Orenco Taphouse

What wonders await behind that door?

Life sure is crazy, isn't it? When I was an Angeleno, I lived in the suburbs and drove into the city for work. Since moving to Portland, I live in the city and work in the 'burbs. Seems I'm destined to have one helluva, horrible commute no matter what I do or where I live. Hey, whadda ya gonna do? That bacon ain't making it to the table on it's own.

These days, I take two different buses and the MAX to get to and from the office, each and every day. It usually takes about an hour and a half  one way. Sometimes, when it's just too crowded and/or smelly on the public transit, I jump off and find a place to have a cold one...or two...or a few.

There are many, many fine craft beer establishments in which to imbibe in Portland proper, but until recently the pickings were rather slim on the other end of my commute. Not anymore! There's a new taproom in Hillsboro that has 20 rotating taps of craft beer awesomeness. Orenco Taphouse just opened on May 17th and I've been anxious to give them a try. Well, today was the day.

Orenco Taphouse is just a block away from the Orenco/231st Avenue Max Station, which makes getting there very convenient for a public transit commuter like me. To make things even easier, there's a TriMet transit tacker screen mounted inside the bar. Of course, that eliminates any possibility of using a missed bus or train as an excuse for getting home late. 

The decor at Orenco Taphouse is very modern and perhaps a little austere. It's a big, open space with multiple tables and, of course, a bar. I wouldn't call the place cozy, but it doesn't need to be. It's clearly set up to efficiently serve beer--lots of tasty, tasty beer.

Trackin' the taps.

Orenco Taphouse uses the DigitalPour menu system which, as my daddy would so indelicately say, is slicker than snot on a doorknob. (He really says stuff like that, I swear.) Not only does the DigitalPour screen show you exactly what's on tap, along with all the beers' vital statistics, it even indicates how much brew is left in the kegs. You can also check-in using Untappd or Foursquare and see your smiling avatar up on the screen. How cool is that?

The bartender was friendly and served up my chosen beers with a smile. The beer selection is an eclectic mix of the most popular craft beer styles. Many local favorites and new releases from the some of the best brewers around. Let's just say I was not disappointed.

I noted three big screen HD TV's were mounted in each visible corner of the room. I imagine they plan to show Timbers games and other sporting events for folks who need their attention focused on something other than their beer.

Orenco Taphouse is a great addition to the already jam-packed greater Portland beer scene. It is an upscale, genuine beer geek destination that was long overdue in Hillsboro. I'll definitely be frequenting the place.

Orenco Taphouse is located at 1198 NE Orenco Station Pkwy, Hillsboro, OR 97124.