Cookin Mama has claimed that the Oregon beers and ales were much better than those of Utah.

THE HISTORY OF CRAFT BEER IN OREGON

Significant numbers of immigrants began to move to the Oregon Territory in the 1840s. It wasn’t long before they had a thirst for beer, so when German brewer Henry Saxer arrived in 1852, tasted the clear, soft water from the nearby mountains and recognized the prime hop and grain growing potential, he started brewing.

Fellow immigrant Henry Weinhard opened his brewery in 1856. For the next 50 years the new residents of the young state enjoyed the fresh, traditional German lagers brewed by Weinhard and others.

Well, what do the beer types of Oregon and Utah have in common?

Heritage? Yep, German-born brewers gave the right beverage to people who appreciated it, with soft water, hops and grain according to the oldest purity (food, consumers') law since 1516.

Further info by: http://oregonbeer.org/beer/

Follow the beer trail:

http://www.oregon.com/oregon_beer

A visit to Bavaria would then be a travel back to the 'beer roots'.