5 Great Breweries in Eugene, Oregon

Oregon has long been known for its many microbreweries, which is certainly a treat for those of us who live in the state.

Beer is a multi-billion dollar industry in Oregon ($2.33 billion, according to the Oregon Brewers Guild), which is among the largest producers of craft beer in the United States.

Among other things, that means you can travel almost anywhere in Oregon - Portland, Bend, Hood River, Newport, Redmond, etc. - and find a great brewery from which to sample.

Eugene is growing in popularity as a beer destination, as well, and if you're a beer-lover, any trip to this city in the southern Willamette Valley should include a stop at a brewery or pub. Here are my favorite breweries/pubs in Eugene, Oregon:

Oakshire Brewing

Oakshire is my favorite of the Eugene-based breweries. The beer is hoppy, but generally not in an overpowering way, which I like. The Watershed IPA and Amber Ale are my two favorites; I'm told the Espresso Stout is phenomenal, but since I don't like coffee, it's not for me. Oakshire also regularly produces single-batch beers, available on draft and by the keg. The brewery is is located off Highway 99 in Northwest Eugene, on Madera Street, and offers free tours and tastings every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Although it doesn't have a restaurant on hand, Oakshire does sell sandwiches and salads made by local Eugene eatery Cornucopia. During the warmer months, you can sit outside on picnic tables and enjoy a sandwich and fresh-brewed beer. Then take home a keg, case or growler, which you can purchase from the tasting room. Note that the tasting room does not accept credit cards; cash or check only.

Oakshire Brewing
1055 Madera St.
Eugene, OR 97402

Ninkasi Brewing Company

Ninkasi is a Eugene-based brewery that's gaining recognition throughout the state. As with many beers produced in the general area, Ninkasi's tend to be a bit on the hoppy side (their Double IPA is named "Tricerahops"). I'm a fan of the Oatis Oatmeal Stout, as well as the Double Red Ale and Total Domination IPA. Ninkasi's tasting room is located downtown Eugene, on Van Buren Street. This is a tasting room only, not a pub with a lunch and dinner menu, so if food is in your plans as well, you'll have to check out one of the restaurants in the general area. The tasting room at Ninkasi's brewery is relatively small, sleek and modern. There's a bar and a few tables, and when the weather's nice, you can sit outside in the patio area. In addition to tasting beer, you can purchase it by the case or by the keg right at the tasting room.

Ninkasi Brewing Company
272 Van Buren St.
Eugene, OR 97402

McMenamins

Oregon is dotted with McMenamins restaurants, hotels and brew pubs, and we're lucky to have three of them in Eugene. My favorite is East 19th Street Cafe, on the edge of the University of Oregon campus near Hayward Field. If you like dark beers, there are few better than McMenamins' Terminator Stout. East 19th Street has a dining area, bar and a separate billiards room with pool tables. The food is pretty good - sandwiches, burgers and salads - and is available for lunch and dinner. I like to hit up Happy Hour from 10 p.m. to midnight, when pints are discounted and the food menu includes several $2 to $4 items, such as pizza, burgers and fries. You'll also find McMenamins beer and food in Eugene at North Bank and High Street Brewery & Cafe.

East 19th Street Cafe
1485 E. 19th Ave.
Eugene, OR 97403

Eugene City Brewery

Eugene City Brewery generates the popular and award-winning Track Town Ales. The brewery is an allied pub of Oregon's Rogue Brewery, which is based on the coast in Newport, and serves Rogue beers as well as Track Town Ales. Eugene City Brewery's food is pretty good - I'm partial to the Kobe cheeseburger with bacon and blue cheese - with lunch and dinner available each day. If you go on a weekend, get there early, as the brewery has a lot of Friday- and Saturday-night regulars with reserved tables. It's typically less crowded on weekday nights, which is when I prefer to go.

Eugene City Brewery
844 Olive Street
Eugene, OR 97401

The Bier Stein

Not a brewery, but I had to include this place because it's any beer-lover's dream. A long row of refrigerator doors - think grocery-store-style refrigeration units - makes up an entire wall in the back of the establishment. In it is nearly every bottled beer you could possibly want, including most everything brewed in Oregon. Bier Stein also has a handful of beers on tap, and the food is amazing - try the beer cheese soup; you won't be disappointed. The place gets packed, particularly around dinner time, so if you don't arrive before or after the rush, you might have to stand. There are a dozen or so tables in the dining area, but plenty of space for standing, plus shelves on which to set your drinks.

The Bier Stein
345 E. 11th Ave.
Eugene, OR 97401

Sources:
Allied Breweries, Rogue
The Bier Stein
Ninkasi Brewing Company
McMenamins
Oakshire Brewing