Staggering toward Beerhalla; an Ode to King C.
2010 Photo by Ritch Marvin for The New School and King C’s Staggering Toward Beerhalla column
Update: On 11/10/2021 friends, family, and acquaintances of Chris Ensign aka King C. will gather at the Horse Brass Pub from 5:30-8:30pm to remember him one year after his passing. If you attend you can find the group near the dart boards, you can also upload photos of King C. for a slideshow remembrance here.
Original post from 11/6/2020:
Last night I heard the heartbreaking news that beloved Portland barman and former New School contributor Christopher “King C.” Ensign had passed away in his sleep. Many people in this industry knew King C. as a dependable force for good behind the bar at many of the citiy’s finest drinking establishments. Even if you did not know him personally, you probably would recognize his imposing bearded figure behind the bar at Horse Brass Pub, APEX or the Green Dragon. Though his intimidatingly large stature and impressive beard suggested a hardcore biker version of Andre the Giant, his kindness, intelligence and warm demeanor was a welcoming presence in the industry. If King C. was behind the bar, you knew you were in good hands.
promotional image for King C.’s 2010 column on The New School
In 2010 when I started the New School as an amateur beer geek page on blogspot, I asked the King if he would be interested in contributing. Though he wasn’t a writer, he was smart, charming, and had opinions. His self-titled column for the New School was called “Staggering Toward Beerhalla” and in his inaugural story published in March of 2010 he plainly made clear part of what made him such a beloved person in this industry:
"I've been a home brewer and a bartender for nineteen years, off and on. After rolling out of bed around 2 pm, and getting some caffeine in my system and maybe a little food, my brain soon starts to focus on the impetus of my existence--beer. Now, while many people may just consider this drunkenness, alcoholism, or just plain old bad living, I consider it a way to make a living. I really love beer. It's what keeps me fat and happy and also provides me with around 99% of my conversation topics. Hopefully, it will also provide you, the reader, with something semi-interesting to kill some time with."
It was a few years later in August of 2012 that I was asked by Eater PDX to contribute to their Front & Center series which highlighted front-of-the-house professionals in Portland. I chose to write an ode to the past and future king who now takes his place among the greats, I hope he is looking down on us from beerhalla.
A Royal Salute to Beerman Chris Ensign (aka 'King C')
Originally published Aug 29, 2012, 8:41am PDT at Eater PDX:
It's a challenge to choose just one bartender or server to highlight for their work, so instead of playing favorites, I imagined, if all of them were thrown in a ring together, who would come out on top? The answer was easy — the only one who has earned the moniker of "King" (that's King C. to you). You may recognize Chris Ensign from pushing beers at the Lucky Lab brewpub back in the day, or perhaps his stint as a founding bartender at the Green Dragon, when publican Jim Parker culled the best beertenders from around town. Or maybe more recently he has poured you a pint at APEX or Horse Brass Pub. Regardless of where you have seen this hulking bearded man (usually wearing a funny hat), and thought, "Damn, I don't want to get on his bad side," after ordering a pint of presumably locally made ale, King C.'s always friendly demeanor wins you over.
I have heard the King's voice compared to that of lovable Winnie the Pooh character Eeyore the donkey, and it's an apt comparison meant in the most affectionate way — remarkable for a man of 40 years of age who has spent most of his life tending to trollops and fools. Don't get me wrong, the King can just as easily crush you like a bug as kill you with kindness. Let's not get him started on babies in bars or that drunk bastard who just doesn't know when to go home. When the King gets angry, you better run — he doesn't need to yell or pound those ham hocks of his upon the bar, to just see his friendly eyes turn to a steely gaze of death will send even the most hardened of bar drunkards scurrying for a pedicab. The King has been serving me beers for more than five years now, and I have never seen him raise his fist for anything more than to pet one of his beloved kittens. Like any good King, Chris rules with an even hand, treating every patron with the respect they probably do not deserve. So think twice before demanding to know when Pliny the Younger is going to be back on tap and respect your Elder! Now let's pause for a moment and give thanks to our King and share in his glory — for any fool can make a drink, but not everyone can take your attitude.
A GoFundMe has been setup to help Chris’ longtime partner with expenses, please consider donating https://gf.me/u/y8b3u5