Beer Lovers, be advised: Grapes aren’t the only thing fermenting in the Gorge. With brew pubs located on both sides of the Columbia, there is some serious beer brewing going on in wine country. From small batch ales and lagers, barrel aged stouts and porters, and root beers to full scale production and automated bottling and packaging, our local breweries do it all.

That is precisely why breweries in the Gorge are a major player in the industry, in a region that has gained worldwide stature in the business of brewing beer. In just two short decades, breweries have flourished across the state, so much so that Oregon now has more breweries per capita than any other state in the union. It is a fact: Oregonians love their beer.

The success of these breweries can be contributed to many factors, including shared characteristics like latitude and climate to certain brewing regions in Germany that give us access to locally grown hops (the Yakima Valley is one of the largest hops producing regions in the country), great brew masters and a dedicated and loyal brewing staff, and the proclivity for good beer of the consumer. As Bob Craig of Walking Man Brewery puts it, the success of a brewery really hinges on the beer drinker: “they just won’t let us brew bad beer.”

With such high consumer standards, it’s not a surprise that the Gorge is a major contributor in Oregon’s beer industry, and is widely recognized for its tasty brews. In 1987, early pioneering brewery Full Sail set up camp on the banks of the Columbia River. Its operation quickly grew to satisfy the demands of the hordes of thirsty windsurfers moving to town, putting Hood River on the map. Today, Full Sail is world famous, with numerous award-winning beers and distribution in 16 states. They have recently been contracted by Henry Weinhard to brew and bottle their IPA.

Although it is the largest brewery in the Gorge, it maintains a small town, local feel, due in part to the fact that it is employee owned and operated. There is a palpable sense of pride – in both their product and in their dedication to Oregon ­­– that anyone who walks through their doors can feel immediately, from murals of the Gorge painted on the walls of the pub by local artist Mark Nilsson, beer labels touting Hood River and maps of the Gorge printed on the bottom of the six-pack carriers, to the grin on Executive Brew Master Jamie Emmerson’s face as he lets me sample the different kinds of barley they use in the brewing process. Jamie’s enthusiasm and passion for brewing beer is as infectious as his smile, and with 20 years at Full Sail, Jamie is definitely the go-to-guy for anything and everything related to beer.

Feel the love of brewing – and taste it – for yourself at Full Sail’s tasting room and Pub, with 10 beers on tap at all times, including their best-selling amber and seasonal and Limited Edition brews, like their bourbon barrel-aged porters and stouts that normally sell out within weeks of their release. Satiate your post-sail hunger with something from their full menu, and don’t miss the opportunity to see the brew masters at work on a free tour of the brewery, given hourly from 1-4pm daily.

Just around the corner, Hood River’s newest brewery, Double Mountain Brewing serves up unfiltered brews made with organic malt from British Columbia and fresh, whole flower hops (represented by their recognizable hop flower logo). Partners Charlie Devereux and Matt Swihart run this gourmet little brewery, famous not only for its pints, but its pizza made with high quality ingredients, slow-fermenting dough, and a 700 degree oven. The garage, used for overflow tables on the weekends, is also the stage for numerous local bands. Don’t miss their “distinctively hoppy” India Red Ale, and be sure to try their hard cider pressed and brewed seasonally with local apples.

Perched on the hillside next to the 2nd Street stairs, with sweeping views of the Gorge, is Big Horse Brewery and the Horsefeathers Pub. Head brew master Jason Kahler hand-crafts small batches (8 kegs at a time) of beer in the basement brew room. The fact that the brewery is located below the pub is a built-in measure of quality control, says Jason, who has to schlep the kegs up 50 steps to the third floor. “Since I have to carry it up all those stairs,” he adds, “I am definitely going to make a beer worth drinking.”

Continue up Hwy. 35 to Parkdale, where Elliot Glacier Public House has graced the little hamlet with its presence since 1997 when partners Bill Woodburn and self-taught brew master Sinclair Kinsey thought a pub was just what the Upper Valley needed. Location, Location, Location: The pub’s Mt. Hood view is second to none; especially when it’s enjoyed after a day spent hiking its trails and skiing its slopes. Sample their best-selling Gnarl Ridge IPA, or the favorite Red Hill Scottish Ale, all hand-crafted and brewed on site, and sold only at the pub. But don’t worry; you can fill a growler with your favorite brew to take with you. A huge draw to the pub are the popular Monday and Tuesday Taco Nights.

Back down in the Gorge, cross the river and head up the hill to White Salmon, where a new brewery is going to liven up the south bank of town. Everybody is going to love Everybody’s Brewing, opening in June. Doug Ellenberger’s vision of a friendly pub is becoming a reality, with the renovation of his gorgeous space at street level of the historic Goodwill Building, circa 1936. Indoor and outdoor spaces will meld on a spacious back deck, with vistas of Mt. Hood and the Gorge rarely seen from downtown, and views down into the brewery from above. With more than 10 years in the industry, both in brewing and sales, Doug is no stranger to the making of a good brew. His pub will serve up healthy pub food, with an emphasis on locally grown ingredients; you will be able to enjoy your brew and eats in the company of local bands playing on the stage in the front of the house.

Head west on Hwy. 14 to Stevenson and you will find Walking Man Brewing, known locally as “Stevenson’s living room.” Walking Man indeed feels like home, but only better because there are good beers on tap. The pub serves up a whopping 10 brews year-round, all made in a tiny space just off the pub, with several award-winning ales including their IPA.

Cross the Columbia on the Bridge of the Gods to Cascade Locks, go west toward Portland, and you will find yourself in Troutdale, home of McMenamin’s Edgefield. It’s hard to know where to begin when describing Edgefield: It is a 114 room hotel, brewery (McMenamin’s largest), 32-hole golf course, full-service spa (including a brand new salt water soaking tub), restaurant, pubs, concert venue, distillery, winery and tasting room, and even a movie theater all wrapped up in one beautiful package, full of character, history and charm. The McMenamin name is a familiar one in the beer drinking world, owning and operating 53 pubs/bars in the Northwest. Pioneers in the industry, and with a penchant for rescuing and renovating old buildings, Brian and Mike McMenamin have contributed enormously to the economies of many Oregon and Washington towns. The opportunities to sample a variety of their beers are endless at any one of Edgefield’s six pubs, from the largest Black Rabbit Bar or the Little Red Shed that seats 12, to the movie theater where you can sip a best-selling Hammerhead Ale – a nice finale to your Tour de Brews in the Columbia Gorge.

When not writing and sampling beers, Val Vanderpool spends her days mountain biking, teaching yoga, and baking cakes for her new business, Cake Please.

The Gorge Tour de Brews

By Val Vanderpool