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Mark Your Calendar

Ale Alert!

Cold ones for cold weather

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The first course for Full Sail’s January Brewmaster Dinner will feature proscuitto-wrapped melon with eggs and sausage.

As the bright lights of the holidays fade and with several gloomy months of winter stretching before us, we enter that extra-Portlandy time of year where fuzzy slippers become a necessity rather than a luxury, the rain on the roof gets a little less romantic, and the public breaks out in a bad case of the flannels. The solution, of course, is beer, and thankfully January’s calendar is more than up to the task.

Full Sail Beermaker Dinner

In a whimsical return to childhood tradition—belied only by four servings of beer—the Jan 13 menu will feature entrees breakfast for dinner. Pop in the car and and head to Hood River (just over an hour away) to experience four AM-inspired courses, courtesy of Full Sail Pub chef Jeff Baldo, paired with ales from brewmaster Jamie Emmerson, as part of their Brewmaster Dinner series. On offer: soft-boiled eggs, crab cake benedicts, pork chops with breakfast potatoes, and blueberry blintzes. Held the second Thursday of every month during fall, winter, and spring, the dinner takes place in the tasting room & pub, costs $30 per person, and runs from 5 PM until they run out of grub.

Second Annual Buckman-Kerns Brewfest

Brewers of Portland’s Buckman and Kerns neighborhoods unite! For the second year running, local breweries will converge to pour some of their most captivating creations, as well as unveil a few new ones on Jan 15. Gracious host EastBurn – a pub that’s long on atmosphere, not to mention Northwest beer, wine, and spirits – will be slinging its award-winning victuals all afternoon. Participants this year include Lucky Labrador, Cascade Brewing, and Burnside Brewing, among other distinguished guests. Admission is $10, which includes 4 tickets (tickets are $1 each; one ticket gets you a taster, four for a pint) and a real Brewfest pint glass…not plastic, so your memories won’t melt in the dishwasher.

Flat Tail Brewing Co. Mustache Rye’d Red Release Party

Girlfriend hating on the mustachio lately? Head somewhere your facial hair will be appreciated, like this bangin’ stache-themed bash, complete with trivia, spoils, and booty, and all the Rye’d Red you can possibly swallow. Brewed with Weyermann rye, Munich malts, and an array of Willamette Valley hops, this sturdy little brew from Corvallis’s Flat Tail Brewing (winner of the 2011 KLCC Microbrew Festival People’s Choice Award), is sure to take everyone for a ride with their showcased beer, available on draught and in 22s. The event is going down Jan 19 at Roscoe’s, Montavilla’s happening home of the “Giant Jenga.”

CellarFest 2012

If you invited all your favorite craft brewers to a party, and they each brought one of their most delicious barrel-aged beers, the result would be CellarFest 2012. Featuring a roster of mellowed brews Bailey’s Taproom has been “sitting on for a while,” the party will kick off at 4 PM on Jan 21 with 4- and 10-oz. pours, and will continue until midnight. Among those making appearances will be brews from Laughing Dog, Lagunitas, Sierra Nevada, and Deschutes Breweries. Admission is not required this year, and though no souvenir glasses or tokens will be provided, for $25 one can buy a calmer experience, slipping in at 2 PM and enjoying more space as well as the reinstated glass and tokens.

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Roscoe's, EastBurn, Bailey's Taproom

Beer Bulletin

Hail, Hail Winter Ale

Holiday Ale Festival and then some

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Alefest11

Here’s a phrase I never get tired of writing: The 16th annual Holiday Ale Festival gets under way this afternoon at Pioneer Courthouse Square. When the clock strikes two, winter beer worshippers will queue up to get their first tastes of robust brews such as Cascade Brewing’s sour sensation Sang Noir, Fort George’s Kentucky Girl Coffee Stout (aged in Maker’s Mark barrels and infused with Astoria Coffee Company’s Working Girl blend), Upright Brewing’s Provision (a biere de garde or “beer for keeping” farmhouse-style lager), and Widmer’s Peppermint Paddy Porter, enriched with locally sourced peppermint and cocoa powder and cacao nibs.

I’m looking forward to getting reacquainted with Hopworks’ Kentucky Christmas, which was among my most cherished chugs from last year. It’s a brawnier version of their Abominable Winter Ale, which is aged in bourbon barrels in a secret location guarded by a phalanx of gun-toting rednecks. I’m likewise pleased to see a few lighter offerings this year. Lompoc’s Cherry Christmas (5.6 percent ABV), Ninkasi’s Little One (5.7 percent), and Breakside Brewery’s Cranberry Biere de Table (a modest 3.3 percent) will be on tap to serve as a welcome change of pace from the brutal majority of 8-10 percent ABV woolly mammoths that the fest is famous for. There will also be 16 or so highly coveted limited-edition small-batch beers that will come and go very quickly, including Hair of the Dog’s Jim, a blend of four of brewmaster Alan Sprint’s finest beers.

