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  • Attractions
    • Avalon Theatre & Wunderland arcadeView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people sitting at tables eating foodView All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
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    • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
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    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
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    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
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7 pints of beer lined up from dark to light pints of beer lined up from dark to light on a bar top
i
Sip beers of all styles at Deschutes Brewery’s Portland pub.
Credit: Ashley Anderson
Culture / Beer

Portland Breweries

Going strong since the '80s, Portland’s dynamic craft beer scene justifies the city’s nickname: Beervana.

Updated Jan. 26, 2023 7 min read

Portland is home to breweries galore and some of the finest beer on Earth. Since the early 1980s, Portland brewers have been hard at work, pioneering the craft beer movement with fresh ingredients like Willamette Valley hops and Bull Run water. Along with bustling brewpubs and a calendar overflowing with beer-themed events, Portland brewers’ innovative creations make Portland a must-visit beer destination.

Hop Heavyweights

Portland’s beer buzz began in 1984, when both the BridgePort Brewing Company (now closed) and Widmer Brothers opened facilities in what is now the Pearl District, not far from where Henry Weinhard’s brews were made back in the 1860s.

A historic building with a variety of business signs
Al’s Den, at McMenamins Crystal Hotel, is one of many brewpub locations operating under the McMenamins umbrella that features all their craft beers on tap.
Credit: Ian Sane, via Flickr

In 1985, McMenamins opened Oregon’s first brewpub in Southwest Portland; you can still knock one back at the original Hillsdale Brewery today. McMenamins now has more than 50 locations in the Northwest — each unique but united by their flagship beers and historic locations.

Learn More About Portland Beer and Breweries

How many breweries are in Portland?

It depends somewhat on how you define the term, but there are roughly 70 breweries in Portland — one of the highest totals of any city in the world. (We’d give you an exact number, but Portland Breweries pop up so fast that it would be out of date before you could say “top-fermenting yeast.”)

What beer is Portland known for?

The mighty, hoppy IPA has long been a Portland staple. You’ll also find an abundance of dark, rich beers — like porters and stouts, often of the “imperial” variety — in the Pacific Northwest. Sour beer has become another local favorite in recent years.

Which Portland breweries have outdoor seating?

If you’re looking for plenty of space to stretch out, try 10 Barrel Brewing. Little Beast Brewing has a charming, cozy beer garden and is smack dab on Division Street, one of Portland’s must-eat destinations. For a good burger as well as a prime spot for people-watching, check out Bar Bar in the Mississippi District. Those three will get you started, or do a little digging and find the perfect beer garden for you.

The Move to Portland

Other Oregon brewing pioneers opened Portland locations in the 1990s, including Rogue Ales, which started in Newport in 1989 and today operates two Portland locations: Rogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery and Rogue Hall. Hood River’s Full Sail Brewing Company, which started in Hood River in 1987, has a small brewing operation inside McCormick & Schmick’s Harborside at the Marina in downtown Portland.

More recently, two Bend-based heavyweights have also opened Portland outposts: legendary Deschutes Brewery, founded in 1988, opened a brewpub in the Pearl District in 2008, and fast-growing 10 Barrel Brewing moved into the same neighborhood in 2015.

Beer Festivals

More Festivals
Pint of beer on bottlecap table

Portland Beer Week

Portland Beer Week spotlights Portland’s breweries, high-quality brews and vibrant beer culture.

Aerial shot of an urban riverside park with festival tents and umbrellas

Beer Festivals in Portland

Portland isn't shy about its love of beer — the city has nearly as many beer festivals as it does breweries.

four beer drinkers wearing hats and gloves clink glasses

Portland’s Holiday Ale Festival

The Holiday Ale Festival, set beneath the region’s largest decorated holiday tree, returns every year with more than 50 big, bold beers designed to keep revelers warm on cold winter nights.

The Second Wave

Agile upstarts are always welcome in Portland’s brewing community, and in the 1990s, a series of newcomers helped keep the city’s beer scene fresh. In 1994, Lucky Labrador Brewing Company started pouring concoctions like their rich and creamy Black Lab Stout when the first of their locations opened to the public (and their pooches).

beer bottles displayed in lines against a wall
A collection of bottles displayed at Hoprworks Urban Brewery.

