One of the coolest cities on the planet is also home to some to one of the coolest craft beer scenes with a huge array of breweries both big and small.
With innovative creations and fresh ingredients, if you’re a beer fan you cannot leave the city without visiting at least one of their awesome craft beer breweries. Here are our picks for the best breweries in Portland, Oregon…
1. Breakside Brewery – a brewery known for its broad portfolio of award-winning innovative beers
Breakside Brewery is one of the regional powerhouses of the Pacific Northwest, but it’s never forgotten its small-batch roots producing beers with care for every drop.
They’re big enough to have several locations in and around Portland.
Each location has an extensive range of craft beers on tap, and some locations feature beers that you can only find on-site. Plus, enjoy full restaurant service and seating that’s perfect for large, private events and small get-togethers.
- Address: 820 NE Dekum St, Portland, OR 97211-3630
- Breakside Brewery
2. Away Days – a place worth visiting with a good selection of beers
Away Days Brewing comes from the owners of the Toffee Club, one of Portland’s premier British-style pubs. As such, their brewery combines the craft flair of the Pacific Northwest with traditions perfected by European brewers.
Their tap list contains everything from English-style pub beers to German, Czech, and Italian-inspired pilsner.
That same cross-cultural philosophy applies to their menu, which features British pub favorites with a twist.
- Address: 1516 SE 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97214
- Away Days Brewing Company
3. Baerlic Brewing Company – a brewing business with traditional beers
Baerlic Brewing takes care of every step of the beer production process themselves, up to and including distribution. The brewery prides itself on its independence as well as its adherence to tradition (the name is a reference to Old English).
Every beer comes with a story behind it, such as the Dad Beer designed to mimic pre-prohibition beers made with flaked corn.
Visit their taproom to check out the rotating selection of seasonal offerings. The Portland taproom partnered with Ranch Pizza to offer delicious pies to go with your pints.
- Address: 2239 SE 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97214
- Baerlic Brewing Company
4. Modern Times – a unique fermentorium that offers popular beers and food including vegan dishes
The Modern Times brewery is unique among its peers because it is employee-owned and run. Everyone involved with the company cares deeply about brewing beer, coffee, and tasty culinary concoctions.
Although Modern Times was founded in San Diego, its Portland brewery on Belmont Street is a popular outpost.
Visitors to Modern Times’s Belmont Fermentorium can enjoy a rotating menu of beers, including experimental brews and rare drops, as well as vegan dishes. Easily one of the best breweries in town!
- Address: 1339 NW Flanders St (btwn NW 13th & NW 14th Ave)
Portland, OR 97209 - Modern Times
5. Rogue Distillery – popular brewery and distillery with a large selection of beverages
For a full range of craft alcoholic beverages, you can’t go wrong with Rogue. The brewery and distillery makes their own beers, including ales, IPAs, and lagers.
They also have craft spirits and canned cocktails, making their hall a perfect destination for beer lovers and friends who prefer other beverages alike.
Rogue has several locations in Portland, including Rogue Hall right on the PSU campus and the Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery.
- Address: 928 SE 9th Ave (at SE Belmont St)
Portland, OR 97214 - Rogue Distillery
6. LABrewatory – said to be Portland’s only craft brewery where you can try distinctive beers
LABrewatory lives up to their name by brewing up cutting-edge beers by some of the top brewers in the world. The brewery brings together top brewmasters to create top flavors in the nano brewery.
LABrewatory stands out from other breweries because they offer you the option of making your own beer.
Although the classes are on pause due to COVID regulations, normally they offer an EntreBREWneur Academy to help amateurs learn how to make great beers.
- Address: 670 N Russell St, Portland, OR 97227
- LABrewatory
7. Migration Brewing – a perfect place to visit if you have passion for great beer
Migration Brewing’s attention to detail and care for their craft has translated into several awards at international beer festivals and countless happy customers at the brewery’s four locations.
For a truly unique experience, check out the new rooftop experience at Canvas.
