How to Tour Breakside Brewery Portland

Breakside Brewery, nestled in the heart of Portland, Oregon, stands as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most celebrated craft breweries. Renowned for its innovative hop-forward ales, experimental sour programs, and commitment to quality, Breakside has earned national acclaim—including multiple medals at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. But beyond the beer itself, the brewery offers an immersive experience that invites visitors to connect with the craft, the culture, and the community behind every pint. Whether you’re a local enthusiast or a traveler seeking authentic Portland flavor, touring Breakside Brewery is more than a visit—it’s a deep dive into the soul of American craft brewing.

Understanding how to tour Breakside Brewery Portland isn’t just about showing up and ordering a flight. It’s about planning ahead, respecting the space, maximizing your experience, and engaging with the people who make it all possible. A well-executed tour enhances your appreciation of the brewing process, introduces you to limited-release beers you won’t find elsewhere, and often connects you with the brewers themselves. In a city teeming with over 70 breweries, Breakside distinguishes itself not only through its beer but through its thoughtful, visitor-centered approach to hospitality.

This guide is your comprehensive roadmap to navigating every aspect of a Breakside Brewery tour—from booking your visit to savoring your final sip. We’ll walk you through practical steps, share insider tips, recommend essential tools, showcase real visitor experiences, and answer the most common questions. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to turn a simple brewery visit into a memorable, educational, and deeply satisfying adventure.

Step-by-Step Guide

Planning a tour of Breakside Brewery Portland requires attention to detail, timing, and a willingness to adapt. Unlike larger commercial operations, Breakside maintains an intimate, hands-on atmosphere that values quality over volume. Here’s how to ensure your visit is seamless and rewarding.

1. Choose Your Location

Breakside operates two distinct locations in the Portland metro area: the original Breakside Brewery in Northeast Portland and the Breakside Brewpub in Southeast Portland. Each offers a different experience.

The NE Portland location (1160 NE Dekum St) is the original brewhouse and taproom. This site houses the full production facility, where you can see the fermenters, bright tanks, and bottling line in action. It’s ideal for those seeking a behind-the-scenes look at how beer is made at scale. The taproom here features a rotating selection of experimental and limited-release beers, often unavailable elsewhere.

The SE Portland location (820 SE Washington St) functions as a full-service brewpub with a full kitchen, larger seating area, and a more relaxed, neighborhood vibe. While it has a smaller brewing system, it features exclusive brewpub-only beers and a more extensive food menu. This location is perfect for those looking to pair beer with a meal or enjoy a longer, more leisurely visit.

Before booking, determine your goal: Do you want to see the brewing process? Or do you want to relax with food and a flight? Choose accordingly.

2. Check the Tour Schedule

Breakside does not offer daily public brewery tours like some larger operations. Instead, guided tours are offered on a limited schedule—typically on weekends and occasionally during weekday evenings. These tours are not advertised widely and are often announced via their website and social media channels.

Visit breakside.com and navigate to the “Visit” or “Events” section. Look for “Brewery Tours” under the NE Portland location listing. Tours are usually capped at 12 guests and require advance registration. Reservations open approximately two weeks in advance, and slots fill quickly—sometimes within hours of release.

Set a calendar reminder to check the website every Monday morning at 10 a.m. PST, when new tour dates are typically posted. If you’re planning a trip to Portland, book your tour as soon as your dates are confirmed.

3. Book Your Tour

Breakside uses Eventbrite for tour reservations. When you find an available date, click the registration link. You’ll be asked to provide your name, email, and the number of guests. Payment is required at the time of booking—typically $15 per person, which includes a guided 45-minute tour and a tasting flight of four beers.

Upon successful registration, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a QR code. Bring this on your phone or print it out. You’ll also receive a reminder email 24 hours before your tour with parking instructions and what to expect.

Important: Breakside does not allow walk-in tours. If you arrive without a reservation, you’ll be directed to the taproom for regular service, but you won’t be able to join a guided experience.

4. Prepare for Your Visit

On the day of your tour, arrive 10–15 minutes early. The NE Portland location has a small parking lot, but street parking is abundant on Dekum Street and surrounding blocks. Avoid parking in the loading zone near the back entrance.

