Pub #30 -- McMenamin's on Monroe, Corvallis, March 13

The novel coronavirus was wreaking havoc with schedules left and right -- the NCAA basketball tournaments had just been canceled, my aunt's assisted living center had been locked down, and our church had decided to cancel in-person services -- but restaurants were still buzzing along.  We didn't know it at the time, but we took one of the last opportunities to dine in and notch another brewpub for a couple months.

McMenamin's is a special, Oregon-grown chain of brewpubs.  They've made their name by transforming old buildings of character into destination pubs and hotels.  My first introduction to a McMenamin's was at the High Street Cafe in Eugene.  A microbrewery neophyte in 1991, I was entranced by the funky environs of High Street, with its tie-dyed, Deadhead posters and maze-like hallways and little rooms. Then Terminator Stout -- and the fries, with peels still on! -- blew me away.

McMenamin's on Monroe is the second McM's in Corvallis, and is much more spacious and open than the other one.  But it's still got funky character (waterworks on the wall), Scooby Snacks (mini-corn dogs), and a great selection of beers.

https://www.mcmenamins.com/mcmenamins-on-monroe

We had a sampler, with Purple Haze, 2 Beans: Vanilla Coffee Cream Ale, McMenamin's Irish Stout (Nitro), Pole Ax, Currant Status, and (probably) O'Conner Irish Red.  Good times.