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In this year’s Beer Guide, we’ve established a few parameters for inclusion. For instance, breweries needed some sort of taproom or pub with regular hours. And their flagship and/or production facility needed to be located within Portland proper. That means the guy running a nano out of his garage, or a business like Backwoods, which has a restaurant in the Pearl but brews in Carson, Wash., didn’t make the cut this time. We also limited our visits to one primary location when it came to brands with multiple outposts, like Breakside and Gigantic.
STAR RATINGS
★ Highly Recommended
★★ World Class
Our rating system for all Portland breweries in this collection is modeled after the Michelin Guide. Stars are not awarded solely for the quality of the beer, but also for ambience, distinctiveness and overall experience. A single star denotes a brewery is highly recommended and its beers are worth going out of the way for. Two stars indicate the experience is exceptional, which means you should not delay planning a special journey.
South/Southwest Portland Breweries
13th Moon Brouwerij at 13th Moon Gravity Well
4513 SE 41st Ave., 13thmoongravitywell.com. 4-11:13 pm Tuesday-Thursday, 3 pm-close Friday-Sunday.
ONCE IN A BLUE MOON | Not much has changed here since we featured this taphouse in our Beer Guide in 2022. The quiet, cozy space is like a Dutch brown cafe with an eclectic draft selection, subdued lighting and a neighborhood-hangout vibe. The very tiny 13th Moon house brewery—owner Ari Moss is fond of Dutch culture, hence the name “Brouwerij”—had just a couple of its own beers on tap during a late-winter visit as well as others from small operations like Labyrinth Forge and Cooper Mountain. Moss has also collaborated with Sellwood’s Unicorn Brewing and Tigard’s Cooper Mountain Ale Works. That means there’s always something interesting on the menu, which also features mead, sake, wine and cider. There’s live music three nights a week and a taco truck out back, providing solid sustenance to go with your drinks. DON SCHEIDT.
DRINK THIS: 13th Moon Brouwerij’s 13th Mountain Scottish Ale No. 2 is a malt bomb, as is right and proper for the style.
Assembly Brewing
6112 SE Foster Road, 971-888-5973, assemblybrewingco.com. 11 am-10 pm daily.
MOTOR CITY | Assembly opened in March 2019 in an area that is underserved. It’s the brainchild of George Johnson, a transplant from Detroit, and partner Adam Dixon. Johnson, one of the few Black brewers anywhere, was a homebrewer who ascended to the pro ranks. Dixon is a friend who liked Johnson’s homebrews and thought they should go into business together. Assembly operates as a beer hall, pizzeria and night spot rolled into one. No minors are allowed at any time. The spacious seating area, filled with ambient light during the day, is flanked by a stunning mural based on Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry frescoes that depicts people at work in a brewery and pub. Johnson’s beers are designed to complement the Detroit-style pizza, which is delicious. It features a thick crust made from a proprietary dough recipe that was developed alongside the late Shawn Randazzo, a world-renowned pizza chef. In fact, one might easily regard Assembly as a pizza destination that has its own line of housemade beers. PETE DUNLOP.
DRINK THIS: The Kölsch is a perfect match for the amazing pizza.
Away Days Brewing
1516 SE 10th Ave., 503-206-4735, awaydaysbrewing.com. 4-8 pm Thursday-Friday, noon-8 pm Saturday, noon-6 pm Sunday.
GOOOOOAL! | Away Days doesn’t look like a soccer bar. With its glazed subway tile backsplash, pastel stools and kitchen island-style tables, the brewery appears to be taking design tips from Nancy Meyers, not a traditional British boozer. Some of that olde English pub ambience could be found in Away Days’ sister location, The Toffee Club, before it closed in late 2022. But the remaining tiny taproom does show soccer matches on its pair of TVs, which were switched off during a recent visit even though the NCAA basketball tournament was underway. Must’ve not been any soccer on. There are other signs that this is a footy-focused joint—a map of European clubs on the wall, Away Days-branded scarves, and beers with names like “Post Match Pilsner,” a crisp and crackery drink whose flavor dissolves quickly, keeping you coming back for more. For customers who work up an appetite “oohing” and then forcefully sighing after every near goal, food can be ordered from a nearby collection of carts. But Away Days is in the process of opening a restaurant and production facility in Troutdale’s long-vacant City Hall, finally giving McMenamins Edgefield some competition. ANDI PREWITT.
