Stop number two on the Eugene Ale Trail was an old friend. I have had many cans of Oakshire Brewing’s espresso stout and IPA before and was excited to try some of their other offerings. The one caveat to this review is that the tap room and brewery are a few miles from each other, so keep in mind that you want to visit the Public House when plugging this in to your GPS. Otherwise you might end up in an industrial complex near the rail yard like I did, driving around trying to find the tap room. Once I figured out my mistake, I found the right place and ventured inside.
- Beer – Top notch in both quality and variety. As mentioned above, I’ve enjoyed their espresso stout many times, so I bought a flight of several different options to make sure I had the full experience. While I quite enjoyed their double IPA, I think my favorite of the day was the orange chocolate milk stout. I even snuck a taster of the espresso stout in as they had it on nitro and I’m a sucker for any nitro stout. All around great offerings on tap and in the store, so pick some up or grab a growler any time you see it. Score: 4.5/5
- Brewery – The main location for drinking Oakshire is the tap room closer to downtown Eugene, not the actual brew floor. While this takes a way from the authentic feel of a brewery, the Public House is still well done and does not disappoint. It is bright and airy with a long bar and plenty of seating, including a spacious outdoor area. With daily food trucks and frequent live music, this is a great place to hang out with friends. You can also visit the brewery and take tours if you need to see where the magic happens. Score: 4/5
- Ambiance – Busy and social, a place to come with groups of friends any day of the week. I got the impression that everyone that visits do so on a regular basis. With the live music and food trucks, they want people to hang out and enjoy themselves. This is not the place if you are looking for a more low-key venue as it was busy both times I went in (late afternoon and near closing time) but that certainly does not detract from its appeal. Score: 3.5/5
- Location – Located near the major thoroughfares of Eugene, parking can be a bit dicey when busy but available if you are willing to walk a few blocks. With several other breweries and restaurants nearby there is plenty to do around your visit. The brewery itself is another story as it is out of the way and tricky to find with limited parking nearby, but most of you won’t be heading out there anyway. Score: 3.5/5
- Customer Service – Quick and efficient, my beer was poured quickly with minimal wait in line. It’s too busy to have table service but that certainly is not a negative. The bar keeps were friendly and offered great suggestions of things to try. Score: 4/5
Total Score: 19.5/25
Final Thoughts: One of my favorites in Eugene so far, its nice to see a brewery have lots of non-IPA offerings around here. I could certainly see myself visiting here often if I lived in Eugene and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t keep their stout in my fridge most of the time. Oakshire Brewing is worth a trip just by itself but if you see their beer in the store, do yourself a favor and pick some up.
Brews Alert 