Over the past four years we’ve become pretty adept at discerning what makes a decent beer bar. We’ve traveled from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon more times than we can remember, racked up more bar bills in the name of “research” than our accounting team would like and starred down tap selections as large as 200 and as small as two. Still, every so often something blows us away, and for me, Cascade Brewing’s Barrel House did just that last weekend. Opened just a month ago, this new Beervana hot spot is simply remarkable. With 11 sour beers on tap (a few non-sour for the uninitiated) Cascade Barrel House is essentially a sour beer bar, a more casual take on the chic wine-and-tapas bars that overpopulate gentrified urban neighborhoods across the country. A knowledgeable, friendly (and patient) staff invites patrons to sample two beers before diving in head first, while a perfectly descriptive menu (which every quality beer bar should have) helps tasters along their journey. Here’s a sample of the mind-blowing selection and menu description:

* Beck Berry: This is a once-in-a-lifetime beer from the House of Sour Brewers. This NW style sour blends strong blondes that were lacticly fermented and aged more than a year with blackberries, then did a secondary inoculation with a recently isolated plumbers strains of Brett called Beckamoyces Aasskraquii.

* The Vine: This NW style sour blends soured tripel, blonde and golden ales that were then fermented with juice of white wine grapes. It’s a delicious offering that appeals to both beer and wine lovers.

* Sang Noir: This deep, dark double red was aged over a year in pinot and whiskey barrels, then blended with the juice of Bing cherries.

…And it goes on, 11 sours to enjoy.

While I’d usually take a hole-in-the-wall pub with a brilliant, pared-down selection any day of the week, the Cascade Barrel House introduces something completely unique to the drinking scene: An aesthetically pleasing space with a sophisticated line-up and an educational atmosphere that’s entirely inclusive. And the Beck Berry was tremendous.