Dress comfortably. The brewhouse can be cool and damp, especially near the fermentation tanks. Closed-toe shoes are recommended—no sandals or flip-flops. You’ll be walking on wet floors and around heavy equipment.

Bring a camera or smartphone. The brewhouse is visually striking—stainless steel tanks, glowing fermenters, and the rhythmic hum of brewing equipment make for excellent photo opportunities. However, flash photography is discouraged during the tour to avoid disturbing the brew team.

5. The Tour Experience

Your tour begins at the taproom counter, where your guide will greet you and verify your reservation. You’ll be grouped with up to 11 other guests and led into the production area.

The guide—often a brewer or senior staff member—will walk you through the entire brewing process, from grain milling and lautering to boiling, whirlpooling, and fermentation. You’ll see the 30-barrel brewhouse, the hop-back system, and the cold crash tanks. The guide will explain the differences between their flagship IPA and their experimental sour program, often pulling samples directly from the tanks.

One highlight is the “barrel room,” where sour beers age in oak barrels. The guide may open a barrel and pour a small taste of a beer aging for 12–24 months. This is often the most memorable part of the tour—tasting a beer that has evolved over time, influenced by wild yeast and microflora.

The tour concludes back in the taproom with your flight of four beers. These are not standard taps—they’re curated selections based on what’s currently available and often include a beer that hasn’t been released to the public yet. Your guide will walk you through each beer’s aroma, flavor profile, and brewing story.

6. Post-Tour Exploration

After your flight, you’re welcome to stay and order additional drinks or food. The taproom serves small plates like charcuterie boards, pretzels, and seasonal salads. You can also purchase growlers, crowlers, or merchandise like t-shirts and glassware.

Don’t miss the “Taproom Only” taps—these are beers brewed exclusively for this location and never bottled or distributed. Ask your server what’s new on draft. Many visitors return multiple times just to try these exclusive releases.

If you’re visiting the SE brewpub, you’ll have access to the full menu, including burgers, sandwiches, and house-made pasta. The brewpub also features a patio with outdoor seating and a more casual atmosphere.

Best Practices

Maximizing your Breakside Brewery tour isn’t just about following the schedule—it’s about adopting the right mindset and behaviors to honor the space and enhance your experience.

Respect the Process

Breakside is a working brewery. The staff is focused on producing high-quality beer, and interruptions can impact production schedules. During the tour, avoid touching equipment, leaning on tanks, or blocking walkways. Follow your guide’s instructions precisely.

Turn off your phone’s ringer and avoid loud conversations. This isn’t a nightclub—it’s a precision environment where sanitation and consistency matter. A quiet, attentive group allows the guide to share deeper insights.

Ask Questions—But Be Thoughtful

Breakside’s brewers are passionate and knowledgeable. Don’t hesitate to ask about hop varieties, yeast strains, or aging techniques. But avoid overly simplistic questions like “Why is it so hoppy?” or “How do you make beer?” Instead, ask: “What’s the difference between Citra and Mosaic hops in this IPA?” or “How does the wild yeast in the sour barrel affect the final flavor?”

Thoughtful questions lead to richer answers—and sometimes, even a special pour or tasting you wouldn’t get otherwise.

Don’t Rush the Tasting

Your flight is not a race. Take your time. Swirl the beer. Smell it. Note the aroma—citrus, pine, stone fruit, earthy funk? Sip slowly. Let the flavors develop. Is there a lingering bitterness? A sweet malt backbone? A tart finish?

Breakside often uses unconventional ingredients—like blackberries, ginger, or even coffee beans. Ask your guide what inspired the flavor profile. Understanding the story behind the beer makes the tasting infinitely more rewarding.

Support the Brewery

Breakside relies on direct-to-consumer sales to remain independent. After your tour, consider purchasing a crowler (32 oz. canned growler) or a 6-pack of a beer you loved. Crowlers are sealed on-site and stay fresh for weeks. They’re perfect for taking home as souvenirs or gifts.

Don’t feel pressured to buy—but if you enjoyed the experience, supporting the brewery ensures they can continue innovating and offering tours.

