Beer Guide 2015: BridgePort

By KAT MERCK

BridgePort

1313 NW Marshall St., 241-3612. bridgeportbrew.com. 11:30 am-10 pm Sunday-Monday, 11:30 am-11 pm Tuesday-Thursday, 11:30 am-midnight Friday-Saturday.

[THE OLD BRIDGE] Given its Pearl address and trendy menu of kale salads and hand-tossed pizzas, it might not be immediately apparent that BridgePort is the state's oldest craft brewery. The behemoth brick complex, once on the fringe of a gritty industrial area, now lolls in gentrified splendor between an upmarket Safeway and a block of expensive condos, its malty aroma perpetually wrinkling the noses of underfed women in overpriced yoga pants. Between the location and 1995 acquisition by the Texas company that imports Corona, it would be easy to write off BridgePort as a relic of Portland's past. And yet, its beer remains deservedly popular outside of geekdom. While year-round offerings like Hop Czar, Kingpin and its titular IPA, which is often credited with inventing the modern style, appeal mostly to hopheads, there's an impressive array of rotating selections, ranging from a smoked lager to a sparkling blond ale. You can bring a large group and find something for everyone—and there's plenty of room to for that group to spread out, plus crayons for the kids.

DRINK THIS: Old Knucklehead, a barleywine-style ale aged in oak bourbon barrels, is a surprisingly sweet and complex departure from the otherwise hop-heavy selections.

WWeek 2015

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.