Drinking the same old beers can get boring. But upgrading to craft beer doesn’t have to be expensive. To prove it, I went on a journey across Springfield and Eugene to find the best, cheapest craft beers around. 

I started in Springfield — Thurston specifically — at the McKenzie River Taphouse. Here, I found the Sticky Hands IPA, priced at just $4.50. This craft brew, made by Block 15, a brewery in Corvallis, has seriously hoppy notes. For seasoned IPA drinkers, this one takes the cake for the most bitter and sour beer on our list, and at 8.1 percent ABV, it’s sure to give you that classic IPA buzz. 

According to Block 15’s website, this beer got its name from the brewing process, where brewers’ hands get sticky from the sheer amount of hops involved in making it.

Driving up Main Street, my journey took me to Gridiron Grill and Tap House. This country-Western-style bar has been open for business since the 1950s, when it was the OK Tavern. Gridiron is country through and through. Its wooden, saloon-style interior makes it fit right into Springfield, sometimes stereotyped as “Springtucky.” There, I picked up the Cascade Lakes Salted Caramel Porter. 

This dark beer came in at $7.50 for a pint, but if you’re nice to the bartender like I was, she might just give you a dollar off. The 5.8 percent ABV porter has sweet undertones and a full flavor. Its malty texture with buttery notes really does make it live up to its caramel name. 

Personally, I’m a big fan of dark beers, but not everyone is. This one certainly hit the spot for a creamy, thick beer that is just sweet enough to balance out the bitterness from the hops. This beer would be a great addition to a meal, like Gridiron’s famous ribeye steaks. 

Continuing on Main Street to downtown Springfield, I stopped at Oakshire Brewing. Oakshire, a local staple, has been open for business since 2006 and launched its Springfield location on April 1, 2025. There, I tried the Beer Hall Lager, a 3.4 percent ABV light beer with a citrusy, thin profile. For just $5, this one is perfect for when you’ve already had a few beers. 

Oakshire typically has specials, often with at least one craft brew on its draft menu priced at $5. Situated right on the main strip of Main Street, this would be a great place to start your evening in downtown Springfield to pregame and grab some food before going to other bars in the area. 

Oakshire isn’t the only brewing company on Main Street in downtown Springfield, however. There’s also Plank Town Brewing, which uses a 10-barrel brewhouse to make it’s beers. On its menu, Plank Town has a total of 14 brews, each with a specific flavor and brewing process. Here, the cheapest craft beer, Peach Wheat, comes in at $5. 

This cloudy wheat ale definitely lives up to its name. The beer is refreshing, with the perfect combination of peachy flavors and the lightness expected from a 3.9 percent ABV beer. This is probably the least intense brew on our list, so it’s a solid choice for someone who doesn’t like excessively overpowering hops. 

Having finished the Springfield crawl, I headed over to Eugene to see what Track Town USA had to offer. There, I started at Falling Sky Brewery on East 13th Avenue. This locally owned brewery, which opened in 2011, brews its beers in-house and serves quality food at the same time. In fact, every Thursday, patrons who buy a burger get a beer of their choice for just $1. 

But if you’re not wanting to buy a burger, don’t worry — you can still get a craft brew for cheap. Falling Sky almost always has a $5 beer available. When I visited, I got the Spruce Wayne, a Cascadian dark IPA with the classic bitter aftertaste expected from a malty pale ale. This one wasn’t too creamy, but still had the texture most malty brews have. For a $5 IPA, this one is a bang for your buck. Its rich flavors, combined with a price point that’s hard to beat, make it my top choice during my journey. 

But what if you want to take the beer home with you? Then consider heading over to Minit Market on East 11th Avenue, where they have a $2 Rip City IPA by Rogue Brewing Company. This IPA, named after the Portland Trail Blazers, was especially light, feeling almost like it was a light beer, but it did have a very sour smell. The Rip City IPA is the most traditional IPA on this list. It has that strong hop bitterness, but it fades quickly, making it approachable for most. It’s very yeasty, with a dry body. 

Next up, there is the Stop N Shop Market on East 18th Avenue. Here, I picked up Ninkasi’s Northwest IPA, a classic for many here in Eugene. This one is probably the mildest IPA on the list, and for just $3.25 for a 16-ounce can, it’s hard to pass up. The Northwest has a mild profile, with a gentle aftertaste of hops. This is an IPA I could have a few of, even if I’m not a normal IPA drinker. 

Moving north to the Cal Young neighborhood, I went to The Steel Pail. Here, I got Sweet As by Good Life. This pale ale is mild but slightly tangy with a wheaty aftertaste. At 6 percent ABV, Sweet As was a perfect way to end my adventure. And for $6, I ended the trip without completely draining my wallet. 

So if you’re trying to have a good time and try all the unique brews Eugene and Springfield have to offer — but are also on a tight budget — don’t worry, you can drink well for under $50. 

This story has been updated from a previous version that listed Plank Town Brewing as producing its beers in Portland.