Just when you thought Portland couldn’t nerd out anymore on its beer, you come across Ecliptic Brewing. The astronomy-themed brewery is the brainchild of time-honored Oregon brewer John Harris—who really couldn’t be happier to share a pint and humbly tell you his tale. Formerly the head brewer (and recipe-writer) for McMenamins, Deschutes and Full Sail, Harris took his nearly three decades of brewing experience to his own venture in 2013. Combining his fervor for both beer and astronomy, he titled his Northeast Portland brewery Ecliptic, for the earth’s annual cruise around the sun. Harris is such a zealot of the subject that a light fixture in the shape of an analemma hangs as the focal point of the brewpub and the seasonal beer releases and food menu rotate every six weeks with the “Old World calendar” (think the solstices, equinoxes and more). On the vein of food, Harris says he doesn’t know why brewpub bites haven’t elevated to the level that the rest of the Portland food scene has and commits to plating equally top-shelf nosh.
The summer (equinox) seasonal, the Aurora Crimson saison, takes its name from the “colorful cosmic rays seen in the Northern sky.” We’ve heard of those. Refreshing and fruit-forward sans sweetness (from the addition of tangy rhubarb to the batch), the Belgian-style ale sports moderate bread notes, ample spicy, easy malt flavors and a modest sampling of tart citrus hops on the nose and finish. Knock a few back while watching the next total lunar eclipse on Sept. 28.
Follow on Facebook: Ecliptic Brewing
Track on Twitter: @eclipticbrewing
