The Hop & Vine

Shame on us for not visiting The Hop & Vine sooner. Our friends and colleagues have been raving about the place for some time. The respectable North Portland pub and bottleshop offers artisan grub, five thoughtfully selected rotating draught lines, and a plethora of bottled beer from around the globe. Just down the road from our friends at Saraveza, the spacious, relaxed ambiance of The Hop and Vine is a welcomed addition to the vibrant Portland beer community.
Upon a first visit, we met with proprietor Yetta Vorobik, the friendly beer geek behind the public house. Vorobik’s passion for beer and people is as evident as her appreciation for art. In an adjacent room, soon to house more beer, several intriguing works of art hang from the walls. The hardwood floors and warm environment make The Hop & Vine a quintessential dwelling to enjoy a delicious honest pint of brew. The establishment also offers a wide assortment of liquors and spirits for those not as inclined to opt for a malty treat.

I asked Ms. Vorobik about her wonderful establishment in this recent interview:

When did The Hop & Vine open?

Yetta Vorobik: We opened August 5 of 2008.

What inspired it?

YV: I was managing Helser’s on Alberta and had enough saved to buy a house or start up my own place. Well, the housing market crashed so it was an obvious, yet crazy decision. In the beginning I was really into wine and tired of going to places with my beer nerdy friends that only had a good selection of one or the other. So I wanted to open a place that catered to both the wine and beer geek, in an untapped market.

Okay, here’s the question I usually ask everyone: What sparked your interest in craft beer?

YV: When I lived in Los Angeles there was this great German pub called the Red Lion, it was the first time I had a true German Hefeweisse Bier. I drank it out of a one-liter boot-shaped glass and it was possibly one of the most delicious things I had ever had. When I moved to Portland, one of my sister’s friends gave me a beer as I walked in the house. It was the BridgePort IPA, and in all honesty, I didn’t think much of it. Now I look at it and see so much history and how it was one of the beers that helped the Oregon beer world thrive.

What can people who haven’t been to The Hop & Vine expect when they visit?

YV: A lot to choose from. Maybe not in draft (sadly, only five taps), but we have over 150 beers and wines by the bottle and a ton of spirits. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and cute. We also just hired a new chef, Martha Hubbard to take over the kitchen, so we will start doing beer, wine and bourbon dinners in March.

That sounds wonderful. Tell me again about the adjacent space and what is to come there?

YV: The other space, 19TEN, is being used as an Art Gallery, featuring local artists, curated by transplant Blaine Fontana. However, the goal for the space is to turn it into a large bottle shop. Slated to begin construction in May, we should be able to carry 1000 beers and 1000 wines and possibly some other goodies.

What are some of your favorite beers?

YV: Hair of the Dog Fred on the Wood and Blue Dot (draft)

Hitachino White

Upright Holy Herb

Saison d’Erpe

Avery Hog Heaven Barley

Anchor Christmas 2009

There are to many more…. (I hate trick questions)

Thanks for sharing. Please add anything else you see fitting…

YV: “A woman drove me to drink and a never had the courtesy to thank her.” W. C. Fields