Life doesn’t get much better than a cold beer after a long day. Who doesn’t enjoy a wondrous beverage that both tantalizes the taste buds AND relaxes the soul? Lucky for us, Oregon is currently undergoing an explosion of brewing innovation. With their judicious use of bold flavors and high alcohol concentrations, the brewers of this beer-soaked state have something to enliven any romantic meal, after-hours meeting, or mischievous outing. The challenge of this debaucherous revolution is not in finding a good beer but rather in choosing which one to drink! So much so that beverage selection can become an intimidating, even hectic experience for some. This article aims to equip you with some basic microbrew facts and recommendations that will help center your inner lush and prepare you for success in this deliciously overwhelming world.

First you need to know what you’re drinking. Traditional brewing uses four ingredients - water, malt, yeast and hops. Malt is a cereal grain, most often barley, that has been sprouted and roasted to maximize its cellular
sugars. During the brewing process, yeast metabolizes these sugars to produce that defining characteristic of beer that we so cherish: alcohol. Hops are added to preserve the beer and for their bitter flavor, which helps to balance the malt’s sweetness. Water, which many assume to be an inconsequential ingredient, provides crucial minerals and balances PH. Brewing success demands careful attention to the proportions and quality of these four ingredients.

The beer innovation currently flourishing in Oregon comes from altering or expanding upon the use of these four ingredients…with ambrosial results. Yet the rich array of available choices often leaves people grasping for mental traction even before they start drinking. The first time I walked into the Bier Stein (my now-favorite bar, complete with 10 taps and over 1000 beers) I felt like a plump 10 year old lost in Candyland: so…much…delicious. Where to start in such a situation?

Anything from Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) is a great first choice. Recently emerging from Portland’s unassuming yet microbrew-rich Southeast neighborhood, HUB has high ideals and a solid neighborhood following. Their excellent brews don’t aim to shock and awe with their intensity or notoriety; they embody quality. HUB sources their ingredients locally and organically, ensuring that the freshness and purity of their creations remain unmatched. They brew using 100% renewable energy and numerous other sustainability measures which, although not directly influencing the taste of their beer, put an even bigger smile on my froth-covered face. And isn’t happiness what beer drinking is all about? I recommend in particular the highly-alcoholic Hopworks IPA for its well-balanced floral bitterness and the Survival Stout for its full-bodied and earthy flavors.

Drive two hours south on the I-5 and you’ll find Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene’s premier brewery. Nestled in the fun-loving and free-wheeling Whitaker neighborhood, the hoppy bitterness of their beers is something akin to a religious experience. And well it should be, as the brewery gets its namesake from the Sumarian goddess of fermentation. Each time I sip a pint of Total Domination IPA, I can’t help but think the goddess herself would blanch at Ninkasi Brewing’s devastating use of hops. Yet, Total Domination is far and away my favorite IPA. Ninkasi uses local hops, whose surprising citrus flavor provides a delightful counterbalance to the intense bitterness. The result is a flavor whirlwind which leaves your taste buds pleasurably addicted and begging your mouth for more. Should you be so foolish as to try another, less flavorful beer anytime soon after: instant rejection, tastes like drinking sand. Hence the name: Total Domination. At 6.5% alcohol, this is no beer for a beginner and even seasoned lushes may balk at its intensity, but it is one you must try. Worst case scenario: order another beer!

Now westwards along the treacherous hwy 126 and up the scenic Oregon coast to Newport, the home of Rogue Ales. Rogue started as a small brewpub in Ashland, OR but has since been driven to the ocean by its own success. Rogue has a history of expanding on beer’s four main ingredients through a healthy use of “adjuncts”: extra ingredients such as grain, fruit or spices that are added during the brewing process to broaden a beer’s range of flavor. These flavors can be delectable in the finished brew… or they can be overwhelming. Rogue’s Chocolate Stout plows right up to but not over the limit of overwhelming; this brew creates a unique taste sensation. If you enjoy that most famous of aphrodisiacs you will certainly appreciate this beer, as the lofty sweetness of chocolate is solidly supported by an intense richness of the underlying Stout. Savor like you would a fine dessert and you will be well on your way to beer bliss.

Microbrews in Oregon have the diversity of wine in Napa: endless deviations exist within each variety. Each individual beer has its own taste, story and circumstance, and great pleasure lies in the discovery of every one. This article explores only the smallest shreds of what is available, and fails to do justice even then. The only way to know this rich world of flavor is to experience it first hand, so channel your adventurous side and pour yourself an uncharted pint. You never know when you’ll find your next great liquid love.

Erin Noble grew up in Eugene, OR and now works in the forest products industry. He loves microbrews.