1852 - Henry Saxer established the Liberty Brewery in Portland.
1862 - After working at and later owning several smaller breweries, Henry Weinhard purchased and expanded Liberty Brewery which was later renamed City Brewery.
1914 - Five years before national prohibition was established, the voters of Oregon approved a statewide ban on the manufacture, sale or advertisement of intoxicating liquor.
1933 - Oregon and the nation ratified the 21st Amendment.
According to a 2014 report by the Beer Institute, Oregon had 208 breweries, a number exceeded by only three states – California, Washington, and Colorado. As of July 2015, Oregon was home to 234 brewing facilities operated by 194 brewing companies. There are also many nanobreweries in Oregon. Many breweries have won nationwide and international acclaim. Alongside brewing, hops have a historical presence in Oregon. Hop production in Oregon began in 1867 when William Wells planted his first crop in Buena Vista, OR. This grew throughout the 20th century, when Oregon was dubbed the “Hop Center of the World” for its production around Independence, OR in Polk County. Hop production later saw some decline due to mildew and mechanical picking technology; however, Oregon remains the second largest hop producing state in the US. Oregon State University began planting and experimenting with hops as early as 1893. Dr. Alfred Haunold influenced modern and popular hop varieties through his work with food studies. The Fermentation Science Program established itself in 1995 and further aided the study of hops and brewing at Oregon State, followed by the creation of the Oregon Hops and Brewing Archives in 2013.
Breweries
The following are some Oregon-based breweries. The list includes some large brewing companies that have regional or national distribution. Oregon also has many mid-size and small breweries. Most of them produce kegs of beer to be served on draft at taverns and restaurants. Many of them also package their beer in bottles or cans. Some production breweries have taprooms where patrons can drink the beer that is produced onsite. And some breweries are brewpubs – full-service restaurants that brew their own beer.
10 Barrel Brewing Company – bottles, cans, and brewpub locations in Bend and Portland, as well as Boise, Denver, and San Diego; founded in 2006; bought by Anheuser-Busch in 2014.
Agrarian Ales – Eugene; bottles, brewpub, opened in 2012
Alesong Brewing & Blending – Lorane; bottles, tasting room; founded in 2015
Ancestry Brewing – opened in 2016, brewery and taproom in Tualatin, restaurant in Portland
Barley Brown's Beer – Baker City – brewpub, and production brewery with taproom; founded in 1998
Block 15 Brewing Company – Corvallis – bottles; brewpub opened in 2008; production brewery and taproom opened in 2015
Boneyard Beer – Bend; tasting room; opened in 2010
Breakside Brewery – bottles; brewpub in Northeast Portland, brewery and taproom in Milwaukie, and brewpub in Northwest Portland
Buoy Beer Company – Astoria; bottles, brewpub; opened in 2014
Cascade Brewing – bottles; two brewpubs in Portland; founded in 1998
Tugboat Brewing Company – Portland brewpub, opened in 1996. Closed in 2017.
Festivals
The Oregon Brewers Festival the largest gathering of independent craft brewers in the United States. The Gold Beach Brew & Art Festival is always held the Saturday after Labor Day. It is the oldest brew festival in southern Oregon and on the Oregon Coast. Oregon is host to several other beer oriented festivals throughout the year, each with their own unique focus and feel.
Awards
Caldera Brewing Company of Ashland, Oregon, Barley Brown Brewery, Bend Brewing, Deschutes, Full Sail and Widmer Brothers won gold in 2010 at the World Beer Cup. In the same competition, Upright Brewing and Hop Valley Brewing won Bronze; while Pelican Pub & Brewery, Hopworks Urban Brewery, and Rogue Ales won Silver.
