Mixed Blessing

Today I read that The Commons brewery is going to be leasing their space to Modern Times and operations will shut down at the end of the year.

Now, I’m a fan of Modern Times and I am super pleased to see them in Portland.

However, I’m disheartened by the news about the Commons. They were-still are, I suppose- a champion of different styles at a time when IPAs dominate the market.

I can’t tell you, though, how many times I have had friends who just didn’t want an IPA and I was always happy to go to the Commons’ space and get a beer or introduce a visitor to the beer or brewery. They certainly exposed me to a lot of different beer styles and was always a good place for me to take someone.

I suppose I still have 2017 to take advantage of this, so I definitely will. And I hope that whatever the future holds for the Commons, they are able to find a way to continue: Portland’s beer scene will definitely feel their absence.