Make the Trip to Oakridge For a Pint From Brewers Union Local 180, Oregon’s Only Cask-Only Brewery

There are no screens to watch the game here, and there is no loud music on a jukebox—there is only ale, food and friendship.

(Šarūnas Burdulis)
By Parker Hall

48329 E 1st St., Oakridge, 541-782-2024, brewersunion.com. Winter hours: Noon-8 pm Sunday-Tuesday, closed Wednesday, noon-8 pm Thursday, noon-10 pm Friday-Saturday. Summer hours: Noon-9 pm Sunday-Wednesday, noon-10 pm Thursday, noon-11 Friday-Saturday.

The small country town of Oakridge is an hour southeast of Eugene. The scenery alone justifies the winding drive, but when the reward is a hand pumped imperial pint from Oregon's singular cask-only brewery, it's truly a no-brainer. At Brewers Local 180, brewer-owner Ted Sobel manufactures a rotating selection of classic, low-alcohol British ales with the same loving care they get across the pond, even going so far as to serve them at exacting cellar temperatures. Eat a beautifully fried (and certifiably massive) plate of fish and chips or bangers and mash while sitting inside the cozy country pub, where locals, beer travelers and outdoor adventurers share stories, challenge each other at billiards and darts, or quietly read a favorite novel from a packed bookshelf. There are no screens to watch the game here, and there is no loud music on a jukebox—there is only ale, food and friendship.

Nearby: You aren't near much other than a whole lot of national forest. But you're also at the clean headwaters of the Willamette River, amid some of the best fishing in the country. Bring a reel.

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