Best of the Year in Oregon Beer 2021
As we do each year New School Beer has surveyed the scene and talked to the experts to determine the ‘Best of the Year in Oregon beer.’ Oregon breweries, bars and taprooms fared remarkably well all considering, and we think any one of them that made it through 2021 should be handed some sort of a reward, but these ones in particular are the industry standouts according to the pros.
The New School polled nearly 100 Oregon beer experts asking them to first nominate, then vote on finalists to determine our Best of the Year in Oregon Beer for 2021. The voters are beer buyers, publicans, homebrewers, journalists, taproom owners, and beer competition organizers, from across the state that try a lot of different beers. By asking them to participate in this process we hope to develop a less biased list of winners with a broader consensus on the best. We extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in the voting process highlighted below.
MEDIA: Jeff Alworth (Beervana, The Beer Bible), Andi Prewitt (Willamette Week), Jon Abernathy (The Brew Site, Bend Bulletin), Don Scheidt (PDX Beer Guide, New School Beer), Warren Wills (Craft Beer Scribe, Day One Distribution), Pete Dunlop (Beervana Buzz, Portland Beer), Lucy Burningham (My Beer Year, NY Times), Kris McDowll (SE Examiner), Neil Ferguson (Oregon Wine Board, New School Beer), Pete Cottell (Willamette Week, Thrillist), Aaron Brussat (New School Beer), John Chilson (Lost Oregon, New School Beer)
BEER BUYERS: Herb Apon (Loyal Legion), Sean Campbell (The Beermongers) Ryan Geise (Saraveza), Jerry Fechter (Horse Brass Pub, Oaks Bottom Public House), Michael Perozzo (The Juice Box, Zzeppelin), Ryan Fosbinder (Belmont Station), Dan Huish (NWIPA), Jacob Oliver (Common Fields), David Flores (Bridgetown Beerhouse), Ari Moss (13th Moon Gravity Well), TJ Fuller (Tomorrow’s Verse taproom), Alex Kurnellas (Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom), Jason Youngers (Side Street Tavern), Robert Pouder (Uptown Beer Co.), Sean Hiatt (Proper Pint Taproom), Ted Olin (Prost!, Bloodbuzz), Sara Hill (Black Squid Beerhouse), Eric & Laura Kramer (On Tap Bend), Brian Koch (Lombard House), Casey Armstrong (Function PDX, Road Beers), Ryan Born (Mayfly), Steve Jones (Cheese Bar), John Mankes (Sessionable), Scott Jester (Array bottle shop), Dayton Rodegerdts (Nebulous Taproom), Paul Moglia (Chill N Fill), Dave Connar (White Oak Taphouse), Jeremy Herrig (Brews for New Avenues), Alison Wood (Crosscut Warming Hut No. 5), Krister Balme (The Falls Taphouse), Kimberley Johnson (Final Draft Taphouse)
PROS: Robby Roda (Day One Distribution), Joe Tucker (RateBeer.com), Jeremy Lewis (Roscoe’s, Saraveza, Tiny Bubble Room), Lisa Morrison (Beer Goddess, Belmont Station), Ryan Sharp (Best of Craft Beer Awards), Nicole Kasten (Beer Connections, Brew for New Avenues), Dana Garves (Oregon Brew Lab), Colby Phillips (Beergarden, PublicHouse), Rodney Kibzey (Oregon Brew Crew), Charles Culp (An Ear for Beer), Gordon Feighner (Jam, Cricket Cafe), Red Gillen (Fuji to Hood, Oshuushu)
And without further ado these are New School Beer’s Best of the Year in Oregon Beer 2021!
WORST NEW TREND
TIE: Hard Seltzer + Smoothie Sour Beers
Runner-Up: —
Consumers may love them, but based on the feedback we received from the industry they really dislike smoothie sour beers and the endless hard seltzer brands. Many of our voters specifically called out brewery made hard seltzers and the constant brand line extensions, or the puree and vanilla extract packed smoothie sours that are selling for bookoo bucks in the beer forums but tend to have zero shelf life. Both of these trends have even merged together into a growing “Smoothie Seltzer” category that is especially drawing ire. It’s worth noting that craft beer sales have been declining, and it’s somewhat understandable that these brands would look for ways to make up for lost profits if there is an eager market.
