By: Mario Quintana

Portland is home to more than 60 breweries, more breweries than any other city in the nation. It should then come to no surprise the high number types of beers that are offered across the city. There are pubs and bars all around to provide a taste of the variety of beers available. Purchasing beer at the local supermarket while cheap can deprive the consumer of the full taste of beer from a tap.

It was in Portland where I first began to get a taste of what beer was. Beforehand I lived in Portland, I only conceived beer as light and dark. I couldn’t have imagined the vast types of beers that existed. From Indian pale ales, to porters and stouts, the range of beer types is larger than most people know. I was used to drinking mainly lager beers with family and friends. However, I soon came to find my preferred type of beer.

It was at an Irish pub where I had my first stout beer, a Guinness. It’s dark and heavy but it has a refreshing taste to it. Most beers tend to be too carbonated for myself, something I realized only after having a stout beer. I’ve introduced this beer type to my family back in Hood River and have had a pint with friends as well. And every once in a while, I enjoy a pint of Guinness as a sort of delicacy.