Portland is home to some of the best breweries on the West Coast, and not enough can be said about just how good beer is across the city.
I love visiting Portland. Getting around the city is easy, the food is spectacular, and people take their coffee and beer very seriously (a big win for me). Every time I visit, there’s something new to check out. This means new breweries, but also closed breweries, including Rogue and Ecliptic. Fortunately, all of my favorite breweries are still around.
If you’re in Portland and need a spot to get an unforgettable beer, here are the best places to check out.
8 Best Breweries in Portland
1. Breakside Brewery
Breakside is one of my favorite breweries in the world, not just in Portland. I’ve been to their downtown location, and it offers pretty much everything you’d expect from a stellar craft brewery: an industrial feel, indoor and outdoor seating, and a great food menu. I also visited it last during fresh hop season, and the two fresh hop beers I tried were exceptional. Breakside should be a must-visit for anyone sightseeing around Portland.
2. Wayfinder Beer
If you love lagers and pilsners, Wayfinder Beer is the place to go. Wayfinder nails that Czech style, and every lager I’ve had of theirs has been great. But what really stands out to me with Wayfinder is that they created my favorite style of beer: the Cold IPA. If you’re looking to taste a piece of beer history, visit Wayfinder and order the Cold IPA (then stay for the lagers).
3. StormBreaker Brewing
If you’re exploring Mississippi, you’ll probably stumble upon StormBreaker Brewing. It’s a great location with some charm, but the outdoor seating is perfect for big groups. Their food was pretty good, but it’s tough to compete with all the excellent options up and down Mississippi Ave. But if you’re looking for quality craft beer (specifically IPAs), StormBreaker is a safe choice.
4. Great Notion Brewing
Great Notion will always make me think of beers that are a little too sweet. Is it because a lot of their stouts are themed after breakfast foods or dessert? Maybe. It could also be because IPAs like Ripe and Juice Jr. lean hard into the juicy flavors of hops. While Great Notion leans a little sweet for me, they are masters of their style, and they have locations all over the West Coast now. Of all their locations, the Alberta Street location is my personal favorite.
5. Von Ebert Brewing
Another great brewery option if you’re walking up and down Mississippi, Von Ebert Brewing makes all-around quality beer. I’m not sure if they have a self-declared speciality, but my personal favorite was the Clubhaus Lager, an American Light Lager that is basically just a light beer but drinkable.
6. Upright Beer Station
Upright Beer Station (or Upright Brewing) is kind of out there, both in terms of distance and style. Upright calls an old auto repair shop/gas station home, so the location doesn’t lack for character, and they’re happy to brew fun styles like an ESB or a weisse. It’s the perfect setup for a cozy neighborhood brewery. But if you’re visiting Portland, Upright might be a little too out of the way from where you’re probably staying. Fortunately for me, Southern California traffic has made everything in Portland seem easy to get to, and I highly recommend checking out Upright.
7. Ruse Brewing
I think my biggest mistake with Ruse Brewing was not getting pizza. As far as beer goes, Ruse Brewing does hazy and West Coast IPAs incredibly well, and they definitely seem like the focus of the beer menu. It was only after visiting that I’ve come to understand that Crust Collective pizza is the perfect pairing for the beer. It’s just so hard to pick where to eat in Portland because it feels like everywhere has good food. Next time I visit, I’m going to try Ruse’s pizza, and if you visit, try one of their hazy IPAs.
8. Steeplejack Brewing
Steeplejack Brewing offers one of the most memorable beer-drinking experiences. The taproom calls an old church home, and the inside has a fantastic old-world charm to it. It feels like drinking beer in Disneyland. They brew a little bit of everything, with the West Coast Pilsner being my favorite (and one of my favorite styles in general). You can find most of these PDX breweries at local taprooms, so if you want a unique experience and have limited time, you should prioritize Steeplejack.
Beers to Try in Portland
There are so many great beers in Portland, but if you want a little direction, here are my favorites:
Breakside IPA: One of my favorite beers in general, just a great IPA.
Wayfinder Cold IPA: This is a piece of craft beer history (and it’s good).
Von Ebert Clubhaus Lager: Just a great light beer, perfect for the summer.
Upright Farmhouse: Really any farmhouse beer they have on tap is worth getting.
Great Notion Juice Jr.: If you like sweeter, juicier beers, this is a safe pick.
Beyond PDX: Oregon Beer Country
I’ve restricted my “best breweries in Portland” list to breweries that I’ve visited AND are based in Portland. Of course, anyone from Portland knows that there are other exceptional breweries in the area, some of which have taprooms in Portland, too. These aren’t technically Portland breweries, but they’re all worth trying if you’re in the area.
Deschutes Brewery: Based in Bend, Deschutes is available all over the country, but they do have a taproom in the Pearl District right by Von Ebert. My favorite is the Mirror Pond pale ale.
10 Barrel Brewing: Also based in Bend and also with a location in Pearl, 10 Barrel Brewing does every style pretty well.
pFriem Brewing: Based in Hood River (and it’s a great location if you’re driving through), pFriem’s pilsner is one of my all-time favorites.
Pelican Brewing: If you’re checking out the Oregon Coast, drop by Pelican Brewing for some good beer.
de Garde Brewing: I haven’t had a chance to visit Tillamook, but de Garde bottles can be found at bottle shops around Portland.
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