Portland has always been home to a lot of brewing trends, and of course, there’s no shortage of excellent breweries with award-winning beers to try in this lovely city.
To help you save time, here are our ideas about some of the best Portland breweries you must not miss.
From specializing in German-style Ales, and Stouts, to taking inspiration from astronomy, you can find them all in Portland!
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🍕 Explore Portland’s breweries on bike with this guided tour!
1. Ruse Brewing
Since 2018, Ruse Brewing has been serving great beers in the buzz of the city’s scene. This is one of the few tasting rooms that doesn’t have its own kitchen, but there are pop-ups on weekends, or you can always bring in your food.
If you’re lucky enough, you can try out their Detroit-style pizza with a thick crust that’s light, airy, and moist with cheese laid edge-to-edge that crisps and caramelizes on the pan rim.
Or some casual, spicy, hearty Indian dishes.
For drinks, settle down with their Fresh Hop Cloud Oracle, or the citrusy, fruity North Of Summer.
End it right with famous their American Pale Ale – A Thousand Tomorrow – you’ll love it!
What to order: Fresh Hop Cloud Oracle, North Of Summer, A Thousand Tomorrow
Address: 4784 SE 17th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
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2. Great Notion Brewing
Great Notion Brewing focuses entirely on hazy IPAs and culinary-inspired sours and stouts.
If you’re into oak-barrel-aged, fruited sours, bourbon barrel-aged stouts, and fruit-forward hazy IPAs, you’re going to love this place!
Start with JB Dipa bursting with pungent Mosaic hops and a touch of honey.
Being so yummy at the first smell of peach, mango, and passion fruit, JB Dipa then slowly seduces you with its creamy smooth mouthfeel and mellow bitterness.
Then continue with the Double Stack aged on whole bean coffee from Portland’s Coava Coffee with an extremely rich maple syrup flavor.
Or the Over Ripe with truly over-ripe fruit flavors from guava, pineapple, and papaya. Have it along with some modern pub fares like fried chicken, kale salads, and grilled seafood, and you’re all set!
What to order: Double Stack, JB Dipa, Over Ripe, Passion Fruit Mochi
Address: 2204 NE Alberta St #101, Portland, OR 97211
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3. Wayfinder Beer
Wayfinder Beer is one of the most popular gathering spots in Portland thanks to its brilliantly massive wooden patio with cozy settings and fire pit.
Wayfinder offers enough approachable but serious beers for both beer geeks as well as casual drinkers, plus, you’ll find their simple-yet-focused pub fare is pretty stunning too!
Must-try includes Wayfinder Beer Czech AF with a soft biscuit-and-cracker malt, floral, and lightly woody aroma, which has a bright yet bitter flavor and is full of crispness and dryness mouthfeel.
For an easy-drinking one, go for The Honeycrisp Cider Swift, an apple-forward cider with a sweet candy aroma that lifts lightly off the palate.
Pair it with some stunning snack that includes a few vegan options, such as the popular Cauliflower Banh Mi, the flavorsome Nachos and Burgers, Mac & Beer-cheese with add-ons, Roasted Beer Salad, and more!
What to order: Wayfinder Beer Czech AF, Party Time, Flower In The Kettle, The Honeycrisp Cider Swift
Address: 304 SE 2nd Ave, Portland, OR 97214
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4. Breakside Brewery
Since opening, Breakside Brewery has been the locals’ hidden gem for its award-winning beers served in a wonderfully large outdoor dining space and a rooftop patio.
Do yourself a favor and order a flight, so you can taste a few different special releases!
On the tap, there are Worldwide Handsome – an easy-to-drink lager with a clean and floral taste of honeysuckle; What Rough Beast is a juicy one with hints of pineapple and other tropical fruits; and Low Places is considered a heavy one with taste of caramel and dark chocolate.
You’ll love them all!
Don’t skip their food menu, this is simply wholesome! Settle down with their crowd-pleaser – the Blue Cheese Fries with waffle fries with blue cheese fondue and blue cheese crumbles.
Or get the Buffalo Chicken Wrap, this goodness is no less stunning!
What to order: Breakside IPA, Worldwide Handsome, What Rough Beast, Low Places, Blue Cheese Fries, Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Address: 1570 NW 22nd Ave, Portland, OR 97210
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5. Ex Novo Brewing
Located in the Eliot neighborhood in Portland, Ex Novo Brewing is a non-profit brewery making beers that are as good as their charitable intentions.
Come by to enjoy their tasty beer in an upbeat, friendly ambiance. You are going to love it!
Always starts with Where The Mild Things Are Patch, which takes on a traditional dark English mild ale and gives out toffee, biscuit notes.
Then continue with a glass of Decisive Moment that is packed with super fresh Simcoe & mosaic hops. You’ll be surprised by its creamy body and punchy aromatics of citrus & tropical fruits.
Great for both day and night time!
End your journey right with Coast Of Living, from which grapefruit notes dominate without being overly sour. This tart, refreshing drink will leave you wanting more!
What to order: Where The Mild Things Are Patch, Decisive Moment, Coast Of Living, House Smoked Wings
Address: 2326 N Flint Ave, Portland, OR 97227
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6. Upright Brewing Company
Located down a few flights of stars in the Leftbank Building, Upright Brewing Company is a sort of hidden hole-in-the-wall specializing in farmhouse-style ales that attracts both locals and visitors.
