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272 Van Buren St., 541-344-2739, ninkasibrewing.com. Noon-9 pm Monday-Wednesday, noon-10 pm Thursday-Saturday, noon-6 pm Sunday.
Ninkasi feels like a fortress. The massive Eugene brewery is housed in the hulking warehouses on the industrial fringes of Eugene and surrounded by tall cinder block walls painted with the operation's signature shade of teal, and broken only by a heavy metal gate bearing the company's logo. Once you find your way through the maze and into the walls, you'll find a small taproom with a lot of patio seating. Ninkasi doesn't dabble much in small-batch seasonals, and the tasting room menu mainly consists of the company's widely distributed offerings, such as Total Domination IPA and Helles Belles Lager. The majority of the beers they make are labeled as IPAs and all have the clean lines you'd expect from a major operation. Ninkasi is one of the largest breweries in the state, and the only large operation currently offering daily tours—times vary by day, but there's always one at 4 pm.
Nearby: If you're already in the Whiteaker neighborhood to stop by Ninkasi, why not pop into Blairally (245 Blair Blvd., Eugene, 541-683-1721) for a few rounds of pinball with your spare quarters? With tons of local beers on tap and dozens of vintage arcade cabinets, Blairally is the perfect stop for the gaming beer-drinker. Rumor has it that local game-makers are even designing their own pinball cabinets, so you can try games that don't exist anywhere else in the world.
