Irish Goodbye

Have you ever witnessed a phenomenon where you're attending a party and someone has left the party without telling anybody? That, my friend, is an Irish Goodbye. Growing up in the Northeast,it was not too uncommon. After searching the Internet, it seems the origins of the saying are lost in the ether. It made sense to me, because from my experience, the Irish don't want the ado. 2018 saw some changes and departures in the Portland beer market.

At a craft beer symposium, the subject was the future and longevity of the craft beer. There's a correlation between a product and its relationship to the customer. If there is a strong connection between a person and a drink or the location, the more likely the person will keep coming back. Looking back to my grandfather's time, bars and breweries would serve a low-cost lunch in order to sell a few draught beers. This practice has endured for since over a 100 years. Today, we have our happy hours where bars and restaurants offer up lower priced appetizers and drink specials to draw people into their establishment after work. One of my favorites was Colter Bay, in Buffalo, NY. No matter where I lived in the area, Colter Bay was on the way. They had good food, a good tap list and a friendly staff. I don't think I ever had a bad time there. The same goes for Mes Que. I would spend the better part of a Saturday or Sunday at Mes Que having drinks and watching soccer. Again, never a bad time. Both of those places I try to visit every time I'm in town.

The County Cork in Portland, Oregon, was the same way. It was a neighborhood bar I tried to get to as often as possible. Before getting my puppy, I'd go and spend an evening watching a baseball game or coming up with ideas for this site. The owner was from my hometown so there was Beef on Weck and Buffalo Chicken sandwiches. Aesthetically, it checked all the boxes, high-backed booths to encourage the snug feeling most public houses are known for. One evening after work, while scrolling down my Facebook feed, I saw a notice that after 18 years, they were abruptly closing. I rounded up my friend who was fond of the place and had a few parting glasses. The County Cork had a good relationship with the neighborhood. From my understanding, the reasoning was economic. There was a new pub that came in its stead but I haven't been to it. Almost seems wrong.

The breweries that constitute the Founding Fathers of Portland have seen some changes too. Alameda Brewing, which started in 1996, closed up its brew pub in Northeast Portland and put up their production brewery in Southeast Portland. I had a few of their offerings, I think I even ate at their Southeast location once. Their Black Bear XX Stout won a silver award at the Great American Beer Festival in 2008. They produced a decent product but things have changed in the Portland market since Alameda came onto the scene. Alameda was producing 12 ounce cans, which would have helped making their beer more available in stores. However, expansion takes a lot of money and coupled with the stiff competition with other breweries, it was curtains for them.

Portland Brewing is another Founding Fathers of the Portland beer scene. They closed their restaurant in 2018. BridgePort also had to make changes. I've sat on many a barstool trying to figure out if there's anything anyone can do about it. According to Business Insider, brands like Budweiser and Bud Light are failing among Millennial consumers. I can remember the 1990s where Budweiser commercials were very prevalent. Hits such as the Budweiser frogs, friends yelling WAAZZZUPP over the telephone, I Love You Man, the Bud Light penguins were all over and featured in coveted Super Bowl commercial slots. I don't think that shit will fly anymore.

The past few years have taught me a lot about the beer and liquor industry as well as life in general. First, nothing really goes away without a reason. Whether it's the changing tastes of beer drinkers or brewery expansion that goes south or places losing their leases, there are reasons why the drinks and places aren't around anymore. Secondly, people crave authenticity. It's why people like me visit the bars that my grandparents went to and have endured the test of time. Now, I can't speak for most people, but most people don't need that glitz and glamor. By and large, the beer has to do the talking. If you can provide it in a decent location and by people who care about the art of brewing, you're 10 steps ahead in creating a place that can endure the fickle palate of the American consumer.