Ecliptic Brewing

Ecliptic Brewing is located on N Cook Street (corner of N Cook and N Mississippi Avenue) in Portland, Oregon.

Shockingly enough, with all the beers I've had and the breweries I've stopped at in other states, this was my first trip to Ecliptic. Better late than never, I guess?

John Harris, the founder of Ecliptic Brewing, had already stamped his mark on Oregon beers. Prior to Ecliptic Brewing, John worked at McMenamins, created excellent beers at Deschutes Brewery, and became the brewmaster at Full Sail for 20 years.

Ecliptic has roughly 10 of their beers and a cider on tap (probably from a great spot like Reverend Nat's). I went with Ecliptic's Orbiter IPA. The blend of "C" hops give this beer a nice citrus-hoppy flavor. Medium body, yet drinks easier than the listed 7.4%.

I had also heard great reviews for the food, so I tried their Chicken Sandwich ($12), containing fish sauce-marinated thigh meat, pickled root veggies, cilantro, and jalapeno mayo inside a chewy hoagie roll. Outstanding flavors on the chicken, and it pairs very well with the other components.

You can get fries, soup, or salad with the sandwich. The soup that day, Tomato & Fennel, was another big hit. Creamy, tomato-y, and a hint of spice. I would order that any day of the week, perhaps two on Sunday.

I also tried the Fried Russets ($4), basically a bucket of their fries. Excellently salted and fried spuds. Even after sitting on the table for a while, the golden-brown fries retained a slightest crispness. Well done, Ecliptic. Well done.

Another popular menu item to try is the Ecliptic Burger ($14): Half-pound of NW beef, pancetta, red onion, aged Gruyere, and Russian dressing on a potato bun.

Ecliptic Brewing opens seven days a week at 11 AM. It's generally filled on a Friday and Saturday night, and probably whenever there is great weather. Check this spot out! 8/10