1859 Oregon Magazine’s Beerlandia Column Sept/ Oct 2023

I giggle a little while drinking Oregon beer. Brewers outside Oregon and the US often reference our beer as the standard they strive for. The reason is the beer in our glass, the stuff we take for granted, is not only world-class but on the tip of the craft beer edge.

There’s a good reason for this, and a good story.

Oregon got its first brewery a few years before it earned statehood status in 1859. By the turn of the century, Henry Weinhard was building a brewing empire. Oregon State began developing hops in the 30s, which proliferated. Two world wars ravaged hop fields in Europe, which put Oregon at the forefront of hop production. Despite our little experiment with prohibition, the area around Independence, in Polk County, became the hop center of the world.

Meanwhile, OSU was breeding varieties meant to compete with desirable German hops. Many of these hops were shelved because they had too much flavor. Post prohibition, we had three Macrobrewers that sold virtually the same thing. We reveled in homogeneity as we kept up with the Joneses.

Craft pioneers discovered the world of beer outside the US and demanded better upon returning. They experimented with Oregon’s failed hops like Cascade. In doing so, they created the pine and citrus flavor of American craft beer that dominated the world.

Initially, the craft beer revolution struggled for traction. After a few decades, it gained momentum. By the 2000s, craft threatened big beer, and Oregon stood proudly on the front lines of flavor.

Even though the story of Oregon beer goes back nearly two centuries, the story is still being written. Every time you head to your local and grab a pint, you write a new chapter with every sip. What’s next, I wonder.