Earthlab Libations keeps on truckin’ in SE Portland: Oregon Brews and News

If you’re like me — and, I suspect, like a lot of people — you’ve never heard of Earthlab Libations. But then last week on Instagram I got tagged in a post about something super cool: Earthlab this weekend is completely changing up its taplist and offering beers from some of Oregon’s newest breweries. Think Fracture, Living Haus, Hetty Alice, Funky Fauna, VIA and Obelisk, among others.

How cool is that, I thought? But then I also thought, what the heck is an Earthlab, where is it and what does it have to do with beer?

Reporting ensued. A few DMs later, I learned that Earthlab Libations is a beer cart operating out of a 1988 Italian box truck on Southeast Belmont Street, about a block away from ForeLand Beer. There, at 2623 S.E. Belmont St., owners Dan Denison and Matt McDonald pour an expertly curated taplist from the side of the truck to eager neighborhood residents. They opened Earthlab in the fall of 2021 after meeting while working behind the bar at now-closed Belgian-beer spot The Abbey Bar in Portland.

One of those neighborhood residents is Manuel Padilla, who in addition to great beer has found community at the tables under the canopy at Earthlab.

“Just look at the taplist. Nobody else has Belgian beers or European beers as part of their standard selection like they do here,” Padilla told me. “And they always have a keen eye for breweries that are cutting edge and at the top of their game … and they won’t just take anything from a brewery — they’re really intentional about what they’re choosing. For example, they have Benedictine Brewery’s beers on their taplist. Nobody has Benedictine.

“It’s incredible to me that they’re doing what they’re doing at the level of quality that they’re doing it, and they’re a relatively unknown venue. To me it’s like a sin,” Padilla said. “This place should be a go-to place for anybody who actually really gives two (&*#!+&?) about beer. And they’re also providing a place for the community to come together — that’s incredibly important.”

McDonald and Denison offer a consistent stream of events at the site, which is also home to Mexican food cart Taco Gang and Salt and Peruvian cart Pepper. They host movie nights on Thursdays, projecting onto a screen when it is raining or the building next door when the weather is nice. They also host live music, chess and open mic nights.

Find Earthlab open from 6-10 p.m. Tuesdays, 5-9 p.m. Thursdays, and noon-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and closed Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays. Chances are you’ll find me back there again.

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Editor’s note: This is a re-publication of Oregon Brews and News, a weekly newsletter rounding up Portland and Oregon beer and brewery news. It is sent to subscriber’s emails at noon every Thursday. To subscribe, go to oregonlive.com/newsletters and sign up for Oregon Brews and News.

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Dwinell and a beer called Old Vine

I spent last Saturday afternoon on the sun-dappled patio of Dwinell Country Ales in Goldendale, Washington. The maker of exquisite ales and lagers reopens the patio and its tasting room Friday, May 12, when it will also introduce its 2023 vintage ciders and a new winery brand.

The experience was memorable, not just for the beautiful drive, setting and beers. I got to spend some time chatting and quaffing with co-founder Justin Leigh. He told me about steering Dwinell through the pandemic, and how it’s now emerging with renewed energy and focus, plus some unexpected inspiration from a lost friend.

About the latter, in 2019 Dwinell made a collaboration wild ale called Old Vine with Ex Novo Brewing and its head brewer Ryan Buxton and barrel manager/brewer Nick Simmons. A year ago, Buxton ended his life. Leigh found one last case of Old Vine earlier this year and decided to enter it in the Best of Craft Beer Awards in Bend. It won gold.

“Entering Old Vine into BOCB (and ultimately winning Gold) was a way for me to make sense of my relationship with Ryan, to make sense of his death, and perhaps to imprint some kind of legacy for him, me, and everyone else who created that beer,” he said.

Leigh had three bottles of Old Vine left. On Saturday, he opened one and shared it with Simmons and me. It was a quiet moment. We toasted and sipped. Simmons commented on how beautifully the beer still held up. Leigh and I nodded, and after a beat or two, the conversation moved on. I soon found myself heading back into the gorge, thinking about Dwinell, that collaboration, the points in between, and how I would write the article to reflect it all.

Duality Brewing opens in NE Portland

Duality Brewing greeted its first customers this past week at its taproom — and soon to be functional brewhouse — in the Kerns neighborhood, at 715 N.E. Lawrence Ave., Suite 108, about a block east of Sandy Boulevard at Northeast 26th Avenue. Lockwood’s thoughtful approach to his beers are “ingredient-driven,” using components such as wine grapes, flowers and herbs for creative flavor profiles. He draws on his professional and homebrewing experience as well as having worked in highly regarded kitchens such as Portland’s Eem. All of that is a complement to LeCompte’s vision for the Duality space and aesthetic, bringing her branding and photography experience into play.

But the operation isn’t just about beer. LeCompte and Lockwood are being joined by fellow wife-and-husband entrepreneurs Lauren Breneman and John Boisse, both classically trained chefs whose pop-up and events catering operation, Astral, has found a permanent arm in Duality. They are creating food that in part explores Boisse’s Mexican heritage, his upbringing in Texas as well as the couple’s time in Chicago.

