McMenamins Lighthouse Brewfest Aug. 16

McMenamins put out word this afternoon of the 13th annual brewfest being held at its Lighthouse brewery location in Lincoln City. Beers from 20 McMenamins breweries will be available. Full details are below.

13th Annual Lighthouse Brewfest at McMenamins Lighthouse Brewpub

Head to the coast for some great McMenamins ales and a chance to select your favorite

LINCOLN CITY, Ore.—Saturday, August 16, 2008—McMenamins Lighthouse Brewpub hosts its 13th Annual Brewfest showcasing 20 McMenamins breweries from Oregon and Washington. This expo of beer is sure to satisfy even the most discriminating beer lover’s palate. Each brewery creates its own distinct craft beer style for this day-long event and the Lighthouse serves up food and drink specials and brewery tours all day long. The event lasts from 11 a.m. ‘til late. There is no admission charge and all ages are welcome until 10 p.m. After 10 p.m. guests must be age 21 and over. There is a charge to taste beer.

Original beers at this summer’s event include Konigsallee Alt, a Northwest take on a German original from the McMenamins Queen Anne Brewery (Seattle, Wa.); The Festival Espresso Stout, which averages about a shot and a half of espresso per pint from McMenamins on the Columbia Brewery (Vancouver, Wa.); and Unmata Scotch Ale, a malty, sweet ale with 8% ABV from the Thompson Brewery (Salem, Ore.). These are just a few examples of the twenty types of ale that will be offered. Pace yourselves!

As part of the annual tradition, the brewfest actually kicks off weeks earlier with the “Vallancing Act” (named for former Lighthouse brewer Rob Vallance) during which each participating McMenamins brewer picks a number. Then beer styles are pulled from a hat to correspond to that number. The brewers are then required to brew an original recipe in that style. Each participating brewery also submits a tiny image to represent their particular brew. This collection of “Tiny Brewer Art,” always amusing if not befuddling, is displayed in the festival booklet provided to patrons, along with descriptions of the beers. McMenamins also designs a new Mighty Beer Atom (see attached) each year, which is, according to the brewers, “the fundamental building block that is the basis of life as we know it.” Attend the brewfest on August 16 to see what it’s all about. Guests will be asked to cast their votes for the “Best in Show” beer!

McMenamins Lighthouse Brewpub is located at 4157 North Highway 101 in Lincoln City, Ore. For more information, call (541) 994-7238.

Next Beer Festival Goodness Up to Bat: Bones and Brew

You think just because the Oregon Brewers Festival is come and gone we are now out of summer beer festivals? Think again! Coming up this weekend is the annual Bones and Brew event. Here's the details you need [via the Oregon Brewers Guild] to enjoy great BBQ and over 40 microbrews while benefiting the Oregon Zoo.

The 14th Annual Bones and Brew Festival to benefit the Oregon Zoo will be held August 2nd-3rd at the epicenter of Portland’s historic Northwest and Pearl Districts. Three closed-off city streets overlooking the buzzing I-405 transform into Portland’s largest neighborhood backyard BBQ. Authentic grill-masters will be competing, cooking up traditional barbeque, along with Hawaiian, Asian, seafood and vegetarian options.

Thirsty festival goers can choose from 40+ microbrews from local craft breweries like Rogue, Laurelwood, Amnesia, Eugene City Brewery, Lucky Lab, Hopworks, Ninkasi, Lompoc, Walking Man, Double Mountain and more. Home brewers can visit the Brewer’s Lounge to take notes and exchange ideas with the pros.

Bones and Brew is a family-friendly event with plenty of activities for all educational crafts with the Oregon Zoo, buckets of chalk for hopscotch and sidewalk drawings, face-painters, musical acts, and a designated kid zone. And don’t forget the four-legged members of your family. Dogs are also welcome at Bones and Brew and can sample gourmet BBQ dog treats, non-alcoholic dog brew, visit the dog psychic or play with other pups in a recreational dog area. For some good clean fun, a dog wash station will be sudsing up and hosing down canines for charity.

