If you know any beer drinkers, you know how passionate they can be about their favorite craft brews. That goes double for the people who brew them. The best Oregon beers combine that intricate knowledge of brewing and infuse them with the creativity, flavors, and character of the Pacific Northwest.
We’ve put together a list of the 11 best beers in Oregon, which includes a range of craft beers and unique flavors to satisfy every palate.
Oregon’s 11 Best Beers
#1 Pliny the Elder – Russian River Brewing Company
Named for a first-century man who created the botanical name for hops, Pliny the Elder is a flagship Double IPA brewed by the Russian River Brewing Company. With an ABV of 8 percent, Pliny the Elder is an incredibly drinkable beer that balances its bitter finish with a sweetness from the malt and floral aromas and fruity notes of pineapple, mango tangerine, and grapefruit. This is truly one of the best Oregon craft beers around.
#2 Blueberry Muffin – Great Notion Brewing
Great Notion Brewing is an award-winning craft brewery with a sense of humor and a passion for brewing “inspired” sours and stouts. The Blueberry Muffin is one of their most popular offerings. It is a 6 percent ABV sour ale and has a reddish-purple color with an off-white head. It is tart and dry, with strong notes of sweet, sugary blueberry that will transport you to mornings as a child, digging into a warm stack of blueberry pancakes or fresh-from-the-oven muffins. Strange? Perhaps. But also incredibly fun and enjoyable.
#3 Kentucky Peach – Cascade Brewing
Kentucky Peach is a medium-bodied, fresh-tasting sour wheat/quad ale that evokes feelings of summertime and sunshine. It is a pale gold color with a white head that tastes bright and has a layer of sweetness, which makes sense, as over 7,000 pounds of fresh Pacific Northwest peaches are included in the mix. In addition to its peachy flavor profile, there are notes of vanilla, toasted malt, and bourbon from the 16-month aging process in bourbon and wine barrels.
#4 Adam – Hair of the Dog
Crafted in Portland, Adam is a dark strong ale with a 10 percent ABV. Brewed with German influences, it has a dark color with a thick head of beige-colored foam. The first whiff of this beer is filled with the scent of walnuts and cocoa, followed by a delightful mash of caramel, smoke, and plums. Ultimately, this beer has a bittersweet taste that lingers on the tongue for a lasting finish.
#5 The Abyss – Deschutes
Staring into a glass of this dark, alluring beer is like staring into a deep dark abyss. Each batch of this slightly sweet, the chocolatey imperial stout is aged six months in bourbon, oak, and pinot noir barrels. Hints of licorice, vanilla, and molasses soften the bitter edge of dark chocolate and tobacco flavors that give this stout luscious body. It has an 11 percent ABV and is available to enjoy year-round.
#6 Blend Love – Upright Brewing Company
Upright Brewing Company combines the local ingredients of the Pacific Northwest with their knowledge of French and Belgian-inspired beers. Blend Love is one such beer. It is a fruity wild ale with notes of cherry and raspberry to balance out its malty flavor profile. It has an amber color with a rosy hue and a slight acidity from the fruit that makes it a lighter, very drinkable beer for those who enjoy a beer with a sour bite.
#7 Mother of All Storms – Pelican Pub & Brewery
Mother of All Storms is an English-style barleywine with a 14 percent ABV and moderate bitterness. Each batch is aged for a year in Kentucky bourbon barrels that lend this rich beer its tastes of oak, toasted malt, and of course, bourbon. There are also warm touches of vanilla and toffee that give this beer a tinge of sweetness. It is available seasonally from November to December.
#8 Blood Orange Hefeweizen – Full Sail Brewing Company
For beer drinkers looking for a bright, refreshing beverage to quench their thirst, the Blood Orange Hefeweizen by Full Sail Brewing Company is an excellent choice. This medium-bodied wheat beer will delight the senses with its citrusy scent and hints of blood-orange flavor. The color is a hazy golden-orange with a permanent white head. This is the perfect beer to accompany a heavy BBQ dinner or to cool off during a hot summer day.
#9 Lee Kriek – de Garde Brewing
The Lee Kriek is a tart, ruby red colored wild ale brewed in Tillamook, Oregon. It has mostly a sour cherry flavor profile, although there are mild notes of sweet caramel and woodiness that help give the beer its signature funk. It’s an excellent sipping beer with an ABV of 8.4 percent and good carbonation, decidedly perfect for fans of wine or those easing into the complexities of craft beer.
#10 Notorious Triple IPA – Boneyard Brewing
The Notorious Triple IPA is one of Boneyard Brewing’s most famous beers. It has a largely hoppy flavor that IPA fanatics everywhere can enjoy, accented by warm notes of grapefruit, pine, tropical fruits, and honey. It has an ABV of 11.5 percent and an IBU of 80. Overall, this amber-colored beer is a treat for anyone who desires a complex yet balanced beer available year-round.
#11 Intergalactic Hop Shop – Block 15 Brewery and Restaurant
Block 15 Brewery and Restaurant’s Intergalactic Hop Shop is a delightful New England IPA brewed with Chinook, Azacca, and Galaxy hops. It is a hazy beer with a deep golden-orange color and contains a fruity and earthy flavor mix of tangerine, passionfruit, mango, and papaya. The aroma of this beer can be a bit off-putting for those new to the craft beer scene. However, its crisp and juicy flavors balance well with a bitter finish. It has an ABV of 7.75 percent.
A Carefully Crafted Selection
From funky sours to classic IPAs, Oregon is one of the best places in the United States for delicious, refreshing beers. Next time you’re in the area, drop in on any of the breweries in our guide. We think you’ll be pleased with the selection.
If you enjoyed this list of the best Oregon beers, be sure to check out this list of best Florida beers!
