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What and where to drink in Portland

In Portland, deciding what to drink is no easy task. Not only are there more than 70 locally owned breweries, there are also hundreds of independent coffee shops, an urban winery collective, an area called Distillery Row where micro-liquors are crafted from regional ingredients, and even tea bars that pour kegged hot beverages on tap. And this summer, you can explore them all as Delta Air Lines launches the first ever non-stop flights to Portland from the UK – in partnership with Virgin Atlantic - taking off from London Heathrow from 26 May.

Why is Portland the craft drinks capital of the world? Portlanders are renowned for their pioneering spirit - the city is a counterculture hub that favours local firms over big enterprise. And the natural bounty of Oregon means small businesses have easy access to top-quality ingredients - the region is famous for its farm produce and is the second-largest hop-growing state in the US.

But with so much choice it can seem hard to know where to start. Handily, Portland also offers lots of opportunities to go behind the scenes with small-batch drinks-makers. You’ll be an expert in no time.

Take a beer tour

An organised brewery tour is a great way to get to know Portland’s beer scene - the city has the most breweries per person in the country. Most tours will introduce you to a mix of older and newer brewers, such as Portland’s first, Bridgeport, founded in 1984, and Hopworks, which specialises in sustainable and organic beers. You’ll get an education in the science of beer, as well as plenty of tasters.

Know your craft coffee

In 1999, independent coffee roaster Stumptown was founded in Portland, and changed coffee forever. Helping usher in coffee’s “third wave”, it swapped coffee chain culture for indie shops that roasted their own beans, experimented with new brewing methods and prized close relationships with farmers. Local, small-batch roasters have now popped up all over Portland, and a coffee tour can help you sample the best. These typically include watching beans being hand-roasted, participating in a “coffee cupping” (the way professionals evaluate coffee), and learning the difference between the likes of Chemex and aeropress.

Try a cocktail class

As well as opening their doors for drop-in tastings on weekends, many of Portland’s microdistilleries put on classes and special events so you can get hands-on with their craft spirits. From whiskey-making with New Deal, to pop-up parties featuring live music, food and cocktails hosted by Distillery Row, it’s easy to get involved.

Visit a tasting room

From coffee cider at Reverend Nat’s, to specialist tea flights at Steven Smith Teamaker, many of Portland’s craft drinks-makers have tasting rooms on their premises. That includes the urban winery scene, too, such as at the Hip Chicks Do Wine warehouse in the trendy Southeast. Bottoms up.

Visit delta.com and make summer 2017 the time to get a taste of Portland