For Tomorrow We Die Brewing
You can taste Head Brewer Jeremy Borde’s meticulous attention to detail in every sip at this South Salem brewery. For Tomorrow We Die’s lineup of bold, highly drinkable beers includes Do the Thing! IPA with hints of pine and Kiss the Girl, an amber ale tempered with Willamette Valley hops. For Oregon Craft Beer Month, FTWD is collaborating with nearby Santiam Brewery, Ratchet Brewery, and Prismatic Coffee on a roasty oatmeal stout. Pair it with the kitchen’s tangy grilled goat-cheese sandwich and you’ll see heaven.

Santiam Brewing
If you’re in the mood for a proper British ale, Head Brewer Taylor Moore at Salem’s Santiam Brewing specializes in crafting British, European, and American beers. Grab a seat in the British-style pub and enjoy some bangers and mash (sausage and mashed potatoes with house-made gravy) along with one of the brewery’s 16 handcrafted ales, stouts, pilsners and other handcrafted brews on tap. For a pint that transports you across the pond, try the four cask-styled beers. Poured at room temperature and with no carbonation added, the malt-forward elixir will do you right, mate.

Xicha Brewing North Salem’s Xicha Brewing is Oregon’s premiere Latin-owned brewery and where diversity is literally on tap. Head Brewer Matt Dakopolos utilizes tropical ingredients such as guava and chocolate in the brewing process for adventurous libations that hit all the right notes. The thirst-quenching Chela, a biscuity Mexican-style lager crafted with flaked corn, and the earthy 505 Hatch Chili Pale Ale are both good places to start, or sample a flight of four beers. For Oregon Craft Beer Month, Xicha is collaborating with Mexico’s Santa Sabina Brewery on a chili-pepper and coffee stout that sings with Xicha’s from-scratch pork-belly tacos.

Forest Pass Brewing
This new, woodsy brewery in Dallas will be participating in Zwickelmania on February 21 with free beer tastings, food pairings and brewery tours. If you can’t make it that day, kick back and enjoy the 12 taps, five of them dedicated to Forest Pass Brewing’s super-fresh beer. Founder and Head Brewer Jeff Claire uses hops from hyper-local farms and grains that are milled onsite. Small batches ensure the beer is always fresh. Try the Fog Pocket Hazy Pale Ale and hoppy First Ascent IPA, which explode with flavor straight from the taps. Pair it with a Neapolitan-style Cowboy sausage pizza and saddle up.

Snow Peak Brewing
Stayton’s Snow Peak Brewing is owned by two husband-and-wife teams with local roots and stellar beer chops. The small-town craft brewery is celebrated for its community vibe and out-of-this-world beer. Brewing and pouring from an old brick building with glass doors that open onto a quiet street, their hyper-local brews include the popular and chocolatey Schmokin Porter with a medium smokiness that dissipates quickly, the high-intensity Therapy Session IPA that comes in a low-ABV (4.9%) package, and the caramel-forward Saint Brigid Irish Red Ale.

Silver Falls Brewery
Even the most discerning beer drinkers will be impressed by the 20-tap lineup at Silver Falls Brewery in Silverton. The cozy brewery utilizes a three-vessel step-mashing system, allowing Brewer Jacob Hutter to experiment with different enzymatic activity and flavor profiles. The brewery excels at traditional German, English and Belgian beers, such as the crisp German-style 1933 Pilsner, while their American-style beers are refreshingly innovative. Sip a pint of juicy Oregon Sunshine Hazy IPA, with strong notes of grapefruit and stone fruit, or try the Ranger Red Ale, a caramel-tinged beer that finishes dry. The elevated pub menu includes vegetarian options and suggests beer pairings with each dish.

Benedictine Brewery
Tap into a higher purpose while gazing out at hop fields and sipping Belgium-style beer at Benedictine Brewery Taproom. The rustic Mount Angel brewery is a must for your list, as it’s one of a handful of breweries in the country owned and operated by monks. Using hops grown on Abbey land and water from the Abbey’s own well, the monks craft beer as it’s meant to taste. Ironically, this is the place to embrace your dark side — try the flagship Black Habit Dark Ale and Tyrant, a Cascadian dark ale with hints of herbs. Light-beer lovers can sip a peppery St. Benedict Farmhouse Ale and bliss out.