Eugene is Oregon’s other craft capitol. In this post I’ll introduce you to the best Eugene Oregon breweries, and what to expect when you visit.
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Alcohol should be used responsibly. Not all craft breweries are appropriate for families. Exercise discernment when deciding when and how to consume alcohol.
Elk Horn Brewery
We came across Elk Horn Brewery at Detering Orchards, one of the best farm stores in the Willamette Valley. The fun-filled farm features Elk Horn cider taps, so we decided to give their cider a try over lunch.
Jennifer is the cider lover so she tried Cupid’s Crush Blood Orange Cider (6% ABV). She was struck by the drink’s surprising flavor. The cider had a slight hint of orange, almost no sweetness, and was refreshingly crisp.
@dinkumtribe Loved trying this cider! @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe #cidertasting #elkhornbrewery #bloodorangecider #oregonbrewery #oregonbrewing #oregoncider #oregonorchards #oregonfarmer #adhdfamilytravel #familytravelcreator #familytraveltiktoker #oregonfamily #pnwfamily #pnwfamilies #oregonfamilies #familytravelvlog #familytravelblog #familytravelblogger #familytravelvlogger #familytravelinfluencer #travelwithkids ♬ original sound – DinkumTribe ADHD family travel
I was the driver for the day, but I found another way to get my kicks:
@dinkumtribe This was so much fun! Brian had never ridden a mechanical bull before, but he got one and went for it. Only minor scratches and some stiff muscles later on. @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe #dadsoftiktok #cowboydadlife #mechanicalbullriding #rideemcowboy #toofunny🤣🤣🤣 #doitafraid #bestpumpkinpatch #appleorchard #appleorchardfun #salemoregon #oregonexplored #traveloregon #adhdfamilytravel #familytravelcreator #familytraveltiktoker #oregonfamily #pnwfamily #pnwfamilies #oregonfamilies #familytravelvlog #familytravelblog #familytravelblogger #familytravelvlogger #familytravelinfluencer #travelwithkids ♬ Rocky: Eye of the Tiger – Best Movie Soundtracks
Elk Horn brewery, pub, and cider house can be found right next to the University of Oregon. The family-owned business offers a strong menu of Southern fare, 24 of their own craft brews, and a whiskey list as well.
Ninkasi Brewing Company
Ninkasi is one of Eugene’s best breweries and a vanguard of the craft beer movement. The colorful creative brewery and their pub, The Better Living Room, have become a force both in Eugene and the Pacific Northwest.
It’s hard not to love Ninkasi’s drinks. Each bottle’s colorful, creative branding is a fun reflection of the bold flavors that you’re about to encounter.
We are most taken by Ninkasi’s Oatis Oatmeal Stout, an incredibly smooth, decadent treat. Sleigh’r is my absolute favorite brown ale. This winter ale has a warm, roasty flavor with a hint of bitterness.
Jennifer enjoys the Total Domination Northwest IPA, but I can’t manage it! If you like grapefruit than this is the drink for you. This amber-hued beer has a strong tang that’s quite bitter on the tongue. Ninkasi’s Dawn of the Red IPA is a milder IPA that I found easier to appreciate.
Experience Ninkasi’s brewing craft at their pub, The Better Living Room, which is located in Eugene’s Whiteakre neighborhood. The Better Living Room offers regular tours, including a tasting room and outdoor seating.
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McMenamins
Oregon’s premier brewpub has its own place among Eugene Oregon breweries. McMenamins is a giant of craft culture, serving an incredible array of beverages at its 60+ locations.
McMenamins seeks to defy the conventional by providing great food and drinks in exceptional locations. Eugene offers three McMenamins venues.
@dinkumtribe A behind-the-scenes tour of the breewing area at Thompson House BrewPub! The art is just gorgeous! @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe #oregoncraftbeer #oregonbrewery #oregonbrewing #mcmenamins #oregontravelideas #familyfriendly #familytravelblogger #oregonbeer #behindthescenesfootage #amazingartwork #uniqueexperience @mcmenaminsofficial ♬ Astro Beat
High Street Brewery & Cafe
You may have trouble spotting Eugene’s first post-prohibition microbrewery. The High Street Brewery produces small batches of wonder in the basement of a historic, renovated house.
McMenamins’ High Street brewery is known for its limited release brews, such as Grandma Betty’s Quilted IPA. Enjoy a pint inside this early 20th century house, outside by the fire pit, or in the adjoining beer garden.
East 19th Street Cafe
“East 19th” is McMenamins’ university hangout. The funky pub not only offers burgers and beer, but also provides a wide selection of activities.
Play pool, pinball, darts, and shuffleboard, or strike up a conversation beside the wood stove. The bohemian retreat is only a block away from the University of Oregon campus.
North Bank
Given McMenamins’ love of historic sites, you might be envisioning a bank-gone-brewpub. Actually, McMenamins North Bank sits on the north side of the Willamette River.
North Bank boasts a river view for every table, both outside and inside of the restaurant. Enjoy riverside dining in a retro-cool 1979 restaurant.
Be sure to check out the Kapu Hut, a fully decked out tiki bar. This tribute to explorers celebrates Gulliver’s Travels with Brobdingnagian drinks and Lilliputian cocktails.
Brobdingnagian: gigantic
Lilliputian: trivial or very small
Oxford Languages
Falling Sky Brewery
Celebrate “Oregon sunshine” (rain) at Falling Sky Brewing. This low-key brewery provides pub fare, house-brewed beer, and local spirits. Noteworthy beers include Hazy Hawkeye Imperial Hazy IPA (7.5% ABV, 62 IBU), Drenched Earth, a bourbon barrel-aged winter ale (11.3% ABV, 63), and Cheers to the Land, a cascading dark ale with spruce tips (6.2% ABV, 52 IBU).