Local live music such as Oh Captain, My Captain and Bucyrus Erie will take the main stage. Other attractions will include a Kobe Bleu Ball eating contest, tricycles races, boxer taste tests, fire dancers and other games for the big kids.

Last year, Bones and Brew raised $10,000 for the Oregon Zoo’s new Predators of the Serengeti exhibit. 100% of admission donations will go to the Oregon Zoo.

Bones and Brew takes place on NW 15th Avenue between Everett and Glisan and on Flanders between 14th and 15th. Hours are Saturday, August 2nd from 11am-9pm, and Sunday, August 3rd from 11am-7pm. A $3 donation is requested at the door. Dogs and Kids are welcome.

New Brewery Sprouts in Historic PDX Space

A new brewery is getting ready to surface here in Portland. Upright Brewing Company, as first reported by the Portland Mercury, should be up and running by the first of the year. The brewery will be housed in the Leftbank Project, a historic space set at the eastern head of the Broadway Bridge where Broadway meets Weidler.

Upright has done a post on the Leftbank blog, explaining what it will be all about. Brewery owner Alex Ganum says his beers will be done in a way which combines "the spirit and methods of rustic French and Belgian style farmhouse brewing with the positive energy and downright beautiful ingredients the Pacific Northwest offers us." One can expect year-round brews in addition to a variety of other "distinct brews."

One thing the Mercury notes which is of interest is that Ganum will be using two open fermentation tanks. It should prove for some interesting results.

Some New Beer Releases Wind Down July

A quick check of the weekly calender of events over at the Oregon Brewers Guild Web site reveals several new brews will be hitting taps in the next few days. Check it out below and make plans to hit the appropriate place to get a taste of these mostly likely limited beers.

July 29th
Hopworks Urban Brewery’s New Beer Release: Whoop Whoop Wheat
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
9am to 2pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Named for former Portland Mayor Bud Clark and his famed call, Whoop Whoop Wheat is a refreshing, slightly tart wheat beer perfect for the hot days of summer. Served neat or with raspberry or peach juice, this is definitely one beer you’ll want to expose yourself too.

July 30th
McMenamins’ Limited Edition Beer Release Party
McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse & Imbrie Hall, 4045 N.W. Cornelius Pass Rd., Hillsboro
5 to 10 pm
503-640-6174 • www.mcmenamins.com
Featuring… Oak-Aged Rose City Til I DiePA Double IPA
One Night Only, or ‘Til the Beer is Gone! Step right up and into the historic Roadhouse itself to try a just-release limited-edition brew, the first of many once-a-month. No admission fee; pints for $4.15. Must be 21.

July 31st
Rock Bottom Brewery’s New Beer Release - Belgian Wit
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
5:30 to 6 pm
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
Be there when the Rock Bottom Brewery launches the new release of the Belgian Wit.

Bridgeport Wants You to Bow to the Hop Czar

I hope everyone had a good time and has recovered from the beer festival in Portland last weekend. We had a great time and thank everyone for stopping by the Beer Northwest booth to say hi!

We now turn attention to regular beer news with word of a new brew from Bridgeport Brewing Company - the Hop Czar.

BRIDGEPORT BREWING COMPANY RELEASES ITS NEXT 22-OUNCE BIG BREW - HOP CZAR, AN IMPERIAL IPA

PORTLAND, Ore. – July 28, 2008 – BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon's oldest craft brewery, is unveiling its next limited-edition 22-ounce Big Brew, Hop Czar. At 8-percent ABV (alcohol by volume), this Imperial IPA brewed from BridgePort's award winning IPA recipe, shakes its fist at anyone who dares to call it just "another IPA.”

