If you didn’t notice, the US is in the middle of yet another beer boom. There are currently nearly 10,000 breweries in the United States. That’s up from just under 3,500 only ten years ago. That’s a pretty massive change in only a decade. Myriad cities and states are leading the way in terms of number of breweries and quality of beer.
One of the best for both — and an OG in the whole craft beer scene — is Oregon. The Pacific Northwest state is home to more than 300 breweries. While there are a handful of states with more, it’s difficult to beat the overall appeal of the Beaver State for rabid beer fans. Not only does the state host breweries and brewhouses but it’s also known for its hop-growing prowess in the Willamette Valley and other areas. And, of course, it’s got an endless supply of beer lovers.
If you’re planning a trip this winter or spring, Oregon has a whole lot to offer beer lovers (and it’s home to one of our favorite restaurants on earth). Read on to see some of our favorite breweries!
Not only is Portland’s Von Ebert Brewing an outstanding, award-winning brewery, but it’s also home to a restaurant — starring hand-tossed pizzas, smash burgers, and even house-made truffle parm chips.
Back to the beer — Von Ebert is well-known for its Northwest IPA, pilsner, and hazy IPA. On top of that, the brewery makes a trio of Italian-style pilsners and has myriad seasonal and limited-edition brews as well. While the OG location is in Portland’s famous downtown neighborhood “The Pearl,” there are four different Von Ebert locations in the metro area.
What to drink:
No trip to Von Ebert is complete without a pint of its award-winning Volatile Substance IPA. This 6.9% ABV banger boasts flavors like berries, citrus peels, and dank, resinous, pleasantly bitter pine.
When it comes to Oregon-based breweries, there are none more well-known than Deschutes. The Bend, Oregon-based brewery’s story began in 1988 when Gary Fish opened a small brewpub. He named it after the river that flows through the city. While there is a Portland location, if you’re going to get the real experience, you need to visit the Bend spot. At the Bend Public House, you’ll find all of your favorite Deschutes beers as well as limited-edition, seasonal, and Bend-only brews. You can also dine in small plates, soups, salads, and all of your favorite pub fare.
What to drink:
After you’ve enjoyed a Mirror Pond Pale Ale or Black Butter Porter on draft, we suggest trying something you can only get at the Deschutes Public House in Bend like Bachelor Bitter. This classic English-style bitter is known for its mix of caramel malts and British hops.
Located in the heart of Willamette Valley, Wolves & People is a farmhouse-style brewery that’s focused on wild, farmhouse, and wood-aged beer styles. If you’re a fan of a more rustic beer style, this brewery is a can’t-miss during your Oregon beer tour. There’s a beer garden when the weather is nice, but there are always snacks like uncured salami, Oregon chevre cheese, jerky, popcorn, and rosemary chips. There are also fifteen rotating taps featuring outstanding, complex beers.
What to drink:
If you visit Wolves & People, you must try one of its wild beers. We suggest Wild Queen, a 4.7% hoppy Saison known for its spicy, funky, floral flavors.
Opened in 2007, Double Mountain is both a brewery as well as a cidery. While its original location is Hood River, it has other locations in Woodstock and Overlook. Stop into the downtown Hood River brewery for their selection of appetized, sandwiches, and award-winning pizza paired with juicy IPAs, Kolsch-style beers, West Coast IPAs, pilsners, and other beer styles depending on the season.
On top of that, they also have a selection of ciders (if you’re into that sort of thing).
What to drink:
The way we see it, there’s no wrong time of year for a Kolsch-style beer. Double Mountain Kölsch is an unfiltered fruity, malty, crisp, lightly hoppy beer for all seasons.
You might know the name Tillamook because of the famous cheese that comes from this Oregon city. But maybe you should know the town because of de Garde Brewing. It’s one of the only breweries in the US to use spontaneous fermentation starring wild yeasts. This is the place to be if you enjoy wild ales. The beers from de Garde are oak-matured from between six months to more than five years. Stop into the tasting room for pints and bottles to go. It might not be as over-the-top as some of the other breweries, but for fans of traditional, funky, tart wild ales, this is a can’t-miss stop on your Oregon tour.
What to drink:
If you like wild ales, you can drink anything from de Garde and you’ll be more than happy. We suggest grabbing a bottle of its Petria Réserve. This fruity, tart, funky wild ale with made with Riesling grapes and matured for a full four years in oak casks.
Like Deschutes, Wayfinder Beer is fairly well-known in the craft beer world nationally. While some breweries are known for their IPA prowess, Wayfinder is all about the lagers. The brewery is centered on highlighting contemporary and traditional lager techniques to create award-winning beers. The pub has delicious foods like banh mi fries, a schnitzel sandwich, steak frites, and even a vegan sausage plate. Beer choices include pilsners, Vienna-style lagers, Czech-style black lagers, and more.
What to drink:
If you’re going to drink one beer at Wayfinder, make it one of its classic, European-style lagers. We suggest Hell, it’s Helles lagerbier. This award-winning beer is crisp, light, thirst-quenching, and filled with floral, earthy Noble hops.
You might know Astoria, Oregon as the setting for the 80s classic The Goonies, but it’s also home to one of the state’s best breweries. When you visit, you’ll be treated to a massive building featuring the Downstairs Pub, Upstairs, and the Lovell Taproom. All of this in a 1920s-era building that formerly held a Chevy dealership. Downstairs features a huge menu with everything from burgers to chicken sandwiches to albacore fish and chips to poutine.
Upstairs is all about the pizza and, while every spot has taps, the Lovell Taproom is the place to try seasonal favorites and unique limited-edition brews.
What to drink:
We love a good West Coast pilsner. If you venture to Fort George, grab a pint of Scatter Plot featuring Mittlefruh, Mosaic, and Citra hops. It gets its sweet, malty backbone from the use of Rahr Pils, GW 2Row, and Weyermann Carafoam malt.
This popular central Oregon brewery is based on the idea that you can make contemporary beer using the same traditional brewing techniques mixed with Champagne and wine processes to create something truly unique. Its beers are all-natural, made with spontaneous fermentation using wild yeast, and are known for their funky, yeasty, tart, sour flavor profile.
Visit the on-site tap room to sample their naturally carbonated Saisons, golden ales, sour ales, and wild ales.
What to drink:
You can’t go wrong with anything from The Ale Apothecary, but we suggest trying Little Star. This Saison was fermented in stainless steel tanks before being barrel matured with heather and Brettanomyces before being can-conditioned with cane sugar.
