The Wickson variety of apple was developed in 1944 by California pomologist Albert Etter in honor of his distinguished friend and fellow fruit zealot E.J. Wickson. A hybrid of Newtown Pippin and Esopus Spitzenberg, the Wickson apple might be better known (although...
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...
Best known for organics ingredients, bicycles and beer, Portland's Hopworks Urban Brewery has recently released their break into the cider world with the HUB Hard Cider. A two-year-long endeavor that reached distribution in June, the HUB Hard Cider is the brewery's...
The first time I had heard of Kombucha was when my college roommate came home one day, a giant pickle jar in hand, and said that she was going to try her hand at making a batch in our tiny apartment. I watched over her shoulder as she brewed up a few bags of old...
If you read my write-up of the TOAST 2015 event, you know I'm excited about the potential of Portland's Thomas & Sons Distillery, the new project from the people behind the locally famous Townshend's Tea. Thomas & Sons, which started with three tea...
Humans, as a species, are visually driven. When we see a photograph or watch a movie that is visually pleasing, we are drawn in and take notice. By being guided by these ocular clues around the world, many decisions are made on the basis of sight alone. Take, for...
Ah, the great outdoors. Summer days spent taking in the splendor of the natural world. Blue skies, warm weather and a slight breeze at your back…what could be more ideal? For most, a day spent in such scenery would necessitate hiking, camping or boating. Best-case...
Red blends can be a roller coaster of sensations for your taste buds. A Merlot is a distinct, almost trademarked, flavor that can be easily identified. So too can the Malbec variety be pinpointed after one sip. However, when combined, they can produce a wine that...
Apple Outlaw owners Blair Smith and Marcey Kelly traded traffic for tractors when they moved from the sunny state of California up to Oregon, finding them an orchard in the Applegate Valley. Knowing little about tending to an orchard at first, the couple now...
Food always tastes better when it comes from your own backyard. The satisfaction after the hard work put in to growing it combined with that freshly picked taste simple cannot be beat by store-bought foods. And while most people don’t grow their own hops and brew...