Hop Czar is a triple-hopped bottle-conditioned, Imperial-style IPA that carries a deep malt background with enthusiastic citrus and floral notes paired with high hop bitterness. This 22-ounce Big Brew is a blend of copious amounts of Nugget, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial hops. BridgePort's Hop Czar Ale will be on tap at BridgePort brewpub + bakery, BridgePort Ale House and at select bars and restaurants around Portland including Park Kitchen, Horse Brass, El Gaucho, Higgin's, and Slowbar. With 2,350 cases produced, this limited edition brew will also be sold at retail grocery stores throughout Oregon and Washington while supplies last.

BridgePort's Hop Czar Stats:
IBU's: 100 ABV: 8% Color: Deep Golden
Ingredients: Nugget, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial Hops
Description: Triple-hopped, bottle-conditioned, Imperial-style IPA, hopped with Nugget, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial hops.

Oregon Beer Festival Starts Tomorrow!

Portlanders - in case you hadn't noticed yet, Tom McCall Waterfront Park is now decked out in white tents and other associated gear. The reason why? The Oregon Beer Festival!

Things kick off officially tomorrow morning with the Oregon Brewers Brunch & Parade. The festival doors open at 12 noon and the fun continues daily through Sunday! I've posted the "festival facts" below from the Oregon Brewers Festival Web site to help you get started on enjoying this great event. Cheers!

Event Name:	21st Annual Oregon Brewers Festival
Site:	Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland, Oregon Main entrance at S.W. Oak Street and Bill Naito Parkway.
Dates:	July 24, 25, 26 & 27, 2008 - Always the last full weekend in July.
Times:	Thursday through Sat, taps open Noon to 9pm Sun, taps open Noon to 7pm Token & mug sales cease half hour prior to closing
Entertainment:	Entertainment schedule now available >>>view
Admission:	Free for entry to the festival. A one-time purchase 2008 souvenir mug costs $5 and is required for consuming beer. Mugs from previous years will not be filled. Tokens are required for purchase of beer. Tokens cost $1 apiece. Patrons pay four tokens for a full mug, or 1 token for a taste.
Description:	Celebrating its 21st year in 2008, the Oregon Brewers Festival is regarded as one of the finest craft beer festivals in the world. Seventy-three breweries offer handcrafted brews to more than 60,000 beer lovers during the four-day event. One reason for the popularity of the OBF is that it is a non-judging event, designed to instead allow the public to sample and savor brews from some of the nation's finest breweries and draw their own conclusions. Beer is the focus of the event, and both classic and innovative beer styles are represented. There are hoppy pale ales, malty Belgian ales, creamy Scottish Ales, nutty brown ales, potent bocks, rich porters, refreshing pilsners, and charismatic ambers, just to name a few.
Points of Interest:	Joining the breweries are industry exhibits by hop growers, homebrewers, breweriana collectors, and national beer writers. For designated drivers or parents of minors, we're pleased to bring you the Crater Lake Root Beer Garden in the north end of the park.And our very talented face painter will be offering her services to children on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1-5pm. Seven restaurants offer light meals and snacks, and vendors sell beer-related products. Free bicycle parking is offered each day. The event is one block off the Max Light Rail Line. The Oregon Brewers Festival takes place during Oregon Craft Beer Month, a celebration of craft beer by Oregon's specialty breweries. There will be a variety of special events taking place at craft breweries all month long throughout the state, culminating with the Oregon Brewers Festival.

New Brewery Opens in Sisters, Oregon

Sisters, a nice little town on the way to Bend, just opened its first brewery. Three Creeks Brewing, as reported by The Oregonian's John Foyston, notified him it is now open for business seven days a week from 11 to 11. The brewery kicks things off with three brews initially, including an "India Black Ale." The facility, set in what is described as a "warm and rustic" setting, includes a full dining area. It reads like it is a great addition to the Oregon beer scene - here's to hoping it actually puts out great beers...

Distillers Festival Back in August

Has you liver gotten enough rest yet with the winding down of the Portland International Beer Festival? Assuming you make it through the rest of the month, you think you can fully relax. Wrong! Rolling into town August 23rd and 24th is the 4th Annual Great American Distillers Festival!

