Standing Stone Is One of Very Few Breweries With Its Own Supply of Livestock

101 Oak St., Ashland, 541-482-2448, standingstonebrewing.com. 11 am-midnight daily.

Look out the window as you drive between Ashland's two exits on the freeway, and you just might spot a future dinner at Standing Stone Brewing. Not many breweries can boast about their own supply of livestock, but a commitment to sustainability led Standing Stone to lease 260 acres from the city in 2011, and that's where you'll find cows, sheep and chickens roaming freely before they end up on plates at the pub. This earthy, pragmatic approach to food and beer is a big part of Standing Stone's ethos and appeal. The majority of the grain is grown organically and then brewed in a cramped mezzanine above the bar. Some other ingredients are also local, like the Klamath Basin barley and hops from fields in the Applegate and Willamette Valleys. You'll find them all in the I Heart Oregon Ale, which has a grassy, herbaceous character with hints of bright breakfast grapefruit. Looking for something unique? Order Milk & Honey, a creamy drink that ends with a caramel-y dose of Mr. Pibb. Pair that with a heaping bowl of Dirty Fries, which uses tart creamy goat cheese, spicy Mama Lil's peppers, earthy cabbage and a smoky Cajun rémoulade made with a pig you might've eyed from the passenger seat.

Nearby: Because of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland crowds tend to be arty and demure. Not at the aptly named Black Sheep (51 N Main St., Ashland, 541-482-6414, theblacksheep.com), a rollicking bar with a simple beer list (Guinness, Harp, Newcastle and a few local taps) that's decorated in British paraphernalia, including a 1,700-pound red phone booth.