Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 2017)
JANUARY 26, 2017 // 7 BEST BREWPUB & BEST PIZZA Fort George Brewery Astoria, Oregon BEST BREWPUB Runner-up: Buoy Beer Co., Astoria Honorable Mention: North Jetty Brewing, Seaview, Washington BEST PIZZA Runner-up: Fultano’s Pizza, Astoria Honorable Mention: Baked Alaska, Astoria By NANCY McCARTHY Just in time for its 10th anniversary, Fort George Brewery & Public House has received two anniver- sary presents: two Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Brewpub and for Best Pizza. While the brewpub is being celebrated for its original brews and the pizza for its yumminess, com- pany president Jack Harris believes Fort George’s customer service — which strives to make the restau- rant’s patrons comfortable — is also being recognized by the awards. “We get a lot of tourist traffic, but we really cater to local residents,” he said. “We work really, really hard on service. That’s the rea- son we’re here; we’re here for hospitality.” The staff even pays attention to online reviews and emails. “We try to learn from them,” Harris added. Brewed on the same site as the pub, the beers range from the Fort George regulars, including Vortex IPA and Cavatica Stout, to the seasonals, such as Cascadian Brown Porter and Sunrise Oatmeal Pale Ale. Through their new Sweet Virginia Series proj- ect, brewers will produce limited runs of barrel-aged and rare beers regularly. Fort George beers are also distributed to stores and other locations throughout the Northwest. Then, there’s the pizza. First comes the flour PHOTO BY NANCY MCCARTHY Housed in a former automotive facility built in 1924, the Fort George Brewery + Public House in downtown Astoria offers its own beers and gourmet pizzas. PHOTO BY NANCY MCCARTHY Golfers play a round of golf at the Astoria Golf & Country Club. BEST GOLF COURSE Astoria Golf & Country Club PHOTO BY DANNY MILLER Warrenton, Oregon Fort George’s Sucker Punch sour beer, available season- ally in May and June, has a refreshing lemon-lime flavor. sourced in the Pacific Northwest. Making the dough takes patience. “It’s a three-day process,” Harris said. “We have a rotation going all the time.” Next, the wood-fired oven: “We have to burn a ton of firewood,” he said. Finally, Chef Jeff Gra- ham: “He’s always tweak- ing the recipes. He works on the dough, the sauces, the nitrate-free meats,” Harris added. Ingredients such as truf- fle cheese, chipotle hanger steak, house-smoked pulled pork, seasonal mushrooms, house-made sausages and a variety of cheeses add to the tantalizing pizza choices. But during the past 10 years, Fort George has become an integral support- er — and hub — of local efforts. “We have an amazing staff; we are here to make this a better community,” Harris said. Runner-up: Peninsula Golf Course, Long Beach Honorable Mention: Highlands Golf Club, Gearhart By NANCY McCARTHY FILE PHOTO Fort George bakes its pizzas in a wood-fired oven located on the second floor. The pizzas are made with organic flour sourced in the Pacific Northwest, and toppings include house- made sausage, pulled pork, truffle cheeses and more. Harris and his fellow co-founder, Chris Nemlow- ill, revitalized two dilapi- dated buildings in down- town Astoria and turned them into a thriving pub and brewery. A weekly Thurs- day lecture series is offered on a wide range of topics; the Troll Radio Review, sponsored by Coast Com- munity Radio, is broadcast live from the pub on the last Saturday of the month; the Fort George Benefit Night on last Tuesdays assists lo- cal nonprofits — more than $96,000 has been raised; and the one-day Festival of Dark Arts in February gath- ers together enthusiasts of Fort George’s black stout to enjoy the beer, local music and crafts. Harris calls the Readers’ Choice Awards a “great honor” and a “nice anniver- sary present.” The staff’s goal is to have customers “leave here with a smile on their face,” he said. “We strive to make peo- ple happy,” Harris added. Fort George Brewery, upstairs pizza and Lovell Taproom are at 1483 Duane St. Check fortgeorgebrewery.com or call 503 325-7468 for information. One reason, among several, that the Astoria Golf & Country Club won the Readers’ Choice Award for Best Golf Course: It’s a fun course to play. “It’s not a cookie-cutter golf course,” said Ed Leinen- kugel, manager. “Thanks to the terrain, it’s the kind of golf course that no one would get tired of playing.” Founded in 1923 on a former cranberry field, the private 18-hole golf course runs between the dunes and along the rolling terrain of the Clatsop Plains. The local weather on the course — less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean – makes the course even more chal- lenging year round. Yet it’s playable for all abilities. “It provides plenty of challenge for skillful players, but if you hit a bad shot, you can recover,” Leinen- kugel said. “It is regarded as among the top five golf courses in Northern Oregon.” The course is home to the eight-day Oregon Coast Invi- tational Tournament, which attracts nearly 400 golfters from throughout the country. In addition to offering a fun, challenging course, the staff “embraces the spirit of hospitality,” he added. “We enjoy what we do; we are enthusiastic; we are en- gaged.” After a round of golf, members and their guests head to the clubhouse for a meal. Full breakfasts, lunch- es and dinners are listed on the menu. Receiving a Readers’ Choice Award gives the club’s staff a sense of pride, Leinenkugel said. “It’s al- ways nice to be recognized,” he added. “I think this course has a strong connec- tion to the community.” Astoria Golf and Country Club is located at 33445 Sun- set Beach Lane in Warrenton.
