Tugboat Brewing

7/30/2008 4:36:43 PM, wednesday, july 30, 2008
Very unique brew pub. They don’t do sample platters but the bartender was happy to let me let me taste three of the Tugboat beers. The English Brown was very tasty, the others were so-so. I wound up having the best chocolate stout I have ever tasted from one of their guest beers. OTH Stout, check it out. More chocolate flavor than Youngs Double Chocolate.

5/25/2008 12:26:57 PM, sunday, may 25, 2008
Bartender, wearing a fedora, seemed insistent that they don’t sell a sampler platter of all their beers. Therefore, I was insistent that I was leaving. I’ve only ever seen one other bar that simply will not do samplers, and I didn’t patronize that bar, either. He also assumed that of all their beers, the one I would want was their double russian imperial stout. Don’t make assumptions about me if you don’t know me, dude.

4/18/2007 12:54:18 PM, wednesday, april 18, 2007 [ Updated wednesday, april 18, 2007 ]
I really, really enjoyed this place. It’s small and quaint. Live jazz, free popcorn, and good brews. The bartender was super friendly, saying hello as soon as we walked in, talking to us about the beers without acting like we wouldn’t no anything about them, and always asking if we were doing ok and clearing our drinks. When we left, even though he was in mid-conversation, he stopped to say goodbye to us, I was pretty impressed with the service. It had had a nice aesthetic with all the books on the shelves. movie style popcorn machine off to the side, small stage for musicians with an upright piano and a PA, tacky lamps, and other little thing oddities like wood shingles, a giant neon clock, a tugboat lamp over the tap handles, and small, framed illustrations of boats, bridges and harbors. Unfortunately we missed the live jazz that night but they were playing Coltrane’s ’Giant Steps’ so I was able to deal. I will certainly be back there to catch a show.

10/7/2006 9:45:25 PM, saturday, october 07, 2006
Nice little brewpub in downtown. No waiting service even on a Friday night that wasn’t too crowded, and no tabs allowed either. Food selection was week. Had a few non tugboat brews to choose from but nothing exciting. Five tugboat brews were definately what most people were having. I tried all five and all five of the beers were VERY hoppy. I love hops but they put hops in a lot of places where they didn’t belong. A friend of mine that went with me said they were a lot more impressed last time they went, so maybe i’ll like it more next time I go.

7/31/2006 7:27:02 PM, monday, july 31, 2006
Nice old brew pub that seems to have some nice brews. The staff that night did not have a clue. It was clean and the food was OK the brew was just that brewed to the masses not much flavor. Check it out see what you think. If you got time read a book.

1/26/2006 1:05:37 AM, thursday, january 26, 2006 [ Updated monday, april 03, 2006 ]
Stumbled upon this place by accident. Kind of a neat space, sort of a pub meets library. Next door to a mexican place that shares its bathroom with a strip club. The beers here weren’t great. One was infected and one was just nasty. It’s got sort of a neat vibe, and the guest beers are solid, but there are still better places in Portland.

1/14/2006 4:22:14 PM, saturday, january 14, 2006
Tucked away in an alley in downtown. 3 out of the 5 beers I tried here were infected and the bartender was kind of a pomous know it all jackass. I will probably not come back here.

12/30/2005 11:37:08 AM, friday, december 30, 2005
I found this place without really seeking it out. Just saw it tucked away in an alley as I was strolling around the city. Very nice atmosphere, books and old games everywhere and some funky old pictures of Oregon landmarks, like Crater Lake. Bartender was a really nice guy and the crowd was relaxed. They only had three of their own beers one when I was there, but they had several guests. I was not blown away by the quality of the beers they made, but I did really like the bar. I could see myself being a regular there if I lived in Portland.

9/25/2005 8:08:55 PM, sunday, september 25, 2005
This is cool place to go. It is a father and daughter place that is very small and hard to find. It is worth going to chat with the owners and regulars. They have games to play and books to read. The beers were above adverage for such a small brewer and a neat place to check out if downtown.

8/16/2005 11:13:22 PM, tuesday, august 16, 2005
I liked this place. Kind of hidden down this side alley/road. It didn’t even look like the place was open, but it was. Not many people there so the service couldn’t help but be quick and good. The beers were pretty good. Very dark, with a bunch of books on the bookshelves for you to read and some games n’ shit to play. Interesting. Worth a visit.