Portland Beer

Was it the water or the quality hops? The deep-rooted appreciation of saloon culture? How did Portland, Oregon, become one of the nation’s leaders in craft beer cultivation and consumption, with more than fifty breweries in the city limits? Beer writer and historian Pete Dunlop traces the story of Rose City brewing from frontier saloons, through the uncomfortable yoke of temperance and Prohibition, to the hard-fought Brewpub Bill and the smashing success of the Oregon Brewers Festival. Meet the industry leaders in pursuit of great beer—Henry Weinhard, McMenamins, Bridgeport, Portland Brewing, Widmer and more—and top it off with a selection of trivia and local lore. Bringing together interviews and archival materials, Dunlop crafts a lively and engaging history of Portland’s road to Beervana.