Salud! Aguas frescas, cerveza and wine in the Salem area

Tuesday was a convenient day for us: we had a guide/driver who was showing us around the Salem area. Sun was out again, but it was freezingly cold in the morning. First stop: Salem's State Capitol, pretty impressive building, the third one at the location, dating in the late 1930s. Before Oregon became  territory in 1848,  Oregon City was selected as its capital. The first building burned down as well as a second one. The current one is topped by a golden Oregon Pioneer on its cupola (photo below shows the inside, too).

 

 

We strolled through downtown Salem - beautiful historic buildings -, and browsed in Engelhard's Antiques Store before visiting La Familia Cider founded in 2017 by first-generation Mexican immigrants. They produce their own ciders, hard ciders inspired by aguas frescas—fresh fruit beverages popular in Central and South America. They serve e.g. their delicious own Hibiscus and Guava Ciders, in addition to  beers of many local breweries on tap as well as other ciders. Unique product, and, something new, and the owners are very modest, clever people, too.

 

Xicha Brewery in West Salem is another Mexican operated company. Established in 2017 they are the
Pacific Northwest’s only Latinx brewery. What's even more amazing than their crisp, light beers is the high quality, fresh Latin American food, not your typical Mexican food, but highly creative! Before they opened the taproom/brewery they had their own restaurant, Pura Vida, in McMinneville, and now they are  expanding to Eugene. We met with their brewmaster, Matt, too, who had studied in Salzburg got to taste one of their special barrel-aged beers. 

 

Last stop: Left Coast Cellars, one of many wineries in the area, in one of Oregons newer AVAs (wine growing regions): Van Duzer Corridor. Unfortunately, didn't meet with somebody to talk to or didn't get a tour, but, at least, we got a chance to taste some of their wines. 

After a visit to "Second Chance Books" on Main Street Independence (below), we shared one pizza and had a beer at Independence's Gilgamesh Brewery before we called it a day.