide Porter ("light mouthfeel"), the Blonde Next Door ("light, smooth and refreshing") and the Golden Hugh Hefe ("light maltiness"). But they're not ignoring the demands of hopheads: As of late January, the first IPA was in test batches.

DRINK THIS: The Dark Divide Porter is rich and roasty without cloying heaviness.

WWeek 2015