Established: 2011
Founders & Brewers: Dan Engler and Ben Engler
Location: 6635 N Baltimore Ave., Portland, OR 97203
Specialty: Continental-style lagers and German ales like the Occidental Kolsch
Fun Facts:

• Co-founders and brewers Dan and Ben are an uncle-nephew family duo.
• Occidental was the first modern brewery to open in the St. Johns area of Portland.
• Widmer brewers Ben Dobler and Doug Rehberg helped the Englers initially with pitching yeast and lab services.

A family-owned operation located near beautiful Cathedral Park, Occidental Brewing is as old world as its name suggests. Since 2011, brewers and co-owners Dan and Ben Engler have created continental-style lagers and ales in the German and Belgian brewing traditions. The pair initially did everything themselves, from the creation of their brews to the promotion and local distribution of their beer. Year-round brews include a Hefeweizen, Kolsch, Alt, Dunkel, and Pilsner. These beers are brewed using hop varieties like German Hallertauer, German Perle, Saphir, and Czech Saaz.

Unlike many Portland microbreweries, Occidental offers little by way of food, providing its customers instead with a taproom and extensive outdoor seating. The taproom has a large breweriana collection complete with world currencies and a mosaic of their logo made from bottle crowns. Dubbed by the Englers as the “world’s smallest beer museum,” the overall effect is homey and popular with the after-work crowd.