In our worldwide quest to find the next modern adventure, we flew out to an often underrated city in America – Portland, Oregon. Over the last decade, Portland has become known as an eco-friendly city that provides a plethora of indulgences including delicious food and wine, countless coffee shops, and an amazing selection of award-winning breweries.
In an effort to experience their beer culture in a very unique way, I reached out to Brewcycle Portland. The company was formed a couple years ago when Andrea Lins and Charlie Riegelman moved to Portland and were inspired by similar vehicles seen in Europe. They purchased their first Brewcycle from a builder in Savannah, Georgia. Now, they have three that run multiple two hour routes all day for a cost of $20 per person.
Our aluminum Brewcycle, named Shirley, was the company's newest addition and could fit up to 15 riders. Each side had six seats, five with pedals, and a bench in the back, where three could sit comfortably. Luke, our awesome driver, steered the gigantic contraption through the streets of Northwest Portland.
As we cruised from brewery to brewery, Luke allowed us to plug in our iPhones to blast music on the speakers. My Brewcycle group consisted of my wife, a few friends, and a group of nurses who were there to celebrate four 60-year-old birthday parties. Soon after we departed, it was clear that these incredible ladies were forever young at heart and were there to have a smashing good time.
Pedaling down the streets was a breeze, it didn't take much effort. When pedaling off a red light or uphill, however, I could definitely feel my legs burn. For anyone who does any moderate exercise though, it's a good feeling.
The highlight of the trip had to be when we were pedaling from one brewery to the next and the song “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones came on. Everyone on the Brewcycle started singing in unison. It was a moment of solidarity and free spirit. It didn't matter who we were or where we came from. We were all together pedaling this humongous bike, and we were enjoying life, while experiencing Portland in a unique way.
We ended up stopping at three breweries. Our first stop was Bridgeport Brewing Company, second was Old Town Brewing Company, and third was Deschutes Brewery. Let's take a closer look at them, below.
Luke, our driver, was the best. Over the course of our journey, he told us facts about the city, how the Brewcycle worked, and a little bit about himself. The Brewcycle travels about 4-5 mph on average.
Our first stop was Bridgeport Brewing Company. Had their award-winning IPA here.
The lovely nurses ready to pedal to our next destination.
Second stop was Old Town Brewing Company. Their pizza looked and smelled amazing!
Third and last stop was Deschutes Brewery. The biggest and most commercial of the bunch.
We had their sampler of 12 different brews. Each one was distinctly different yet equally delicious.
Our group. We all became friends when it was all said and done.