Let’s not forget the fundraising component of the Holiday Ale Festival. Proceeds from the bag and coat check, a “need not be present to win” raffle, and tips from sips for Crater Lake Root Beer, will all go to the Children’s Cancer Association.

Need a break(fast) from all that tippling? On Sunday from 11-1, you can try to wrangle a spot at the 2011 Beer Brunch, which takes place at the upper Sky Bar tent. Here, you can tarry over an assortment of cheeses from Willamette Valley Cheese Co, fresh fruit platters, raspberry croissants, an assortment of pastry, granola, yogurts, and, of course, more exclusive ales.

Normally, five days of strong suds would be enough for anyone, but if you find yourself still hankering some additional hops, be advised that Saturday, Dec 10 is Amnesia Brewing’s own Winter Ale Fest, a smaller shindig with several specialty brews from Amnesia, as well as pours from Burnside Brewing, Lucky Lab, Migration, and Double Mountain, among others. Good tidings, for sure!

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Amnesia Brewing, Holiday Ale Festival

Beer Bulletin

Great Pumpkins

Praise be to gourd!

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Pumpkinale

Since my friend Margaret Seiler shamelessly took the opportunity to wax rhapsodic about her addiction passion for the pumpkin milkshakes at Burgerville, I will happily follow suit. Anyone in the mood for an autumnal pick-me-up should venture over to the Green Dragon on Monday for the Killer Pumpkin Festival, a gathering for gourd geeks in need of liquid refreshment. Some 15 pumpkin beers will be on tap, including two from a pair of hollowed-out pumpkin kegs. Oooh! Pumpkiny! Other distractions include a pumpkin-smashing contest (Hopefully Gallagher won’t show up) and a pumpkin-seed spitting competition. It’s happening from 5 pm to close.

Until last week, I had never really considered the possible pros and cons of pumpkin beer. I happened to be browsing the aisles at Trader Joe’s in NW, when my bleary eyes fell upon six-packs of Kennebunkport Pumpkin Ale for $5.99. Stifling my disgust at the Kennebunkport brand, which will forever be associated with the Bush brood in my mind, I sprang for a sixer and savored every subsequent sip. It’s really a beer in two parts: the first-taste wave is lightly hopped and goes down like a smooth-drinking wheat ale. But it’s the spicy follow-up that really melts the brain. It’s exactly like a liquid slice of pumpkin pie that settles on the tongue for a second or two, before the taste magically levitates through the roof of your mouth and into your soul. It’s a flavor parade, and at a measly 4.7 percent alcohol it’s totally sessionable—though it’s a bit like pigging out on pie. If you find yourself at Trader Joe’s be sure to scoop some up.

So now I welcome the Killer Pumpkin Festival with open arms, and am hopeful that the featured brews from Laurelwood, Rogue, Hopworks, Natian, and Breakside, among other, measure up to the sale suds at Trader Joe’s. Since I’m in shopping mode, please enlighten me on other brands of pumpkin ale that are worthy of exploration.

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Rogue Ales, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Green Dragon, Breakside Brewing

Beer Bulletin

Oktoberfests!

Two weekends of whoop-dee-doo

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Oktoberfest

Yes, Oktoberfest season is here—we’re not sure when exactly, but fans of polkas and pork products have plenty of time to partake when it best suits them. The official starting date of this particular sausage party is September 17 in Munich, where it stretches leisurely all the way to October 3. Sadly, here in the states we are not encouraged to roister drunkenly in the streets for just over a fortnight like our Bavarian brethren, but somehow we make do with a few precious weekends.

This Weekend

Zenner’s Oktoberfest at Oaks Park It’s three days (Sept 23–25) of suds, songs, and celebration at Portland’s most resilient amusement park. In addition to chicken dancing and tuba tunes, the festivities will include wiener dog races, pretzel tossing, and a bear-hug race, activities that are considered far too weird for non-Oktoberfest merriment. At least a dozen vendors of food and drink will be on the premises, along with a whole battalion of craftsmen hoping to beguile intoxicated revelers with facial art and scented candles.

