The U.S. state of Oregon is home to more than 200 breweries and brew pubs that produce a large variety of beer.
Many sources credit Swiss-born Henry Saxer and his Liberty Brewery as being Oregon's first commercial brewery (supposedly opening in 1852); however, the first verifiable record of a brewery in Oregon is an advertisement in the August 5, 1854, issue of The Weekly Oregonian for Charles Barrett's Portland Brewery and General Grocery Establishment. [1] [2]
According to a 2014 report by the Beer Institute, Oregon had 208 breweries, a number exceeded by only three states – California (with 509 breweries), Washington (251), and Colorado (217). [7] As of July 2015, Oregon was home to 234 brewing facilities operated by 194 brewing companies. [8] There are also many nanobreweries in Oregon. Many breweries have won nationwide and international acclaim.
Alongside brewing, hops have a historical presence in Oregon. Hop production in Oregon began in 1867 when William Wells planted his first crop in Buena Vista, Oregon. This grew throughout the 20th century, when Oregon was dubbed the "Hop Center of the World" for its production around Independence, Oregon, in Polk County. Hop production later saw some decline due to mildew and mechanical picking technology; however, Oregon remains the second largest hop producing state in the US. [9]
Oregon State University began planting and experimenting with hops as early as 1893. Dr. Alfred Haunold influenced modern and popular hop varieties through his work with food studies. The Fermentation Science Program established itself in 1995 and further aided the study of hops and brewing at Oregon State, followed by the creation of the Oregon Hops and Brewing Archives in 2013. [9]
The Oregon Brewers Guild was established in 1992 to promote Oregon breweries; it is the second-oldest nonprofit brewer trade association in the United States. [10]
The following are some Oregon-based breweries. The list includes some large brewing companies that have regional or national distribution. Oregon also has many mid-size and small breweries. Most of them produce kegs of beer to be served on draft at taverns and restaurants. Many of them also package their beer in bottles or cans. Some production breweries have taprooms where patrons can drink the beer that is produced onsite. And some breweries are brewpubs – full-service restaurants that brew their own beer.
The Oregon Brewers Festival the largest gathering of independent craft brewers in the United States. [44]
The Gold Beach Brew & Art Festival is always held the Saturday after Labor Day. It is the oldest brew festival in southern Oregon and on the Oregon Coast. [45]
Oregon is host to several other beer oriented festivals throughout the year, each with their own unique focus and feel.
F.H. Steinbart is a homebrew supply store on SE 12th Avenue in Portland, Oregon. It is the oldest homebrew supply store in the country and helped nurture the vibrant Pacific Northwest craft-brewing scene. [46] [47] President Jimmy Carter signed HR 1337 into law in 1978, which legalized homebrewing at the federal level. [48] In the years that followed, many commercial brewers began as homebrewer customers who were introduced to the company by buying supplies there – the Widmers and McMenamins brothers were customers. [49]
Owner John DeBenedetti helped establish the Oregon Brew Crew in 1980; it is Oregon's largest active homebrew club and meets monthly in the FH Steinbart warehouse. [47]