BEST NEW TREND
Industry Reckoning with abuses ie. sexism, racism, mistreatment
Runner-Up: Modern American Lagers
The biggest story in craft beer this year was the widespread industry allegations of rampant sexism and mistreatment of marginalized groups, especially women, in the craft beer industry. For many this was a wake-up call if not an outright shocker at the sheer amount and horrifying accounts that were, and still are being constantly shared. We delved into this topic and how the Oregon Brewers Guild is addressing these concerns back in June. Needless to say the work that needs to be done to address these concerns is an ongoing struggle and there is quite a long way to go. One of the best things we can do to promote craft beer is treat people better, be more open and welcoming, and highlight and recognize the shortcomings, mistakes and problems which we should all be aware of. By voters choosing this as the best new trend does not in any way mean the issue is resolved, it just acknowledges that it is an issue and that more needs to be done about it.
Sean Campbell of The Beermongers
BEST BEER BAR/BOTTLESHOP
The Beermongers
Runner-Up: Belmont Station
Portland’s 12 year-old bottleshop and beer bar has long been acclaimed and runner-up in this category in year’s past but for the first time is claiming the award. Owner/publican Sean Campbell has long been a humble advocate for the industry devoted to supporting community and creating a safe and welcoming space for beer nerds to hang out and socialize. The pandemic strained all of that, but Campbell and The Beermongers rose to the occasion with a long and hard fought battle for outdoor seating and safety while never losing sight of the people that make the taproom so special. Throughout the year The Beermongers has remained open 7-days a week, even on holidays, just as they have always done, one beer at a time.
BEST OREGON BREWPUB
pFriem Family Brewers
Runner-Up: Wayfinder Beer
Hood River, Oregon’s pFriem Family Brewers was the runner-up for best brewpub in both our 2018 and 2019 years and in 2021 has reversed places with those years winner Wayfinder Beer. In the conversation were Fort George Brewery, Block 15, Buoy Beer and the newcomer SteepleJack Brewing which were all favorites among our voting body. First envisioned as a more modest tasting room, the pFriem brewpub is now a full service restaurant across from Hood River’s waterfront park and serves a foodie-friendly food menu that changes with the seasons and always keeps beer pairings in mind. Pair that with the world-class beer, always exciting taplist, and an extensive selection of small batch bottle selections and you have a proven and destination worthy winner in this category year after year.
OREGON BREWER OF THE YEAR
Sean Burke of ForeLand Beer
Runner-Up: Sam Pecoraro (Von Ebert Brewing)
For the entirety of the voting process fellow brewers and former co-workers Sean Burke and Sam Pecoraro were neck and neck in the polls each pulling ahead at various points. Burke and Pecoraro are both veterans of the late lamented Commons Brewery and even more recently shared the head brewing duties at Von Ebert Brewing and Von Ebert Glendoveer where Sam still runs the show. In our last voted upon best of the year awards in 2019 Burke and Pecoraro shared the title of brewers of the year in their split duties with Von Ebert. In late 2020 Burke struck out on his own to launch ForeLand Beer in McMinnville, OR and has been in the news recently for their new Portland taproom ‘The Study.’ Burke is a student of nature, of style, and of innovation in the familiar. His dedication to good, clean, and straight to the point beers, and business, is rightfully and well recognized in 2021 just as Pecoraro’s work is well represented in some of the later awards to come…
SteepleJack Brewing
BEST NEW BREWERY
SteepleJack Brewing
Runner-Up: Kings & Daughters Brewing
This was a surprisingly tight race among newcomers SteepleJack Brewing and Kings & Daughters Brewing but in the end SteepleJack was blessed by the voters with a win. Easily this years most anticipate new Oregon brewery, SteepleJack brewers Anna Buxton and Anne Aviles, GM Billy Cook, chef Lawrence Gable, and lead bartender/sales manager Travers Romann built a world-class team inside a 110-year old church that lived up to the hype. But enough can’t be said about runner-up Kings & Daughters who has been building cult status for their delicate touch to innovative hoppy beers and a subtle and elegant brand that only launched this past summer. It’s all the more impressive for K&D to rank so highly in voting because they do not have a physical space where one can go to find and experience their beers. We expect big things from both of these breweries in the coming year(s).
