This week Last Call with BrewDad with all humility we have the great Rick Burkhardt from Columbia River Brewing in Portland Oregon. A great brewer and super sponsor for BrewDad. Thanks for taking the time Rick. Now for the answers we all wait a week for.
Last Call with Rick Burkhardt
71. What was your first beer you ever drank?
The first beer I tasted was Busch
82. What was your first Craft Beer you ever had and what did you think?
My first craft beer was in England in 1974 within my first 30 min in England, and it was an ESB. It was amazing ! Didn’t know beer could taste that good.
3. How did you get start in brewing? Homebrewer? Etc??? What was the first batch you ever made?
I got an opportunity within the first 6 hours of being in England to learn how to brew at an upstart brewery in Hemmel Hempstead England, on my first visit there with my wife to visit her family in 1974, I spent 3 weeks at about 18 hours a day for my entire vacation learning everything I could, it was an all hands on experience, from start to finish, and lots of Cask-Conditioned work. My first beer was an ESB. It all felt right to me, and I wanted to continue to be part of the brewing world, so much so that I wanted to move to England, As there wasn’t anything like this in American but my wife said no, as We had just started a family and I had a good job, so my wife Lynn said once the kids are grow up, we can take the risk, then the kids were growed up and on their own, and I had enough years at Sears 38 to take a retirement so I brewed at home from 74 to 2010, and was looking for a location for the last 2 years of working at Sears, to open a small Brewpub. We lived in Oregon from 1988 to 2002 and wanted to get back here as we both loved Oregon so much, when a Realtor I had been working with took the listing to sell the location of the first Laurelwood Brewery here in the Hollywood area of Portland, I flew in and it felt right, loved the open space and we made the purchase. Its been Very Hard work starting a new brewery, in a location that was owned by a successful brewery, but I have been enjoying every moment.
4-1. What is your favorite beer you have ever made? And why?
An ESB, as it was my first beer love ! and when beer lovers from England have been at our brewpub here, they have said it was England in a glass to them, It was my greatest compliment,
5c. If you had to live for the rest of your life with only drinking one beer and not one of your own. Who and what beer/brewery?
Easy, it would be a Guinness Stout, St. Jame’s Gate Brewery, as my wife’s Grandfather Bill in England would say to me, ( Its a meal in a glass ! You could live on It !!) As I have had the great pleasure of having it in England and not Pasteurize. It is a great beer.
6d-1. What is your favorite beer style? Stouts 
67. If you could create a whole new style of beer what would it be? Still trying to perfect all the styles I brew.
998. Favorite sport and team? American Football, and The Steelers and 49’s
9. What is your ultimate session beer? Northern English Brown
A) What music do love to listen to while brewing? Rock
420. What is the craziest ingredient you have added while brewing? Prickley Pear
24. Favorite hop(s) East Kent, German Noble, Amarillo, All the C Hops
13 What is your go to liquor? Single Malt Whisky
77. Favorite Movie(s) Monty Python and the holy grail, Clint Eastwood Dirty Harry
15. What is your favorite movie Quote? Feel Lucky Punk, well do ya !
0. Are you on twitter (@Twitter name) what is your favorite twitter #hashtag? Not at all, got to find the time to do it.
17. Morning person or Night person? Morning as I get up at 4:30 am daily
44. What is your favorite Hot sauce? Cholula
17. If you could ask me BrewDad one question what would it be? When we going to share a pint together? Answer soon my friend very very soon.