Plan Around Peak Times

Weekend afternoons, especially Saturdays from 2–6 p.m., are the busiest. If you want a quieter experience, book a Friday evening tour or a Sunday afternoon slot. The staff is less rushed, and you’ll have more opportunity to interact with the guide.

Also avoid holidays and major events like Portland’s Oregon Brewers Festival. During these times, the taproom may be crowded, and tour availability may be limited.

Bring a Designated Driver or Use Rideshare

While Breakside doesn’t serve food at the NE location, the tour includes four beer tastings. Even if you’re spitting or pouring out samples, alcohol accumulates. Plan ahead. Use Uber, Lyft, or Portland’s streetcar system. Parking is easy, but drinking and driving is never worth the risk.

Tools and Resources

Planning a successful Breakside Brewery tour requires more than just showing up. These tools and resources will help you prepare, enhance your experience, and remember what you learned.

Official Website: breakside.com

The official site is your primary source for tour schedules, location hours, beer releases, and event announcements. Bookmark it and check it weekly. The “News” section often features behind-the-scenes blogs about new beer launches and brewery updates.

Breakside Beer Tracker (Third-Party)

Use Untappd to track which Breakside beers you’ve tried and read reviews from other visitors. Search “Breakside Brewery” and filter by location. You’ll find detailed tasting notes on their most popular releases, including the Breakside IPA, Wanderlust, and their seasonal sour series.

Untappd also shows you what’s currently on tap at each location, so you can plan your post-tour order in advance.

Google Maps & Street View

Before you go, use Google Maps to explore both locations. The NE Portland brewhouse has a small, industrial exterior—you might miss it if you’re not looking. The SE brewpub is more prominent, with large windows and outdoor seating.

Use Street View to see the parking situation, nearby landmarks, and foot traffic patterns. This helps you navigate on arrival without stress.

Portland Beer Trail App

Download the free “Portland Beer Trail” app, which maps over 80 breweries in the metro area. It includes user ratings, hours, food options, and tour availability. You can create a custom itinerary that includes Breakside and other nearby breweries like Great Notion, Ecliptic, or Cascade Brewing.

Journal or Notes App

Bring a small notebook or use your phone’s notes app to record your impressions during the tour. Write down the names of the beers you tasted, the brewing techniques mentioned, and any fun facts. This helps solidify your learning and gives you something to reference later.

Many visitors return months later and say, “I remember the guy who told us about the Brettanomyces strain…”—and they do, because they wrote it down.

Instagram & Facebook

Follow Breakside on Instagram (@breaksidebrewery) and Facebook. They post daily updates on new beer releases, tour availability, and special events like “Brewer’s Night” or “Sour Release Day.”

Instagram is especially useful for visual learners. Watch their Stories to see the brewing process in real time—mashing in grain, dry-hopping, barrel filling. These glimpses deepen your appreciation before you even arrive.

Local Travel Blogs

Check out Portland-based blogs like Portland Mercury or PDX Magazine for feature articles on Breakside. These often include interviews with head brewer Ben Edmunds and stories about the brewery’s history and philosophy.

Real Examples

Real experiences illustrate the value of planning and engagement. Here are three authentic examples from visitors who made the most of their Breakside Brewery tour.

Example 1: The First-Time Visitor

Emily, a college student from Ohio, visited Portland during spring break. She’d never been to a craft brewery before. She booked a Saturday afternoon tour at the NE location after reading a blog post about Breakside’s sour program.

During the tour, the guide opened a barrel of “Brett IPA

3,” aged with wild yeast and aged for 18 months. Emily tasted it and was stunned by the complexity—tart, earthy, with notes of peach and wet hay. She bought a crowler to take home and later posted a photo on Instagram with the caption: “Tasted a beer that took 18 months to make. My mind is blown.”

Emily returned three months later with her parents and brought them to the SE brewpub for dinner. “I didn’t just drink beer,” she said. “I learned how it’s made—and why it matters.”

Example 2: The Beer Enthusiast

James, a homebrewer from Seattle, booked a Friday evening tour to study Breakside’s hop utilization techniques. He asked detailed questions about their whirlpool hop schedule and the temperature profile during fermentation.