The group has built a space that is minimalist cool and elegant. Beiges and eggshell whites, with subtle splashes of color, are framed by Lockwood-built wooden benches and tables. A sleek, open-air wooden deck greets patrons, who pass through large industrial roll-up doors into the high-ceilinged and airy taproom.

Hours right now are spotty as the team works through the start-up, but keep an eye onDuality’s Instagram page — and Astral’s too — for all the latest. I’ll be writing a full article on Duality next week for The Oregonian/OregonLive, as well, so look for more details and backstory then.

World Beer Cup held in Nashville

The World Beer Cup, the most prestigious global beer competition, was held this week in Nashville at the annual Craft Brewers Conference, with Northwest breweries earning 35 medals out of the 307 handed out.

U.S. breweries are heavily represented at the competition, with over 8,135 of the 10,213 beer entries. They won 267 medals, with California leading the way with 50, followed by Colorado with 25 and Oregon with 22. Washington was sixth among states with 13. Canada was second among nations with 14, and Germany and Japan tied for third with five each.

Bend-area breweries led the way for Oregon, with 10 Barrel Brewing taking four medals, Sunriver Brewing with three and Bend Brewing with two. Grains Of Wrath’s Portland location was the top Portland-area performer with two medals.

See the full list of medal winners here.

Beer of the Week

I-5 Vibes, Migration Brewing and Silver City Brewing (7.7% ABV). The Portland and Bremerton, Washington, breweries got together in April and produced this big West Coast IPA. I-5 Vibes is draft-only and will be released at a public event at John’s Market Beaverton, 3700 S.W. Hall Blvd., from 4-7 p.m. Friday, May 12. The beer will be available at choice beer bars throughout the Pacific Northwest and at all Migration pubs. “We’ve always enjoyed the Silver City team and the amazing hop forward beers they’ve put out over the years. It was a fun opportunity for our brewers to work together with some newer advanced hop products like Incognito and Salvo in a 7.7% abv IPA,” said Mike Branes, Migration co-founder and head brewer. Brewery notes: “Simcoe hops were used in the boil to lay down a firm bitterness that’s not overpowering, while aromas of zesty grapefruit, tropical papaya, and pine are coupled with a resinous dank quality.”

What to do, what to do?

pFriem month at Belmont Station: Most months, Belmont Station showcases a particular brewery or charity, and May features pFriem Family Brewers for “an entire monthlong celebration of great beer, great causes and great events,” the Southeast Portland taproom and bottle shop says. pFriem beer will be on the shelves and taps all month long, and May will also benefit the Epilepsy Foundation, with a portion of all package and draft sales going to the nonprofit. Events include:

• Barrel Aged Showcase: 4-7 p.m. Thursday, May 18, featuring a draft list of rare and hard to find barrel aged sours and specialty beers, plus a tasting in the bottle shop of exclusive pFriemsters Union bottles.
• Closing Party Blow-Out: 4-7 p.m. Thursday, May 25, featuring an entire tap takeover with some of the absolute best beers pFriem has to offer.

4500 S.E. Stark St. Check Belmont Station website for hours.

Ecliptic Brewing’s Mother’s Day Cosmic Brunch: The North Portland Mothership location, 825 N. Cook St., hosts a Mother’s Day Cosmic Brunch on Sunday, May 14. The family friendly event features a four-course prix fixe menu, including beer and cocktail specials, as well as a pop-up flower shop. The event is ticketed, and no walk-ins are accepted, with seatings from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The adult menu includes fresh, house-made offerings such as Wild Mushroom and Garnet Yam Hash, as well as House Smoked Salmon or Tempeh Benedict. It includes a pint of Ecliptic’s limited-edition Cosmos Coconut & Vanilla Hazy IPA, all for $55. A Bloody Mary Bar is also available for an additional charge. A kid’s menu is available for $25. Visit the event’s Facebook Page for additional information or make a reservation here.

New Releases of Note

Trail Time Summer IPA, Hopworks Brewery (6.5% ABV). Hopworks on Wednesday released its new seasonal beer in celebration of the great outdoors of the Pacific Northwest, and the thousands of miles of bike trails that wind through the forests and mountains of Oregon and Southwest Washington. The beer was crafted as a collaboration between Hopworks and the Northwest Trail Alliance, which builds and maintains mountain biking trails within a 60-mile radius around Portland. Their mission includes increasing access to the outdoors through off-road cycling. Brewery notes: “Trail Time is a crushable, fruit-forward IPA with notes of pineapple, orange zest and papaya. It finishes light and crisp, with a nice, drying bitterness.” Available in four-packs of 16-ounce cans at Hopworks’ Vancouver and Portland locations through August.

Cherry Blossom Liqueur, Freeland Spirits. The woman-owned Portland distillery has released the limited-edition liqueur using locally harvested cherry blossoms, and it’s available for purchase online. Distillery notes: “Reminiscent of licorice root and cinnamon bark — a well-rounded sip of spring.”

Lady Lavender, Thinking Tree Spirits. The Eugene distillery is offering the specialLady Lavender cocktail at the distillery for Mother’s Day. Distillery notes: “Made with Butterfly Lavender Vodka, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, elderflower liqueur, and Champagne.”

— Andre Meunier; sign up for my weekly newsletter Oregon Brews and News, and follow me on Instagram, where I’m @oregonianbeerguy.