Der Rheinlander Oktoberfest As one would expect of Portland’s longest-running bierhaus, there will be an assortment of amusements on tap this weekend. Those blessed with a sturdy appetite (and elastic waistbands) may want to test their mettle in the pretzel and sausage-eating contests. In order to get the heart beating again, dancing to Chicago polka band Paloma is strongly suggested. A portion of proceeds will benefit Northwest Down Syndrome Association, so bring friends. There’s also a costume contest if you think you’ve got the legs for it.

Next Weekend

Prost Oktoberfest The Mississippi Avenue headquarters of German-style merrymaking will be joining in the fun Oct 1–2, with a 5,000 square-foot beer garden, live music, food carts, and chicken barbecue. Prost’s first-ever masskrugstemmen competition will take place at 3 and 8 on Saturday, a contest that requires participants to hold a one-liter mug full of beer at arm’s length for as long as they possibly can. Prost also is home to the two-liter glass boot, a vessel which when filled with Paulaner or Hofbrau should provide the impetus for spirited chugging followed by some impromptu drinking songs, and the ceremonial summoning of the taxi.

Occidental Brewing at Cathedral Park Place New brewers on the block Occidental Brewing in St Johns will unveil their Festbier 2011, a special Oktoberfest autumn warmer that should serve as an appropriate and tasty introduction to Occidental’s impressive roster of Bavarian-inspired ales. Gypsy dance band Chervona will keep things moving as attractive citizens attired in lederhosen and dirndls spin and stomp gracefully. Traditional German foodstuffs will be provided by Cathedral Park Kitchen.

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Oktoberfest, Prost!, Occidental Brewing

Mark your calendar

Bikes, BBQ & Smokin’ Brews

There’s still plenty more beer fests on tap

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Congratulations on surviving the Summer of Beer, drinking buddies! The one-two punch of Oregon Brewers Festival followed by PDX Beer Week definitely upped the ale ante this year, but for anyone planning on drying out until the Holiday Ale Festival, well, you’re not out of the hops yet.

In order to wring the last drop of sunshine out of the summer, the good people at Hopworks Urban Brewery are encouraging bike enthusiasts to peddle over to their flagship pub (2944 SE Powell Blvd) this Saturday for Biketoberfest, a fundraising event for the Bicycle Transportation and Sunday Parkways. It’s a car-free party that starts at noon, and attendees can sample 15 HUB brews, watch daredevil cycle antics from BMX stunt riders, get an eyeful of break-dancing demos, and groove contentedly to live music from the likes of Jared Mees, Oh Darling, and Ascetic Junkies. Plus, there will be Huffy tossing, kids activities, and an appearance by the Wanderlust Circus troupe at 8:30 in the evening.

Since you’ll be out riding around on Saturday anyway, it would behoove you to spread the wealth and swing by the 10th Annual Laurelfest, a barbecue bash over at Laurelwood Brewing (5115 NE Sandy Blvd) that starts at 3 pm. In addition to a bountiful bargain menu that includes grilled albacore tuna, Dungeness crab salad rolls, double-smoked pork and sausage with beer-soaked kraut, and grilled oysters, the lads and ladies of Laurelwood will unveil Laurelfest Bier; a new seasonal that’s described as “Vienna lager style fresh hop beer,” Live music from Keegan Smith, among others, also will be part of the festivities.

By next weekend (Sept 24-25) you should be thoroughly recovered, and just in time for Fire & Brimstone, a celebration of “smoke and chili beers” happening at Hop & Vine (1914 N Killingsworth). This two-day taste-a-thon will present devilishly hot and hearty beers from Burnside, Lompoc, Breakside, Upright, Oakshire, Heater Allen, Migration, Coalition, and more. On Saturday evening, the titanic trio of Yetta Vorobik (from Hop & Vine and Brewing Up Cocktails), Ben Edmunds (Breakside), and Alex Ganum (Upright) will tap a special collaborative keg of Smoked Porter that’s dedicated to the late comedian Bill Hicks. Reason enough for a party? We think so.

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Hop and Vine, Laurelwood Brewing

Beer Bulletin

Tall Boys & Tiny Taps

A weekend of artisan ales and cheap suds

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Schlitz

In Portland, the beer flows in perpetuity. Too much of a good thing? Baloney. If I had my way, every day of the week would have a sudsy soiree dedicated to a different brew, from the mightiest mass-market swill to artisan ales for the most elite of imbibers. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. In addition to the final days of PDX Beer Week, the next few days include the Nano Beer Fest at the Green Dragon, a confluence of courageous cottage-industry brewers like Natian, Captured By Porches, Heater Allen, and Coalition. In direct contrast to this salute to the “little guys,” starting tonight there is a most unlikely beer bash bubbling over at O’Malley’s (6535 SE Foster Rd) —the Macro Brewfest. I say unlikely, because Portland is justifiably famous for its regional craft beers, though once upon a time we were the land of Blitz, Rainier, Heidelberg, and many other modestly priced and mild-mannered lagers.

