The 9 Best Breweries in Portland

With more than 60 breweries, Portland has more than anywhere else in the world. If you do not start drinking at dawn, and drink at lunch, and drink through the evening, you are not doing your part.

Finding great beer is rarely about the destination and more about the journey. There are no shortage of trails to take you on beer expeditions in Portland, with Migration taking its place among the best. Locally sourced, owned, operated and distributed, the beers coming out of this brewery are broad and balanced. The brewers embrace the importance of innovation, while staying true to styles that span centuries. The beer menu is all Migration, all the time, with seasonal and special batches breaking into the lineup on a regular basis. The IPAs are hoppy and the stouts are, well, stout. Keep track of your alcohol content (always posted along with bitterness values) if you plan on operating machinery after a couple rounds. Some styles creep up into the double-digit range. You’d swear the folks serving the beer are the ones making it, based on their knowledge and expertise in pairing your taste to their brews. The other benefit is a great pub menu with something for everyone. Try the pulled pork nachos or hypocrite burger to give your cold one something to wash down. The pet-friendly patio seating is lively rain or shine and the beers are on sale during televised local sports team events. Plenty of onsite bike parking, too, if you decide to two-wheel it in.

We were out at Kruger Farms on Sauvie Island for a summer evening concert when we came across the Captured by Porches beer bus. Parked amid the farm-fresh veggies, burger stands, and roasted corn on the cob, the beer line seemed manageable for as hot as it was. The beer bus tenders were friendly and knowledgeable, recommending their cool, crisp Kolsch to start things off. It wasn’t long before I was on the bus. Their IPA was next on my list, and it fit the bill as the evening cooled down. Went really well with the ear of roasted corn I couldn’t get enough of. You can find the bus year-round in a number of locations around town. The NoPo locations include the pod out on N Lombard, also NE 23rd and Alberta. The cart pod up on Lombard is cool and mellow with good food and a nice beer garden on sunny afternoons and warm evenings. Check their website for hours and other bus stops. Captured by Porches is certainly one of the oddest brewing sensations in Beervana and worth a ride if you’re in the neighborhood.

When it comes to pub crawling in Portland, Deschutes Brewing is a classy stop to regroup and recharge in the Pearl. With more than a dozen taps pouring the usual suspects along with a collection of seasonal and experimental brews made specifically for Northwest tastes, the bar has something for every beer lover. The kitchen serves fresh, sustainable fare, including vegetarian and gluten-friendly options. Try the beer-battered halibut or the smoked brisket. The steamed clams with a side of sweet potato fries will also keep you going until your next destination.

For two-plus hours of tooling around NW Portland on a cycle with 15 of your newest, closest friends, it’s the BrewCycle. The cycle is really a covered surrey of sorts, built out of many recycled parts, with seats for pedal pushers and a bench in the back for passengers. Folks are happy to switch around so everyone has a chance to burn off some of the beer calories accumulated along the way. The cost covers your seat on the cycle—all other expenses are on you. There is also a limit on the pedaling for folks under 5'3" tall. The other limit is the 30 minutes allotted at each brew stop, so it’s a good idea to get something to eat before the tour. Northwest is relatively flat for cycling, but there are inclines. That makes this activity a bit of a workout, depending on the overall gross weight of the cycle fully loaded, and I mean that literally and figuratively. Dress comfortably and note that sensible shoes go a long way in the cycling world. The people who pilot this craft are smart, silly, and sophisticated when it comes to beer. Our guide had an advance degree in herding cats based on being able to keep us on schedule. There is no shortage of strange looks you’ll get from the sidelines. And if you’re looking for value on your travel dollar, the math on this is a no brainer: PDX + Cycling + Beer = are you kidding me… Finish that beer and climb on.