Eugene is Oregon’s other craft beer capitol. In this post I’ll introduce you to the best breweries in Eugene Oregon, 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.
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 Whiteaker neighborhood. The Better Living Room offers regular tours, including a tasting room and outdoor seating.
McMenamins
Oregon’s premier brewpub has its own place among Eugene’s top breweries. McMenamins is a giant of craft beer 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).
Claim 52 Brewing
Claim 52 Brewing focuses on diverse craft beer styles beyond traditional PNW IPAs, such as the “THICC” and “Stuffed” sour series. Their new location in the Whiteaker neighborhood is a family-friendly community hub with a dedicated kids play zone and an outdoor patio.
The delicious food at Claim 52 is provided by their partner Seasoned, and emphasizes a gastro-pub experience with seasonal local ingredients.
Some of Claim 52’s most popular brews are Fluffy Hazy IPA (7% ABV, 35 IBU), THICC: Rainbow Sherbet Smoothie Sour (5% ABV), and their Kölsch (5.5% ABV, 15 IBU).
Alesong Brewing & Blending
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.
Alesong’s Showstopper ’25 won bronze at the Brussels Beer challenge in 2025 in the Flavored Beer: Imperial Stout Barrel- or Wood Aged category.
You can test Alesong’s expertise at their Countryside Brewery in Eugene’s wine country, or in their tasting room in downtown Eugene.
Viking Brewing Company
Experience an ancient brewing tradition at this highly-rated brewery. The Viking Brewing 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.
Don’t miss the opportunity to try their award-winning honey ales! The Shield Maiden Raspberry Saison took the bronze medal at the 2025 Oregon Beer awards.
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.
Drop Bear Brewery
Drop Bear Brewery is an Australian-inspired brewery in South Eugene, Oregon on Willamette St. The brewery offers a rotating assortment of beers on tap, and a menu with plenty of vegan-friendly options, including pizzas and small plates.
Some of Drop Bear’s most popular beers are the Bushfire Porter (ABV 8.5%, IBU 19), the Squeeze Boxx Hazy IPA (ABV 5.6%, IBU 27), and the Creamy Beany Cream Ale (ABV 4.6%, IBU 18).
Drop Bear Brewery has a dog-friendly outdoor area, as well as space for private event hosting (such as parties). The brewery also regularly hosts events like live music and trivia nights.
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 beers 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).
Oakshire Brewing has three locations: Oakshire Brewing Public House in Eugene, Oakshire Commons in Springfield, and Oakshire Beer Hall in Portland. All three locations host food truck rotations, so be sure to check the website for the current menu options.
Gratitude Brewing
Gratitude Brewing offers a variety of good beer, from classic styles like IPAs and stouts to more unique flavors like their Cucumber Kölsch. Their taproom is located in the historic Foundry building, and has an outdoor seating area.
Some of Gratitude’s best beer options are their sours, including the Let It Linger fruited kettle sour (5.7% ABV, IBU 7). The rotating tap selection changes frequently, so we’d recommend a flight to decide on your favorite.
Gratitude Brewing hosts various events, including a weekly trivia night, live music performances, comedy routines and more. It’s clear why Gratitude has become a favorite spot for both locals and visitors in Eugene.
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).
Breweries no longer operating
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:
- Elk Horn Brewery, Eugene
- Rogue Ales Public House, Eugene
Which brewery will you visit first?
With such a diverse and innovative brewery scene, Eugene truly earns its reputation as a craft beer destination. For more great brewery recommendations in Oregon, be sure to check out our other craft breweries posts!
You may also enjoy these posts:
- Breweries in Salem, Oregon
- Breweries on the Oregon Coast
- Breweries in Roseburg, Oregon
- Silver Falls Brewery Review
- Ratchet Brewery Review
©️ Copyright Brian A. Warren 2023. Updated and expanded: August 13, 2025.
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