Northwest Brewery Elysian Teams With New Belgium

And the "mergers" continue...

In a joint press release sent out by Elysian Brewing in Seattle, WA and New Belgium Brewing from Fort Collins, CO:

A Joint Adventure; New Belgium and Elysian Share Breweries

(FORT COLLINS/SEATTLE) July 18, 2008 - New Belgium Brewing and Elysian Brewing Company, two of America’s most award-winning breweries, are creating a new model in the craft brewing industry. The two independently owned breweries announced today that they are working together to brew their distinctive beers at each other’s breweries in Seattle, WA and Ft. Collins, CO. By coming together, New Belgium and Elysian have the ability to increase efficiency, encourage creative experimentation, and take a bold collaborative step into the future of American craft brewing.

Described as an artisanal collaboration, New Belgium and Elysian have agreed to let their brewing teams use each other’s brewhouses while remaining independent enterprises. As the first brewery in the United States to specialize in brewing Belgian beer styles, New Belgium will continue to innovate by brewing small-batch creative and experimental beers in Seattle like the Lips of Faith series while getting closer to their customers in the fertile Pacific Northwest brewing scene.

“This is an exciting time for craft brewers in the U.S. as we dream up new and interesting ways of brewing great beer and working with one another,” said Kim Jordan, CEO and co-founder of New Belgium. “Our respect for the folks at Elysian is tremendous and I can’t wait to celebrate with the first beer that we brew together.”

Elysian in turn will brew larger batches in Fort Collins, CO and be able to handle growing distribution needs as their beers become available in new U.S. markets, like New York, which opened July 1st of this year. Elysian’s head brewer and co-founder, Dick Cantwell, sees the arrangement as a way to grow his production responsibly while working closely with respected industry peers in creative new ways.

“I can’t think of a crew I’d rather work with,” said Cantwell, “and to be able to collaborate with Peter Bouckaert in producing some of their specialty beers here is an enormous honor.”

With mutual love of interesting beer as the primary driver, this alliance doesn’t appear to fall into any typical business stratagem. As the craft brewing scene evolves, adventures such as this may soon become commonplace as groups of brewers utilize each others strengths to bring world-class beers to an expanding audience while staying true to the spirit and origins of the craft brewing movement.

Rogue Now Growing Own Hops

Did you know Rogue is getting into the hop growing business? I didn't...call me late to the party. Anyhow, a note from Rogue came across the desk of the Beer Advocate guys about the Rogue Hop Farm, south of Independence, Oregon. The details are below, and you can find photos over at Flickr.

NEWPORT, OR., May 22, 2008 (Rogue Wire Service): The Rogue Nation's Department of Agriculture has entered into a strategic alliance with Heritage Hop Growers, the Coleman Family.

Rogue Hop Farm
The Rogue Hop Farm is on the Willamette River, south of Independence, Oregon on the former John Haas Alluvial Hop Farm. Four varieties are now being planted on 22 acres with an initial harvest in 2009. The four varieties are Perle, Sterling, Horizon, and Centennial. The hops will be processed and baled on the farm.

In 2009 Rogue will create an all Oregon product using Oregon hops and malt from their farms, yeast from Wyeast in Hood River, and Oregon Free Range Coastal Water, in commemoration of Oregon's 150th Birthday.

In 2008 a fresh hop beer will be available from the farm. The Rogue Nation Postal Service will issue a commemorative stamp marking the occasion.

For tours call Anna at (503) 227-3761.

We are proud to join with Oregon Farmers who provide the essential ingredients for Oregon's thriving fermentation economy.

Celebrating its second century, Rogue Ales is an Artisan Varietal Brewery founded in Oregon in 1988, as one of America's first 50 microbreweries. Rogue has 550+ awards for taste and quality and is available nationally and in 10 countries.