DRINK THIS: Always order something from one of the casks, like the Great British Pale Ale, which has the alluring aroma of the grain-mashing process and the toasted flavor of Grape Nuts.
Baerlic Brewing ★
2239 SE 11th Ave., 503-477-9418, baerlicbrewing.com. 11 am-10 pm daily.
NEW SLANG | Ah, the glory days of New Portland, before everything went to shit: bike messengers eating pizza slices on the sidewalk outside an airy, wood-paneled beer hall with nearly two dozen handles and a turntable booth. Wait, it opened in fall of 2020? Spike the obituaries: The dream of the Tens is alive at Baerlic Brewing’s “indoor beer garden,” located in a space that for most of the Portlandia decade held a dank cavern of a sports bar called Blitz Ladd. During that time, Ben Parsons and Richard Hall were brewing Baerlic suds in a basement. These days, the beer is made at their flagship right next door to the newer “Piehall,” which features a Ranch pizza window, wood-burning fireplace, retro arcade, and vinyl shop with a DJ spinning The Weakerthans. The tap list is intimidatingly long but disarmingly quirky, including a Golden Girls Golden Ale that would have Blanche Devereaux making a joke about how it “goes down easy,” and a light, peppy pre-Prohibition-style lager called “Dad Beer.” Given how many bescarved papas arrive with a flock in tow to watch the Timbers match, that feels right. AARON MESH.
DRINK THIS: Down Low is a dark lager with a candy shop malt flavor without being cloying.
Brewery 26
818 SE Ankeny St., 971-254-8488, brewery26.com. 4-9 pm Tuesday-Wednesday, noon-9 pm Thursday, noon-10 pm Friday, 11 am-10 pm Saturday, noon-7 pm Sunday.
PIT STOP | Despite the conflicting name and physical address, this 2017 garage-nano startup didn’t get lost on its way to finding Highway 26. The brewery used to be situated on Southeast Powell Boulevard—the name typically associated with the stretch of 26 from the Ross Island Bridge to Gresham—but moved to a quiet corner behind the Jupiter Original Hotel in late 2021. That doesn’t mean Brewery 26 has abandoned its epic Oregon road trip branding, which includes a large wood-grain map depicting the route’s Dow Jones-like downward trajectory across the state. Like the coast-to-stateline drive on 26, there were high points and just a few bumps in the road. The Oregon Sun New England IPA was, oddly, neither hazy nor juicy—though it tasted like a perfectly fine West Coast take on the style, and despite the raspberry blonde’s musty funk, the coral-colored ale offered a tasty squeeze of fruit. Overall, Brewery 26 is worth visiting during those times when you yearn for craft’s earlier era and its simple yet functional taprooms that share square footage with the fermenters. ANDI PREWITT.
DRINK THIS: Local drinkers who miss Portland Beer Week’s Rye Beer Fest should head here for the Banjo in the Rye Pale Ale just to embrace the swirl of nuttiness and anise like a long-lost friend.
Cascade Brewing Barrel House
939 SE Belmont St., 503-265-8603, cascadebrewing.com. 4-10 pm Wednesday-Thursday, noon-10 pm Friday-Saturday, noon-8 pm Sunday.
SOUR POWER | The Cascade story dates to the early days of craft brewing in Oregon. Founder Art Larrance was one of three partners who started Portland Brewing in 1986. Larrance launched Cascade Brewing after he was forced out at Portland Brewing in 1994. A decade later, Cascade landed on a formula for making sour beers that leans on Oregon fruit and lactobacillus fermentation. The beers soon won numerous accolades and put Cascade on the world beer map. That led to the 2010 opening of the Barrel House, which became a magnet for fans of sour beers. Although Larrance sold Cascade in 2020, the Barrel House carries on much as it always has. It offers a wide range of rotating sour beers, as well as a smaller selection of traditional styles, on draft. Bottles and cans are also available. The food menu has always been limited and eclectic, and that continues to be the case. PETE DUNLOP.
DRINK THIS: Sour fans will enjoy Kentucky Peach and Sang Noir, moderately tart sours with loads of fruit character.
