Portland Revealed: Episode 2: Beertown
May 10th, 2007
RailsConf 2007 is just over a week away, and we have been asking ourselves “what should any new visitor to Portland know when they arrive?” Our answer? Where to get a pint (or three) of good Portland beer. In this second episode of Portland Revealed, we’re going to help you find some of the best beer in town.
Many of you might not know that Portland has more local breweries than any other city in the world. In fact, just a few months ago, Tom Potter, Mayor of Portland, dubbed Portland (also known as the City of Roses) Beertown. “According to the Oregon Brewers Guild, no matter where you are in Portland, you’re never more than 15 minutes from a craft brewery.” Oregon consumes more local craft beer than any other state in the country. 11% of the beer guzzled in Oregon is local, where the national average is only 3.5%! There is no doubt that we Oregonians (natives and transplants alike), love us some good local beer, and we think you’ll love our beer too!
While in Portland, we suggest you take some time to get acquainted with our city’s beer options. We thought we’d help you get started by sharing some of our favorite spots (and most offer free wifi).
McMenamin’s – A Portland staple, McMenamin’s can’t be overlooked. Our favorites spots for just a beer are The White Eagle and Ringler’s Annex. For beer, pizza and movies, check out Kennedy School in NE (the theater has sofas!) and the Bagdad theater on Hawthorne. Be sure to try their Ruby ale… and if you are feeling particularly Portlandish… ask for a Rubinator.
Laurelhurst – Another great beer, pizza, and movies spot on 28th and E Burnside.
Tugboat – Just around the corner from PAHQ, jvoorhis was the first to recommend this spot and it’s Alain’s favorite. Feeling brave? Try the Chernobyl Stout.
New Old Lompoc – great outside patio in NW Portland, though this place gets packed pretty quickly on a sunny day. I am all about the Centennial IPA, “a classic Northwest IPA. Nicely balanced and easy drinking with all the hop flavors that Portlanders insist on.
Rogue – Wouldn’t be a list of Portland beer without Rogue.
Bridgeport – They claim to be the oldest craft brew in Oregon, and certainly shouldn’t be overlooked.
Widmer Brothers – Want to drink Robby style? Order a Hefeweizen with lemon!
Moon and Sixpence – If you’re just looking for a good English Pub to get a pint, Gary suggests the Moon and Sixpence in NE Portland, which is where he meets his fellow ex-pats meet to discuss the latest in the rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United.
Laurelwood – Two locations, though we recommend the one in NW (unless you like a more family style atmosphere). They also have good food. Yum!
A Roadside Attraction – You might not guess it from driving by, but Daniel swears by this spot for a pint and a patio. Plus, it’s non-smoking.
Lucky Lab – this is where PDX.rb meets after monthly meetings. There are several locations, but our favorite is the original on Hawthorne. If you’re feeling in the mood for a pint of beer and a cookie, this is the spot!
A Pint at PDX?
Want to start your visit to Portland off right? Grab a pint at PDX at one of three spots. And remember, free wifi at the airport. Portland knows it’s priorities. ;-)
Other Beer Resources (Beersources?)
- Portland Beer
- Portland’s Best Brewpubs and Microbreweries
- In Oregon, It’s a Brew Pub World (nytimes.com)
- PDX Beer Blog
- Portland Lifts A Glass To Its New Name
If you are interested in grabbing a beer with some of us during the conference, stop by our IRC channel or contact us on our site (select “RailsConf Meetup” for the inquiry reason).
12 Responses to “Portland Revealed: Episode 2: Beertown”
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topfunky says:
You neglected to mention my favorite Portland brewery: Hair of the Dog
http://hairofthedog.com/
Yes, the site is ugly (I offered to redesign it in exchange for beer, but negotiations broke down).
You can find it in selected pubs or buy a case straight from the brewery (which I’ll be doing next week).
They have a great stout (Adam), a barleywine (Doggie Claws), and do crazy combinations like a tripple with tart berry flavor (Rose Cassis).
Al Hulaton says:
Kell’s Irish Pub is great on weekends. Live music, bagpipers on the second and fourth Saturday. Good enough reason to stay in Portland a week after the conference.
http://www.kellsirish.com/portland/index.php
Chris Griffin says:
I 2nd Kel’s Pub. It was the first bar I ever went to in Portland, and my first introduction to Oregon beer.
Even though Oregon is well above the national average, I find that to be very low. I don’t know anybody here in Oregon that drinks anything other than Oregon beer. In fact, when I go to a bar/pub, I don’t know of many places where one can order anything other than local beer from the tap.
Chris Griffin says:
One other note.
Go to unthirsty.com (created by a portlander) for happy hours around Portland.
Allison says:
I just realized I forgot to mention Amnesia Brewing on Mississippi.
Robby Russell says:
Chris said…
You’re forgetting about everybody that lives in the suburbs… ;-)
Colin says:
I say we start lobbying now for next year… longer breaks between sessions for suds runs.
Timothy says:
This is awesome guys! Looking forward to meeting you at Railsconf!
Lau says:
Chris: An example of non local beers in Portland: cheap Pabst etc. in dive bars…
Tim Dysinger says:
You also forgot the LaurelThirst pub on Glisan & 30th-ish
Lennon says:
There is no way to get a complete roster, but you might want to mention a couple of places within walking distance of the convention center:
Produce Row, at SE 2nd & Oak, is only about six blocks away, and has both an impressive beer list and a nice, if small, back patio.
Rontoms, on E 6th & Burnside has a less-impressive beer list, but does carry a huge list of Oregon-distilled hard liquors, as well as a handful of local wines. Their fondue is pretty good, too.
Graeme Mathieson says:
So, where would you recommend for, say, tonight (Tuesday)? I’ve just arrived in Portland (sitting in Peet’s Tea & Coffee right now!) and am looking for something to do. :-)
Lennon: Thanks for the pointers to ones local to the OCC—I’m in a hotel just next door, so they might be handy.