We started our search for Portland best breweries at the beginning of 2019. In the 12 months that followed, we visited every brewery that calls Portland home, talking to brewers and finding out what makes them tick.

At each spot, we sampled the offerings, from IPAs to lagers to barrel-aged beers to pub styles, farmhouses and sours. What resulted was the Portland Breweries Series, a body of profiles available for anyone to dive into, whether they want to know about their favorite breweries or visit Beervana for its legendary scene.

Portland stands among the globe’s top beer cities for good reason: Everywhere we turned, world-class beer awaited. Rare was the stop where we were disappointed in the liquid gold set before us.

We visited 49 breweries. Here are the top 20.

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20

Old Town Brewing has carved out success with its IPAs, both hazy and West Coast. Beth Nakamura/Staff

Old Town Brewing is a place that often flies under the radar but shouldn’t. The brewery makes some of the best hazy IPAs around in a market awash in them. And unbeknownst to many, it has two gold medals from the Great American Beer Festival and last year won two golds at the prestigious World Beer Cup. But owner Adam Milne, sales director Joe Sanders and head brewer Andrew Lamont have combined their considerable skills to create a brewery that’s high on quality beer, tasty pizza and savvy marketing (check out Sanders’ videos on YouTube).

Details: 226 N.W. Davis St. and 5201 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.; otbrewing.com

Two to try: Shanghai’d IPA and Pillowfist hazy IPA

19

St. John's Occidental Brewing opened in the shadow of the St. Johns Bridge in 2011 and has been brewing German-styles beers ever since. Mark Graves/Staff

Dan Engler and nephew Ben Engler churned out their first beer in 2011 with the idea that German-style beers could find traction in a market heavy on IPAs. By luck or by smarts, probably the latter, they opened just ahead of a surge in the popularity of lagers. Serendipity aside, Occidental’s well-crafted, classic German styles are the greatest contributor to its success. The brewery in the shadow of North Portland’s St. Johns Bridge offers year-round and seasonal beers and recently pushed its boundaries by brewing a Mexican-style lager, Cerveza Clara.

Details: 6635 N. Baltimore Ave.; occidentalbrewing.com

Two to try: Pilsner and Hefeweizen

18

Migration Brewing won two medals at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival, bringing its total to three. Jim Ryan/Staff

When Migration opened in Northeast Portland nearly a decade ago, the brewpub quickly became a neighborhood favorite. A year ago, it parlayed its popularity and built a production facility and brewpub in Gresham, more than doubling its barrel production. In the fall, Migration pulled down two bronze medals at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival. Migration is a brewery that’s going places with its mix of styles. It has traditionally made mostly ales, but it’s now expanding into other stouts, sours, saisons and a growing barrel-aging program. Migration excels at hoppy beers, and I’m looking forward to trying more from its other styles and barrel program.

Details: 2828 N.E. Glisan St. in Portland, 18118 N.E. Wilkes Road in Gresham; 2201 Lloyd Center in Lloyd Center Burger Shack; migrationbrewing.com

Two to try: Mo-Haze-Ic hazy IPA and Cannonball double hoppy red (the two Great American Beer Festival winners)

17

Level Beer offers generally lower-alcohol beers, many in English styles, that are excellently crafted as well as varied from top to bottom of the tap list. Mark Graves/Staff

The brewery, founded in 2016 in the mostly industrial Argay neighborhood east of Portland International Airport, offers generally lower-alcohol beers, many in English styles, and they’re delicious and varied from top to bottom of the taplist. The place is special itself — a property that includes a modern-industrial taproom, spacious greenhouse patio, food-cart pod, numerous children’s play areas, and a dog run where the pooches can roam free. It’s a great spot after work or on the weekends, with tasty food truck options in the parking lot.

Details: 5211 N.E. 148th Ave. and 7840 S.W. Capitol Highway; levelbeer.com

Two to try: Game On IPA and Ready Player One dry hopped saison

16

Zoiglhaus offers traditional German-style beers as well as hoppy Northwest ales. Mark Graves/Staff

In Bavaria, five German towns uphold the centuries-old tradition of Zoigl. Residents communally make beer, then families rotate through their homes on assigned nights, sharing food, the beer they’ve made, and the warmth of one another’s company. In Southeast Portland, that tradition motivates brewmaster Alan Taylor and the crew at Zoiglhaus, which has become a community and family gathering place for the Lents neighborhood. The beer is outstanding, with mostly German styles regularly occupying eight of the 10 taps. The remaining two are dedicated to American styles — an IPA and the Ramona Red ale — that are popular for those who prefer the hoppier, more-bitter approach.