Fracture Brewing
1015 SE Stark St., fracturebrewingpdx.com. 4-10 pm Wednesday-Thursday, noon-11 pm Friday-Saturday, noon-8 pm Sunday.
UNBREAKABLE | The old Burnside Brewing equipment has finally been put back to work. Last year, Fracture took over the mothballed production facility, which was purchased by ChefStable in 2019—just months after the beloved brand folded. After Fracture moved in, it didn’t take long before its beers began showing up at the restaurant group’s establishments, like Loyal Legion and Lardo. Now the brewery has its very own taproom just eight blocks from the source. Fracture’s operators, husband-and-wife team Darren Provenzano and Ny Lee, met in Vietnam, where he worked at 7 Bridges Brewing, winning multiple awards at Brew Asia (formerly SEA Brew)—the equivalent of the Great American Beer Festival if it merged with the Craft Brewers Conference. Provenzano’s brews at Fracture already taste primed for stateside competition. For instance, if pressed to choose between the medallionlike West Coast IPA or the canary-colored Hazy, I’d just cave and order both. The former has clear-as-a-bell pine flavor, while the opaque version drinks like a freshly squeezed blend of peach and mango. Fracture also impresses with its diverse repertoire, which includes everything from a raisiny Dark Lager to a Barrel-Aged, Mixed-Culture Saison. The varied lineup means you should be able to find something to pair with food from the taproom’s eclectic collection of carts in the Lil’ America pod: Guyanese bakes are sold feet from crab boils, vegan corn dogs and Hainanese chicken rice. After all, if you can drink through the world of beer styles here, why not travel the globe with your cuisine, too? ANDI PREWITT.
DRINK THIS: The Pilsner trio (classic, West Coast, New Zealand). Yes, they all taste different.
Gigantic Brewing Tap Room and Champagne Lounge
5224 SE 26th Ave., 503-208-3416, giganticbrewing.com. 2-9 pm Monday-Friday, noon-9 pm Saturday-Sunday.
GIANT LEAP | Watching the metamorphosis of Gigantic’s original taproom, tucked into an industrial strip of the Reed neighborhood, has been a fun ride. What began as a small, cozy clubhouse-style space with some couches, chairs and a couple of tables expanded outside, with the addition of picnic seating, and later took over an adjoining barrel room. The company continues to live up to its name by expanding its footprint. Founders Ben Love and Van Havig have opened two more locations, most recently a family-friendly pub on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard with an in-house kitchen and full food menu. The beer selection has something for everyone, including Gigantress, a citrus sour for people who don’t really like sours, and the flagship Gigantic IPA. The Hawthorne location is perfect for folks with kids, but I still prefer to order my pints at the original scrappy taproom. Grab a beer, pet a dog, and cheer on the Timbers or Thorns in the barrel room. JOHN CHILSON.
DRINK THIS: Kölschtastic, which was inspired by the founders’ trip to Cologne, Germany, is made with Oregon-grown Mt. Hood hops, German Pilsner malt and Kölsch yeast.
Gorges Beer
2705 SE Ankeny St., 503-455-4674, gorgesbeer.com. 3-8 pm Monday-Thursday, 3-9 pm Friday, noon-9 pm Saturday, noon-8 pm Sunday.
TAKE A HIKE | At Portland’s Gorges Beer, there may be no view of the mighty Columbia River cutting its way through evergreen-covered ridges like there is at the Cascade Locks flagship, but you’re always guaranteed a rainbow at the urban outpost. Sure, the painted stretch of Southeast Ankeny that came to be known as “Rainbow Road” during the pandemic, isn’t as dramatic as the Gorge, but the outdoor dining plaza—essentially an extension of the brewery’s deck—is a charming COVID holdover that should suit you just fine on a sunny day. And if you’re drinking at the former Coalition Brewing space, you’re probably outside anyway since the rebranded Trailhead Taphouse is tiny. Co-founder and former Lompoc Brewer Bryan Keilty does a lot of good things with a lot of different flavors at Gorges. The barrel-aged Cabernet Currant Saison is like a red wine on its Rumspringa—black currants and swirls of sweet fig are zesty in beer form. And while getting to the top of Gorge landmark Mount Defiance is a slog, its namesake imperial IPA is smooth drinking, with notes of grapefruit leading the way to a dry finish. I’ll summit that peak, easily, over and over again. ANDI PREWITT.
DRINK THIS: With layers of Tabasco, horseradish, peppercorn and rosemary, Smoldering Embers has flavors that are more complex than you might have thought possible for beer.