(Discontinued in 2018)
Year | Award | Brewery | Brew Master | City |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Champion Brewery (Very Small) | Arch Rock Brewing Co. | James Smith | Gold Beach |
2014 | Champion Brewery (Small) | Pelican Brewery | Darron Welch, Steve Panos | Pacific City |
2012 | Champion Brewpub (Large) | Pelican Pub & Brewery | Darron R S Welch | Pacific City |
2008 | Champion Brewpub (Small) | Bend Brewing Company | Tonya Cornett | Bend |
2004 | Champion Brewpub (Small) | Laurelwood Pub & Brewery | Christian Ettinger | Portland |
Year [50] | Award | Brew Name | Brewery | Category |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Bronze | Disorder | Barley Brown's Brew Pub | American-Style Stout |
2018 | Silver | Breakside Wanderlust IPA | Breakside Brewery & Taproom | American-Style Strong Pale Ale |
2018 | Bronze | BayWatch | Elk Horn Brewery | American-Style Wheat Beer with Yeast |
2018 | Gold | Breakside Lunch Break ISA | Breakside Brewery & Taproom | Australian-Style Pale Ale or International-Style Pale Ale |
2018 | Silver | Doggerland | Oakshire Brewing | Baltic-Style Porter |
2018 | Gold | Nectarine Golden Ale | pFriem Family Brewers | Belgian-Style Fruit Beer |
2018 | Gold | Baywindow | 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend | Berliner-Style Weisse |
2018 | Bronze | Fantastic Voyage | Gigantic Brewing Co. | Brett Beer |
2018 | Silver | FivePine Chocolate Porter | Three Creeks Production | Brown Porter |
2018 | Gold | Shanghai'd IPA | Old Town Brewing | English-Style India Pale Ale |
2018 | Silver | Breakside Old World IPA | Breakside Brewery & Beer Hall | English-Style India Pale Ale |
2018 | Bronze | Orbiter IPA | Ecliptic Brewing | English-Style India Pale Ale |
2018 | Gold | Beaverton Blonde | Golden Valley Brewery | English-Style Summer Ale |
2018 | Gold | Sn4 Cuvée | Logsdon Farmhouse Ales | Experimental Beer |
2018 | Silver | Passionate Envy | 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub | Fruit Wheat Beer |
2018 | Silver | IPA No. 5 | Ground Breaker Brewing | Gluten-Free Beer |
2018 | Gold | 67 Blonde Ale | Public Coast Brewing Co. | Golden or Blonde Ale |
2018 | Gold | Pilsner | Old Town Brewing | Historical Beer |
2018 | Gold | Good, Not Great | StormBreaker Brewing | Imperial Red Ale |
2018 | Silver | ZuurPruin | Logsdon Farmhouse Ales | Mixed Culture Brett Beer |
2018 | Silver | McKay's Scottish Ale | Three Creeks Brewing Co. | Scotch Ale |
2018 | Gold | Double Stack | Great Notion Brewing | Specialty Beer |
2018 | Gold | Queen of Hearts | Pelican Brewing Co. – Pacific City | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer |
2016 | Gold | Turmoil | Barley Brown's Brew Pub | American-Style Black Ale |
2016 | Gold | Pistol River Pale | Arch Rock Brewing Co. | American-Style Pale Ale |
2016 | Bronze | DAM Wild – Hops and Lemon Verbena | Flat Tail Brewing Co. | American-Style Sour Ale |
2016 | Gold | Fuzztail | Sunriver Brewing | American-Style Wheat Beer with Yeast |
2016 | Bronze | Lost Meridian Wit | Base Camp Brewing Co. | American-Style Wheat Beer with Yeast |
2016 | Silver | Breakside Lunch Break ISA | Breakside Brewery | Australian- or International-Style Pale Ale |
2016 | Bronze | Stormwatcher's Winterfest | Pelican Brewing Co. – Pacific City | Barley Wine-Style Ale |
2016 | Silver | Raise the Roost | Portland Brewing | Belgian-Style Pale Ale or Blonde Ale |
2016 | Gold | Capella Porter | Ecliptic Brewing | Brown Porter |
