The Belgians are coming! The Belgians are coming!

The 3rd Annual “Portland's Cheers to Belgian Beers” Festival is happening this weekend, May 1st and 2nd, from noon - 10pm at Lucky Labrador Beer Hall: 1945 NW Quimby, Portland.

The festival began in 2007 as a celebration of Belgian style beers, with participating brewers all producing beers from the same strain of yeast. The 2009 event marks the first year that all Oregon Brewers Guild members, including breweries outside the Portland Metro area, will be eligible to participate.

This year's chosen yeast it Wyeast 3822 Ingelmunster Ale (formerly known as Wyeast 3822 Dutch Castle), which is a unique Belgian ale yeast that produces spicy/phenolic aromas that are tart and dry on the palate, for a complex beer.

After sampling all the Belgian style ales, attendees will vote for their favorite in the “People’s Choice Awards.” To the victor goes the spoils, and in this case the winning brewery earns the right to host next year’s event, select the yeast strain and pick the 2010 charity beneficiary. Lucky Lab won the 2008 competition and has chosen to donate all 2009 profits 2009 to the Oregon Humane Society.

Admission is free! There is a $5 charge for a tasting goblet, which is required to sample beers, and $1 for tastes. Tickets can be purchased at the festival entrance.

For more information, visit here.

Just in Time for Earth Day

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. announced today another step toward environmentally-friendly shipping with the delivery of one of the first-ever Peterbilt Hybrid tractors. Traditionally, ground-based shipping is one of the least environmentally friendly aspects of operation in the brewing industry. The shipping trucks use enormous amounts of fossil fuels and have historically contributed high emissions output. This step into hybrid trucking should reduce consumption of petroleum-based fuel as well as slashing the emission footprint.

The Peterbilt Model 330 Hybrid Tractor is the ideal vehicle for short-haul pickup and delivery. When the diesel engine is combined with the Hybrid drive unit, the power is increased to 320 HP and a torque limited to 860 ft-lbs torque. The engine features a regenerative braking system, similar to that in popular hybrid passenger car designs. During braking, the driveline turns the motor/generator, which slows the vehicle to produce electricity and charge the hybrid system batteries.

The central feature of the Hybrid electric technology is an energy storage device—The Power Electric Carrier (or PEC), which includes a pair of lithium ion batteries. The batteries and related controls are efficiently housed in an enclosure that is roughly the size of two small suitcases. The batteries, compared to other battery technology, feature high-energy density, small size, and light weight. The lithium ion batteries used for this system weigh approximately 110 lbs and are equivalent to the energy produced with 1,900 lbs of conventional lead acid batteries. The complete PEC package includes two lithium ion batteries, electronics, and the housing—weighing approximately 220 lbs.

In 2008, the California Air resources Board required heavy-duty diesel trucks to have added controls or auxiliary equipment to reduce emissions during idling. The Peterbilt 330 Hybrid tractor complies with any and all of the stringent emissions requirements and is certified as a “Clean Idle” vehicle.

In addition to the new hybrid tractor, Sierra Nevada is focusing on making all areas of their shipping more sustainable. The brewery is using intermodal transportation, rail delivery of raw material, on-site manufacture of bio-diesel, and exploring efficiency upgrades in our existing fleet of trucks.

Cheers to Earth Day!

Registration Open For Annual Snokona Pond Skim at Mt. Hood Meadows

Online registration is now open for Kona Brewing’s annual celebration of snow, suds and skimming at the 3rd annual Sno‐Kona Pond Skim on Mt. Hood Meadows Saturday, April 25th 2009.

Contestants will launch themselves across a frigid 90‐foot long and 3‐foot deep pond on their snowboards or skis, while onlookers will be treated to Pond Skim hi‐jinks, live
music, Polynesian decor and round‐the‐clock beer sampling. All entrants will be vying for the grand prize of a trip for two to Hawaii, courtesy of All About Hawaii. The event is limited to 100 contestants, so participants should register early here and day‐of registration may open up if available. All participants must be over 21.