Migration Brewing makes traditional IPAs as well as funky, modern flavors such as Mohazeic, which has passion fruit, papaya, and other tropical flavors. Besides their core beers, Migration Brewing has a rotating offer of on-tap drafts.
- Address: 18188 NE Wilkes Rd., Portland, OR 97230
- Migration Brewing
8. Von Ebert – a local independent craft brewery that serves German, Belgian and Czech beers
Von Ebert is a tiny slice of Central European brewing tradition right here in Oregon. The brewers were inspired by their German ancestry to make German-inspired lagers as well as more modern craft ales.
The fact that one of their IPAs took gold at the Great American Beer Festival speaks to the quality of their brews.
Accompany the beers with their elevated pub menu featuring items made from scratch, including a rotisserie smoker.
- Address: 131 NW 13th Ave. Portland, OR 97209
- Von Ebert
9. Wayfinder Beer – beautiful historic warehouse setting with an amazing selection of drinks
Wayfinder Beer is a brewery with an edge. Located in a stunning warehouse setting emblazoned with their iconic trident logo, a trip to Wayfinder is not just a drinking excursion but an experience.
Keeping with the theme, their brews have names such as “Fortuna,” “Luna Muerta,” and “Older Gods.”
Behind the fun-loving facade is a serious crew that cares about its brews. The brewery has won local and national awards for its beers.
- Address: 304 SE 2nd Ave, Portland, OR 97214
- Wayfinder Beer
10. Little Beast – a brewery that mixes culture fermentation with a passion for innovation
Little Beast Brewing has only been around since 2017, but has built a reputation as one of the best breweries in Portland since then.
Founded by fermentation nerds, this brewery specializes in mixed culture ales. Enjoy the range at their lush Portland beer garden or join the monthly Guardians of Funk club.
- Address: 3412 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202
- Little Beast
11. Cascade Brewing Barrel House – brewpub that servers exquisite handcraft sour beer 
Cascade Brewing specializes in sour beers, perfect for those who like a bit of pucker with their pour. In fact, their Northwest Sour Ale was one of the first beers to take this niche by storm.
All of their brews feature seasonal, locally grown ingredients and barrel-aged ale.
They also make non-sour beers for people who like their beers a little sweeter.
At the spacious Barrel House tasting room, choose from a rotating list of at least 20 on-tap beers at any time as well as a small but mighty menu of pub food.
- Address: 939 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97214, USA
- Cascade Brewing Barrel House
12. Ruse – an artisanal brewery and taproom which is one of the finest beer spots in Portland
One of the most loved craft breweries in Portland, Ruse Brewing takes inspiration from the best of Portland, the artistic community that has built the city’s reputation and fueled much of the craft beer renaissance as well.
The brewers pride themselves on treating each beer as meticulously as an artist treats their craft.
Ruse also works with local artists and musicians to create art and music for new releases, showing how integrated this brewery is into the community.
Check out their taproom to find one of Portland’s artsiest spaces.
- Address: 4784 SE 17th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
- Ruse Brewing
13. Upright Brewery – a farmhouse style which specializes in French and Belgium beers
Inspired by the virtuoso jazz musician Charles Mingus, Upright Brewery makes small batch beers that combine excellent quality brewing with new flavors.
In keeping with the innovative theme, each label is inspired by an album cover.
Visit the brewery and try flavor-forward brews such as the tangerine-tinged Ives Blend 7.
- Address: 240 N Broadway, Portland, OR 97227,
- Upright Brewery
14. Back Pedal Brewing – a small independent brewery that concentrates on sessionable & fruit-forward ales.
Back Pedal Brewing is like your friendly neighborhood pub, except with much better beer.
The brewery makes delicious small batch ales and is renowned for its fruit-inspired flavors.
However, the quality of its beer never led to an air of pretentiousness. Go down to the taproom in the Pearl District for a homey, comforting atmosphere with a rotating tap of seasonal brews.
- Address: 1425 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
- Back Pedal Brewing
15. Ground Breaker Brewing – a groundbreaker brewery and gastropub that is entirely gluten-free
Ground Breaker Brewing is the perfect destination in Portland for beer lovers who also need to navigate dietary restrictions.