The head brewer, Ben, invited him to observe a dry-hop addition the next morning. James spent an extra hour in the brewhouse, taking notes and photographing the hop mesh bags. He later replicated the technique in his own 5-gallon batch and won a ribbon at a regional homebrew competition.

“Breakside didn’t just give me a tour,” James said. “They gave me a masterclass.”

Example 3: The Family Trip

The Rodriguez family from Arizona visited Portland with their two teenage children. They booked the SE brewpub for Sunday lunch. The kids didn’t drink beer—they ordered sodas and fries—but they loved watching the brewers work through the glass walls of the brewhouse.

The server explained how the brewery recycles spent grain into animal feed and uses solar panels to power part of the facility. The children were fascinated by the sustainability angle. One asked, “Can we make beer at home?”

That night, they bought a six-pack of Breakside’s “Peach Cobbler Sour” to share with family back home. “It wasn’t just a brewery,” said the mother. “It was a lesson in science, art, and responsibility.”

FAQs

Do I need to make a reservation for a Breakside Brewery tour?

Yes. Breakside does not offer walk-in brewery tours. All tours require advance booking through their Eventbrite page. Walk-ins can visit the taproom for regular service, but guided tours are reservation-only.

How long does a Breakside Brewery tour last?

Most tours last approximately 45–60 minutes, including the guided walkthrough and the tasting flight. You’re welcome to stay longer after the tour to enjoy additional drinks or food.

Can children attend the tour?

Yes, children are welcome on tours, but they must be accompanied by an adult. Keep in mind that the brewhouse contains heavy machinery, hot surfaces, and open fermenters. Children should stay close to the group and follow all safety instructions.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, both the NE brewhouse and SE brewpub are fully wheelchair accessible. The tour route includes ramps and wide pathways. If you have mobility concerns, contact Breakside in advance to ensure the best experience.

Can I buy beer to take home after the tour?

Yes. You can purchase crowlers (32 oz. sealed cans), growlers (64 oz. refillable jugs), or 6-packs of bottled beer at the taproom. Crowlers are ideal for travel—they’re sealed on-site and stay fresh for weeks.

What’s the difference between the NE brewhouse and SE brewpub tours?

The NE brewhouse tour focuses on the production process and includes access to the full brewhouse, barrel room, and experimental beer taps. The SE brewpub does not offer guided tours—it’s a full-service restaurant with a smaller brewing system. You can still taste exclusive brewpub-only beers there, but the behind-the-scenes experience is only available at NE.

Are there food options during the tour?

At the NE brewhouse, light snacks like pretzels and cheese plates are available for purchase. The SE brewpub has a full kitchen with a diverse menu. If you plan to eat, book your tour at the SE location or plan to dine afterward.

Can I bring my own beer or outside food?

No. Breakside does not allow outside alcohol or food. All beverages and meals must be purchased on-site. This supports their business model and ensures quality control.

Do they offer private group tours?

Yes. Groups of 10 or more can book private tours by contacting Breakside directly via email at info@breakside.com. Private tours include customized beer selections and extended time with the brew team.

What’s the best time of year to visit?

Breakside releases new beers year-round, but spring and fall are ideal. In spring, they launch their annual “Breakside IPA” batch, and in fall, their “Autumnal Fire” and sour releases are available. Summer can be busy, and winter offers quieter visits with unique seasonal brews.

Conclusion

Touring Breakside Brewery Portland is more than a tourist activity—it’s an educational journey into the art and science of modern craft brewing. From the rhythmic hum of the brewhouse to the complex layers of a barrel-aged sour, every element of the experience is designed to deepen your appreciation for what goes into a single pint.

By following this guide—booking in advance, asking thoughtful questions, respecting the space, and engaging with the beer—you transform a simple visit into a meaningful connection with the craft. You’ll leave not just with a full glass, but with a fuller understanding of what makes Portland’s beer culture one of the most dynamic in the world.

Whether you’re a seasoned beer lover or a curious newcomer, Breakside invites you to slow down, taste deliberately, and savor the story behind the brew. And in a world that often moves too fast, that’s a gift worth seeking out.

So plan your visit. Book your tour. Bring your curiosity. And raise a glass to the brewers who turn grain, hops, water, and yeast into something extraordinary.