Hopworks Urban Brewery

2944 SE Powell Blvd., 232-4677, hopworksbeer.com. 11 am-11 pm Sunday-Thursday, 11 am-midnight Friday-Saturday.

Hopworks Urban Brewery is arguably the definitive contemporary Portland brewpub, from its spacious, bike frame-decked bar to its family and environmentally friendly business ethos. When out-of-towners dream of the fabled Portland brewpub experience, what probably comes to mind is something strongly resembling what HUB puts on the table. You'd be hard-pressed to find a time when the company's Powell flagship, where the beer is made, isn't packed to the rafters with people enjoying their crisp-as-ice-water HUB lagers and pretzels. Hopworks is one of the best-oiled brewpubs in town. Comparing it to another pub we'd visited the same day, one member of my party described it as such: "This is cheaper, has better service, better food and better beer."

Andrew Koczian Andrew Koczian

Drink This: The Salt n Pepa Gose, made with Jacobsen sea salt and Szechuan peppercorns, sounded bizarre on paper but is an incredible beer that expertly balances fruit, pepper, bitter and sour notes to extraordinary effect. It's hard to go wrong with the tried and true HUB lager, a top-shelf dad beer if there ever was one.

Willamette Week

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.