Visiting Portland, OR

[MaxStout]

My wife and I will be in Portland for a few days at the end of Sep. Neither of us have been there before, so we're looking forward to it. We'll be staying downtown, close to Waterfront Park on the W. side of the Willamette. Not renting a car, but will be going on foot and using public transportation.

What are some good breweries that are close by, or easily accessible via streetcar or rail? We like many styles of beer, but would enjoy something unique. Any ideas much appreciated!

 

[JLeuck64]

In one word... Brewvana!

 

[pdxal]

Don't bother with McMenamin's.
Hit Commons for farmhouse beers, Cascade Barrel House for sours, Hair of the Dog, Hopworks Urban Brewery, and Laurelwood and you'll have a good slice of beervana.

 

[Sailingeric]

Widmer has as good brewery tour and their pub has a lot on tap. It is under the Fremont Bridge and on the Max line. Bridgeport Brewery is located in the Pearl District and Deschutes Brewing has a brew pub on 11th and Nw Davis.

 

[Spartan1979]

Rent a bike and ride to the breweries. We did that in 2014. We rode a bout 17 miles a day and hit 7-8 breweries/beer bars each day and had a blast. We used this book as a guide but it's probably out of date. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1621066037/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[ChrisC16]

On the west side: Deschutes is a must stop in terms of tap selection and food. Tugboat is small, but makes a couple great beers.

East side of the river: Burnside has a good food and tap menu as well. Other stops we enjoyed are Basecamp, The Commons(lots of farmhouse and sours. Lots of stainless brewing equipment to list after while sampling in an awesome old warehouse space), Green Dragon (huge and varied tap list), Lucky Labrador. All had varied food offerings.

All were an easy walk from the streetcar.

We tried some others too, but these were the stand outs as of a week ago.

 

[MaxStout]

We're heading out there next week, and now I have plenty of good recommendations to check out. Thanks, everyone!

 

[pdxal]

I hope you enjoy your visit.
Portland Fresh Hop Festival will be next weekend too, if you're interested. Probably about 50 different fresh hop beers.

 

[mitchard]

Cascade and Hair of the Dog are a must if you're into BA or sour beers. Don't forget to hit up Robo Taco, which is right around the corner from Cascade. Delicious burritos, especially after downing a bunch of pretty solid ABV beers between HotD and Cascade haha.

 

[akthor]

Be sure to visit The Acropolis, 100 beers on tap, great food and strippers!!! Outside of Montreal the most awesome strip club I've ever been. And yes they serve breakfast too!

 

[bigplunkett]

+1 for deshutes. Id say rouge but they treat there employees like **** i have since not drank them. 10 barrle was good now owned by ab if ur in salem kalawpue isnt bad

 

[bigplunkett]

Oh also eat voodoo donuts there awsome and eat at the grilled cheese truck hella bomb. Dont drink the rouges voodo beer it was horible.

 

[MaxStout]

Had a good trip, but way too short, as it was just for a few days. Managed to hit a couple breweries: Bridgeport and Deschutes. Good food at both, too.

Saw this while waiting for the MAX train (there was a dispensary just around the corner).

 

[pdxal]

Marijuana dispensaries everywhere. Lots of people begging, too.
Wait until you check out the better places in town. Deschutes has beers not available in bottle/draft other places, but Bridgeport is a C- at best in Portland.
Glad you had a good visit.

 

[MaxStout]

Marijuana dispensaries everywhere. Lots of people begging, too.
Wait until you check out the better places in town. Deschutes has beers not available in bottle/draft other places, but Bridgeport is a C- at best in Portland.
Glad you had a good visit.

I thought the beers at Bridgeport were just OK, overall. One of them, an IPA, had a diacetyl issue--perhaps a dirty tap line. The food was good, however. We had just hopped off the N-S streetcar and went there mainly for lunch.

Deschutes was awesome. I tried a few of their specialty beers (and a few old favorites). Food was quite good, too. Only regret was that they didn't have any t-shirts in my size.

I wish I had more time to explore the town.

You're right about the homeless people-lots of them, especially in Pioneer Square and along the river parkway. Sad.

 

[Tknishi]

Just what I was looking for, I am heading to Portland on Wednesday! Deschutes and HUB are definitely on my list!

 

[iijakii]

Just what I was looking for, I am heading to Portland on Wednesday! Deschutes and HUB are definitely on my list!

Cascade for sours, Commons if you like belgians. Deschutes and HUB are worth a visit too. Right across from Cascade is The Green Dragon pub which typically has a very well rounded tap list.

And you should rent a car and go into The Gorge. Better than anything the city has to offer. Do the scenic highway tour and stop at Vista House, Multnomah Falls is worth a quick picture but usually way too packed for my tastes, then go hit a hike if you are up for it. So many good ones right off that highway. Angels rest etc. The Bonneville Dam is pretty cool too, they have some underwater windows along the fish ladders where you can see the salmon swimming. Plus some big fish hatcheries outside including a sturgeon that's some beastly 500lb thing. Not sure if now is a good time for that or not... I have no idea what the fish seasons are.

 

[val214]

Cascade for sours, Commons if you like belgians. Deschutes and HUB are worth a visit too. Right across from Cascade is The Green Dragon pub which typically has a very well rounded tap list.



And you should rent a car and go into The Gorge. Better than anything the city has to offer. Do the scenic highway tour and stop at Vista House, Multnomah Falls is worth a quick picture but usually way too packed for my tastes, then go hit a hike if you are up for it. So many good ones right off that highway. Angels rest etc. The Bonneville Dam is pretty cool too, they have some underwater windows along the fish ladders where you can see the salmon swimming. Plus some big fish hatcheries outside including a sturgeon that's some beastly 500lb thing. Not sure if now is a good time for that or not... I have no idea what the fish seasons are.

I agree rent a car and hit up he Gorge! Then @iikakii will be upset that you didn't stop by and visit him.

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[optimal_pizza]

Just what I was looking for, I am heading to Portland on Wednesday! Deschutes and HUB are definitely on my list!

I was disappointed in Deschutes the last time I went. The beer tasted old and stale. Not sure what was up with it, since Fresh Squeezed is one of my favorites. Maybe it'll be better for you.

I thought HUB was fairly average.

Not sure what part of Portland you're heading to, but I stayed in the Northeast section last month and had a bunch of awesome beer.

Ecliptic
Great Notion
Stormbreaker
Culmination
Coalition

 

[Tknishi]

thanks for the recommendations, I would love to visit all these places, but I got my wife and two daughters with me, so kids activities are the majority of our trip. I love the HUB IPA, but going there more because its family friendly. I'm looking forward to this trip!

 

[Tknishi]

well I had a good time in Portland, got to hit HUB and Deschutes. also got to try a lot of local brews that I never had before. A couple that stood out to me from what I remember, lol, pFriem IPA and the Block 15 Sticky Hands (this was delicious!).

kids had fun at Roloff farms, apple picking at Smith Berry Barn, OMSI, the zoo.

 

[pdxal]

Glad you had a good visit. Next time you come back post again and we'll give you updated information on what's going on.
As you found out, most beer in Portland doesn't get distributed out from the immediate Portland area. Lots of great IPAs that nobody else knows about

 

[JLeuck64]

pFriem... those guys know how to brew! I have tried many of the styles they make and ALL of them are amazing... with a capital AMAZING!

 

[Beernip]

Keep a lookout for Block15 beers in bottle/can. Not Portland but hidden gem of Oregon that you won't find anywhere else.

Hair of the Dog is my goto place when in town. Also like Eliptic and Deschutes (taproom only beers.)

 

[enkamania]

Breakside is one of my favorites and the food is really good too.