Now in its second year, the Macro Brewfest, in the words of O’Malley’s proprietor and fest founder Glen Wallace, is a celebration of “budget beer.” From his vantage point behind the bar, Wallace has observed his customers consistently opting for less-expensive beer options during these calamitous economic times, and in a city teeming with foamy festivals, decided to create his own. “Bigger is not necessarily better,” he admits, “but it certainly is cheaper.” For the next three days customers can toast tall boys from 14 different breweries from around the country—and vote for their favorite. Among the 16-ounce offerings will be familiar Northwest names like Rainier, Pabst, and Olympia, as well as Hamm’s, Rolling Rock, Old German, and Iron City. Stand tall, boys!

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Beer Culture, O'Malley's Saloon & Grill, Tall Boys

Weekend reminders

More Beer & Best Bartenders

Two more events to add to an already crowded calendar.

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Stallone

So PDX Beer Week is here. And we’re awaiting the arrival of the Lagunitas Beer Circus. You’re probably thinking to yourself, “There’s no way to cram anymore hooch happenings into the coming weekend. I’m already calling in sick on Monday.” Well, I hate to be the bearer of good news, but there’s even more in store over the next 60-plus hours.

Drinking buddy and former Portland Monthly editor Bart Blasengame, who traded in his journalism gig to work behind the bar at his own watering hole, the very excellent Fixin’ To in St Johns, dropped me a line about the First Annual North Portland Bartender Invitational, taking place tomorrow (Saturday) at the Fixin’ To (8218 N. Lombard St) from 3–5. Mixologists representing Liberty Glass, Slim’s, Red Fox, Vendetta, and the Florida Room, among others, will compete for the honor of being known as North Portland’s most bad-ass barkeep. Your $10 cover includes free pizza, voting rights, and a raffle ticket for an assortment of faboo prizes. Most importantly, the money goes to Family Dogs New Life Shelter, a no-kill shelter dedicating to rehoming dogs regardless of age, breed, or history. And if that isn’t enough, there will be adorable adoptable pooches on the premises looking for their forever homes. Do it for the dogs!

One of my breweries of choice, New Old Lompoc, will be celebrating its 15th anniversary on Saturday starting at 11 am, at the New Old Lompoc (1616 NW 23rd Ave). The name of the soiree is “15 Beers for 15 Years” and will feature taps dedicated to a whole slew of New Old Lompoc brews past and present, such as Saazall Pilsner, 2008 Jolly Bock, Caribbean Coffee Stout, Bourbon Barrel-Aged LSD, Old Tavern Rat Barleywine, Alpha Blonde Dry Hopped Belgian Golden, and lots more. On a bittersweet note, the press release reads, The anniversary party may be a swan song of sorts – demolition of the New Old Lompoc is certain for 2012 to make way for apartments and upscale retail.Whether or not Lompoc returns to the new building remains to be seen.

In the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Into each life some rain must fall…” Obviously Longfellow never spent a year in Portland.

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Tags: Beer Festivals, The Fixin' To, St Johns, New Old Lompoc Brewing

Beer Bulletin

Beer and Circuses

Oregon Brewers Fest is over but there are plenty more pours in store

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Beer_clown

To quote Al Pacino, “Every time I think I’m out—they pull me back in.”

For us beer drinkers, the weeks following the conclusion of the Oregon Brewers Festival is normally a time to renew our commitments to family, fitness, and drinking something other than fermented grains. This year, not so much.

As Allison Jones reported, we’ve got the debut of PDX Beer Week right around the corner. I chatted with beer entrepreneur and New School blogger Ezra Johnson-Greenough about this fledgling fest and he told me that it’s going to be more of a celebration of beer itself, as opposed to focusing on the locals. “We love Oregon Craft Beer Month, but we wanted to do something more creative, more curated,” he says. “We wanted to actually curate a week of events that explored different aspects of beer and food.”

To that end, Ezra and co-conspirator Lisa Morrison (aka The Beer Goddess, and the author of the excellent book Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest) have created a whole string of events at venues all over town. The following info comes from their press release:

Hopworks & Double Mountain Beer Brunch at Spirit of 77 (8/20) Brewers behind two of Oregon’s best breweries Hopworks Urban Brewery and Double Mountain have teamed up with Spirit of 77 chef and PDX Beer Week to concoct an epic individually priced beer brunch pairing menu available for one day only.

