The short answer
Portland, nicknamed Beervana, has more than 70 breweries, and these are the ones worth a trip. Inner Southeast has the highest density: Wayfinder for the city's best lagers, plus Baerlic and Ruse. Northeast brings Great Notion's cult hazy IPAs and Breakside's award-winning IPA. North Portland has Occidental in Cathedral Park and StormBreaker on Mississippi. The Pearl's Deschutes and 10 Barrel are convenient but touristy; the east side pours better beer. The best crawls are done on foot or by bike.
Best lagers
Wayfinder Beer pours the best lagers in Portland, with house-made sausages and an excellent food menu.
Cult hazies
Great Notion's Alberta taproom is known for hazy IPAs and fruited sours; can releases sell out in hours.
Decorated IPA
Breakside IPA is the most-decorated IPA in GABF history.
Skip the Pearl
Pearl District breweries are convenient but touristy; the east side has better options.
Crawl by bike
SE and NE have 20+ breweries within biking distance; renting a bike solves the designated-driver problem.
Unusual settings
Steeplejack brews in a restored church; Von Ebert's Glendoveer taproom has a chef-driven kitchen.
If you only hit three taprooms
Portland is "Beervana" — a city with more than 70 breweries and a beer culture that treats craft brewing the way wine country treats winemaking. Every neighborhood has at least one brewery worth visiting, and most have three or four. The scene ranges from experimental sour houses to old-school German-style lagerschenkes, with everything in between. You don't need a guided tour — just walk into any neighborhood and follow your nose.
What sets Portland apart from other beer cities isn't just the quantity — it's the variety and the quality floor. Even the "average" Portland brewery is making beer that would be the best option in most cities. The brewing community is collaborative, too: brewers share techniques, host collaboration brews, and genuinely root for each other. The result is a scene where innovation is constant, quality is high, and the atmosphere is welcoming whether you're a beer geek or someone who just wants something cold and good.
Inner Southeast Breweries
Southeast Portland's inner neighborhoods — Buckman, Industrial, and the Central Eastside — have the highest brewery density in the city. You can hit four or five world-class taprooms without driving. Pair a SE Portland brewery crawl with dinner at one of the city's best restaurants nearby.
| Brewery | Where | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Wayfinder Beer | Inner Southeast | Best lagers in Portland; excellent food menu |
| Baerlic Brewing | Inner Southeast | Unfussy, well-made beers and a great outdoor patio |
| Ruse Brewing | Brooklyn | Small-batch, rotating taps |
| Great Notion Brewing | Alberta | Hazy IPAs, fruited sours, and pastry stouts |
| Breakside Brewery | Northeast | Most-decorated IPA in GABF history |
| Occidental Brewing | Cathedral Park, St. Johns | German-style lagers and wheat beers |
| StormBreaker Brewing | Mississippi and St. Johns | Dependable beers and a big patio |
| Deschutes Brewery | Pearl District | Oregon classics |
| 10 Barrel Brewing | Pearl District | Rooftop bar with downtown views |
| Von Ebert Brewing | Glendoveer | Chef-driven food program alongside the beer |
Wayfinder Beer
Inner Southeast
The best lagers in Portland, hands down. The Czech-style pilsner and Japanese rice lager are impeccable. The food menu is excellent too — house-made sausages, pretzels, and a burger that rivals dedicated restaurants.
Baerlic Brewing
Inner SoutheastNeighborhood brewery with unfussy, well-made beers and a great outdoor patio. Exactly what a local taproom should be. The Eastside Oatmeal Stout is a year-round favorite.
Ruse Brewing
BrooklynSmall-batch, rotating taps in the Brooklyn neighborhood, south of the Central Eastside. Every visit is different, and the quality is consistently high. A favorite among Portland's beer community.
The Central Eastside Industrial District deserves special mention. This area south of Burnside has transformed from warehouses into one of Portland's most dynamic neighborhoods, with breweries, distilleries, and restaurants packed into former industrial spaces. You can walk between several of them in an afternoon, with plenty of other bars and restaurants along the way.
Northeast Portland Breweries
Northeast has some of Portland's most popular and inventive breweries, with taprooms spread across the Alberta and Hollywood neighborhoods. The vibe here is a bit more neighborhood-focused than SE — you'll be drinking alongside locals rather than tourists.
