Portland: A Beer Lover's Paradise

This sudsy destination boasts more breweries than your typical city—or any city—earning itself nicknames like “Beervana” and “Beertown.” Round up your pals and head out on a beer adventure.

Hit the Brewpubs

For lunch, dinner or an afternoon pint with friends, Portland's brewpubs offer up exceptional grub and a seemingly infinite lineup of beer. If you're downtown, head to the Bridgeport Brewing Company. While the '80s might not seem that long ago, in beer years it may as well be centuries. When Bridgeport Brewing Company got started in 1984, it was the first and only microbrewery in the city. Portland is a bike-friendly city, and Hopworks Bikebar, owned by Hopworks Urban Brewery, takes this bike thing seriously. Park your bike at one of the 75 designated bike parking spaces and dine in, or order bike-friendly takeout for your afternoon picnic.

Explore the Bottle Shops

When you're ready for some really tough decisions, head to one of Portland's bottle shops. These specialty beer stores stock countless bottles and cans ranging from fine exotic imports that look, pour and taste more like fine champagne to your more standard ales and pilsners. Buy a bottle to enjoy on site, and pick up a few exotics to take home. And don't forget to check the rotating taps. Belmont Station in Southeast is a must-see stop with 1,200-plus bottles and cans including local brews and imports. When beer overload sets in, head to Beer Mongers—just 600 bottles to choose from—for a well-curated selection.

Check out the Tasting Rooms

Tasting rooms are a great way to experience some of Portland's 60-plus craft breweries. Brewery tasting rooms offer the wine-tasting experience, only with beer. Hitting the tasting rooms is a daytime adventure, ideally after lunch and before dinner—as they don't typically serve food or stay open late—so grab a bite before heading out. For a good Belgian-style brew or a farmhouse ale made with locally grown ingredients, head to Upright Brewing on North Broadway. In Southeast, try the Commons Brewery for its European-style beers and rotating taps. Taproom hours tend to be limited, so call ahead or make a backup plan to visit a brewpub.

Brew’n’View Theaters

Can’t decide if you should sample some good microbrews or go see a movie? How about both? With brew-n-view theaters, a favorite in Portland, you can order food, sip a craft brew and catch a film at the same time. Laurelhurst Theater and Pub shows new releases, classic films and cult favorites. Order dinner and a pint or a pitcher of craft brew to enjoy during the show. After 5:30 p.m. it’s a 21-and-over venue. For a more offbeat film experience, head to Living Room Theaters in Southwest Portland for dinner and a brew. It serves some of Oregon's best beers and has rotating taps. After 7 p.m., it's 21 and over.

Fill-up Stations

Fill 'er up now applies to beer, with stations to fill your growlers—large, refillable beer bottles—popping up all over the city. Need groceries and a refill? Head to Zupan's on Belmont in Southeast, Portland's answer to the supermarket, where you can buy groceries for your hotel room, stock up for a picnic and fill up your growler at one of the growler stations. The Growler Guys is a good spot to fill up with beer on tap from Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Pick up lunch from any of the nearby to-go spots and enjoy it over a pint while your growlers fill.

Take a Beer Tour

Leave the planning and the driving to the professionals and get in on Portland's brew scene with a beer tour. If you don't mind doing a little legwork, sign up for a Pedalounge tour. You literally sit at a moving bar and pedal your way around the city from brewpub to brewpub with a dozen of your new best friends. If you'd rather stretch your legs and burn off a few beer calories between stops, sign up for a walking tour of the best of Portland's beer scene. Hanging with a group? Get everyone on board and sign up for a private group tour of the city's beer-loving hangouts.