How to Drink A Guinness the Irish Way

Again and again, Portland finds itself at the top of every list for the best beer city anywhere in the world. We know beer because we love beer. But do we know the proper way to drink beer?

Last year Jon and Rainer visited Ireland where they were schooled on the proper way to pour and drink a Guinness and now they want to share their education with Portland’s beer aficionados. Because, as one Irish bartender told them, “Great bartenders know how to craft a perfect pint.”

Here are the finer points of pouring the perfect pint of Guinness:

Image: First Beer in Dublin Ireland at the Hairy Lemon.

The “Two Step Pour”

• Use a Guinness drinking glass, with the Guinness logo.
• Grip Guinness glass with fingers placed vertically along the side with your forefinger on the harp.
• Tilt the glass 45 degrees under the tap letting the beer pour onto the harp.
• Pull the tap handle all the way down, pouring onto the harp .
• When the beer level reaches bottom of the harp, SLOWLY rotate the glass upright and “STOP at the top” of the harp.
• Set on bar for viewing and wait 2 minutes, or when the liquid part of the drink reaches the bottom of the harp and the foam is settled on the top.
• Finish filling the glass with the glass held straight down under the tap.
• Pour to the very top to create a head that is 3mm above glass and 18mm below to create “provide of the rim,” or the beautiful presentation of a traditional pint of Guinness.

 

The “One Step Pour” for Guinness in the can.

• Place the can on a level surface.
• Open the can and allow it to sit for five to ten seconds.
• Tilt the glass 45 degrees, and pour onto the harp.
• When the level reaches the bottom of the harp, level the glass vertically and finish the pour to create the famous Guinness head.

Note: Don’t be surprised when you pop open a can of Guinness and hear a rattling sound inside. All Guinness cans come with a patented “widget” ball. It’s a little plastic ball that provides movement inside the can to create the optimal head on their thick and creamy stout. Those Guinness brewers think of everything!

And most importantly: How to Drink a Guinness, according to the Guinness master brewer.

Guinness drinkers stand proud! You’ve earned your space at the bar.

• Elbow up to a horizontal position
• Eyes to the horizon.
• Tilt the glass head and enjoy the flavor of the beer. The head should be same size from the first sip to the last.

If you want to practice your skills at drinking Guinness the traditional way visit us at Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill in North Portland and watch as our bartenders demonstrate the finer points of Guinness drinking

Going Topless at Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill!

The height of summer is upon us and that means a lot of hot days in the coming weeks. We may all be thinking about cooling off on a beach somewhere, but at Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill you can go topless right here in North Portland!

 

Every good burger begins with high-quality beef, and the chefs at Greeley don’t skimp on taste when they prepare a Topless Double Double. They use only the juiciest, most delicious meat they can find and grill it to perfection, with crispy edges on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside. They throw a slice of cheddar cheese over each patty and let it melt down the sides, sealing in the flavor and adding a creamy layer of great taste to their masterpiece.

Next, they pile it high with two slices of tomato and some onion and skewer it through to a bed a crunchy lettuce leaves and place it on a plate next to a dill pickle spear and a pile of fries, tater tots, or kettle chips. It’s a meal good enough for any grill master!

Whether you are living a carb free life or just prefer to keep the taste of high-quality beef front and center on your plate, Greeley’s Topless Double Double is a great way to let loose and enjoy a summer meal.

Join us on Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill’s front and back porches for a Topless Double Double and a pint of your favorite summer beer!

Got a Sweet Tooth? We Can Help You With That

You’ve enjoyed a juicy burger. You’ve downed it with one of Portland’s great craft beers. You taken care of the hunger that’s been plaguing you all day, now it’s time to satisfy your sweet tooth with one of Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill’s  favorite treats; a spiked Pudding Shot!

Our bartenders have created a treat for all of you who love to end their meal on a sweet note. They’ve mixed the great taste of chocolate, the airy texture of whipped topping, the creamy smoothness of milk, and a doubled-down kick of Baily’s© Original Irish Cream whiskey and vodka,

It’s a drink you eat with a spoon!

Whether you try the original chocolate flavor, or a special edition variety of coconut or peppermint that are sometimes featured as a special addition to the menu, you’ll love our take on this party favorite. They are great before, during and, of course, after every meal. I love them right after one of Greeley Avenue’s Three Pepper Fire Burgers as a way to take the temperature back down. And, one Pudding Shot, or more, make a great prize to bet on when you step up to the pool or shuffleboard tables.

Next time you are at Greeley Avenue Bar and Grill in North Portland give one of our spiked Pudding Shots a try. It’s a great way to end a meal and start a party!

The Greeley Avenue Leader Board’s Latest Addition: Ablis Lemon Ginger

All the good news about the health benefits of wine, beer and cider only serves to reinforce our love for the great drinks we serve at Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill. What can be better than enjoying a casual drink and getting healthy? Well, I’ve been hearing rumors of a great new drink at Greeley, and I knew I had to give it a try.

Ablis’s Lemon Ginger is one of the new CBD drinks that have come onto the emerging cannabis edibles market and, just like other products, it claims to have many health boosting qualities due to the addition of active cannabidiol to its list of ingredients.

A little bit about cannabidiol (CBD)— As one of the 113 active cannabinoids identified in cannabis, it is a major phytocannabinoid, accounting for up to 40% of the plant’s extract. While not formally adopting the cannabidiol health benefits claim, the Lemon Ginger drink is part of Ablis’s “Thrive” product line and it’s light and refreshing taste is a perfect summer drink!