Grand Fir Brewing ★
1403 SE Stark St., 503-477-6011, grandfirbrewing.com. 3-10 pm Tuesday-Thursday, 11 am-11 pm Friday-Saturday, 11 am-9 pm Sunday.
INTO THE WOODS | It was only a matter of time before brewer Whitney Burnside and chef Doug Adams went into business together. When the couple married in 2019, both were focused on seperate professional endeavors. Top Chef finalist Adams was only about six months into the launch of Bullard, a love letter to his East Texas hometown, serving Lone Star State-sized cuts of meat that brought back memories of the barbecue shacks of his youth. Burnside was the award-winning brewmaster at 10 Barrel’s Pearl District location, having opened the buzzed-about space in 2015. Grand Fir is the first time they’ve merged their talents, creating high expectations, and while I have yet to gnaw on a smoked wing or tuck into a plate of potatoes, I can definitively state that Burnside’s beers are uniformly top notch. After ordering my first, Tack Shack East Texas Lager—an ode to Adams’ small-town upbringing and Shiner Bock—Hank Williams Jr.’s “A Country Boy Can Survive” started playing over the speakers, as if on cue. The beer is all toasted bread with a hint of caramel—light enough for a humid day in swampy Bullard or a summer heat wave in Portland. Old Growth Pale is a throwback to craft’s more balanced era, at least when it comes to this style. And the Lichen IPA practically vibrates with robust grapefruit verve. ANDI PREWITT.
DRINK THIS: The GFB IPA is as invigorating as inhaling the forest air at the beginning of a morning hike before it veers dank. Or get the Tack Shack, because a country boy can survive.
Ground Breaker Brewing
2030 SE 7th Ave., 503-928-4195, groundbreakerbrewing.com. 2-8 pm Wednesday-Sunday, by appointment Monday-Tuesday.
GLUTEN-FREE O.G. | Oregon has more gluten-free breweries than any other state, and Ground Breaker’s founder, James Neumeister, helped lead the charge. Since opening in 2011, the brewery has endured a name change (thankfully, it upgraded from Harvester), a pandemic, and a shift in taproom business, now operating with a separately run kitchen, Salvi PDX, which serves Salvadoran pupusas and fried chicken wings. The gluten-free beers sometimes have a hint of flavor or aroma that isn’t exactly barley malt, but their range, body and character all still say “beer.” The dark lager is even better from the nitro tap. Cheers to Ground Breaker for surviving and thriving in its specialty market niche. DON SCHEIDT.
DRINK THIS: The Defiance Dark Lager on nitro goes well with the kitchen’s chips and guac.
Hopworks Brewery
2944 SE Powell Blvd., 503-232-4677, hopworksbeer.com. 11:30 am-9 pm Sunday-Thursday, 11:30 am-10 pm Friday-Saturday.
HOME | Hopworks figured out a long time ago that a lot of parents like to drink beer and they don’t necessarily want to hire a babysitter every time they go out for a pint. So, for 15 years, Hopworks has catered to families—including thousands of parents with students at Cleveland High just blocks away. Another favorite constituency: cyclists, whose importance to founder Christian Ettinger and his wife, Brandie, are evidenced by the dozens of retired bike frames lined up above the bar. Hopworks won’t blow you away with its cutting-edge brews or scare you away with a hardcore Carhartt-and-beard culture. Instead, it’s as comfortable as an old pair of hiking shoes and as reliable as spring rain. Oh, and the axes. While it may not seem intuitive that beer and axes mix, Hopworks hosts a Celtic Axe Throwers league with six weeks of chucking followed by a tournament. What could go wrong? NIGEL JAQUISS.
DRINK THIS: The Robot Panda Hazy IPA. OK, it’s a goofy name that you might feel awkward saying out loud, but the taste is worth it.
Leikam Brewing
5812 E Burnside St., 503-477-4743, leikambeer.com. 4-10 pm Wednesday, 4-11 pm Thursday-Friday, 3-11 pm Saturday, 3-9 pm Sunday.
