Oregon's Best Microbrews

With dozens of breweries throughout the state, Oregon is known for great microbrews. Settling on three that stand out above the rest? That's kind of like identifying the prettiest beaches in Hawaii or choosing the best ride at Disneyland - there are so many fantastic options to choose from that there's really no wrong answer.

There are dozens of other breweries in the state that churn out excellent beers, including Rogue Ales, Full Sail Brewing Co., Pelican Brewery, Oakshire Brewing and Ninkasi Brewery, to name a few, but some of Oregon's most popular beers come from McMenamins, Deschutes Brewery and Widmer Brothers Brewing Company.

Terminator Stout

McMenamins' Terminator Stout is a dark, full-bodied, rich beer with hints of chocolate, toasted nuts and coffee. McMenamins uses kiln-baked specialty grains, pale malt, munich malt, crystal malt and black barley to concoct this popular stout, which has 6.45 percent alcohol by volume and 282 calories per pint. McMenamins has 16 breweries in Oregon and locations throughout Oregon and Washington, including 23 pubs in the Portland area.

Black Butte Porter

Black Butte Porter is Deschutes Brewery's flagship beer, a dark brew with a smooth finish that has been winning awards since 1996. Black Butte Porter has 5.2 percent alcohol by volume and 192 calories per 12 oz. serving. Deschutes utilizes chocolate and crystal malts to create this porter, which most recently won the bronze medal in the brown porter division at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Deschutes Brewery is located in Bend, Oregon, and the company has brew pubs in Bend and Portland. Black Butte Porter is on tap at bars and restaurants throughout the state.

Deschutes Brewery
901 SW Simpson Ave.
Bend, Oregon 97702
541-385-8606
deschutesbrewery.com

Widmer Hefeweizen

Widmer Brothers Brewing Company's flagship brew is an unfiltered wheat beer that has won multiple awards, including a gold medal at the 2008 World Beer Cup and a gold medal at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival. Widmer Hefeweizen is golden and murky, and a slice of lemon brings out the beer's hints of citrus flavor. The beer includes Willamette and Cascade hops, as well as pale malt, munich malt, wheat malt and caramel malt. It has 4.9 percent alcohol by volume and 156 calories per 12 oz. serving. Widmer Brothers Brewery is located in Portland, and Widmer Hefeweizen is on tap at bars and restaurants throughout the state.

Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
929 N. Russell
Portland, OR 97227
503-281-2437
widmer.com

Sources:
Best of Oregon Beer, WiredOregon
McMenamins Standard Ales, McMenamins
Widmer Hefeweizen, Widmer
Black Butte Porter, Deschutes Brewery