The year started out inauspiciously, with struggles for two longtime Portland breweries — BridgePort Brewing closed after a quarter century, and Widmer Brothers Brewing locked its longtime restaurant amid uncertainty about its future. One-time darling Burnside Brewing unexpectedly fell victim to struggles, as well.

But things settled down after that, and it appeared 2019 might leave Portland area breweries without the big hurts of 2018.

Then came the fall.

In what Portland beer author Jeff Alworth dubbed Black October — an apt moniker that stuck — the local craft beer and cider scene took it hard to the chin. In a mind-bogglingly short span, the closures piled up: Lompoc Brewing, Rock Bottom Brewery, Coalition Brewing, plus Avid Cider of Bend closed its Pearl District taproom in November, saying it was moving its focus to distribution. Its Bend and in Washington Square mall taprooms remain open. And the final hit: Cider Riot turned out the lights after a tumultuous year.

The carnage was the result of a craft-brewing landscape that has grown intensely competitive and that some say has reached market saturation.

Amid the struggles, though, were more numerous bright spots, as new breweries burst onto the Portland scene, Places like Threshold Brewing & Blending, Assembly Brewing, Leikam Brewing and Away Days Brewing are focusing on small operations catering to opportunities they see among particular demographics and neighborhoods.

Additionally, breweries based elsewhere, like Vagabond Brewing of Salem and Oakshire Brewing of Eugene, threw down in the center of Oregon craft beer, opening satellite brewpubs in Portland.

It all added up to a volatile year in craft brewing for the Portland area.