The author reminisces about their first visit to the Horse Brass Pub in Portland, reflecting on the significant influence it had on Oregon's brewing culture. Initially visited as a baby, the author's subsequent visits reveal a transformed bar scene where Don Younger was instrumental in promoting local microbreweries. Despite the smoke-laden atmosphere of the pub, it became a haven for emerging Oregon beers. The piece highlights the transition from mass-market lagers to innovative craft brews that defined a burgeoning beer culture in the state.
It was my first public social appearance, just a few weeks after I was born, and retrospectively it would have been a perfect snapshot of my future career.
The Oregon smoking ban was still a couple of years out, and while I loved the real metal darts with felt boards, I didn't love having to wash the smoke from my clothes.
A surly iconoclast, avowed libertarian, and heavy smoker, Younger was a vital patron of the nascent Oregon beer world.
Between my first visit and the times when I could drink, the state's brewing scene had erupted, and no small part of that was thanks to the Brass.
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