2016 | Silver | Hellcat | Fort George Brewery + Public House | Chili Beer |
2016 | Gold | Caldera Ashland Amber | Caldera Brewing Co. | Classic English-Style Pale Ale |
2016 | Bronze | Breakside ESB | Breakside Brewery – Pub Brewery | Classic English-Style Pale Ale |
2016 | Bronze | Breakside Will's Alt | Breakside Brewery – Pub Brewery | German-Style Altbier |
2016 | Gold | Lucubrator | Occidental Brewing Co. | German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock |
2016 | Gold | Volkssekt | Bend Brewing Co. | German-Style Sour Ale |
2016 | Silver | Stumblers Stout | Columbia River Brewing Co. | Oatmeal Stout |
2016 | Bronze | Sasquatch Shadow | Elk Horn Brewery | Oatmeal Stout |
2016 | Gold | Brilliant | 10 Barrel Brewing Co. | Other Strong Beer |
2016 | Silver | Breakside Smoked Porter | Breakside Brewery – Pub Brewery | Smoke Beer |
2014 | Gold | Turmoil | Barley Brown's Brew Pub | American-Style Black Ale |
2014 | Bronze | Flemish Kiss | Commons Brewery (The) | American-Style Brett Beer |
2014 | Gold | Black Flag Imperial Stout | Beer Valley Brewing Co. | American-Style Imperial Stout |
2014 | Silver | Block & Tackle Stout | Chetco Brewing Co. | American-Style Imperial Stout |
2014 | Bronze | Citrus Mistress | Hop Valley Brewing Co. | American-Style India Pale Ale |
2014 | Bronze | Ching Ching | Bend Brewing Co. | American-Style Sour Ale |
2014 | Bronze | Power to the People | 10 Barrel Brewing – Boise Pub | American-Style Stout |
2014 | Bronze | DD Blonde | Hop Valley Brewing Co. | American-Style Wheat Beer |
2014 | Gold | Hefeweizen | Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. | American-Style Wheat Beer With Yeast |
2014 | Silver | Silverspot IPA | Pelican Brewery | English-Style India Pale Ale |
2014 | Gold | Mother Lode Golden Ale | Laurelwood Brewing Co. | English-Style Summer Ale |
2014 | Gold | Cucumber Crush | 10 Barrel Brewing Co. | Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer |
2014 | Silver | I'd Like to Buy the World a Kölsch | Old Town Brewing Co. | German-Style Kölsch/Köln-Style Kölsch |
2014 | Gold | Kiwanda Cream Ale | Pelican Brewery | Golden or Blonde Ale |
2014 | Bronze | Paulie's Not Irish Red | Old Town Brewing Co. | Irish-Style Red Ale |
2014 | Gold | Cerasus | Logsdon Organic Farm Brewery | Other Belgian-Style Ale |
2014 | Gold | Scottish Ale | Two Kilts Brewing Co. | Scottish-Style Ale |
2014 | Gold | Pipewrench | Gigantic Brewing | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer |
2012 | Gold | Peche 'n Brett | Logsdon Farmhouse Ales | American-Style Brett Ale |
2012 | Gold | Ching Ching | Bend Brewing Co. | American-Style Sour Ale |
2012 | Bronze | DD Blonde | Hop Valley Brewing Co. | American-Style Wheat Beer |
2012 | Gold | Stormwatcher's Winterfest | Pelican Pub & Brewery | Barley Wine-Style Ale |
2012 | Bronze | Caldera Ashland Amber | Caldera Brewing Co. | Classic English-Style Pale Ale |
2012 | Bronze | Breakside Dry Stout | Breakside Brewery | Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout |
2012 | Silver | Drunken Elf Stout | Columbia River Brewing Co. | Coffee Beer |
2012 | Bronze | Mother Lode Golden Ale | Laurelwood Brewing Co. | English-Style Summer Ale |
2012 | Bronze | Urban Farmhouse Ale | Commons Brewery (The) | French- & Belgian-Style Saison |
2012 | Bronze | Oyster Stout | Upright Brewing Co. | Indigenous Beer |
2012 | Silver | Stumblers Stout | Columbia River Brewing Co. | Oatmeal Stout |