Once you’re here, don’t hesitate to take on the Tasting Tour, from which you’ll get to explore all the seasonal releases.
Settle down with Engelberg Pilsener, which is light, dry, and hoppy, the straightforward, well balanced Supercool IPA with some old school character and a breadth of hop flavors can do you good!
Or you can grab the modern, wheat based Money Ave that is aromatic with layers of fruity hop notes, while drinking light and extra dry!
Don’t go home without trying out their unique Coffee Stout, which uses Guatemalan beans produced by Junior’s Roasted Coffee, lending lush milk chocolate notes and filling out the mid-range palate profile.
This goodie is going to please your palate so much!
What to order: Engelberg Pilsener, Supercool IPA, Money Ave, Coffee Stout
Address: 240 N Broadway, Portland, OR 97227
7. Occidental Brewing Company
Occidental Brewing Company is one of the few best places in Portland to brew German-style ales and lagers.
People love coming here not only for its excellent beers but for the large patio space with views of Cathedral Park and the Willamette river as well!
Pay a visit and you’d wish you know this place sooner!
Try Cologne and get seduced by its crisp, dry, and lager-like taste with a pleasant, slightly spicy hop profile.
Or start with the classic, refreshing, and slightly dry Hefeweizen with banana and clove notes. You can’t resist it!
Don’t miss out on their award-winning Pilsner that changed the beer world forever. This goodie is a largely Bohemian-style pilsner with a bit of Bavarian pedigree.
A beautiful beer that is crisp, clean, and wholesome.
What to order: Hefeweizen, Kolsch, Pilsner, Cologne
Address: 6635 N Baltimore Ave #102, Portland, OR 97203
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8. Ecliptic Brewing
If you love astronomy and beers at the same time, then Ecliptic Brewing is your next go-to place!
Besides taking inspiration and naming most of the beers after celestial bodies, Ecliptic Brewing also continuously releases new stunning beers that collab with local artists every year!
Thank God, now we all have a reason to come back for more!
Their most popular one is Starburst IPA, producing a soaring amount of fresh flavors from citrus, stone fruits, and pine.
It has a light body and a super clean finish that is so perfect that you’ll have nothing to change about Starburst.
Don’t just stop there, go on with the peachy Carina Peach Sour loaded with fresh peach flavor that gives out a crisp character, and finish with a tart and refreshing mouthfeel.
And the chocolate-y, caramel-y Capella Porter with a hint of smoke to end your journey.
What to order: Starburst IPA, Carina Peach Sour Ale, Sedna, Capella Porter
Address:
-825 N Cook St, Portland, OR 97227
-930 SE Oak St., Portland, OR 97214
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9. Culmination Brewing
Having been loved by the locals for years, Culmination Brewing offers great beer in a wide range of styles and feels like an old-school microbrewery in the best way.
With a small space with round wooden tabletops and the aroma of the brewery just behind the bar, Culmination is going to be your next favorite stop from Monday through Saturday to enjoy some beers with sandwiches and small bites.
Once you’re here, get the Fun Dip, a dip-hopped hazy with Belma, Cashmere, Strata, Citra, and El Dorado.
And Sour Flower stays true to its name with a fresh taste of blood orange, a bit zesty from lemon, and juicy pear. They are sure to win your heart!
In case you want to unwind, get the Blackberry Mine, a sour yet flavorful one that iss so much mouth-watering.
The Saison Alla Turk is no less stunning with hints of ginger and Turkish figs. We all come here for them!
What to order: Sour Flower, Dwellers On The Threshold, Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Address: 2117 NE Oregon St, Portland, OR 97232
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10. Little Beast Brewing
Located on Division Street in Southeast Portland, Little Beast Brewing is the place to find all sorts of small-batch, barrel-aged sours and mixed-fermentation ales in cans as well as bottles.
The whole experience at Little Beast Brewing is pretty wholesome with good beers and simple food served out of a space that truly feels like a farmhouse.
Start with Mr. Nice, the sour ale which is made with a combination of two distinct fermentations with a fluffy, wheaty character, complemented beautifully with a healthy addition passionfruit.
Or the Treasure Hunter with a delightful tartness, this juicy gem will have you thanking your good fortune!
In case you want something classic, get the American Pale Ale, which is crisp, clean, and fresh with a nice finish with lemon, grapefruit, and coconut.
Also, the Little Beast Brewing is super impressive with a blast of tropical fruit, hints of pine and spice, and a soft and smooth body create an otherworldly taste experience!
What to order: La Petite Duchesse, Ladybug, Valkyrie, The Constant
Address: 3412 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202
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Portland is no different than heaven for all beer lovers, and we hope you have also found your ideal place for this weekend after considering our suggestion. Don’t forget to check out these best restaurants in Portland before enjoying your beers!
How We Create Our “Best” Lists
All Noms Magazine’s “best” lists are created using multiple factors and signals to help readers find the best restaurants, things to do, and places to stay at. Some of these factors and signs include personal experiences, correspondence with locals, and compiling experiences from review sites.
Each list is also created to be balanced (in terms of price, cuisine type, ambiance, and more) as possible. This means that the lists are not specifically created in ranking order. You should be comfortable picking from any of the spots on the list and generally have a good time. But of course, YMMV (your mileage may vary) and everyone may have different experiences/palates.