Portland natives Mike and Brian McMenamin opened their first hospitality location in 1974 with the first post-Prohibition brewpub in the state of Oregon quickly to follow, along with brewing the first legal fruit-brewed ale. Today, their namesake chain, McMenamins, has increased to the number of 65 locations including brewpubs, microbreweries, historic hotels, music venues and theater pubs through Oregon and Washington—and the list now also counts two distilleries with one in Hillsboro, Ore. and the other in Troutdale, Ore. at the historic Edgefield hotel. The Edgefield Distillery Pear Brandy is distilled from Hood River, Ore.-grown pears and brought to age in an in-house Eau de Vie pot still. The glass is warmed with aromas of cinnamon, pear and a touch of vanilla (although no oak time here), while the palate is pear, tried and true, all the way through.