Its fresh taste comes through the lack of fancy finishing touches, like carbonation, that you might find in a more processed drink. Ablis keeps it simple with organic lemon juice, organic ginger and organic cane sugar.

While the brewers of Abiss’s Lemon Ginger make no claims to the rumored positive effects of CBD, research does appear to indicate cannabidiol does offer many health benefits , without the intoxicating effects typically associated with the better known marijuana extract, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.  When I tried a glass I experienced no effects beyond the surprising and pleasantly satisfying taste of a subtle, light flavored drink.

I would recommend Ablis’s Lemon Ginger for anyone who is looking for an alternative drink that’s perfect for warm weather. And, while they don’t specifically endorse it as a “health” drink, it does leave you feeling refreshed and doesn’t weigh you down like some other drinks can.

Stop by Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill today to try the latest drink added to our online leaderboard, Ablis Lemon Ginger!

How Do Bartenders Conduct Research? Greeley Avenue’s Annual Pub Crawl!

 

Our ride for the night: Double Decker PDX

One thing has always been true about Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill’s bartenders and wait staff: they always strive to provide the best experience for every person who enters our North Portland establishment. Owners Jon and Rainer believe the best way to do this is to experience Portland’s legendary bar scene, and that’s why every year they gather their staff together and hit the road for a research tour unlike any other.

The annual Pub Crawl brings the staff from all three of our family of bars—Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill, Mock Crest Tavern in North Portland and the Southeast’s Yukon Tavern—for an evening of tasting, evaluating, and discussions of what makes great service, inviting décor, and delicious food and drinks.

We traveled to seven bars during our tour and each one was distinctive. From beloved neighborhood bars, to sophisticated pubs that draw crowds from across the city.

All offered their own unique take on the Portland bar scene.

We even stepped into a new taproom that featured a “green” beverage.

We sampled their food menu, too. Wood fired pizza, grilled asparagus with aioli, ta-choes (a nacho plate that begins with a tater tots—yum, yum!). There was no doubt that the legendary Portland food scene translates well into pub grub.

And, of course we sampled their drink menu! So many innovative cocktails, ciders, wines and beers! Our bartenders found many new favorites, as well as the tried and true brews we love to serve.

Yes, our research trip gives us a chance to know our competition and get great new ideas that we can share in our pub, but most of all it gives us all a chance to enjoy the Portland bar scene that we love together with our Greeley, Mock, and Yukon teams.

Thanks, Jon and Rainer, for another great pub crawl!

We’re Hittin’ the Links! The Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill Golf Tournament is Back!

Grab your clubs, because the annual Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill Golf Tournament is back and we’re hittin’ the links on Saturday, May 27^th!

Our spring golf tournament is one of our most popular events. Golfers from all three of our family of bars; the Yukon Tavern and Mock Crest Tavern, will join us on for nine holes of friendly competition and a day outside in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

In Best Ball play all golfers compete to get the lowest score, or “best ball” for their team, which is then used as the team’s final score for each hole, going up against the best score from the other teams. Best ball can be played with teams of two, three or four players, so grab your friends, family, or random people you met at the Mock Crest and head out to Wildwood Golf Course. Teams will be randomly selected and each player will do their best to carry the round in hopes of taking the whole tournament and claiming champion status of the course.

Register by May 21st at the Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill to reserve your spot in our spring Golf Tournament on May 27^th, with a tee off time at 1pm. It will be a day of exciting play on one of Portland’s best courses, followed by dinner and an award ceremony where prizes will be handed out to the best players. Your registration includes eighteen holes of golf and a free rental golf cart. All skill levels are welcome, but sign up now because space is limited.

Greeley Grindhouse Celebrates Its Five Year Anniversary with Cheech and Chong

For five years Greeley Grindhouse has hosted the best B Movies that have come out of the shadows of alternative filmmakers—SANTA CONQUERS THE MARTIANS, MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE, SHAFT IN AFRICA, and the Sharknado series, to name just a few. We wanted to celebrate these great, but under celebrated movies, by topping off the Grindhouse’s fifth anniversary with a classic fit for our North Portland home.

So, we’re proud to announce Greeley Grindhouse’s next Coming Attraction: Cheech and Chong in UP IN SMOKE!

Roll on into Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill next Thursday and join us for one of the first movies to portray the famed compadres at their height of glory. The 1978 film casts the two stoners in a runaway caper when they unknowingly smuggle a van made entirely of marijuana and drive it from Mexico to L.A. Crazed and incompetent Sgt. Stedenko, played by Stacy Keach, is in hot pursuit as they spend their day cruising the highway and taking up with a group of musicians, including the infamous “Ajax Lady.”

Greeley Grindhouse’s host, Mac Bell, says, “Capping off our five years of Greeley Grindhouse with a movie like Up in Smoke brings it home to Portland, where we celebrate all the weirdness of the human race…man.

Throughout our last five years Greeley Grindhouse has had many great movie posters made by Edward Kersh and Andy Vanderbilt and Greeley owner Rainer Wieland compiled many of them into one epic poster that will be raffled off during the movie. And, of course, our cooks and bartenders will be on hand to cook up and mix up your favorite food and drinks.

Join us on Thursday, May 18^th at 7:20pm Greeley Avenue Bar & Grill for our presentation of Cheech and Chong’s UP IN SMOKE at the five year anniversary of Greeley Grindhouse!