News: International Beer Fest, New McMenamins Hotel

Hope everyone is enjoying all the great Oregon craft beers being poured this month. As a reminder, if you want something with a more international flair, the Portland International Beer Festival kicks off July 18 and runs through the 20th in the Pearl's Park Blocks. There will be over 130 beers available for sampling from more than 15 countries.

And, in other news, McMenamins is gearing up to open a new hotel/brewpub in downtown Portland early next year. This looks cool...

McMENAMINS TO OPEN HISTORIC HOTEL

IN DOWNTOWN PORTLAND, ORE.

The hotel will offer guestrooms, a pub, restaurant, soaking pool and more…

PORTLAND, Ore.—Friday, July 11, 2008—McMenamins Hotels, Pubs & Breweries has purchased the property at S.W. Stark & 12 Streets from Gerding Edlen Development and has begun renovation on a hotel to open in early 2009. The project realizes visions of both Portland-based companies—an extension of the Brewery Blocks across Burnside for Gerding Edlen, and a full-service downtown establishment for McMenamins.

“Having a full downtown property with all of our offerings in one area has been something we’ve thought about for a long time now,” said Renee Rank, McMenamins marketing director. “This project is the perfect complement to our adjacent Ringlers Annex Pub and the Crystal Ballroom, and will be a great connection between the Pearl District and the West End.”

The building itself has an incredible history since its inception in 1911. Throughout its near-century, the site changed hands and names many times, offering a hotel (Hotel Alma, Hotel Georgian, Hotel Tait, Majestic Hotel), men’s bath house (Club Baths, Club Portland) and night club (Club Mecca, The Desert Room, Stark Street Station, Flossie’s, Silverado), among other uses.

Interestingly, connections between the new hotel site and other McMenamins properties abound. For example, the land on which McMenamins Edgefield hotel now stands was owned in the 1850s by Hiram and Hannah Smith, who lived in the same block as the new hotel lot. In another uncanny example, a child named Grace Connelly lived in a home on the site of what is today known as Ringlers Annex pub, adjacent to the new hotel site; Connelly later taught elementary school for 43 years at what is now McMenamins Kennedy School hotel.

The new McMenamins downtown hotel (as of yet unnamed) is scheduled to open in early 2009 and will have 50 hotel rooms on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors of the building. This project is McMenamins’ first full-service establishment in downtown Portland. The company will commemorate, through original artwork and historic photographs, the property’s evolution from pioneer residence to a tire shop along the city’s original Auto Row to a live jazz club to—most recently and significantly—part of Portland’s gay triangle.

The first floor of the hotel will house a full-service restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner with a menu that celebrates fresh, seasonal ingredients abundantly available throughout the Pacific Northwest, and will feature outdoor seating along S.W. Stark and 12^th Streets. The basement will offer a heated saltwater soaking pool and spa-like massage rooms, along with a Subterranean Cellar Bar that will connect with McMenamins Ringlers Annex pub next door.

Perhaps most exciting is the new hotel’s one-block proximity to the legendary Crystal Ballroom, another of McMenamins’ properties, that has offered live national music acts since the 1920s to the present, ranging from Rudolph Valentino to the Grateful Dead to Modest Mouse. The Crystal Ballroom also serves as an elegant event and meeting space for celebrations and gatherings of all types. The new hotel is envisioned as the ideal partner to the Crystal for concert-goers, wedding parties, business retreats and more.

McMenamins purchased the property from Gerding Edlen Development in June 2008. “We couldn’t have imagined a better use for this property,” said Patrick Wilde, project manager for Gerding Edlen Development, “We purchased the building—with its unique triangle footprint and location at the gateway to the West End—with the idea that the right business could transform it into a great location that invites people across Burnside and augments the history and character of this neighborhood. McMenamins can certainly do that.”

Reservations for the new hotel will be accepted prior to its opening—see mcmenamins.com for updates as they become available.