Beer Ice Cream’s at Salt & Straw (Daily Monday-Friday) Alberta Street’s acclaimed ice cream auteurs have teamed up with PDX Beer Week to design 5 different Ice Cream’s.

The Love of Beer Premiere at the Bagdad Theater (8/20) A documentary celebrating women in the craft beer industry. Featuring $3 beer specials from Deschutes Brewery and Bend Brewing and a panel of some of the most prominent women in Oregon craft beer speaking before the film.

Coaliton Brewing’s One Year Anniversary Party (8/20) This all-day celebration extravaganza has all the hallmarks of what Coalition Brewing is all about: Cheap Happy Hour priced beers, Cornhole Tournament, Live Music and specials from the Grilled Cheese Grill. To top it off they will be releasing a special small batch Cascadian Dark Ale.

Washington Brewers Night at Bailey’s Taproom (8/21) A special Sunday evening event featuring beers and breweries never available in Oregon before. Meet-the-Brewers and try the beers from Washington’s best: Elysian, Naked City, Odin, Big Al and Sound Brewing.

Beer & Sushi Pairing at Roscoe’s (8/22) Taplister and Behind the Pint have teamed up with Roscoe’s and Miyamoto Sushi to design a special beer and sushi pairing menu.

CDAbe Festival at Belmont Station (8/22) A benefit for beer writer Abram Goldman-Armstrong to help pay medical bills featuring an extensive lineup for the style he helped create: Cascadian Dark Ales.

Brewers Burger Brawl at The Hop and Vine (8/23) Five of Portland’s best brewers go head-to-head with their own burger recipes and one of their breweries beers in a battle to see who is the Brewer Burger Champion! Participating breweries: Hopworks, Burnside, Upright, Breakside and Laurelwood.

Barrel-Aging Beer Panel at Hopworks Urban Brewery (8/24) Breakside Brewer Ben Edmunds MC’s a panel of brewmasters skilled at the art of barrel-aging beer. Sit in and listen to the talk and ask your own questions of these masters while being served a selection of their finest barrel-aged brews. Featuring: Ben Love (Hopworks), John Harris (Full Sail) and Nick Arzner (Block 15) and more.

Breakfast Beers Night at Breakside Brewery (8/25) Brewers will tap a Breakfast Stout with coffee and a Whiskey for Breakfast Porter. Additionally a special breakfast menu will be presented for the evening and there may be a few more tricks up brewers sleeves.

California Brewers Night at Apex (8/26) One of Portland’s premier taphouses plays host to many of the best breweries and beers of California. Try a selection of beers not available in the state of Oregon and meet many brewers and representatives including Stone Brewing Vice President, Sierra Nevada and for the first time in the state Ballast Point, Magnolia, Telegraph, Craftsman and Beachwood BBQ Breweries. Plus many other fan favorites.

Mighty Mites – Session Beer Festival at Coalition Brewing (8/27) Jeff Alworth of popular local beer blog Beervana has teamed up with Coalition Brewing and PDX Beer Week to explore the underrated wealth of creativity and flavor of session beers (beers of 5 percent abv or less).

Ninkasi Brewers Brunch at East Burn (8/28) Brewers dinners are common but what happens when you take the same concept and apply it to Brunch? Beer Week organizers approached Ninkasi Brewing’s Jamie Floyd and the fantastic team at East Burn to take on just such a challenge and they have came up with 3 outstanding brunch plates and beer pairings. Tickets are $30.

Closing Street Party at Bazi Bierbrasserie (8/28) During the Hawthorne Street Fair PDX Beer Week and new European/Belgian inspired bier bar Bazi Bierbrasserie will be closing off 32nd street to set up an outdoor beer garden featuring many of Oregon’s best Belgian-styled beers including offerings from: Double Mountain, Upright Brewing, Beetje Brewing and Full Sail as well as ALL 5 beer ice creams from Salt & Straw and the beers they were made from.