2012 | Gold | MacPelican's Scottish Style Ale | Pelican Pub & Brewery | Scottish-Style Ale |
2010 | Gold | Session Black | Full Sail Brewing Co. | American-Style Dark Lager |
2010 | Gold | Shredders Wheat | Barley Brown's Brew Pub | American-Style Wheat |
2010 | Bronze | DD Blonde | Hop Valley Brewing Co. | American-Style Wheat |
2010 | Silver | Caldera Pilot Rock Porter | Caldera Brewing Co. | Brown Porter |
2010 | Silver | Organic Velvet ESB | Hopworks Urban Brewery | Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter |
2010 | Bronze | ALT | Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. | German-Style Brown Ale/Duesseldorf-Style Altbier |
2010 | Bronze | Gose | Upright Brewing Co. | German-Style Sour Ale |
2010 | Gold | Drop Top | Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. | Ordinary Bitter |
2010 | Silver | MacPelican's Scottish Style Ale | Pelican Pub & Brewery | Scottish-Style Ale |
2010 | Gold | Caldera Rauch Ur Bock | Caldera Brewing Co. | Smoked Beer |
2010 | Silver | Smoke Ale | Rogue Ales | Smoked Beer |
2010 | Gold | Bachelor Bitter | Deschutes Brewery | Special Bitter or Best Bitter |
2010 | Gold | Outback X | Bend Brewing Co. | Strong Ale |
2008 | Gold | Doryman's Dark Ale | Pelican Pub & Brewery | American-Style Brown Ale |
2008 | Gold | Black Diamond Lager | Bend Brewing Co. | American-Style Dark Lager |
2008 | Gold | Widmer Hefeweizen | Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. | American-Style Hefeweizen |
2008 | Bronze | India Pelican Ale | Pelican Pub & Brewery | American-Style India Pale Ale |
2008 | Gold | Widmer Pale Ale | Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. | American-Style Pale Ale |
2008 | Gold | Organic IPA | Hopworks Urban Brewery | American-Style Strong Pale Ale |
2008 | Silver | HUB Organic Lager | Hopworks Urban Brewery | Bohemian-Style Pilsener |
2008 | Gold | BridgePort Beertown Brown | BridgePort Brewing Co. | English-Style Brown Ale |
2008 | Bronze | Tsunami Stout | Pelican Pub & Brewery | Foreign (Export)-Style Stout |
2008 | Gold | Deschutes Brewery Sorghum Beer | Deschutes Brewery | Gluten Free Beer |
2008 | Silver | Kiwanda Cream Ale | Pelican Pub & Brewery | Golden or Blonde Ale |
2008 | Silver | Organic Deranger | Laurelwood Brewing Co. | Imperial or Double Red Ale |
2008 | Silver | BridgePort Blue Heron Pale Ale | BridgePort Brewing Co. | Ordinary Bitter |
2008 | Gold | Morimoto Soba Ale | Rogue Ales | Specialty Beer |
2008 | Bronze | Morimota Black Obi Soba Ale | Rogue Ales | Specialty Beer |
2008 | Gold | Outback X | Bend Brewing Co. | Strong Ale |
2006 | Bronze | Session Premium Lager | Full Sail Brewing Co. | American Cream Ale or Lager |
2006 | Bronze | Caldera Dry Hop Red | Caldera Brewing Co. | American-Style Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter |
2006 | Bronze | Pyramid Hefeweizen | Pyramid Alehouse/Breweries Inc | American-Style Hefeweizen |
2006 | Silver | India Pelican Ale | Pelican Pub & Brewery | American-Style India Pale Ale |
2006 | Gold | Shakespeare Stout | Rogue Ales | American-Style Stout |
2006 | Bronze | Pyramid Crystal Weizen | Pyramid Alehouse/Breweries Inc | American-Style Wheat Beer |
2006 | Gold | Caldera Pilsener Bier | Caldera Brewing Co. | Cellar or Unfiltered Beer |
2006 | Silver | Kiwanda Cream Ale | Pelican Pub & Brewery | Golden or Blonde Ale |
2006 | Bronze | Organic Deranger | Laurelwood Public House & Brewery | Imperial or Double Red Ale |