Alesong Brewing
Barrel-aged beers are the norm at this highly-rated artisan brewery. Alesong produces carefully crafted wild and sour beers using local ingredients. They also produce beers that are barrel-aged in bourbon barrels.
You can test Alesong’s expertise at their Countryside Brewery in Eugene’s wine country, or in their tasting room in downtown Eugene.
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Viking Braggot Company
Experience an ancient brewing tradition at this highly-rated brewery. The Viking Braggot Company presents itself as the only brewery to offer a complete line of braggots, an ancient Viking beer.
Braggot is made from aspects of beer as well as fermented honey. The Viking Braggot Company has brought braggot into the modern age by using local honey and craft beer ingredients.
Hop Valley Brewing Company
Enter an IPA wonderland at Hop Valley Brewing Company. Of all the Eugene Oregon breweries, only Hop Valley is so hop-wild.
Hop Valley produces no less than twelve different IPAs including the Citrus Mistress IPA (6.5% ABV, 80 IBU), Cryo Stash Imperial IPA (8.7% ABV, 40 IBU), and the jaw dropping Alpha Centauri Imperial IPA (9% ABV, 100 IBU).
@dinkumtribe Been awhile since we shared a new brew tasting here- this porter was slightly sweet, lighter than expected and definitely giving brownie vibes. @DinkumTribe ADHD family travel @DinkumTribe ADHD family travel @DinkumTribe ADHD family travel #oregoncraftbeer #craftbeertok #oregonbrewery #porterbeer ♬ New Abundance
You don’t have to be an IPA fan to enjoy a drink here. Hop Valley also produces their Bandon Dunes Pale Ale (5.5% ABV, 35 IBU), and Red Can Light Lager (4.1% ABV).
Visit Hop Valley Brewing Company at their Eugene brewery or their Springfield area pub. Hop Valley Brewery does not welcome the presence of minors.
Coldfire Brewing Company
Europe meets Pacific Northwest at Coldfire Brewing Company. Coldfire is one of the few Eugene Oregon breweries that emphasizes European brewing traditions.
Their beers include the Capulus Robustus Vanilla Coffee Stout (6.7 % ABV), Astral Weeks Belgian Style Dubbel (6.9% ABV), and Munich Dunkel Lager (5.5% ABV).
Coldfire Brewing Company is located in downtown Eugene, near to the historic Ferry Street Bridge.
Steelhead Brewing & McKenzie Brewing Co.
Enjoy one of Eugene’s oldest brewery establishments. Steelhead Brewing offers great brewpub fare and all McKenzie Brewing beers at their E. 5th Ave. & Pearl Street location.
Meals include halibut tacos and their beer-braised Reuben sandwich. Try their Hopasaurus Rex Imperial IPA (9.5% ABV / 100 IBU), Heat Miser (7.8 % ABV / 70 IBU), Northern Lights Blueberry Sour (5.4% ABV /23 IBU), or the Jumon Japanese Lager (4.7% ABV / 16 IBU).
Oakshire Brewing
Taste delicious craft beer at one of Oregon’s top craft breweries. Oakshire’s brews include Citrafonix IPA (6.3% ABV, IBU 65), Visit Italia Italian-style Pilsner (5.4% ABV), and the celebrated Overcast Oatmeal Espresso Stout (5.8% ABV, IBU 27).
Delicious food can also be had at the multiple food carts that frequent their two locations: Oakshire Brewing Public House in Eugene and Oakshire Beer Hall in Portland.
Sunriver Brewing Co. – Oakway Pub
One of the best Eugene breweries isn’t technically brewing in Eugene. Sunriver Brewing hails out of Sunriver, in Central Oregon.
That said, beer lovers shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to try the brews of this top-notch craft brewery. Sunriver’s Oakway Pub holds the greatest number of tap handles of any of its locations. The Oakway Pub offers several of Sunriver’s limited-release beers and features menu items that only appear at their Eugene location.
@dinkumtribe Sunriver Brewing Company’s Cocoa Cow is one of the best drinks I’ve ever had. The best description I can give that it’s like drinking a chocolate Coke without all the sugar but with all the yummy flavor. @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe #CraftBrew #OregonBrewing #OregonBeer #OregonCraftBeer #ChocolateStout #SunriverBrewingCompany #cocoacow #youroregon #thatoregonlife #traveloregon #visitoregon #oregonisawesome #bestoforegon ♬ Epic Music(863502) – Draganov89
We were first wowed by Sunriver’s Cocoa Cow Chocolate Milk Stout (7% ABV / 28 IBU). Sunriver’s beers also include the Fuzztail Hefeweizen (5% / 20 IBU) and their Vicious Mosquito – West Coast IPA (7% ABV / 70 IBU).
Eugene Oregon Breweries Obituary:
Not all of Eugene’s breweries are still around. Here are two popular beer venues that you may hear about, but won’t be able to find anymore:
- Agrarian Ales
- Rogue Ales Public House, Eugene
Eugene Oregon Breweries Updates
We’ve got more to share about Eugene Oregon breweries. Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with Oregon’s rapidly growing craft beer movement. Better yet, enjoy the Best of the Pacific Northwest as a Dinkum Tribe Patreon Member.
©️ Copyright Brian A. Warren 2023
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