MOST UNDERRATED OREGON BREWERY
Upright Brewing
Runner-Up: Baerlic Brewing
Perennially winner of Oregon’s most underrated brewery Upright Brewing has again handily dominated this category in 2021 against strong showings from Baerlic Brewing and ColdFire Brewing. Even though winning the underrated award may seem like a cold comfort, Upright can take heart in their continued success with a new expanded taproom that has brought new and old fans back to the brewery. We have a feeling the best is yet to come for Upright as they work to opening a second location in NE Portland and continue to cultivate their cult following for farmhouse ales, lagers, old school European-styles and more recently for cask beer. Basically this brewery can do it all and more than just being the most underrated, Upright is actually just one of the best there is.
BEST NEW TO OREGON OUT-OF-STATE BRAND
Fast Fashion
Runner-Up: Alvarado Street Brewery
Seattle, WA newcomer Fast Fashion beer quietly snuck onto the scene during the pandemic in 2020 and quickly became one of the most buzz-worthy new brands thanks to the pedigree of it’s owners Matt Storm of The Masonry Pizza and Brian Strumke of Stillwater Artisan. Known for quick, small, sudden beer drops that are as bingeable as Squid Game, Fast Fashion specializes in Hazy IPA’s with quirky, referential names that poke fun at pop culture, veganism, and the fast throwaway food & drink culture. With a new taproom in the works in Seattle and expanded production on the way, we can look forward to more Fast Fashion in Oregon via Upstanding Distribution.
BEST NON-OREGON BREWERY
Chuckanut Brewery
Runner-Up: Fremont Brewing
It’s no surprise that our neighbors to the north of Oregon dominated this category, or that the world-class lager makers at Chuckanut Brewery won as they just opened a much anticipated Portland taproom. Chuckanut has brought us so many great things, from their classic Pilsner and Kolsch to the modern single-hop lager series and Dunkel, to their brew team alumni that went on to found breweries like Wayfinder and pFriem. We are all better off drinking because of them.
BEST OREGON IPA
Von Ebert Brewing Volatile Substance
Runner-Up: Breakside Brewery / Barley Brown’s: WanderJack IPA
2021 was the year for Volatile Substance. Von Ebert Brewing’s flagship IPA has been turning heads and noses since previous wins at the Oregon Beer Awards and other competitions such as this one. But in 2021 it won possibly the highest honor any IPA can get, the Gold medal for American-style IPA at the Great American Beer Festival. Don’t say that we didn’t tell you so, because the New School’s Best of the Year Awards named Volatile Substance the best Oregon IPA back in our 2019 awards as well!
Von Ebert Brewing head brewer Sam Pecoraro
OREGON BREWERY OF THE YEAR
Von Ebert Brewing
Runner-Up: Wayfinder Beer
It took a minute for Von Ebert Brewing to emerge from the shadows as a new independent beer brand that started as a satellite brewpub of Ohio’s Fat Head’s Brewing. But if it wasn’t already clear to you in pre-pandemic 2019 that Von Ebert Brewing has it’s own identity and brewing pedigree then they certainly made that clear in 2021. From the outset Von Ebert set out to develop seemingly disparate programs to make world-class mixed culture foeder beers and new wave lagers, but not only did they succeed in that but they perfected the IPA as well. 2021 saw the brewery win a gold medal at the GABF and continue to build an all-star team of brewers, and restauranteurs that helped build the brand from 2 locations to 4 with satellite pubs near the PDX airport and in Beaverton. Best of all is that it seems they are just getting started.
OREGON BEER OF THE YEAR
Von Ebert Volatile Substance
Runner-Up: Wayfinder Hell
This may be the first time that our Best Oregon IPA winner is also the Beer of the Year, but we couldn’t think of a more deserving beer to earn that honor. It’s difficult to find new words for what has already been said so many times before, but Volatile Substance seems to be catching the current zeitgeist even though it’s been building up for years. Volatile Substance manages to capture everything we love about modern American IPA’s without reinventing the West Coast wheel. Clear and bright, dank and tropical, a pinch of pine, a moderate bitterness with a touch of citrusy sweetness and a blush of northwest breeze in an easy drinking and incredibly delicious package that you can drink more than one of in a sitting. Volatile Substance is the quintessential American IPA of the moment.