Details: 5716 S.E. 92nd Ave.; zoiglhaus.com

Two to try: Zoigl-Pils and Hopfenbombe German IPA

15

Rosenstadt Brewery has burst onto the Portland beer scene in recent years by making high-quality German-influenced beers. Mark Graves/Staff

Rosenstadt makes German-style beer in an IPA town, but that’s not all that sets it apart. Founders Tobias Hahn and Nick Greiner don’t have their own brewing facility or taproom, so they use other breweries’ systems and lager their beer at a storage facility. The reception has been enthusiastic, a reflection of the quality, with more than 300 restaurants and bars now offering Rosenstadt taps. The beers also now have a semi-home base at Olympia Provisions Public House Eatery in Southeast Portland, where a recent tap list included Vienna Lager, Weissbier, Helles Lager and Schwarzbier. Hahn and Greiner nod to the Northwest palate, especially with Funf Null Drie (503), an amazing pale ale that’s fuller-bodied than a traditional German beer.

Details: Served at Olympia Provisions Public House, 3384 S.E. Division St.; rosenstadtbrewery.com

Two to try: Vienna Lager and Schwarzbier

14

Gigantic Brewing of Southeast Portland blends well-made beers with exceptional branding to create one of the city's favorite breweries. Mark Graves/Staff

This Southeast Portland brewery and tasting room is the ideal neighborhood spot to sit and while away a few hours. It’s relaxed and funky, with regulars interacting easily with strangers venturing in. Founders and brewers Van Havig and Ben Love have set out to produce high-quality beers in their own quirky way, making beers they say don’t fit into categories or particular styles. They’ve succeeded, with many exceptional beers. Gigantic has also set itself apart with bold, dynamic branding and labeling, featuring its distinctive comic-book-like approach.

Details: 5224 S.E. 26th Ave.; giganticbrewing.com

Two to try: Gigantic IPA and Kölschtastic kolsch

13

Baerlic Brewing is quintessential Portland brewery -- a comfy cool taproom bursting with Northwest vibes. Mark Graves/Staff

The Southeast Portland taproom is one of Portland’s quintessential comfy spots, and the artisanship of founders Ben Parsons and Richard Hall is on display throughout the tap list. Dad Beer pre-Prohibition lager is crisp but rustic and robust. Punk Rock Time IPA is a light, clean West Coast IPA that shows off the hops. And the European-inspired beers — from the Eastside Pilsner to German-style offerings such as the Chill Helles lager and the Das Haze Craze Hefeweizen — are bright and malty with a light bitterness.

Details: 2235 S.E. 11th Ave. and 6035 N.E. Halsey St.; baerlicbrewing.com

Two to try: Punk Rock Time IPA and Dad Beer Pre-Prohibition Lager

12

Hair of The Dog Brewery is the first brewery of the craft era to use barrels for aging, and its known and respected around the world. Noble Guyon/Staff

Having founded one of the most venerated breweries in Portland’s illustrious beer history, Alan Sprints is rightly acknowledged as a pioneer who changed this city’s beer trajectory. He opened Hair of the Dog in 1993, revitalizing the pale-ale world of the time with big, bold, higher-alcohol beers and re-introducing an element breweries hadn’t employed in ages: barrels. The beers are as relevant and expertly crafted today as ever, deep and rich and satisfying. They make this one of the best places in town to do a vertical tasting of the same beer over different vintages. Sprints also became known for his whimsical naming conventions – beers called Fred, Adam, Bob or Lila, for example. And know this: A Hair of the Dog bottle once sold for $2,000.

Details: 61 S.E. Yamhill St.; hairofthedog.com

Two to try: Adam (Hair of the Dog’s first beer is still produced) and Fred

11

Astronomy/astrology-themed Ecliptic Brewing is the home of John Harris, a legend in Oregon brewing over the past three decades. Mark Graves/Staff

John Harris over his career has created recipes for some of Oregon’s best-known beers: Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Black Butte Porter, Jubelale, Obsidian Stout. But for the past six years, the legend has had his own place where he can create beers in his own inventive way, all under the planetary palette of an astronomy/astrology theme. The North Portland brewery opened in 2013 and makes beers that appeal for their range, quality and whimsical branding, including Carina Peach Sour, Flamingo Planet Guava Blonde Ale, Starburst and Orbiter IPAs, Capella Porter and Phaser Hazy IPA. And Ecliptic’s food menu — especially the burger — is one of the best among Portland’s brewpubs.

