Visiting Portland (2022)

Thanks for these! Super helpful. Sounds like I definitely will be adding Chuckanut to the itinerary. May drop Gigantic, Was really only going because of its proximity to Ruse.

 

My favorite experiences recently were at Gigantic and Chuckanut. I can’t complain about anywhere else I visited, it’s just that the customer service/vibe at both of those places was beyond welcoming. These were off-peak visits, so you might not get the same “personalized” (aka slow night) treatment.

Belmont Station is a must. Plan to check in some bags on your way home!

 

There is a new Gigantic taproom on Hawthorne. It is walking distance to Horse Brass and Belmont Station - two of the top taprooms on the West Coast.

Another new spot worth checking is Lone Fir Brewing. The beer and food are very well executed.

Great Notion on Alberta has Matt's BBQ Tacos in-house now too. Whichever Matt's you go to, order in advance online. Otherwise you will likely be looking at a long wait on the weekend.

 

*checks the map*

Whoa, neat! That's a great tip.

 

Doh' you are correct: Grand Fir.

I went once the weekend they opened at 530pm. It was a 45 minute wait for 2 people. I left my phone number and got a pint across the street at Beer. I was texted and sat within 30 - easy enough. I went another time at 6pm on a Wednesday and was sat immediately. Perhaps I've been lucky?

 

Any must-visit places in Sellwood/Westmoreland neighborhood? My sister in-law lives there now and we're visiting over the holidays. Not real familiar with anything south of Powell on the east side of the river.

 

Proper Pint in Woodstock is probably your best bet. It's a little east of Westmoreland but not too far. Double Mountain's taproom is a little closer but I'm kinda done with them. Neither is must-visit. Sellwood is a brewery desert. If you have a car I'd drive over to Ruse.

 

Just wanted to circle back and thank all of you for the recommendations. I just got back from my trip last night and had a blast! I ended up hitting 10 breweries (Wayfinder, Steeplejack, Living Haus, Upright, Von Ebert, Breakside, Chuckanut, Bearlic, Gigantic, and Ruse) and 2 beer bars (Loyal Legion, and The Beermongers) in 4 days. My liver definitely needs a cleanse but I regret nothing. You all are so spoiled with so many great options in Portland.

Biggest surprise visit of the trip had to be Living Haus which was highly recommend by other brewery workers and was a last minute add. Bearlic may have been my overall favorite just with the overall vibe and variety of styles on tap. Was treated incredibly well by some regulars and had an awesome chat with one of the brewers at Gigantic and shout out to the random stranger who covered part of my tab at Ruse. Also, whoever was working the store yesterday when I stopped in at Beermongers was awesome and I made sure to pick up a Barelywine from Block 15 before heading back to the airport.

Biggest disappointments were probably Steeplejack and Breakside. I may have just been there on bad days/nights but the beers were a bit of a miss compared to the other stops. Von Ebert wins the prize for best beer but oddest vibe. It was like half a sports bar half a brewery/restaurant? The staff was awesome there though.

For you locals, here are a few of the standout beers I drank on the trip. Pearl (coffee vanilla porter from Living Haus) Downlow (Czech Dark Lager from Bearlic) Single Hop Lager (El Dorado Single Hop Lager from Chuckanut) and Little Rock (Farmhouse Saison from Upright)

And to closeout my essay, my Airbnb was right next to this Burmese Restaurant called Rangoon Bistro. If you haven't been check them out ASAP!

 

The backstory on that is that the space was previously a Fatheads spot, and their aesthetic is quite different than what is usually seen in PDX.

 

I think the past year have shown Chuckanut's commitment to the Portland beer community, through their multiple events, multiple collaborations with local breweries and also being the only place within 200 miles that you can buy their beers in cans. I was understanding about their exclusion last year, even if my heart was in violent disagreement, but at this point, I think they've earned their spot.

I haven't been to Grand Fir, but I think it's too early to add them. Living Haus is worth a discussion as well, but again, I can see the argument for it being too soon.

 

Maybe invite some Portland based BAs to offer their "Next 10" specific to their neighborhood in follow on posts.