Classic Portland Bar The New Old Lompoc

The Knob Hill district of Northwest Portland is home to trendy shopping, world class restaurants and grand, historic Victorian homes. But just a few blocks removed from the chic boutiques and haute cuisine sits a little brewpub that is quintessentially ‘Portland’. Not unlike your average Portlander, the New Old Lompoc (1616 NW 23^rd, www.newoldlompoc.com) is a little bit quirky, a little bit grimy and exceptionally friendly. By comparing your average Portlander to a quirky, grimy, friendly little pub, I don’t mean to say that we Portlanders don’t like to bathe. We just like to get out on the street and interact with other hygienically conscious citizens. All that interacting can cause one to break a sweat. And to develop a hearty thirst. That’s where New Old Lompoc comes into play.

The New Old Lompoc (N.O.L.) brewers have put together a nice assortment of year-round offerings. The Fool’s Golden Ale and Condor Pale Ale are decent, typical examples of their respective styles. The Centennial IPA and Proletariat Red are both nicely balanced and exceptionally drinkable. But it’s the bigger, more adventurous beers that are the stars of this show.

LSD, short for Lompoc Special Draft, is a big, delicious ale that probably would have made Timothy Leary proud. This brew is tasty enough to have made its way onto a number of beer lists in the Portland area. The rich, dark amber color is the first indication that a big mouthful of malt will accompany the first sip. And that first sip does not disappoint. Like a fat man minding his own business on a park bench, LSD is full bodied without being unnecessarily sweet. The hops rolls in strongly, but doesn’t overpower the lingering maltiness. Very tasty indeed.

The one brew that really stands out on the N.O.L. menu is the C-Note Imperial Ale. Brewers in the Pacific Northwest are notorious for their willingness to push the limits of hoppiness. While many of the Portland’s hoppiest IPAs rate somewhere around 60 IBUs (International Bitterness Units – the scale brewers use to rate hoppiness) C-Note checks in at 100 IBUs. That, my friends, is excess at its best. Cascade, Centennial, Challenger, Chinook, Cluster, Columbus and Crystal hops varieties all make their way into this deliciously bitter nectar. Plus they are all in the same volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

N.O.L.’s seasonal offerings are also quite enjoyable. Holiday Cheer is a winter porter that drinks like a nice, spicy winter ale. Monster Mash is a big, malty and sweet strong ale that feels almost like a barleywine. Give this brew a chance, as the sweetness mellows when its temperature starts to rise. Next up on the N.O.L. seasonal menu is a batch of the Proletariat Red with a Belgian twist. A cask conditioned ale and one or two brews on nitro are usually available as well.

Next time you find yourself all shopped out in Knob Hill, head a few blocks north to the New Old Lompoc. The beer is tasty, the service is friendly and the company is thirsty. And maybe even a little bit grimy.

Article By Jason Miller, Hophead