TIME VORTEX | Wife-and-husband team Sonia Marie and Theo Leikam launched Leikam Brewing from the backyard of their Southeast Portland home in 2014, selling ales and lagers at restaurants, bottle shops, and farmers markets before moving into a onetime home-turned-taproom on East Burnside Street in 2019. Since then, the kosher-certified brewery has created a delightfully laid-back gathering spot for enjoying an eclectic lineup of ales and lagers; on a recent visit, the beertender dubbed the converted home and music studio—replete with a spacious patio, Leikam family photos, and upholstered seats—a “time vortex” for how easy it is to, well, lose track of time. Hip-hop and funk-inspired classics provide an unobtrusive soundtrack for sampling a mix of well-worn classics (Leikam’s core beers include an American lager, a West Coast IPA, and a red ale) and creative recipes (including a Turkish coffee-inspired porter and a Key lime sour crafted with peach, pineapple and mango purees). MATT WASTRADOWSKI.
DRINK THIS: Janis Hoplin, Leikam’s take on the West Coast IPA, beautifully blends bright flavors of citrus and pine while dialing back the bitterness common to the style.
Little Beast Brewing Beer Garden ★
3412 SE Division St., 503-208-2723, littlebeastbrewing.com. 2-9 pm Monday-Thursday, 2-10 pm Friday, noon-10 pm Saturday, noon-9 pm Sunday.
WE WANT THE FUNK | With the abundance of IPAs and lagers in Portland, sometimes you want something different. Enter Little Beast Brewing, makers of Belgian-inspired farmhouse beers from seasoned brewmaster Charles Porter. The award-winning wheat ale has just the right amount of tartness, making this beer easy to enjoy. Expand your taste buds even further with Ferme Rouge, a Flanders red with fruit-forward, sour and distinctly sharp flavors that will keep your tongue busy. Although best known for beers on the sour and funky side, Porter and team also brew a solid selection of classic styles, from lagers to IPAs. The Beer Garden itself is a pleasant respite from the bustle of Southeast Division. The cozy Craftsman home, manicured lawn, and heated tent make for a relaxing spot to get away and have a beer with a friend. And if you are hungry, try the delicious Kansas City-style smoked meat from resident food vendor Lawless Barbecue. KERRY FINSAND.
DRINK THIS: The Czech Dark Lager is a fuller-bodied dark version of Little Beast’s Czech Pilsner with the right amount of malt and a bitter finish.
Living Häus Beer
628 SE Belmont St., 503-477-6792, livinghausbeer.com. 3-9 pm Monday-Thursday, noon-10 pm Friday-Saturday, noon-8 pm Sunday.
LET IT GROW | They say the third time’s the charm, and hopefully that’s true for Living Häus, co-owned by Conrad Andrus and Mat Sandoval and located in the space formerly occupied by The Commons and Modern Times. These are big shoes to fill, but where it differs is in its focus on lagers and clean IPAs. Sure, the team at Living Häus has brewed hazys and imperial stouts, but where they showcase their talent is in their crisp, crushable lagers, bright and piney West Coast IPAs, and overlooked traditional styles, like hefeweizen, grodziskie and festbier. The taproom is filled with plants and bathed in natural light thanks to the abundance of large windows, giving it a relaxed vibe, though it’s somewhat awkwardly bright during the evening. Being centrally located within walking distance to several other top-notch breweries make this a worthy stop. NEIL FERGUSON.
DRINK THIS: Harris is case in point: The West Coast IPA combines flavors of pine and citrus that make it a refreshingly clear beer that truly embodies the style.
Montavilla Brew Works ★
7805 SE Stark St., 503-954-3440, montavillabrew.com. 3-8 pm Tuesday-Sunday.
ROCK AND ROLL | Montavilla Brew Works is what happens when your Grateful Dead-obsessed uncle finally settles down and takes a blue-collar job but doesn’t want to give up day drinking with his buds on the tour bus. OK, maybe founder and head brewer Michael Kora wasn’t the rock band’s roadie, but the Detroit native does have a background in music performance and composition. Since brewing beer is as much a creative stoner art form as a Frank Zappa interlude—both of which also require real technical skill—it was only natural that Kora began homebrewing, eventually turning pro inside an old auto garage in Portland. In the industry’s modern era, when beer often tastes more like Jamba Juice smoothies and Nesquik, Montavilla’s offerings are refreshingly classic. This is the kind of tasting room experience where everyone will know your name and the tap list is filled with familiar flavors. EZRA JOHNSON-GREENOUGH.
DRINK THIS: East Glisan Mosaic is a little bit old and a little bit new—an IPA that’s maltier than most with a righteous dank and citrus hop flavor.