Oregon Brewers Festival Line-up Announced

The Northwests biggest beer festival is almost here! The Oregon Brewers Festival runs from July 24-27 and features more than 70 beers from different breweries in the NW as well as breweries from across the nation, you're sure to find a brew you'll enjoy. The line-up of beers can be viewed at the Oregon Brewers Festival website. Come visit Beer Northwest in the writers tent during the fest, hope to see you there!

Bridgeport Gets Its Haymaker On

Word from the beer scribes reveals Bridgeport is ready with its summer Haymaker Ale...

BRIDGEPORT BREWING COMPANY RELEASES ITS SUMMER SEASONAL HAYMAKER ALE

Out to Quench the Thirst of Beer Lovers Again this Summer, Seasonal Ale On Tap and In Stores Now

PORTLAND, Ore. – July 7, 2008 – BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon's oldest craft brewery, released its seasonal summer favorite Haymaker Extra Pale Ale.  First introduced to rave reviews last summer, Haymaker Extra Pale Ale packs a refreshing crisp flavor making it the ideal beer to take full advantage of the long summer days.  

Haymaker Extra Pale Ale is now on tap at BridgePort's brewpub + bakery, BridgePort Ale House and at restaurants throughout the Portland and Seattle area.  BridgePort's Haymaker Extra Pale Ale can also be found at select retailers throughout Alaska, Arizona, northern California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Beer Lovers Are Encouraged to Once Again "Make Hay While the Sun Shines” This Summer Season Haymaker is a refreshing, extra pale ale that is simply sunshine in a bottle! It's a distinct blend of four malts and three varieties of hops that create a slightly complex, crisp and bright ale. Bright golden in color, it can best be described as "sunshine in a glass."

BridgePort's Haymaker Ale Stats:
IBU's: 15 ABV: 5.3% Color: Golden
Ingredients: Haymaker is a distinct blend of four malts and three varieties of hops.
Description: Haymaker is a bright golden ale with light body and a crisp finish.

Laurelwood: New Beers, Rooftop BBQ!

Laurelwood is got some interesting stuff going on right now, including some new brews and a rooftop BBQ...

Infrared Ale, Green Mammoth Organic IIPA, and Organic Manuka Honey Ale On Tap Now!

Infrared aka Beer's Law With this beer we right a terrible wrong in the world of physics. Since learning that Beer's Law has nothing to do with beer, but instead the absorption of light in a solution, we've been terribly confused. Well now we present Infrared, a beer that seriously considers the law: Infrared is what our Free Range Red would be like if brewed in Belgium. Brewed with Belgian yeast and malt and a heavy does of European hops, we've shown that molecular absorption spectrometry really can be fun. 6.8% ABV 55 IBUs O.G. 16º Plato Infrared Ale is now on tap at Laurelwood Public House & Brewery (51st and Sandy). Green Mammoth Organic Imperial IPA This is the Imperial (read big 'ol) version of our Green Elephant Organic IPA. This beer is all about hops, hops and more hops. Cascade, Ahtanum and Amarillo hops added in the kettle, hop back and fermenter give this beer it's kick. Warning- not for the faint-of-palate. 8.5 % ABV 85 IBUs O.G. 19 º Plato Organic Manuka Honey Ale For this seasonal ale we used Organic Manuka Honey from New Zealand. Manuka Honey, found only in New Zealand, is made from tea tree pollen, giving the honey rich color and flavor. Known for its healthful properties and is thought of as Nature's medicinal miracle. The honey gives this ale a nice floral nose and a smooth crisp finish, making it a perfect summer beer. 5.6% ABV 25 IBUs O.G. 13º Plato Green Mammoth and Organic Manuka Honey Ale are now on tap at Laurelwood Pizza Company (40th and Sandy). ....by the way, can someone please explain that logarithm thing posted above?

	Rooftop Brewer's BBQ - July 16
Join us next week on our rooftop patio for a Brewer's BBQ. $10 for adults, $5 for kids with N/A beverage included. Meet the brewers and our new chef Lyle Jost, who will be unveiling great new menu items, like a Kobe burger with beer battered fries. More info next week.... stay tuned!