Laurelwood Brewing opened in 2001 — enjoy brews like the popular Free Range Red at their family-friendly brewpub in Northeast Portland. The vast selection of organic beers offered by Hopworks Urban Brewery has drawn rave reviews since they started brewing in 2007. An “eco-brewpub,” Hopworks is powered by 100% renewable energy. Stop by for a delicious pizza and a thirst-quenching Organic HUB Lager, which has won worldwide awards.

a person trying a tasting flight of beer at a brewpub
Tasting a flight of sours at Cascade Brewing Barrel House.
Credit: Torsten Kjellstrand LLC

Part aging room, part pub, the Cascade Brewing Barrel House is a 7,100-square-foot (660 sq m) emporium of beer that launched in 2010 and quickly gained attention for the excellent sour beer on offer. A live barrel is tapped every other Tuesday at 6 p.m., and their expansive patio is a favorite destination on summer evenings.

Beer and Brewing

Take a tasting tour in town, or the region and learn about beer.

More beer
a person sips a beer in front of a stained glass window

Beer

Portland is the craft beer capital and home to 70+ breweries. (No wonder we call it “Beervana!”)

a tasting flight of draft beers next to an open bottle

Portland Beers by Style

Ordering a pint in a city with 70+ breweries can be intimidating — use our insider’s guide to Portland beer styles to sip your way through Beervana’s best IPAs, saisons, stouts and other brews.

a woman drinking a draft beer on a patio with a pug sitting beside her

Dog-Friendly Portland Breweries

Plenty of Portland’s 70+ breweries cater to both two- and four-legged visitors, providing pooch-friendly patios and bowls of water for thirsty pups.

people of all ages around a picnic table covered with draft beers and coloring books

Kid-Friendly Breweries in Portland

In a city with so many excellent breweries, parents don't have to choose between spending time with their kids and enjoying a great pint of beer.

a person pours a dark draft beer from a long line of taps

Pearl District & NW Portland Brewery Tour

Experience a diverse mix of Portland beer giants, local favorites and regional trendsetters on this tour of Pearl District and Northwest Portland / Nob Hill breweries.

people enjoying beer at a brewery

Brewing in the Gorge

Take in the outstanding beauty of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area while enjoying five outstanding brewpubs.

A lush hops plant laden with ripe cones

Fresh Hops in Portland

The autumn hops harvest marks an extra-special season for local brewers, who celebrate with fresh hop ales and festivals.

a glass of beer on an outdoor picnic table

Breweries Near Portland

The City of Roses doesn’t have a monopoly on amazing ales! Several nearby towns are home to their own fabulous brewpubs and breweries.

Fresh Pints

Recent years continue to bring about exceptional new Portland breweries. Some brew a wide range of beers, while others take a targeted approach, focusing on specific beer styles or brewing techniques — but they all prize sharing their passion and their beer.

At both its original Portland location and the larger brew house in Milwaukie, just southeast of Portland, Breakside Brewery crafts favorites like the Breakside IPA, winner of the coveted gold medal for American-Style IPA at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival. They also take on wild experiments like the Duck Duck Drunk, a chocolate porter brewed for Breakside’s third anniversary in 2013 and infused with 100 pounds (45 kg) of locally raised Muscovy duck.

a tasting flight of draft beers next to an open bottle
Delectable gluten-free beers at Ground Breaker Brewing.
Credit: Ashley Anderson

Gluten-free ale is the sole focus at Ground Breaker Brewing, where Willamette Valley chestnuts hand-roasted on-site take the place of grains in their award-winning brews. Taste gluten-free IPAs, pale ales, dark ales, and experimental ales incorporating local ingredients like coffee or squash (gluten-free food is also on offer at the gastropub).

A favorite Northeast Portland hangout, Migration Brewing handcrafts exceptional beers like the Straight Outta Portland IPA and the Proper Pilsner. A new location on North Williams Avenue draws in beer lovers with its excellent, expansive patio.

Agile upstarts are always welcome in Portland’s brewing community, and in the 1990s a series of newcomers helped keep the city’s beer scene fresh.

Gigantic Brewing strives to make the best IPAs in Portland while ignoring all the rules — they come up with unique one-off beers showcasing the veteran brewers’ creativity and the region’s stellar hops. For example, their Catch 23 pale ale focused on Hop #527, an experimental variety from Roy Farms in Yakima, Wash.

