10 Unique Breweries in Portland, Oregon
Have a beer or two at one of these top spots in the brewery capital of the world.
Photo By: Jeremy Pawlowski
Photo By: Jeremy Pawlowski
Photo By: Jeremy Pawlowski
Photo By: Jeremy Pawlowski
Photo By: Jeremy Pawlowski
Photo By: Jeremy Pawlowski
Photo By: Jeremy Pawlowski
Photo By: Jeremy Pawlowski
Photo By: Jeremy Pawlowski
Photo By: Jeremy Pawlowski
Rogue
A true Oregon success story, Rogue can now be found in beer aisles from coast to coast. Even if you’ve tried their famous Dead Guy Ale, don’t pass up the opportunity to visit their Portland Meeting Hall. Located in Southeast Portland, they have a stellar lineup of taps including many small-batch brews that can’t be found anywhere else. Always one to give back, Rogue has a non-profit tap which gives to a different local charity every month. The beer to try; Straight Outta Newport. This double IPA was recently voted as one of the top 25 beers out of 176 entered into Paste Magazine's taste test. Sweet with a bit of bitterness, this beer is perfectly balanced with citrus. Didn’t get enough after your visit to the brewery? Rogue will be rolling this out nationwide in January 2018.
HUB
Hopworks Urban Brewery, also known as Hub is housed in an old tractor showroom in the Southeast part of town and is the most kid-friendly of all the breweries on this list. While the building may have housed gas-guzzling farm equipment in the past, it now boasts walls decorated with old bicycle parts. Hub’s dedication to the environment goes well beyond their decor, as they use sustainable construction methods in all of their breweries. Beyond that, they have one of the best water-used-to-gallons brewed in the business. The beer to try; Long Root Pale Ale. Made in partnership with Patagonia, this beer is made 15% sustainable wheat grass giving this brew a hint of spiciness.
Commons
Walking into this converted factory you’d never believe that this brewery actually started not long ago as a hobby in the owner's Portland garage. Boasting some of the tastiest beers in town, Commons has become synonymous with perfection. Creating traditional European saisons and farmhouse ales made with locally sourced ingredients from the Pacific Northwest, this brewery is a true success story. Just because they’ve moved out of the garage, the owner of Commons still describes the brewery as his passion project. The beer to try; Flemish Kiss. A dry and fruity ale with floral undertones.
Base Camp
Surrounded by lush forests, wide rivers and towering mountains, Portland is a city full of outdoor enthusiasts. Base Camp caters to the outdoors-type who just hiked through the Gorge or spent the day skiing the white slopes of Mt. Hood, and even those of us who only dream about doing those things. With canoes hanging from the ceiling, photos of iconic Northwest landscapes, and beers with names like Ultra Gnar Gnar IPA, this brewery fully embraces the nature-loving people of Oregon. The beer to try; S’more Stout. A rich stout with hints of chocolate, coffee, fig and smoke and topped with a roasted marshmallow you can finally have your favorite campfire treat in beer form.
Burnside Brewing
Walking down Burnside Street, this brewery is impossible to miss with the giant grain silo emblazoned with the Burnside Brewing logo. Started in 2010, they quickly rose through the ranks and took home a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. Offering a list of eight staples, what makes them stand out is their constantly rotating list of seasonal beers. At any given time they have 12 beers based on the fresh ingredients they can source. They also put as much time and thought into their food as they do with their beers. With mussels linguine, pan seared trout, and hot honey bbq pork belly you can get much more than your standard burgers or salad at Burnside Brewing. The beer to try; Sweet Heat. Combing apricot puree and Jamaican scotch bonnet peppers this wheat ale has a fruity and light start with a kick at the end.
10 Barrel
10 Barrel got it start three hours southeast of Portland in Bend, Oregon but it quickly expanded to the Rose City as their operation and notoriety grew. This brewpub is the ideal place to spend a perfect Portland summer night thanks to their open-air rooftop bar. Sip on a 10-beer sampler and get a taste of everything from the darkest stouts to golden ales aged in pinot barrels. The beer to try; Cucumber Sour. This light and refreshing 5% abv beer starts with a sour base and finishes with a crisp cucumber taste.
Rock Bottom
Located along the brick and cobblestone streets of Old Portland, you’ll find Rock Bottom Brewery. Every beer in this brewery was made right there on site, they never bottle, can or keg their beer. Every sip you take will taste exactly how the brewers wanted because it has never been exposed to light, heat, or oxygen; you can’t get any fresher than that. The beer to try; Path of Totality. Oregon was lucky enough to be the first state in the country to experience the total solar eclipse of 2017. A rich milk stout made with sweet coffee and cream flavors and dark body this beer honors that once-in-a-lifetime event.
Cascade Brewery
Also known as the house of sour, Cascade Brewing specializes in; you guessed it, sours. While extremely popular in other parts of the world, sours are just now coming to the forefront of American brewing. Blending sweet and tart, the beers that Cascade are brewing are not like anything else you’ve ever tried before. With 24 taps constantly rotating it’s hard to choose just one, luckily you can order two-ounce goblets to sample a few. The beer to try; Rose City Sour. Paying homage to Portland, this sour is a 7% abv brewed with rose petals and rose hip.
Lucky Labrador
If you’re traveling with your pooch this is the place for you. As the name suggests Lucky Labrador is extremely dog-friendly with large patio, half of which is enclosed and heated to keep you and your four-legged friend warm dry during the rainy Portland winters. Portland is known for it’s dedication to the environment and Lucky Lab does its part with a solar thermal water-heating system that harnesses the power of the sun to aid in the brewing process. The beer to try; Dog Day IPA. The beer that Lucky Lab started with, this is a British-style IPA that makes it smoother than most other Pacific Northwest IPAs.
Fat Heads
If the smiling large man painted on the front of their brewery doesn’t pull you in, then their prime location certainly will. Fat Heads is in the heart of downtown and within a few blocks of some of Portland's most famous attractions. Founded in Ohio, Fat Heads quickly found a home in Portland’s booming brewpub scene. If you happen to be traveling with a big group, their huge dining room makes this brewery the perfect place to sit down with a table full of friends and sip on a wide variety of beers. From smokey stouts to pilsners, Fat Heads has won countless awards in beer completions all over the United States. The beer to try; Bone Head Imperial Red Ale. A hoppy, smooth, and somewhat bitter ale rounded out with a piney aroma. This beer took home a silver medal in 2014 World Beer Cup.