My wife arched a wary eyebrow when I ordered my first Moose Drool brown ale in Jacksonville, Oregon’s historic Jacksonville Inn. The name Moose Drool seemed rather unfashionably out of place in the plush restaurant. Her beverage order of a Gray Goose cosmo fit the inn’s cultured ambiance more satisfactorily than a beer that conjured up a night of mining camp swilling in the 1800s.
Our beverage server, a libationally experienced gentleman in his mid-50s, flared his nostrils when I asked about the character of the intriguingly named beer. “I have no idea, sir,” he chortled rather loudly, “since no one to my knowledge has ordered it.”
“Would it go with the Hazlenut Chicken with fresh pear sauce?” I pressed, if only to bring a moment of angst to my wife.
“I’ll consult the barman,” he replied, spinning on his heel with some alacrity. His snippiness had aroused the attention of other restaurant patrons who were as interested in the Moose Drool as the brief verbal exchange at our table.
By the time the waiter had returned, my wife and I had settled on the Oregon Bouillabaisse and the fresh Petrale Sole…and the Moose Drool. The message from the barman was a definite “No” to Moose Drool and Hazelnut Chicken with pear sauce, however.
Bouillabaisse , Petrale sole, the cosmo and, of course, the Moose Drool made for a very satisfying afternoon in Jacksonville, a rustic town I would recommend to anyone traveling in the Medford area. Just remember, however, don’t forget to order the Moose Drool if the opportunity arises!
