How many craft breweries can a smallish city like Portland support? Apparently a few more...
2724 SE Ankeny, 894-8080
In the late summer, the roll-up garage door at the diminutive Coalition Brewing opened onto the sidewalk, allowing the pub's welcoming hominess to spill out into the street as dogs and people strolled by. I was surprised to return during a winter downpour to find that it was just as pleasant with the outside world sealed off. Their rough-around-the-edges brews are a tad brash, but in the best Northwest way—their Hanso Stout is a decided highlight—and the price ($3.75 a pint!) can't be beat. Plus, the menu (elk sloppy joes, squash empanadas) delivers on its promises—the tacos were excellent. With straight-lined wooden furniture, efficient service, and a cute-but-not-cutesy chalkboard menu, Coalition is the kind of place that virtually demands you become a regular. NED LANNAMANN
2828 NE Glisan, 206-5221
Migration Brewing is kinda like getting a Northeast version of North Mississippi's Amnesia Brewing. It's an airy brewpub housed in a former radiator shop, complete with garage door breezeways, a huge front patio, some nooky seating, dartboards, and peanut shells on the floor. They currently have five guest taps and seven taps of their own sudsy creations—try Clem's Cream Ale and Old Silenus. The food is standard, solid, and fast pub grub, with a variety of tasty sandwiches, soup, and munchies. Migration Brewing is a perfect spot for a winter workday lunch, before the night crowd convenes—hunkered over a delish turkey, brie, and apple sandwich and reading a book, it makes the rain and cold seem like mere phantasms in a friendly beer-filled sanctuary. COURTNEY FERGUSON
820 NE Dekum, 719-6475
Despite opening their doors in May, Breakside's brewing facilities still weren't fully up and running when I last checked in. In the interim, they've been brewing up tiny batches on an older system. I was disappointed that there was only one house beer on tap last time—a waxy, not particularly memorable witbier—but recent reports indicate that a more stable lineup of beers is finally available. Breakside has an experimental bent, which will continue with their weekly Wednesday keg releases: One of their first beers was in the rarely seen style of Leipziger Gose, and last month they brewed something called a Gratzerbier, which sounds like a cross between a Rauchbier and spiced cider. Whether you think these experiments sound cool or off putting (their kombucha barley wine sounded generally unappetizing to me), you have to admire Breakside's ambition, and their casual pub has the potential to be a ubiquitous neighborhood hub. Let's hope their upcoming beers have a similar ubiquity, and aren't merely novelties. NL
939 SE Belmont, 265-8603
The profile of sour beers has risen in recent years, but they're still a relative rarity on most tap lists—you're more likely to find several IPAs competing for "most hoppy" than a funky, fruit-flavored sour. The Cascade Brewing Barrel House—a new taproom from the well-established Cascade Brewing—is the first game in town to cater to sour fans, with 18 taps pouring flavors of tart cherry, crisp lemon, and the warming cinnamons and vanillas of the holiday season. The space is underwhelming and the décor has a certain hotel bar fire-sale aesthetic, but the beer selection is so audaciously interesting that it's easy to ignore the ugly booths and focus on the glass in front of you. ALISON HALLETT
Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
61 SE Yamhill, 232-6585
Hair of the Dog started brewing beer the same year Snoop dropped Doggystyle. Since then, both have done pretty well. Snoop has released 10 studio albums, three TV shows, and endorsed candy that tastes like marijuana. Hair of the Dog has expanded its cult-like following to a cavernous tasting room in industrial Southeast. If you can get in before they run out, be sure to try the 2010 Doggie Claws barley wine. Smooth with strong notes of honey (resisting urge to make another Snoop comparison), this is barley wine that can be enjoyed by more than just beer nerds. Or try them all... $1-3 will get you a sample of anything on draft (not bad considering most beers hover around 10 percent alcohol). For real aficionados, Hair of the Dog offers select vintage bottles from the cellar. Great stuff, but be prepared to drop a pretty penny. TONY PEREZ
3221 SE Division
What began as a homebrew club for a group of friends has become one of my favorite breweries in town. In the summer, you might have been fortunate enough to have a pint pulled from their truck on Sauvie Island, but if you missed the season, you can settle for their new location at the D-Street Noshery (a newish food-cart pod on SE Division). The Imperial Pale Ale is a must-drink—it's no more hoppy than their Invasive Species IPA, but loaded with extra malt. The Ich Bin Ein, a sour ale, is cloudy, full of citrus flavors, and served with just a hint of raspberry syrup—highly recommended if you're a fan of the varietal. A parking lot might not seem the ideal place to drink cold beer during the winter, but propane heaters and a fire pit—not to mention a nice selection of carts—make for a pretty cozy beer tent. TP