As if this wasn’t more than enough to doom any thoughts you might have had for a possible return to sobriety—the circus is coming to town! And beer will be in the center ring. Even in a city full of seasoned drinkers we can’t help but wonder to ourselves after polishing off that second (…okay, fifth) IPA, “where is the whimsy?!” Well, fret no longer! Lagunitas Brewing and the PDX Bridge Festival have got it under control with the Lagunitas Beer Circus, a hoppy happening that combines beer with big-top-style entertainment by San Franciscan vaudeville troupe Vau De Vire Society and Portland’s own cabaret sensation Wanderlust Circus & Orchestra. The festivities take place under the east side of the Hawthorne (Salmon @ Water St.) next weekend, with a 21+, adults-only circus on Saturday (burlesque in the house!), and an all ages family-friendly carnival Sunday. Though we can’t make promises, we are all crossing our fingers for a beer dunk tank.

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Tags: Beer Festivals, PDX Beer Week, Lagunitas Brewing, wanderlust

Beer Bulletin

Brew Fest Still Growing

Numbers don’t lie—OBF is a monster success

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Brewfest

You’re never lost at the Oregon Brewers Festival.

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You’re never lost at the Oregon Brewers Festival.

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Yes, it can get a little “in tents” at times. But anyone afraid of a crowd just doesn’t want beer bad enough.

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Plenty of snappy dressers at OBF—like this pilsner pilgrim.

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Or this Tyrolean tippler.

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Of course, on hot days it pays to protect your pate. Thanks to all the cheerful volunteers, the backbone of the OBF.

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There was a stand manned by the Cascade Breweriana Association, collectors of Northwest “breweriana,” those beloved beer tchotchkes from yesteryear.

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Apparently, the original Rainier brewmaster looked an awful lot like the Monopoly Man. Who knew?

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Golden Valley Brewery’s Cote de Or (“Golden Slope”) was a magnificent Belgian-style Golden Ale, with a potpourri of fruit and spice flavors. Just a hair too sweet, though.

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Of course, it’s not all beer and skittles. Reps from Everyday Prevention, a group focused on curtailing underage drinking, were also present.

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Not all of the beer at the festival was served in mugs.

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Endgame.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

The 24th annual Oregon Brewers Festival had 85 different craft beers from 14 states across the country. Featured here is the Laughing Dog Anubis Imperial Coffee Porter from Idaho.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

Policemen closed down streets for the 800 soon-to-be-drunk passerby to parade from 13th and Stark down to the Tom McCall Waterfront Park on July 28. Portland is home to 40 breweries—more than any other city in the world.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

Along with an accompanied band, the parade featured hammerheads, Vikings, and friars—all in the good name of beer. The event generates close to $2 million according to the Brewers Festival.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

In the hiatus of people that would soon overrun the red tent on popular days of Saturday and Sunday, these beer lovers relaxingly sampled brews in the “red” tent on the much less crowded Thursday. This was the fourth year in a row that the OBF held record attendance, this time reaching a high of 80,000.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

The token and beer sales tent was overrun on kickoff day July 28 with eager beer enthusiasts waiting to get their hands on a souvenir mug and tokens. With just $6, you can have the souvenir 2011 mug. And with that mug and $1, you can have a token and a tasting. And with four tokens, you can have a full pint.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

On Thursday, July 28, I was lucky enough to find the Viking Beer Maiden, also known as Josh Gardner. He was getting married on Saturday, July 30.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

Only on the first day would a treat such as free be found. In spirit of brew fest, Jeff Cooley was rapidly filling up mugs of free Hammerhead to the crowd.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

Only on the first day would a treat such as free be found. In spirit of brew fest, Jeff Cooley was rapidly filling up mugs of free Hammerhead to the crowd.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

A brewfester hands up the precious one token for a free tasting outside the North tent—blue tent to keep it even simpler.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

The lines were long and it was hot, but this did not dissuade brew lovers to wait for the cold taste of a beer. Also, to this year to many gluten intolerants’ delight, Deschutes Gluten free NW Pale Ale dry was available. It was one of the beers that ran out due to popular demand.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

The golden color of beer in sunlight was enough to keep those lines long, but the beer also served a purpose—on Sunday, festival director and founder Art Larrance handed a check worth $10,000 to the Oregon Brewers Festival for Pints for Prostates to spread the message to men that it’s important to have regular prostate health screenings and PSA testing.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson
View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

In spirit of celebrating beer, Bobby Fox, Jack Tolmachoff, and Mark Hadson, sported gladiator like helmets and pretzel necklaces.

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Bobby Fox having a great time on Friday, July 29, despite the heat and lines.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

People were encouraged to drink, and drink they shall. Everyone else that was sober, including the 2,000 volunteers, minors and designated drivers were given free root beer and face painting—gotta stay safe y’all.

View Slideshow » Photo: McKenna Johnson

Ben Hennes, Josh “Torch” Edgerton, and Andy Hennes raised a toast to double fisting to avoid long lines on Saturday. Come back next year, always the last weekend in July.

