Blue Palate

Photo credit: Joe Pemberton

Interstate 5 from Oregon to California, which I’ve driven a dozen or so times in my life, is the quickest way to travel up and down the west. It’s scenic in parts, but mostly it’s just straight and quick. And if you’re trying to make it to San Francisco in less than ten hours, be prepared to sacrifice any grand culinary aspirations. The freeway is dotted with the typical fast food and truck stop options, easy on the wallet but not always the palate.

I have found a little gem among the Taco Bells and Iron Skillets in the little town of Yreka neat the California and Oregon border. It’s definitely a convenient pit stop town, the first after climbing and descending the precarious Siskiyou pass. Nature’s Kitchen on Yreka’s main drag is a tiny oasis among a sea of fast food and gas station food marts. You can sit down for a quick, healthy sandwich and fresh juice or grab an iced espresso and a homemade date bar (big enough for two!). Best of all, this tiny natural cafe/store provides a dimly lit, peaceful sanctuary from the freeway, complete with calming smells of cumin and sandalwood, kind, smiling shopkeepers, and chant or flute music that will surely take the edge off.

Jump back on the freeway, hit 70 mph, and enjoy the view of Mt. Shasta, thankful you successfully dodged the drive thru window.

I have mixed feelings about cheap beer. Beer is high in calories for a beverage and if I’m going to spend it I like to taste it. But a pint of Pabst Blue Ribbon or can of Hamm’s can be quite refreshing on a hot day and I can drink a couple and not feel heavy headed. And the best thing about cheap beer? It’s cheap. Here are a few of my favorite spots in Portland to drink cheap beer.

Photo credit: Whatknot

The Standard - At this Northeast hidden gem you can drink Rainier on Monday and Hamm’s on Wednesday for a buck a can. Yes folks, for one dollar you can sip an adult beverage, play shuffleboard, or lounge in their large patio. Save your remaining dollars for the county fair-esque photo booth.

Zach’s Shack - Known for their delicious dogs and late-night hours, Zach’s Shack on Hawthorne has one dynamite refrigeration system. Their cans of PBR are the coldest in town. During their extended happy hour (4 p.m. - 8 p.m. every day), you can chase away the heat for $1.25.

Captain Ankeny’s Well - Probably best known for their authentic deep dish pizza, Captain Ankeny’s has the most variety I’ve seen when it comes to happy hours. $1.25 on select pints some nights, $1.95 select small pitchers on others, sometimes only $0.50 off.  But if you land on the right night of the week between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., you can drink - and eat - for dollars.

Cheap beer is plentiful, even in the land of $5 microbrews. Where’s your favorite place to knock back a cold one for a buck or two?