Details: 825 N. Cook St.; eclipticbrewing.com

Two to try: Carina Peach Sour and Capella Porter

10

Montavilla Brew Works is a local gem -- a small brewery and tasting room cherished by neighborhood residents. Mark Graves/Staff

Montavilla Brew Works brews “no-nonsense, integrity-driven beers,” says founder and owner Michael Kora. He has a clear vision for what the brewhouse puts out, specifically, beers that aren’t flashy or kitschy, and his vision is keen. You’ll find crisp, flavorful IPAs, pales, stouts and sours, but you’ll need to go elsewhere if you want a hazy IPA. This small Southeast Portland brewery and taproom is a treasure among Montavilla neighborhood residents, and it’s also one of the most underrated and overlooked spots citywide.

Details: 7805 S.E. Stark St.; montavillabrew.com

Two to try: Flam Tap IPA and Plywood Pilsner

9

Portland beer icon Art Larrance built Cascade Brewing into a widely hailed pioneer of the Northwest-style sour beer movement and a tourist destination for those coming to partake in the city’s renowned beer scene. Mark Graves/Staff

More than 20 years ago, Portland brewing icon Art Larrance opened Cascade Brewing. But the brewery would make a name for itself in 2006, when he and brewer Ron Gansberg pivoted onto a path less traveled: sour beers. The about-face would change everything, and in short time Cascade would be widely hailed as a pioneer of the Northwest-style sour beer movement and a tourist destination for those coming to partake in the city’s renowned beer scene. Cascade remains the gold standard for barrel-aged Northwest sour ales, and the tap list is loaded with exquisite gems that will linger in your memory until you head back for more.

Details: The Lodge at Cascade Brewing at 7424 S.W. Beaverton Hillsdale Highway and Cascade Brewing Barrel House at 939 S.E. Belmont St.; cascadebrewingbarrelhouse.com

Two to try: Kriek and Manhattan NW

8

Great Notion Brewing owners Andy Miller, Paul Reiter and James Dugan (from left) took Portland by storm in 2016 when they introduced their New England IPAs, fruited sours and culinary-inspired beers to the city. Andre Meunier/Staff

On New Year’s Day 2016, Great Notion Brewing opened and introduced Portland to a new beer style: the New England IPA, and Juice Jr. turned the city’s vaunted craft beer scene on its ear. The new, boundary-pushing brewery would quickly become Portland’s biggest beer story of the past half-decade, making seriously innovative beer – including culinary-inspired beers — while not taking its innovation too seriously. At Great Notion, you will be served beers with astonishingly creative flavors that are like nothing you’ve had before.

Details: 2204 N.E. Alberta St. #101; 2444 N.W. 28th Ave.; and coming soon to Cedar Mill at 230 N.W. Lost Spring Terrace, Suite 10; greatnotion.com

Two to try: Juice Jr. hazy IPA and Blueberry Muffin fruited sour

7

Charles Porter and wife Brenda Crow offer some of the city's best wild, aged and mixed-fermentation beers at Little Beast. Mark Graves/Staff

Charles Porter, a founder of esteemed Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, now creates his wild, aged and mixed-fermentation beers at his and wife Brenda Crow’s place: Little Beast. He brings inventive twists to classic Belgian and European style beers, including saisons and pilsners. Porter uses cultures to create elegant tart-profiled beers, as well as fruit, wild flora and wood-aging to construct layers of remarkable depth and character. And Crow has created a menu featuring her delectable twists on classic American pub fare.

Details: 3412 S.E. Division St.; littlebeastbrewing.com

Two to try: Fera and Animal Family

6

Devin Benware (left) and Shaun Kalis, co-founders of Ruse Brewing, opened their Southeast Portland taproom in July 2018. In 2019, The Oregonian/OregonLive named Ruse its Brewery of the Year. Mark Graves/Staff

Founders Devin Benware and Shaun Kalis opened the doors to Ruse in July 2018 and were initially focused on farmhouses and IPAs. The pair, however, have evolved into generalists who are experts at whatever they craft, cranking out flawless beers across the spectrum of styles. Last year saw Ruse rise to become one of the elite breweries in Portland, a rising star earning The Oregonian/OregonLive’s recognition as Brewery of the Year for 2019.

Details: 4784 S.E. 17th Ave.; rusebrewing.com

Two to try: Papyrus Iris hazy IPA and Ruse Pilsner

5

Culmination Brewing opened four years ago in Northeast Portland's Kerns neighborhood and is best known for its flagship beer, Phaedrus IPA, but it excels across styles. Dave Killen/Staff

Master brewer and industry consultant Tomas Sluiter decided to open his own place in 2014, and ever since Culmination has been drawing enthusiastic crowds to the Northeast Portland taproom. Sluiter’s beers are imaginative and refined, served with a small but mighty food menu in a relaxed, casual neighborhood brewpub. You won’t find just a straight-forward, limited lineup of IPA, pale, amber, brown or stout beers. Instead, the brewery, puts unique twists on standard styles and adds to them with farmhouses, sours, German styles and barrel-aged beers regularly populating the tap list. Rare is the Culmination beer that’s not magnificently executed.