I spent two days at the Oregon Brewers Festival, and I drank my fill. I fired off summary tweets, snapped a few photos, and joined in the spontaneous group whooping, a periodic exclamation (“woooooo!”) that seemed to express the idea of, “We’re here, there’s beer, and we’re not working.” A Dionysian declaration of defiance, if you will.

My only regret was drinking three citrus-based beers in a row on Friday; the Ginger & Meyer Ann from Blue Frog Grog & Grill (meh), 10 Barrel’s Zitrone Kolsch (zesty), and Cascade Brewing’s Buzz Tent entry, a head-snapping honey, ginger, and lime hybrid that tasted like it came from a Norman Rockwell soda fountain. Who knew beer could be thirst quenching? Despite subsequently sucking down two bottles of water, my palate was whack.

As usual, navigating the beer tents took the balletic grace of Baryshnikov and a storm trooper’s indifference to one’s fellow man, but it was a manageable chaos. If the crowd seemed more substantial than in year’s past, it’s because it was. According to numbers released today by brew fest organizers, this was the fourth year in a row that new attendance records were set, with more than 80,000 brew believers from all parts of the planet landing in Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Guests guzzled 85 craft beers from 14 different states, not to mention another 40 small-batch specialty beers in the Buzz Tent. Moreover, a growing number of Portlanders exercised the two-wheeled option. Members of the Washington County Bicycle Transportation Coalition counted 1200 bikes in the bicycle parking area.

On the philanthropy front, the event raised $10,000 for Pints for Prostates an organization dedicated to getting the word out to men of a certain age (the dominant brew fest demographic, by far) that regular prostate screenings are a really good idea.

So what’s in store for OBF’s 25th anniversary next year? New, bigger, location? Sedan chair taxis? Ale dunk tank? Ponder a while, drinking buddies, and peruse our web exclusive slideshow from the 2011 Oregon Brewers Festival. Cheers!

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Oregon Craft Beer Month, Oregon Brewers Festival

Beer Bulletin

Pre-Fest Functions

Let’s warm up for Oregon Brewers Festival this weekend!

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You call that drinking?

Look, I know it’s hard and sometimes you just want to throw in the towel, but real competitors who want to become champions maintain their training regimens. While some misguided individuals cling to horse-and-buggy theories about reducing their beer intake—or even drying out completely—in the days leading up to the Oregon Brewers Festival, I’d just like to make myself perfectly clear: It’s Oregon Craft Beer Month, and as such requires redoubled efforts. Please don’t make me question your commitment.

For beer believers looking to sharpen their sipping skills, there are a trio of opportunities to do so coming up—starting tonight!

Farmhouse Brews at The BeerMongers

Looking for something a wee bit different? Skate on down to The BeerMongers bottle shop on SE Division for some ale expertise from the Old Country. Alex Ganum from Upright Brewing, David Logsdon and Charles Porter from Hood River Logsdon’s Organic Farmhouse Ales, and Michael Wright from Beetje Brewery will be on hand to pour some singular suds. Ganum’s offering, the Alphaphylactic Hop, is described as an “imperial IPA hybrid,” while Beetje’s Urban Farmhouse Ale and Logsdon’s Seizoen and Seizoen Bretta are throwbacks to small-batch brewing traditions that originated in Belgium and France in the 18th century when farm owners figured out that keeping their workers hydrated with rough, unfiltered beer was a proper way to ensure loyalty and diligence. I tried this line of reasoning with my own boss, but was immediately threatened with disciplinary action.

LOLA: A Celebration of Women in Beer at Saraveza

LOLA stands for Ladies of Lagers and Ales, a determined group of women brewers from some of the best breweries in the state. Bend Brewing’s Tonya Cornett is probably the most visible member of this fledgling organization, but lady brewers from Oakshire, Lucky Lab, Hopworks, Natian, Full Sail, and Heater Allen also will be present with some of their handpicked beers that should dispel any lingering vestige of sexism that may still linger in this particular chapter of the Old Boy’s network.

Ben Fest at Grain and Gristle

I was unaware that “Ben” was such a mundane moniker in the brewing community! Apparently there are “Bens” working at Widmer Brothers, Breakside, Occidental, Lucky Lab, and Hopworks. Starting at 5 PM on Monday, Benophiles can sample beers from more than a half-dozen breweries that wisely chose to employ guys named Ben. Hey, I’ve accepted flimsier excuses than that for a beer throwdown.

UPDATE!