Portland U-Brew & Unicorn Brewing
6237 SE Milwaukie Ave., 503-943-2727, portlandubrew.com. 11 am-7 pm Tuesday-Wednesday and Sunday, 11 am-8 pm Thursday-Saturday.
PAPAZIAN’S PLACE | If your living room were equipped with a bunch of 1.5-barrel vessels, and you hosted a big brew day with a bunch of friends and downed multiple beers during the process, you’d have a scene that looks something like Unicorn Brewing. The unique atmosphere can be attributed to the fact that there are actually two businesses here: a homebrew shop and a taproom/brewery. Downstairs, Unicorn has all the equipment to make house beers, but anyone can sign up for a brewing class using the same system. If you’re feeling too lazy to roll up your sleeves and mash in, order any of Unicorn’s approachable and traditional beers, including a Pilsner (the bestseller) and an IPA. Since this is a nanobrewery, you can also expect plenty of experimental small batches on tap as well. Yes, there are “For Lease” signs in the window, and owner Zach Vestal’s current lease is good through July. There are parties interested in purchasing the business, though Vestal says it’s possible things will continue as is for the foreseeable future, so don’t let the potential sale prevent you from visiting this very community-focused business. JOHN CHILSON.
DRINK THIS: 5858 Pale is a perfect beer for a Saturday (or any) afternoon. Balanced and nothing too complicated.
Rogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery
928 SE 9th Ave., 503-517-0660, rogue.com/rogue-eastside-pub-pilot-brewery. 11 am-10 pm daily.
AIN’T DEAD YET | Not much brewing happens here now that the Green Dragon homebrew collective has moved out, but you will find an extensive tap list with a wide range of one-offs, including experimental IPAs, stouts, barleywines, kettle sours and lagers alongside Rogue classics. Most may be brewed in Newport, but at least they provide the illusion of having come from the brewpub. And if you don’t want to drink Rogue, the pub even features guest taps. There are also Rogue spirits, ciders and seltzers along with loads of Dead Guy merch for superfans. Rogue’s beer generally falls below the high bar that Portland has set, but much of the country still considers it to be top of the line for craft, making this a perfect spot for out-of-towners who want to experience the iconic brand without going to Newport. Plus, it’s hard to beat the expansive beer garden in the summer. Tasters are cheap, so try a few different beers. NEIL FERGUSON.
DRINK THIS: Creamy and smooth, Double Chocolate Stout’s 9% ABV hides behind the balance of baking chocolate bitterness and malty warmth. It brings you back to the days when a chocolate stout was considered edgy.
Rosenstadt Brewery at Olympia Provisions Public House ★★
3384 SE Division St., 503-384-2259, rosenstatdbrewery.com. Noon-9 pm Monday-Thursday, noon-10 pm Friday, 10 am-10 pm Saturday, 10 am-9 pm Sunday.
ROSENSTADTLICHKEIT | The beer patio at Olympia Provisions Public House will be unpopulated on a cold, drippy night, but inside, it’s all about the Portland-style Alpine gemütlichkeit—the German equivalent of “hygge,” or a general state of coziness and contentment. It’s not hard to find a Rosenstadt lager on tap around town, but they’re the house beers here, making the OP a stammhaus for Rosenstadt’s assortment. The Otto Pils pairs perfectly with the rich and filling house schnitzel, and the big sausage boards could feed a small army. Rosenstadt has been brewing at Hopworks and Conspirator Beverage in Clackamas of late, still operating as a tenant brewer since starting up eight years ago. DON SCHEIDT.
DRINK THIS: Rosenstadt Kölsch is inspired, and the Otto Italian-style Pilsner is a delicious, hoppy treat.
Ruse Brewing ★★
4784 SE 17th Ave., 503-662-8325, rusebrewing.com. 3-9 pm Monday-Thursday, 3-10 pm Friday, 1-10 pm Saturday, 1-9 pm Sunday.
BAG OF TRICKS | On your first visit to Ruse, you might accidentally drive right on by. That’s because the brewery is one of many businesses located inside the sprawling Iron Fireman Collective building in the Brooklyn neighborhood. But once you find it, you’ll want to return again and again. The sun-soaked tasting room—get one of the window tables if you can—offers an ever-changing lineup of innovative beers. Fluorescent Farm, for instance, is a fan-favorite series that Ruse has been producing for two years. On tap during my visit was Vol. 21 in the program, a smoothie-style tart ale (4.5% ABV) with loads of tangerine and apricot. Yeah, it’s fruity. And Ruse’s wildly popular West Coast IPA, Translator, has a somewhat regularly tinkered with recipe to keep up with the times. Hungry? The brewery just launched its Crust Collective pop-up pizza kitchen every Friday through Sunday. JOHN CHILSON.
