Oregon has been at the forefront of the country’s craft-beer revolution for decades and includes many hundreds of breweries and taprooms. Nearly all are family-friendly and pet-friendly (look for patio seating), and offer excellent food (often with on-site food trucks), locally grown hops and welcoming vibes. In the cooler seasons, brewpubs often have heated outdoor patios for cozy gathering, and some even have their own doggie-friendly menus.
How to Plan Your Oregon Beer-Tasting Adventures
Brewpubs are great stops to add to your Oregon outdoor itineraries wherever you go, all year-round — a perfect way to cap a day of hiking or biking, paddling or skiing. Some brewpubs are so unique, they’re worth a road trip in their own right. For instance, Oregon is home to a brewery owned and operated by Benedictine monks, a brewpub with creekside seating at the base of the Wallowa Mountains, and a farmhouse brewpub serving farmhouse ales in the heart of Willamette Valley wine country. Get inspired to visit those and more destination-worthy breweries. For those opting to skip the alcohol, many of Oregon’s brewpubs are brewing up tasty non-alcoholic beers with all the same richness of experience.
Oregon’s Award-Winning Breweries
When it comes to brewing awards, Oregon consistently takes the prize. Recent award-winners include Bend newcomer UPP Liquids, Alesong Brewing & Blending in Eugene, Deschutes Brewery in Bend, pFriem Family Brewers in Hood River and Milwaukie, and Grand Fir Brewing and Von Ebert Brewing, both in Portland. Also don’t miss Astoria’s community gathering spot, Fort George Brewery, and Portland’s Brujos Brewing, recently awarded the title of Best New Brewery.
Plan Your Trip Along Oregon’s Ale Trails
Not sure where to start? Download a map to one of Oregon’s Ale Trails, which make it easy to sip your way through the state’s top craft breweries. The Bend Ale Trail includes a tour of over 30 high-desert breweries, cideries and wineries – with its own special reward for designated drivers. Oregon’s North Coast Craft Beer Trail includes 15 breweries and tap rooms in Astoria, Seaside and Cannon Beach – visit eight locations to collect points, which you can exchange for a North Coast Craft Beer Trail mug.
Visitors to Portland or the Willamette Valley should pick up or download a copy of the Explore Tualatin Valley Tap Guide, which highlights dozens of breweries, cideries and taphouses in the region west of Portland. Don’t miss the Breweries in the Gorge passport, which includes eight stops on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge.
