Hillboro’s Ambacht Makes a Beer That Tastes Like a Gingersnap

This little Hillsboro brewery and taproom focuses on Belgian-influenced beers fermented with Belgian yeast. Owner Tom Kramer brews with organic malts, honey and a restrained hand with the hops. Ambacht (the Dutch word “ambachtelijk” translates as “artisanal”) has a taproom near the Hillsboro airport that’s open six evenings a week, with 22-ounce bottles to go. The beers range from conventional Belgian-style golden and dark ales through oddballs like a ginger brew that tastes like a liquefied gingersnap and matzobraü, a dark-brown Belgian ale brewed with matzo crackers, which Kramer buys up by the case after Passover.

Drink this: The strong, 8-percent-ABV Golden Triple reminds me of real-deal abbey ales.