2006 | Gold | Blue Heron Pale Ale | BridgePort Brewing Co. | Ordinary Bitter |
2006 | Silver | Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale | Rogue Ales | Specialty Beer |
2004 | Gold | Organic Free Range Red | Laurelwood Public House & Brewery | American-Style (Extra Special) Strong Bitter |
2004 | Gold | Widmer Hefeweizen | Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. | American-Style Hefeweizen |
2004 | Bronze | Piston Pale Ale | Laurelwood Public House & Brewery | American-Style Pale Ale |
2004 | Gold | Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale | Full Sail Brewing Co. | Barley Wine-Style Ale |
2004 | Bronze | Wasco Indian Summer Ale | Alameda Brewing Co. | English-Style India Pale Ale |
2004 | Gold | Space Stout | Laurelwood Public House & Brewery | Foreign (Export)-Style Stout |
2004 | Silver | Tsunami Stout | Pelican Pub & Brewery | Foreign (Export)-Style Stout |
2004 | Gold | Kiwanda Cream Ale | Pelican Pub & Brewery | Golden or Blonde Ale |
2004 | Silver | Double Deranger | Laurelwood Public House & Brewery | Imperial or Double Red Ale |
2004 | Bronze | Blue Heron Pale Ale | BridgePort Brewing Co. | Ordinary Bitter |
2004 | Silver | Organic Tree Hugger Porter | Laurelwood Public House & Brewery | Robust Porter |
2004 | Silver | Caldera Rauch Ur Bock | Caldera Brewing Co. | Smoke-Flavored Beer |
2002 | Silver | Doryman's Dark Ale | Pelican Pub & Brewery | American-Style Brown Ale |
2002 | Gold | Piston Pale Ale | Laurelwood Public House & Brewery | American-Style Pale Ale |
2002 | Silver | Bridge Port India Pale Ale | BridgePort Brewing Co. | American-Style Pale Ale |
2002 | Silver | Obsidian Stout | Deschutes Brewery | Foreign Style Stout |
2002 | Gold | Mother Lode Golden Ale | Laurelwood Public House & Brewery | Golden or Blonde Ale |
2002 | Gold | Imperial Stout | Rogue Ales | Imperial Stout |
2002 | Silver | Jubel 2000 | Deschutes Brewery | Old Ale |
2002 | Gold | Smoke | Rogue Ales | Smoke-Flavored Beer |
2000 | Silver | Doryman's Dark Ale | Pelican Pub & Brewery | American-Style Brown Ale |
2000 | Silver | Full Sail Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale | Full Sail Brewing Co. | Barley Wine-Style Ale |
2000 | Bronze | Black Butte Porter | Deschutes Brewery | Brown Porter |
2000 | Silver | Obsidian Stout | Deschutes Brewery | Foreign Style Stout |
2000 | Gold | Widmer Springfest | Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. | German-Style Brown Ale/Düsseldorf-Style |
2000 | Gold | Imperial Stout | Rogue Ales | Imperial Stout |
2000 | Silver | BridgePort IPA | BridgePort Brewing Co. | India Pale Ale |
2000 | Silver | Mocha Porter | Rogue Ales | Robust Porter |
2000 | Bronze | Smoke | Rogue Ales | Smoke Flavored Beers |
1998 | Silver | Black Butte Porter | Deschutes Brewery | Brown Porter |
1998 | Gold | Widmer Alt | Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. | German-Style Brown Ale/Düsseldorf-Style |
1998 | Gold | Smoke | Rogue Ales | Smoke-Flavored Beers (Ales or Lagers) |
1996 | Bronze | MacTarnahan's Ale | Portland Brewing Co. | American-Style Amber Ale |
1996 | Silver | Haystack Black | Portland Brewing Co. | Brown Porter |
1996 | Silver | BridgePort Porter | BridgePort Brewing Co. | Robust Porter |
Craft beer is beer manufactured by craft breweries, which typically produce smaller amounts of beer than larger "macro" breweries and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as emphasising enthusiasm, new flavours, and varied brewing techniques.