Baerlic Brewing offers 10 taps pouring a mix of their year-round beers and seasonal or one-off concoctions. Many brews tend toward classic European styles, like cream ales and stouts, but they also make a flagship IPA and use plenty of local hops. You can taste their motto in every sip: “the beer here is near and dear.”

an overhead view of ten small glasses of draft beer on a wooden table
Sample a constellation of local brews at North Portland’s Ecliptic Brewing.
Credit: Bjorn via Flickr

Ecliptic Brewing is a fairly recent addition to the Portland beer scene, but its founder is no upstart. Local brewing legend John Harris put in time at McMenamins, Deschutes (where he developed the recipe for blockbusters like the Mirror Pond Pale Ale) and Full Sail before striking out on his own. Ecliptic combines Harris’ two passions — brewing and astronomy — in celestial-themed brews like the Starburst IPA (named after the brightest star in the constellation Virgo) and the Cloud Core Hazy Pale Ale. They also offer an elevated food menu that rotates with the astrological calendar.

Importing the concept of French and Belgian farmhouse-style beers, Upright Brewing is a hidden gem in the local beer scene. Its basement-level tasting room has few frills but is big on flavor, with a seasonally rotating menu of one-offs and small batches, pushing the limits of their West Coast ingredients.

a shared drink with friends
StormBreaker Brewing (their St. Johns location is featured in this picture) offers bold beers and a welcoming environment.
Credit: Jason Hill for better.

StormBreaker Brewing stormed into Portland’s craft beer scene in 2014 with its fresh-hopped award-winning brews. Whether they’re putting their own stamp on a classic altbier or infusing a hazy IPA with rose petals, Stormbreaker perfectly balances brewing precision and wild abandon creativity. Offering both a cocktail and a food menu that hold their own, this brewpub makes it easy for everyone in your group to find something to enjoy together.

Under the shadow of North Portland’s iconic St. Johns Bridge, Occidental Brewing specializes in European-style beers. Stop by the brewery and taproom to taste their spectacular altbier or the popular kolsch.

Mississippi/Williams Brewery Tour

Mississippi/Williams boasts a high concentration of quality craft breweries — experience some top-notch Beervana brews on our North Portland pub crawl.

Read More

Von Ebert Brewing opened in 2018 and quickly won the hearts of Portlanders with its delicious, innovative beer and elevated pub fare (they also have a spacious covered patio).

Little Beast Brewing started in Beaverton in 2017 and quickly became popular enough to warrant new locations, including a Southeast Division Street spot that opened in 2018. Little Beast was founded by “partners in life and work” Charles Porter and Brenda Crow, who specialize in mixed-fermentation beers and bright, complex flavors.

Which Brews to Choose?

With such a rapidly growing beer scene, choice paralysis can become a real challenge: do you start with the classic brewers that set the stage for Portland’s rise to brewery fame, or do you sample beer from one of the new upstarts who are striving to change the game? One good solution is to head to a taproom and try them all.

colorful décor surrounding empty indoor bar tables with crowded patio tables in the background
Apex boasts 50 beers on tap and amazing bicycle parking.
Credit: Scott Beale

Apex provides a haven for beer aficionados and newbies with 50 beers on tap from a rotating selection of Oregon brewers like Ex Novo, pFriem, and Hair of the Dog. Their live online menu displays the current tap list, what’s new and what’s about to tap out so you won’t miss a drop of your favorite ale.

For the grandest selection of them all, belly up to the bar at Loyal Legion, where a menu of 99 taps dedicated to Oregon breweries awaits your perusal. Order a flight of samples from across the state or stick to Portland-born brews. With a full cocktail bar and a menu of great-but-affordable food, this elegant pub will also satisfy any non-beer-drinkers in your group, buying you more time for another pint.

Beer, Food
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Beer Events

Venture deeper into Portland's robust beer scene at these upcoming events.

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St. Johns Winter Beer Fest

StormBreaker Brewing – St. John’s $25

After a pandemic hiatus, the St. Johns Winter Beer Fest returns to StormBreaker Brewing in Portland’s St Johns neighborhood on Saturday, January 28, 2023. This year’s festival will offer two sessions, one from 1:00-4:00 pm and the other from 5:00-8:00 pm. During each session, attendees will be able to choose beers from 17 breweries and…

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Old Town Pizza & Brewing – Downtown $30 – $35

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Sunday, Mar. 5, 2023

SheBrew Festival

The Redd on Salmon Street $30 – $60

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Sip of Spring

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