Portland Monthly’s Picnic for Forest Park

I neglected an event for Sunday! How could I be so stupid? Portland Monthly is having a picnic for Forest Park this Sunday. Of course you’re invited!

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Craft Beers, Upright Brewing, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Lucky Lab, Oregon Craft Beer Month

Random Notes

News, News, News

Too much going on for one Bar Pilot!

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I knew it was going to be one of those days when I bent over to get a drink of water from a Benson Bubbler—only to discover that some miserable wretch had just hurled into it. Talk about a rude awakening. Anyway, on with the news!

ITEM: Drinking Buddy For Life Jen Lane of BarFly fame will be hosting one of her free-floating pop-up Happy Hours today at the Slammer Tavern (500 SE Eighth Ave) from 5-8. That in itself is reason to make an immediate reservation, but the real cherry on the sundae is an appearance by none other than Frank Furter and the Hot Dogs! Mr. Furter is without a doubt the finest troubadour that performs in a hot dog costume in the entire Northwest. So haul your buns over there, you weenie! There will be drink specials and (can this be right?) FREE HOT DOGS!

ITEM: Next weekend marks the return of Portland’s annual tropical drink wingding Tiki Kon. For those desperately in need of some suave saucing opportunities, this little island-hop can’t be beat. On Thursday July 14, there’s a tiki-inspired fashion show at Tony Starlight’s Supperclub (3728 NE Sandy Blvd) starting at 8 PM. On Friday the 15th, the faithful will gather at Ella Street Social Club (714 SW 20th Place) for a surfin’ safari with righteous rock ensembles Guantanamo Baywatch, Surf Weasels, and Wave Sauce! And the Big Kahuna bash, the Tabu Extravaganza, will put a stopper in the bottle on Saturday the 16th at the Kenton Masonic Lodge (8130 N. Denver Ave). This sophisticated soiree will include exotic foodstuffs, vintage vendors of all sorts, and the musical stylings of Sneaky Tiki and the Lava Lounge Orchestra! Good lord people! What more could you possibly want?

ITEM: Hurray for Oregon Craft Beer Month! The Cans Fest is this Saturday at the Guild Public House from noon till 10 PM. And next weekend boasts the Portland International Beer Fest at the North Park Blocks, which is quickly followed by Puckerfest V, a celebration of sour beers at Belmont Station (12-14 rotating taps daily) that runs from Monday July 18 through Sunday July 24, a lovely preamble to the Oregon Brewers Festival.

ITEM: Speaking of the OBF, the July issue of Portland Monthly includes a dandy little insert called Passport to Beervana, a cool contest that invites local brew fans to patronize at least five brew pubs in order to collect “stamps” for their “passports.” Once your passport is fully stamped, you must drop it off at the Information booth at the Oregon Brewers Festival in order to be eligible for a grand prize drawing that’s truly grand. The winning passport will get round-trip tickets to the Great American Beer Fest in Denver (Sept 29-Oct 1). For you cheapskates that, for one reason or another, are unable to buy a copy of the July issue, you can download your own Passport to Beervana here. Remember, you can’t win if you don’t enter. Drinkers, start your engines!

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Tags: Happy Hour, Beer Festivals, Tiki Bars, Oregon Craft Beer Month, BarFly Magazine

Beer Bulletin

Based On What?

Brews from America’s Best Beer City need love too!

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So according to the latest Travel + Leisure magazine, Portland is America’s Best Beer City. Hey, tell me something I don’t know. Maybe someone should have tipped off the readers of Zymurgy, the official publication of the American Homebrewers Association, who wrote in and voted for its annual list of the 50 Best Beers in America. Included in this list are exactly two beers from Oregon—Deschutes Brewing’s Abyss Imperial Stout, and Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale—and none whatsoever from Portland.

But see, they obviously needed all that room in the Top 50 to extoll the virtues of two beers from Samuel Adams (Wrong!), three from New Belgium, and a whopping five from Dogfish Head (No complaints about Dogfish Head, they totally rock. But five beers?). Really Zymurgy? You couldn’t have squeezed in a little something from Laurelwood, Hopworks, Upright, or Bridgeport? Where’s the love for America’s best beer city?

Come on Portland! Let’s turn up some hometown heat. Send your righteous complaints to info@brewersassociation.org.

In the meantime, we can all come together for Oregon Craft Beer Month (also known as July) at Jeld-Wen Field tomorrow night where the OCBM Kickoff Party will feature some of our top taps. Are you listening readers of Zymurgy?

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Beer Culture, Oregon Craft Beer Month, Travel + Leisure, Zymurgy

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