I’ll admit, it’s a solid example of a festbier but I was more taken with the view. 4/5 stars.
I enjoyed Hickory Stripe as the culmination of a day spent outdoors. I traveled with a good friend out to Mount Hood with intention of spending part of the day snowshoeing. We were well-prepared for a cold day on the mountain, expecting freezing temperatures and cold fog based on the weather forecast. We were pleasantly surprised to find only a few other cars in the parking lot, considering that it was a warm-ish Friday. There was no rain or snow coming, and the roads were clear too. Just lucky, I guess! We geared up and climbed up onto the trail. It was hard-packed, so snowshoes were out. Boots alone it would be.
As we meandered up the trail, the sun made its appearance and the fog dropped to a lower elevation. Our luck continued! We took our time to pick each step since we didn’t have adequate traction. Micro-spikes or other traction would have been a good idea, but at least we had hiking poles. Despite not quite being fully prepared, we made the gradual ascent to the real viewpoint: Tamanawas Falls. It was lovely! A wide cataract gently cascaded down the wide crescent of an imposing chunky basalt cliff. A spray blew continuously off the base, creating an increasing slick layer of glaze ice over the several feet of snow. Just gorgeous.
The return trip became slightly easier as the temperature continued to climb above freezing. That was fortunate, since even the gentle descent would otherwise have been quite the traction challenge. We took our time, placing each foot carefully on the slick snow and making controlled slides where needed. By this point, we began seeing more and more hikers on trail. Most were wearing traction devices on their boots, some also had poles, but a few were even less well-prepared then we were for the conditions (one person only had some New Balance running shoes!). Everyone was happy to be out on the mountain on a sunny day, regardless. We returned to the car, slightly tired but content. Now only one more thing to do: celebrate the hike with a beer! There was really only one logical choice on this side of the mountain. Solera Brewery in Parkdale.
The small, hole-in-the-wall pub is unassuming from the front. The real treat (other than the expertly crafted beer, of course!) is the view out back. On a foggy or cloudy day, it’s a beautiful view of fruit orchards (located along the aptly-named Fruit Loop, that’s no surprise). On a clear day, it’s transcendent. The view of the mountain alone is worth taking a detour to this brewpub. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a clear view on that day. Lucky for us, the beer was still great!
A Beer a Day 
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