Nathaniel Corwin pours beer at the scenic Buoy Beer brewpub.

Even the folks making all this world-class beer call “it crazy.”

Maybe dizzying is a better word. It’s all happened so fast, this transformation into a year-round destination for craft beer lovers.

In Astoria, population 10,000, six breweries will soon be producing a tantalizing array of barrel-aged sours and stouts, hazy and juicy IPAs and thirst-quenching lagers, to name a few.

While quality is always the goal, the sheer volume of suds is amazing. The city’s breweries combined now fill more than 50,000 barrels a year. That’s 1.55 million gallons, or put in a more beer-friendly way, an astounding 12,400,000 pints.

That’s fine, you say, but Portland has way more breweries making way more beer. So does Bend.

 True. On a per capita basis, however, those brewtopias come up short.

When Obelisk Beer Co. opens its doors on Bond Street this spring, joining Buoy Beer, Fort George Brewery, Astoria Brewing, Reach Break Brewing and Hondo’s Brew & Cork, there will be one brewhouse per 1,700 Astorians (including children and adults under 21).

Portland, aka “Beervana,” currently boasts some 75 craft breweries serving a population within the city limits of roughly 663,000, or one per 8,800. Bend, blessed with 21 breweries at last count, has a per capita rate of approximately one per 5,000.

Such comparisons aren’t worth much, but they do serve to illustrate Astoria’s emergence as a hub for beer enthusiasts.

It’s a relatively new phenomenon. Fort George was founded in 2007. Buoy came along in 2013. Reach Break launched four years ago. It now appears that a critical mass has been reached in terms of developing brewing talent and luring hop-savvy visitors.

Brian Bovenizer, Fort George’s marketing and sales director, recalls a recent trip to Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, where a craft beer district has blossomed. At breweries there, though, everyone he talked to raved about Astoria — and its own walkable, weekend-worthy beer zone.

“I think it’s fantastic,” he said. “Without that tourism aspect, there’s no way we can support this many breweries.”

If Astoria can keep up with demand for hotel rooms, the future looks bright. A scenic town with a cluster of innovative breweries is a magnet not just for tourists, but for people settling down in the Pacific Northwest.

“Oregon is just one of those states where there’s a passion for craft beer,” says Christina LaRue, executive director of the Oregon Brewers Guild. “People ask me if we’re going to reach maximum capacity, but we continue to see growth in demand as people move here.”

But, seriously, six breweries in Astoria?

“Crazy, huh?” said Michal Frankowicz, head brewer at Fort George, which recently completed a major waterfront expansion. There’s room for more breweries here, he believes, calling it a trend that benefits both locals and tourists.

The owner of the city’s smallest brewhouse agrees. RJ Kiepke of Hondo’s figures the frothy wave will “float all boats,” including his Marine Drive establishment.

“My taproom will benefit and so will everyone else’s,” he said.

Brews & News

• Reach Break Brewing has spruced up its taproom in time for winter after a nearly two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. The new space, featuring soft lighting and barrel tables, can seat up to 28 people, according to co-founder Josh Allison. The long bar in back remains.

• The sea lion viewing spot on the east side of the new Bowline Hotel next to Buoy Beer is worth checking out. The whiskered sea mammals can be seen resting on a platform directly below a deck cutout. Bark on, my friends.

• Astoria Brewing aims to widen its distribution with the recent purchase of a canning machine for its downtown brewhouse. Head brewer John Dalgren said the equipment is capable of producing 850 cans of beer in less than an hour.

The brewery has never canned before, but soon fans of Poop Deck Porter and Strawberry Blonde will be able to purchase six-packs at regional markets.