Full Sail Brewing Company is a craft brewery in Hood River, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1987, Full Sail was the first commercially successful craft brewery to bottle beer in the Pacific Northwest for retail sale, and one of Oregon's early microbreweries. The first beer packaged was Full Sail Golden Ale, followed in 1988 by Full Sail Imperial Porter, Full Sail Amber Ale, and Wassail Winter Ale.
Widmer Brothers is a brewery founded in 1984 in Portland, Oregon, by brothers Kurt and Robert Widmer. It is part of the Craft Brew Alliance, Inc., the 12th largest brewing company in the United States in 2017.
Blitz-Weinhard was a brand of beer first brewed in 1856 in Portland, Oregon. The brewery was owned by the brewer Henry Weinhard of the Weinhard family, who also made a line of soft drinks which survives to this day.
Henry Weinhard was a German-American brewer in Portland, Oregon. After immigrating to the United States in 1851, he lived in Philadelphia, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Sacramento before settling in the Portland area. Weinhard worked for others in the beer business before buying his own brewery and founded Henry Weinhard's and built its brewery complex in downtown Portland.
Deschutes Brewery is a craft brewery in the northwest United States, located in Bend, Oregon. Founded in 1988 as a brew pub, it is known for such products as Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale. In 2008, the brewery opened a second pub in the Pearl District of Portland, Oregon. Deschutes Brewery ships beer to 28 states, the District of Columbia, and around the world from its main brewing facility. The brewery is named after the Deschutes River, which runs through Oregon. As of 2016, Deschutes was the eighth-largest craft brewery and fifteenth-largest overall brewery in the U.S., producing 250,000 US beer barrels (290,000 hL) in 2012.
Hair of the Dog Brewing Company was a brewery in Portland, Oregon, United States. Several of its beers were bottle conditioned. The tasting room in southeast Portland's Buckman neighborhood closed on June 26, 2022.
The U.S. state of Vermont is home to over 100 breweries, microbreweries, nanobreweries, and brewpubs that produce a wide variety of beer.
The Henry Weinhard Brewery complex, also the Cellar Building and Brewhouse and Henry Weinhard's City Brewery, is a former brewery in Portland, Oregon. Since 2000, it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In that same year, construction began to reuse the property as a multi-block, mixed-use development known as the Brewery Blocks.
Otto Frederick Eckhardt was an American brewer, homebrewing advocate, and writer. Eckhardt is best remembered as a pioneer in the field of beer journalism, publishing a series of articles and books on the topic, including the seminal 1989 tome, The Essentials of Beer Style. At the time of his death in 2015, Eckhardt was memorialized as "the Dean of American beer writers".
Brewmaster Matt Cole partnered with Glenn Benigni, owner of Fat Head's Saloon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to open Fat Head's Brewery & Saloon in Cleveland, Ohio in 2009, with Cole supplying beer to the Pittsburgh location. A production brewery opened in Middleburg Heights, Ohio in March 2012 and another brewpub location opened in Portland, Oregon in November 2014, which has since closed. Fat Head's is known for their signature beers Head Hunter IPA and Bumble Berry Honey Blueberry Ale.
The Blackstone Brewing Company is a craft brewery in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded by Kent Taylor and Stephanie Weins in 1994, it claims to be Nashville's oldest craft brewery. The original brewpub, called Blackstone Restaurant and Brewery, opened on New Year's Eve 1994 and operated until 2016. In 2011, the company built a production brewery nearby and opened a tap house for the public in 2016. Blackstone also brews traditional European lagers for the Nashville Brewing Company. Blackstone Brewing Company has received more awards than any other brewery in Nashville, winning multiple medals at the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival.
The Keweenaw Brewing Company (KBC) is a craft brewer with a taproom in Houghton and a production facility in nearby South Range, Michigan. It is named for the Keweenaw Peninsula, which projects out to the north of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
F.H. Steinbart is a homebrew supply store on SE 12th Avenue in Portland, Oregon. It is the oldest homebrew supply store in the country and helped nurture the vibrant Pacific Northwest craft-brewing scene.
Migration Brewing is a brewery based in the U.S. state of Oregon.