Every single item in the brewery and pub, from the beer to the food, is completely gluten-free.
Ground Breaker Brewing makes beers from naturally gluten-free ingredients. Whether you go for the pale ale, their first beer, or newer innovations such as the fruity Olallie Ale, you’re guaranteed to have a tasty experience without worrying about your health.
- Address: 2030 SE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97214, USA
- Ground Breaker Brewing
16. Gigantic Brewing – a wide range brewery that offers craft beers, a taproom with a comic feeling and a champagne lounge
Gigantic Brewing was founded by true beer nerds with many years of experience in the business. That experience translates into innovative IPAs and other beers that fit anyone’s tastes.
Check them out at several locations around Portland, including at the Rocket Empire Machine food hall.
Gigantic Brewing stands out with their attention to visual details, including psychedelic labels inspired by music and comic books. You can even buy posters of your favorite label art.
- Address: 5224 SE 26th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
- Gigantic Brewing
17. Culmination Brewing – a hip microbrewery taproom that serves fresh housemade beers with locally sourced snacks
Culmination Brewing prides themselves on their innovative approach to craft beers. Even in a space full of artisans constantly pushing the boundaries, Culmination Brewing stands out with their modern tap list, featuring flavors such as “Welcome to the Hellmouth,” “Obscured by Clouds,” and “Days of Old,” a hazy rice IPA.
Their innovative approach to drinks also extends to the bar snacks that they serve, which combine traditional American pub fare with Latin American flavors.
- Address: 2117 NE Oregon St, Portland, OR 97232
- Culmination Brewing
18. Lucky Labrador – a rustic brewpub with a great variety of delicious beers
Whether you are planning a group outing or just a small trip with friends, Lucky Labrador is the place to go. The spacious beer hall or the cozy beer pub location both feature the brewery’s excellent line-up of beers.
Lucky Labrador makes a wide range of IPAs, porter stouts, ales, and more, including brews inspired by the best European beer traditions.
Their meticulous temperature-controlled process is powered by solar power, making this an eco-friendly beer choice.
- Address: 7675 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219,
- Lucky Labrador
19. Hair of the Dog Brewing – a funky brewery full of creativity and originality that offers unusual beer
If you like your beer with a little more oomph, then Hair of the Dog Brewing is the Portland brewery for you.
This company specializes in beers with high alcohol content as well as barrel-aged beers.
The barrel-aging process infuses the beer with unique flavors, creating brews such as Hair of the Dog Cherry Adam. Visit their taproom to check out what’s on offer.
- Address: 61 SE Yamhill St, Portland, OR 97214
- Hair of the Dog Brewing
20. Occidental Brewery – a must-visit to try tasty beers with a continental touch
The craft beer scene is fun, but it can sometimes feel dominated by IPAs. Enter Occidental Brewery. Occidental Brewery makes continental-style ales and lagers for people who are tired of hoppy IPAs or who just want something new.
Featuring a rotating array of seasonal offerings as well as core brews, their brewery offers a unique experience even by the standards of Portland.
Their brews draw inspiration from all over the world. Key offerings include Japanese-style dry lagers and continental style pilsners. Travel the world without ever leaving Oregon!
- Address: 6635 N Baltimore Ave #102, Portland, OR 97203,
- Occidental Brewery
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My first true adventure began as a six month voyage around South East Asia as a fresh faced backpacker and ever since I’ve lived a semi nomadic existence, clocking up visits to over 40 countries. I’m a lover of US Road Trips, deserted beaches bathed in warm glow of a sunset, Cuban mojitos, travel destinations far away from the tourist crowds and all things Scandinavian – from cloudberry liquors to Nordic noirs. When not wandering the world and running Global Grasshopper, you’ll find me walking my rescued Greek street dog in leafy South West London, strolling around the Brighton Lanes on random day trips, hunting for photogenic landscapes or daydreaming about my favourite places; Havana, Copenhagen, Italy, Laos, California and the surreally beautiful landscapes of a wintry Iceland.