8 Local Breweries You Have to Try in Portland this Weekend

If you're a beer lover who’s just recently moved to Portland, come of age, or just visiting the city for a short period of time, you’re in the right place. Portland has breweries, seemingly on every corner, and each one has something special to add to the collective whole that is Portland breweries. That being said, if you’re not entirely familiar with the Portland brewing scene, you might not know where to start. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best breweries in Portland.

Below, you’ll find eight local breweries you have to try in Portland this weekend.

About GiftYa

Nothing quite compares to beer poured directly from the tap and into your glass, but unfortunately it doesn’t always make for a cheap date. There’s a lot of work that goes into making beer, and GiftYa understands that, but they also understand that not everyone has the financial means to regularly go out to enjoy craft beers. That’s why they’ve partnered with a number of local breweries to help you enjoy a night out with e-gift cards. Send one to your favorite Portlad twenty-something today!

Great Notion Brewing & Barrel House

Website: greatnotion.com

Address: 2204 NE Alberta St, Ste 101, Portland, OR 97211

Neighborhood: Alberta Arts District

Not everyone enjoys the earthy undertones of a lot of traditional beers. If you fall into that category or you’re just the kind of person who enjoys seeing everything that can be done with beer, then Great Notion Brewing & Barrel House is a must-stop for you this weekend.

While they certainly have some more traditionally made beers on tap, what really sets them apart from a lot of the breweries you might have tried in the past is their eclectic menu of unique flavors.

Enjoy fruity concoctions that will make you wonder if you’re drinking craft beer or a cocktail in the form of IPAs, sours, or even stouts. The menu at Great Notion is extensive, so we’re sure you’ll find something that catches your eye there. 

Buy a GiftYa to Great Notion Brewing & Barrel House >

“These are some of the best beers I've had in Portland! The beers are super unique and this is the only place you can get them...Some of my favorites: blueberry cobbler muffin, jammy pants, and devil juice.” - Yelp Review

Wayfinder Beer

Website: wayfinder.beer

Address: 304 SE 2nd Ave, Portland, OR 97124

Neighborhood: Industrial District

Looking for a place that will serve you up some beer you know will be good? Wayfinder Beer has been winning awards locally and all over the world for the past few years - and they don’t have plans of stopping any time soon.

Enjoy their home brewed beers while you scarf down some sinfully delicious bar food (hello mac n’ beer cheese), or sip on one of the guest beers they’re featuring from other local vendors when you stop in. 

“This is hands down one of the better breweries I've experienced in Portland, but we had to be somewhat off the beaten path to find it. Don't let the industrial/warehouse location scare you and venture in!” - Yelp Review

Ecliptic Brewing

Website: eclipticbrewing.com

Address: 825 N Cook St, Portland, OR 97227

Neighborhood: Boise

What is it that elevates a good brewery with some pretty fantastic beers on tap to a great brewery you’ll want to return to again and again? One that makes sure your visit is an experience to remember.

At Ecliptic Brewing, they’ve taken all the good things you’d find at any old brewery and pushed them one step further - by incorporating a theme throughout their entire establishment! Not only is their beer delicious, but the entire brewery is space themed.

That’s right! Ecliptic Brewery is every nerd’s dream: equipped with IPAs, lagers, and stouts named after celestial entities ranging from stars to planets to astronomical phenomena.

Buy a GiftYa to Ecliptic Brewing >

“Great beer and unlike other breweries with only ‘pub food’, Ecliptic's food is a step up above the rest.  Menu is always rotating too, so it doesn't get boring.” - Yelp Review

Baerlic Brewing Co.

Website: baerlicbrewing.com

Address: 2235 SE 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97214

Neighborhood: Hosford-Abernathy

As one of the more well-known breweries in Portland, there’s a good chance you’ve at least heard of Baerlic if you’ve been living in the area for a while. Whether or not you’ve been before will have been up to you, but we have a feeling you won’t want to miss out on trying this one.

According to the founders, “baerlic” is an Old English word meaning “of barley” (so we know the primary fermentation source in a lot of their beers), but they’ve also joked that if you sound out the word, you can imagine a bear licking the frothy foam off of a fresh pint, so take from that what you will.