Details: 2117 N.E. Oregon St.; culminationbrewing.com

Two to try: Phaedrus IPA and Trou Belle Saison

4

Von Ebert Brewing has two locations, in the Pearl District and in the Glendoveer neighborhood, with both locations brewing some of the city's best beers. Mark Graves/Staff

After Fat Head’s Brewery left town, owner Tom Cook quickly re-opened the doors of the former piano showroom, reimagined the tap list, and started pulling crowds back into the new Von Ebert Brewing. Key to his success: Snagging top brewers Sam Pecoraro and Sean Burke after beloved The Commons brewery closed. Each runs the brewhouse at Von Ebert’s two sites, with Pecoraro cranking out brilliant IPAs, hazies, pilsners, pales and stouts, among others, in the Pearl District, and Burke overseeing an oak program focusing on high-end styles such as farmhouses, sours, spontaneous fermentation, German-style lagers and mixed-culture beers at Von Ebert’s Glendoveer brewpub. You want one of the best IPAs you’ve ever had? Order the Volatile Substance, The Oregonian/OregonLive’s 2019 Beer of the Year.

Details: 131 N.W. 13th Ave. and 14021 N.E. Glisan St.; vonebertbrewing.com

Two to try: Volatile Substance IPA and Haptic Reality farmhouse

3

Wayfinder Beer, since opening in fall 2016, has become one of Portland's most heralded breweries. Wayfinder is lager-centric but also serves an array of ales, including incredible IPAs. Stephanie Yao Long/Staff

In 2016, the men behind Double Mountain Brewery, Sizzle Pie pizza, Podnah’s Pit Barbecue and La Taq opened Wayfinder Beer, a lager-centric brewpub in Portland’s Central Eastside. Within a couple of years it was clear the highly anticipated partnership of Charlie Devereux, Matt Jacobson and Rodney Muirhead had surpassed already high expectations and had built one of Portland’s most heralded breweries. They also combined the brewery with food of a quality rarely found in brewpubs. One of the keys to their success? Hiring brewmaster Kevin Davey, who oversees a brewhouse producing some of the best lagers, IPAs and pub styles anywhere.

Details: 304 S.E. Second Ave.; wayfinder.beer

Two to try: Hell helles-style lagerbier and Funeral Bock black bock

2

Alex Ganum is the man behind one of Portland's lesser-known but most innovative and respected breweries — Upright Brewing. Mark Graves/Staff

At Upright, founder Alex Ganum has built Portland’s low-key hidden gem. Tucked away in the basement of the Leftbank Building near the eastside foot of the Broadway Bridge, Ganum and his small band create unassailable Belgian- and French-influenced farmhouse beers tweaked for a Northwest palate. Recently celebrating its 10th anniversary, Upright has become an open secret in this city’s craft beer scene, using mixed and wild fermentation along with barrel aging to create new beer after new beer. Along the way, Upright has built a legion of devotees who regularly make the subterranean trek into the rustic taproom steps from the Moda Center. The beers are inventive, unpredictable and jaw-droppingly good.

Details: 240 N. Broadway; upright@gmail.com

Two to try: Pathways Saison and Special Herbs farmhouse ale

1

Breakside Brewery is synonymous with Portland beer and has the wall of medals to prove it. Dave Killen/Staff

The young brewery came out of nowhere in 2014 when it brought home the top prize in the Great American Beer Festival’s coveted IPA category, and Breakside Brewery has set the standard in Portland and the nation since. Take one look at the wall of ribbons hanging behind the bar at the brewery’s Milwaukie taproom, and you begin to understand. Take a sip from one of its vaunted IPAs — or sours, or lagers, or pub styles, or barrel-aged series — and you fully comprehend. Ben Edmunds, the only brewmaster majority owner Scott Lawrence has ever needed, leads the Breakside team with smarts, energy, ambition and the keenest of palates. To know Breakside is to know the best Portland has to offer, and it’s been doing it for almost a decade. It shows no signs of slowing, bringing home three more medals at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival.

Details: 820 N.E. Dekum St.; 1570 N.W. 22nd Ave.; and 5821 S.E. International Way, Milwaukie; breakside.com

What to drink: Pick an IPA (Breakside, Wanderlust or Stay West) and Breakside Pilsner

-- Andre Meunier

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