Hard to believe, but even with 54 or something locations, McMenamins enters new territory today. Taking over the former 23rd Ave. Market space in Northwest, McMenamin's first-ever bottle shop opened at 10 a.m. with around 800 craft beers, ciders, spirits, and wines. To amass the selection, McMenamins asked its brewers, who total around 50 companywide, for their favorites beers from around the world, and the early-morning drinking scene today definitely had a European vibe. There's seating for 15, and the 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop is located next to McMenamins Tavern & Pool, which means you can order off its food menu (you can take brews from the bottle shop into the Tavern, too, so long as they're unopened).
But wait, there's more. Each week brings a new cocktail special, and Dan McMenamin, who is the son of Mike McMenamin and serves as general manager of McMenamins, says he has plans to ramp up to five weekly cocktails. Sixteen taps pour a selection of McMenamins' and other beers, and you can get growler fills, too. For cider-heads, between 20 and 30 ciders are sold, and for anyone looking for cocktail accessories or McMenamins t-shirts and glasses, you're covered. Then there's the selection of 39 sparkling wines, mostly from the Old World and the West Coast, along with red and white wines.
"My dad always wanted to have a marketplace," says McMenamin, who says that McMenamins had a small market in Raleigh Hills in the 70s. To celebrate, 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop is serving four variations of Terminator, its flagship stout whose 30th birthday is today. Get there before they run out, and if that's not enough for you, cider and spirits tastings will also be offered through opening weekend.
The McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop is now open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
