This is a low key great little spot! Visited Portland with some friends and we spent a few hours here having some brews and playing card games. If I were a local, I would be back repeatedly. Great, friendly bartender!

I was in the mood to do a little investigating. I had read in the Willamette Week Portland Beer Guide about this new Brewery that opened at the end of January and had a copper-clad brewing system. I also noted that there were no photos of the place that I could find. So I journeyed out armed with a camera and a thirst for dark beer. I found the Ross Island Brewing building on the south side of SE Powell blvd. Ruffly between the Aladdin Theater and the Ross Island Bridge. Hard to drive west against eastbound traffic on the south side of the street unless you happen to be Mr. Magoo. I am not, so I parked around from the Aladdin and hoofed it back to its location at 730 SE Powell Blvd. The building looks smallish. Inside I noted outdoor items mounted up on the wall. I scanned the room and then bellied up to the bar. I noted the glasses lined up with some merchandise. And the coasters black on one side, white on the other. All with the name and a part of a bridge. I suppose once you get into a few pints... you know when you are a pint too many to the wind when you start lining up the coasters to build a psychedelic bridge ala POP Art. My eyes focused on the word PORTER up on the board at the bar. So I ordered Ben's Porter when the barmaid gravitated toward yours truely. I sipped. Gazed around the room. And it wasn't long before I strolled around the room-- taking aim with my camera at various things of interest. It was when I was at the far end of the room looking back toward the bar when I saw it-- an upside down canoe in the ceiling over the bar. I strolled closer. Just to make sure I wasn't imagining it. Yep, it was a canoe alright. Docked in the ceiling. It was at this moment that a chap sitting at the bar turned and smiled. "I see you're taking photos?" He had an accent from down under. Perhaps, the canoe was a clue. He asked if I'd like to see the brewery and of course I said yes. So there I was in the room with the Mash tuns and the silver fermentation machines. Yeah, this is what I came to see. The equipment. I must say that the copper-clad Mash Tun looks beautiful. We chattered for a while. A very nice friendly chap, for sure. It will be interesting to drop by again. Especially once they have been brewing a while and more items turn up on the bar list to try out. This is a nice peaceful, cozy place to sit and enjoy a pint or two. And gaze at that quirky Canoe up in the ceiling above the bar. Or try to build bridges out of the coasters. That's what Mr. Magoo would do!