“Portland just has so many neighborhood breweries,” says Sean Burke, the head brewer at Commons Brewery in the southeast section of the city. “As a tourist here, you can pick a quadrant or five spots and walk between them, take a bus, or do a tour. Sheer numbers help, but the concentration and density of breweries really pays off.”
It’s no surprise that a city of now fifty-three registered breweries attracts some thirsty travelers. With beer tourism at a peak, Portland is getting the spotlight not only for its classic brewpubs that got the microbrew ball rolling in the 1980s, but also for its growing number of smaller niche breweries that focus on specific styles of beer and brewing methods.
The Classics
“The craft-brewing pioneers in Portland are McMenamins, Bridgeport, and Widmer,” says Lila Martin, the national communications and PR manager for Travel Portland.