Beer Tasting in Beertown

Before arriving in Portland, I’d already heard about the many microbreweries and local craft beer I was supposed to try when I got there. Having no idea where to even start, a friend and I decided to sign up for a brewery tour with an expert who could show us all the good places.

So these are what hops are 

We signed up for the tour with BeerQuest PDX, a three hour walking tour with 12 beer samples total from three different breweries included. The first stop was Rock Bottom Brewery in downtown, just a few blocks from Pioneer Square. Our tour guide started us off with one of their lighter beers, then brought us into Rock Bottom’s brewing room for a quick overview of the brewing process. There were several huge tanks, some of which were full of the various flavors of fermenting beer that we were going to try. 

Full of fermenting beer

We went back to our table and received five more samples in quick succession. My favorite beer from Rock Bottom was probably the “Dim Wit”, a white ale with “flavors of orange peel and coriander”. The samples went from light to dark, and towards the middle I rediscovered my dislike of IPAs. Some of our fellow tour-mates liked them, but I couldn’t handle the hoppiness. At that point I thought I was done with that brewery, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually liked the “Rise and Shine”, a dark oatmeal stout with hints of chocolate flavor. 

Some of the beers we tried at Rock Bottom

After the six samples, we set off towards the next brewery, my Asian glow already shining strong. On the way to our next watering hole, our tour guide showed us a couple notable sights as we walked north into Old Town. We stopped by one of the “Benson Bubblers”, a drinking fountain with water bubbling out of four separate spouts. The bubblers were apparently constructed in an effort to curb Portland’s drinking problem. It’s debatable how successful it was. 

The Benson Bubblers

We also stopped by Huber’s, one of Portland’s oldest bars. Back in the day, they would attract customers by giving free turkey sandwiches to anyone drinking there. During the prohibition they stayed open by continuing to sell sandwiches. Today, Huber’s is a great place for both a drink and a meal. 

Huber's, remodeled but still recognizable

The second part of our tasting took place at Kell’s. Ground floor looked like a perfectly normal establishment, but the basement, where we did our tasting, looked almost like a dungeon. We tried three more beers there, once again ranging from light to dark. I actually liked the stout there the best. It had an interesting creamy feel to it, and had a taste similar to what I imagine coffee would taste like. 

We finished our tour at Pints, a newer looking bar with an appropriately hipster feel. There we tried some of the strangest beers of the day. There was a maple flavor beer that was just weird and I wasn’t a fan of. I did really like the chocolate orange candy beer though, with its festive taste. 

Vats on display at Pints

Overall I had a great experience on my first ever brewery tour. Our tour guide did a great job exposing us to a wide variety of beers and brewpubs. I, personally, learned about a whole other kind of beer that I never knew I liked, and have a greater appreciation for beer in general and respect for the people honing their craft of drink. To anyone visiting Portland with even a mild interest in beer, take a brewery tour! It’s an excellent way to see the city while getting to know the beers of Beertown, USA.