Ecliptic Brewing

Ecliptic Brewing, the new venture of long-time Portland brewing icon John Harris, opened its doors at the end of October. It wasn't until the start of December that I finally made my way there to check things out.

The space, tucked out of sight but just a stone's throw from the south end of happening N Mississippi, is a large one. Walking into the restaurant area one is likely to forget that they've shown up for beer, having instead arrived at a beautifully designed eatery. Thankfully both the beer and the food are worth showing up for.

When we visited they had five of their own brews available in addition to a couple of guest taps and bottles. Figuring between the two of us we would have no problem trying all five we started off with the two most likely subjects - Procyon Pale and Arcturus IPA. What was unlikely is that not only did the both of us far prefer the pale to the IPA but in subsequent conversations with others that has been the unanimous opinion. Neither the Riegel nor the Spica were styles I'd generally order but they'll likely be enjoyed by others. The Capella Porter was delightfully roasty without being heavy.

As for the food, the menu is compact and while a $13 burger might turn some off it instantly became my new favorite burger in town. Served medium-rare (without even having to request it) it can be had during happy hour for a very fair price of $10. I've heard some good buzz about their lamb burger as well so if I can resist the temptation to order the same thing on my next visit I'll be giving it a try.

In the meantime I'm looking forward to trying out Filament, their Winter IPA that was released in bottles earlier this week.

Ecliptic Brewing
825 N Cook Street
Open at 11 am daily
Happy hour 3 - 6 pm (everyday)