Great Notion Brewing
AlbertaHazy IPAs, fruited sours, and pastry stouts with a cult following. The Alberta taproom has excellent food and is always buzzing. Double Stack and Blueberry Muffin are staples. Can releases regularly sell out in hours.
Breakside Brewery
Northeast
Award-winning IPA and a constant rotation of experimental releases. Breakside IPA is the most-decorated IPA in GABF history — gold in 2014, bronze as recently as 2025. Expect a rotating list of one-offs alongside the flagships, and get the Buffalo wrap with it.
North Portland Breweries
North Portland's brewery scene is quietly excellent and significantly less crowded than SE or NE on weekends. If you're staying in North Portland — St. Johns, Kenton, or Overlook — you have several excellent options within a short drive or bike ride.
Occidental Brewing
St. JohnsGerman-style lagers and wheat beers done right. The Kolsch is crisp and perfect for a summer afternoon. The taproom sits in Cathedral Park, a short walk from the St. Johns Bridge.
StormBreaker Brewing
MississippiSolid, dependable beers and a big patio in the Mississippi neighborhood. A good spot to start or end a Mississippi Ave crawl. The Triple IPA is not for beginners. There is a second taproom on N Lombard in St. Johns.
Pearl District & Northwest
The Pearl District has Portland's most tourist-visible breweries. Good beer, premium locations, bigger crowds. These work well if you're already in the area for Powell's Books or NW 23rd shopping, but don't make a special trip across town just for the beer — the east side has better options.
Deschutes Brewery
Pearl DistrictBend's flagship Portland location. Mirror Pond and Fresh Squeezed are Oregon classics. The Pearl District taproom has a solid food menu and is a reliable option after a Powell's visit.
10 Barrel Brewing
Pearl DistrictRooftop bar with downtown views and a rotating tap list. Good for groups and people-watching. The rooftop is one of the best warm-weather drinking spots in the city.
Destination Breweries
These breweries are worth a trip for the setting alone — unusual spaces, ambitious food programs, or just something you won't find elsewhere.
Set in a beautifully restored church with stained glass windows and soaring ceilings. The space alone is worth the trip. Wide range of styles on tap, and the atmosphere is unlike anything else in Portland.
Von Ebert Brewing
GlendoveerThe Glendoveer taproom pairs the beer with a genuinely chef-driven food program — the kind of kitchen most breweries don't attempt. The Pearl District location closed in 2024.
Beyond Beer: Cider, Wine & Spirits
Portland's craft beverage scene extends well beyond beer. If someone in your group isn't a beer drinker, they'll still have an excellent time. Enso Winery is an urban winery in the Central Eastside, pouring Willamette Valley wines without the drive to wine country. New Deal Distillery in inner SE has paused tastings and tours but still sells bottles out of the distillery. Several breweries also have cider and wine on tap for non-beer drinkers.
Planning a Brewery Crawl
The best brewery crawls in Portland are walkable. Here are three routes that work without a car: Inner SE Crawl — Wayfinder → Baerlic, an easy walk across Buckman, with Ruse worth a short ride further south to Brooklyn. Alberta/Mississippi Crawl — Great Notion on Alberta, then StormBreaker on the Mississippi side; it's a long walk or a quick bike ride between the two districts, with food carts and shops along the way. St. Johns Crawl — Occidental → StormBreaker's St. Johns taproom on N Lombard, then dinner on the St. Johns main street. Each route takes a couple of hours at a relaxed pace with a flight or pint at each stop.
Insider Tip
Skip the Pearl District if you're short on time — the best beer is in the neighborhoods. SE and NE Portland have 20+ breweries within biking distance of each other. If you're visiting in summer, check our Portland summer events guide for beer festivals and outdoor concerts to pair with your brewery crawl.
Insider Tip
Portland is one of the most bike-friendly cities in America. Rent a bike and brewery-hop — it's how locals do it, and it solves the designated-driver problem. Stay in a Northeast Portland rental to be walking distance from Great Notion and Breakside.
Insider Tip
Want to work a brewery crawl into a full weekend? Our Portland food itinerary weaves craft beer into a two-day plan anchored in inner SE, and the Portland weekend itinerary adds one brewery to the classic two-night greatest-hits loop. Both include a map and matching vacation rentals.