DRINK THIS: Queen of the Earth is a classic example of a low-ABV American stout similar to what founders Shaun Kalis and Devin Benware drank during their formative homebrewing years.
Threshold Brewing & Blending ★
403 SE 79th Ave., 503-477-8789, threshold.beer. 4-9 pm Monday-Friday, noon-9 pm Saturday, noon-8 pm Sunday.
VARIETY STORE | One of Portland’s most promising newer breweries feels like a throwback to an era when beer establishments operated out of bare-bones industrial spaces designed mostly for production. But the brews here are anything but retro. Threshold’s offerings are part of a new wave, post-craft beer bubble where anything goes. The lineup changes frequently and can include everything from a chocolate-covered plum-inspired ale to a grzaniec—a hot mulled beer that’s a nod to brewer and co-owner Jarek Szymanski’s Polish heritage. You’ll also find an edible tribute to his home country on the small food menu: zapiekanka, a traditional street food similar to a pizza log with a secret ketchup recipe and toppings like house-brined cucumbers, imported morski cheese, mushrooms and Polish sausage. Threshold punches above its weight class when it comes to hazy IPAs and fruited beers reminiscent of the legendary versions popularized in New England, but no matter what ends up in your glass, each visit should offer something new, fun and tongue-stunning. EZRA JOHNSON-GREENOUGH.
DRINK THIS: Any hazy IPA on the menu.
Wayfinder Beer ★★
304 SE 2nd Ave., 503-718-2337, wayfinder.beer. Noon-9 pm Sunday-Thursday, noon-10 pm Friday-Saturday.
AT LAGERHEADS | Portland’s industrial inner eastside still feels like the gritty city captured on film decades ago in Drugstore Cowboy, and resident Wayfinder looks like the brewpub that time forgot thanks to its rustic brick walls and sprawling warehouse aesthetics. The taproom sits behind an elevated gated deck, as if the last vestiges of Old Portland had walled themselves off with their favorite beer styles. Inside, you’ll find a monument to the lager, with a tap list dominated by refreshing malt- and yeast-driven beers, like a Czech-style Pilsner and a helles. This is coming from the brewery that invented the cold IPA, though using adjunct grains, like corn and rice, and the house lager yeast at much warmer fermentation temperatures. The food is as good as the beer—it’s like a brewery version of a steakhouse, even if half the customers are vegan metalheads who won’t touch the smoked prime rib cheesesteak, but will crush the cauliflower banh mi sandwich and a Vienna lager. EZRA JOHNSON-GREENOUGH.
DRINK THIS: Hell is a pale blond beauty with honeylike cracker graininess and just enough hops as well as a crisp finish to remind you that it’s a lager beer.
Zoiglhaus Brewing ★
5716 SE 92nd Ave., 971-339-2374, zoiglhaus.com. Noon-9:30 pm daily.
PROST | Walking into The Zed, Zoiglhaus’ brewpub turned food hall, is a disorienting experience. What started in 2015 as a bright and colorful, family-friendly love letter to its namesake—small communal home breweries that date back centuries in Germany—is now a bustling and dimly lit mish-mash of culinary cultures. Trading out its German food menu (except for a handful of items available only on weekends), Zoiglhaus now serves Venezuelan, Nepalese, Thai and American food from four kitchen stalls. The beer hasn’t changed, though. If you come here looking for an IPA, you will find one, but Zoiglhaus’ strength lies in its German styles that don’t veer far from the classics, and brewer Alan Taylor has the awards to prove it. From the counter-service bar, you will almost always find world-class and unfiltered versions of Pilsner, helles, Kölsch and black lager brewed with Northwest ingredients that really cut the heat and complement a plate of steaming Sherpa Kitchen dumplings, pairings so good you’ll hardly miss the schnitzel. EZRA JOHNSON-GREENOUGH.
DRINK THIS: There aren’t many places in town where you can find a Kölsch, especially one like Zoigl-Kölsch, which has a crackery flavor and lemony-floral aroma.