Buy a GiftYa to Baerlic Brewing Co. >

“Who doesn't love drinking a barleywine at 10am? The wood working craft shows hosted by Baerlic are a fantastic place to pick up gifts while enjoying 11%+ beers.” - Yelp Review

Upright Brewing

Website: uprightbrewing.com

Address: 240 N Broadway, Ste 2, Portland, OR 97227

Neighborhood: North Portland

There are handcrafted beers and then there are truly handcrafted beers. If you’re looking for a place that will pour you a beer that’ll taste like that recipe you tried to make in your own kitchen one time was supposed to, Upright Brewing is the place for you.

At Upright, they are all about making small batch beers, just like you might make at home - only they’re professionals here. They make their beers using open fermentation, which is a bit different from what you’ll find at most breweries.

What does this mean? Basically, the vats they produce their beers in at Upright Brewing don’t have lids, allowing the yeast to ferment in the open air - which allows them to produce beers with a little more nuance in their flavorings.

Buy a GiftYa to Upright Brewing >

“What a great spot.  Phenomenal saisons are brewed out of this small basement brewery.  Knowledgeable bartender offered some great suggestions, and there were plenty of to-go options.” - Yelp Review

Hair of the Dog Brewing

Website: hairofthedog.com

Address: 61 SE Yamhill St, Portland, OR 97214

Neighborhood: Industrial District

Don’t worry - you’re not going to find any stray pieces of a dog’s fur in your beer glass at Hair of the Dog. A shortened version of that old expression “the hair of the dog that bit you,” urban legend says that drinking a beer from Hair of the Dog while you’re hungover will be a quick cure.

We can’t attest to how true that is, but their beer is definitely pretty original. With both a beer and a food menu inspired by styles throughout Europe - the most influential being Belgium - they like to do things in their own way at Hair of the Dog.

Their beer menu rotates in and out seasonally, so you’ll never really be without something new to try each time you stop in. Pair the first beer they ever brewed, Adam, with any one of their delicious eats.

Buy a GiftYa to Hair of the Dog Brewing >

“The family owned business offered a comfortable welcome and interesting history reads on the heritage of beer culture and The Hair of the Dog as a business itself.” - Yelp Review

StormBreaker Brewing

Website: stormbreakerbrewing.com

Address: 832 N Beech St, Portland, OR 97227

Neighborhood: Boise

Looking for a place where they brew their beer with the same enthusiasm, passion, and creativity you put into your own projects? Dan and Rob from StormBreaker Brewing are the kind of hardworking people who put their all into every batch of beer they make.

They draw a lot of their inspiration and drive from the namesake of their brewery: Mt. Hood, the 11,000 ft volcano which looms over Portland. Well-known for being the steady force that breaks storms rolling in off the Pacific coast, it’s been nicknamed StormBreaker by Portland Natives.

With both a logo and label designs that are reminiscent of comic book drawings, you can expect to have a fantastic time any time you stop into StormBreaker. They know how to have a good time.

Buy a GiftYa to StormBreaker Brewing >

“Fantastic brewery! My servers have always been extremely personable and attentive, my beer has always been cold and hoppy, and the nachos, oh the nachos. Whatever you do, get the nachos!” - Yelp Review

Gigantic Brewing Company

Website: giganticbrewing.com

Address: 5224 SE 26th Ave, Portland, OR 97202

Neighborhood: Reed

Want a regular spot to meet up with your friends where they offer you both gigantic beers and an atmosphere that holds no bars? At Gigantic Brewing Company, they don’t care much about filters.

To quote the boar’s head wearing a hat that hangs on their wall, all they ask is that you “don’t be a Richard” - to each other or anyone on their staff. You can find all kinds of humorous, potentially colorful items all around the brewery.

It’s not a place for children, so you might want to find a sitter for them if you plan on heading out here, but you’re definitely in for a good time any time you stop in!

“After showing a rental house in SE Portland, I did a search on "brewery near me" and discovered Gigantic Brewing Company...Wonderfully warm and vivacious conversations with friendly regulars. Nice spot.” - Yelp Review

Closing sentences and “let us know in the comments” engagement.

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