HUB Becomes Hub of Oregon Beer Month Fun

Hopworks Urban Brewery is getting in on the game big time this month with a bunch of scheduled events. Here are a few highlights from their most recent newsletter (full list is here):

July 8th, 2008

Bourbon Barrel Day + New Beer Release: Bourbon DOA + U-Bahn Kolsch

All the Hopworks bourbon barrel aged beers on tap at the same time! Kentucky Christmas, Bourbon IPA, Bourbon DOA, and possibly another?! Beers tapped at 3pm.

Kölsch is a special ale brewed exclusively in Cologne, Germany until now. Christian spent a term in Cologne during college where he enjoyed every one of the 22 versions of Kolsch brewed in the city limits with the help of the U-Bahn subway. Kolsch has the bright straw yellow color of a Pilsner with more subtle hop aroma and bitterness. U-Bahn Kölsch is a top-fermented ale fermented at 60°F with the traditional yeast strain as opposed to bottom-fermented beer (a lager) fermented at much colder temperatures. Prost!

July 9th, 2008

Hopworks Beer and Oregon Cheese Pairing with Steve's Cheese

Join us for a tasting of Hopworks beers paired with Oregon craft cheeses. Guided by the Hopworks brewers and Steve from Steve’s Cheese, get insight on the brewing and cheese making process while enjoying some excellent pairings.

Tickets $25 - Limited to 30 guests - 7 beer and cheese pairings - Event starts at 7pm - Sign up with hostess

July 13th, 2008

SE Portland Beer Bar and Bike Tour

Join us for bike tour exploring the great beer scene in our SE Portland neighborhood. Starting at Hopworks at high noon on Sunday July 13th, the Hopworks brewers will lead a bike tour to our favorite brewers, bars and beery restaurants. Starts at 12pm.

Beer News Begins Again

Catching up from the July 4th holiday (and enjoying a case of Rogue purchased at their Newport warehouse sale) means a lot of news passing by as we are now officially in Oregon Craft Beer Month! Our first news item though, is about a beer from Deschutes which won't be available until October...

Deschutes Brewery’s Holiday Favorite Returns
Jubelale Turns 21 This Year

(June 30, 2008 – Bend, Oregon) A winding, abstract river runs through the open spaces of Central Oregon’s desert, surrounded by fluttering snowfall… this is the 2008 label of Deschutes Brewery’s wildly popular holiday ale, Jubelale. Each year the brewery commissions a different Central Oregon artist to capture the essence of this winter seasonal beer. Pam Jersey Bird, based in Sisters, Oregon, created the resist-style painting that will grace this year’s packaging, available exclusively for the holidays from October through December.

“Because Jubelale is 'A Festive Winter Ale,' I wanted to portray a scene that was lively and colorful but also captured Central Oregon’s snowy climate,” says Bird. “I decided to focus on the river that is the namesake of the brewery and also inspired the name of our town. Emphasizing the curve of the bank, I added snowflakes and ice crystals, which surround the blue moving waters of the Deschutes River.”

Jubelale is made with dark crystal malt and whole flower hops that provide a rich flavor perfectly matched for the cold weather and hearty foods of winter. The team at Deschutes recommends pairing Jubelale with strong flavored foods like roasted beef, root vegetables and pumpkin pie. Being the first beer ever bottled by Deschutes Brewery, 2008 marks the 21st version of this award-winning, seasonal favorite.

“Jublelale is one of our most anticipated releases of the year,” says Deschutes Brewery Founder and President, Gary Fish. “The beer is always amazing, but part of the appeal is seeing the new label for the first time each year – it’s like unwrapping your first holiday gift of the season.”

Jubelale is one of four seasonal beers produced by Bend’s Deschutes Brewery, and is available in 6-packs, 12-packs and on draft in 12 Western States beginning in October. MSRP is $7.99 for 6-packs and $14.99 for 12-packs.

6.7% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
60 International Bitterness Units (IBU)