The contest has two rounds: in the first round, all participants attempt to skim the
pond, and if successful they move on to the second round which becomes the “skim‐
off” to determine the winner. If more than one contestant makes it to the other side
in round two, prizes will be awarded for the top three places, as well as for the best
splash, best impression made by a woman contestant, and best Hawaiian costume.

“Everyone wins at the Sno‐Kona Pond Skim, and every year it’s a blast,” said Dave
Tragethon, Executive Director of Marketing for Mt. Hood Meadows. “I think with the
economy in the state it’s in, we’re really going to see people putting it out there this
year, trying to win that grand prize trip to Hawaii. No matter what, the Pond Skim is
memorable for all of us—participants, skiers, snowboarders, and the crowd that
turns out to watch here at Meadows.”

Cost to participate in the Pond Skim is $25 per entrant, which includes a Kona towel.
If weather doesn’t cooperate, the Pond Skim will be held the following day on
Sunday, April 26.

Oktoberfest Holds Prices In 2009

Recognizing that the economy will require many months to recover, the directors of Mount Angel Oktoberfest have decided to hold prices at their annual event to 2008 levels or lower.

The all festival pass that allows unlimited entry and reentry to the Biergarten, Weingarten and Alpinegarten during all operating hours for all four days of the festival is reduced from $30.00 to $20.00.

Daily admission to the venues will be the same as last year. Children and young people 20 years of age and under are admitted free to the Weingarten and Alpinegarten, when accompanied by a paying adult until 9 PM daily. Prices for beer and wine remain unchanged. Food booths and crafters will be encouraged to hold their prices in line with 2008 and the directors will continue to look at other ways reduce the costs for our visitors without reducing the quality of entertainment, products and fun offered at the annual event.

As always, most events at Oktoberfest remain free.

John Gooley, President of Oktoberfest said "It is our goal to insure that even in these troubled times, everyone can afford to bring their friends and family to the Oktoberfest in Mount Angel, and expect to have a great time. We hope our folk festival can provide an escape, even for just a little while, from the stresses we all share.”

2009 Oregon Homebrew Festival

It's time for the 2009 Oregon Homebrew Festival, Oregon's longest running homebrew competition! Once again the festival will be held at Calapooia Brewing in Albany, Oregon.

The competition is sanctioned by the American Homebrews Association and the Beer Judge Certification Program to judge all 28 BJCP styles and, in addition, is a qualifying event for the 2009 Masters Championship of Amateur Brewing (MCAB).

They are looking for BJCP judges, past judges, and new judges to participate in a fun weekend of beer, cider, and mead judging. All judges will receive free lunch and a pint of your favorite beverage from Calapooia Brewing. If you would like to judge at the festival, please register on-line.

This is more than just a homebrew competition, and this year's festival promises to be better than ever with several new features added to create a homebrew festival atmosphere, including a guest speaker, equipment swap and of the course the huge, mega-raffle.

Equipment Swap
They have old pieces of perfectly good equipment from previous setups laying around, collecting dust. Why not clean some space out and help out your fellow brewer who may just be looking for that old brewpot you've outgrown or the counterflow chiller you used before upgrading to a plate chiller? Got an extra carboy? Bring it on in! Looking for an aeration stone? Who knows you just might fine one. And don't forget about all of those miscellaneous pieces from your draft setup you can trade to someone just making the jump to kegging. No item is too small to be swapped, so bring your unused stuff down and make a deal. They'll have an attendant in the area at all times to watch over the equipment and make sure you know when someone is interested.

MEGA Raffle
Buy a ticket for your chance to win fabulous prizes from a wide variety of homebrew shops, breweries and other businesses.

Additional details on the competition, including how, when and where to enter, as well as directions, information for judges, and the festival in general can be found at their website.

Don't miss out on Oregon's premier homebrewing event including the all new equipment swap. Pass the word on to all of your homebrewing friends and we hope to see you all there!

SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience SOLD OUT Two Months in Advance!!

The premier beer and food pairing event in the U.S. will take place May 30, 2009 in Washington D.C.

Following its successful, sold-out inaugural event in 2008, the Brewers Association (presenters of the Great American Beer Festival) event SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience has again sold out. SAVOR, the premier beer and food pairing event in the U.S., is a must-attend happening for fermented beverage lovers and foodies alike. Attendees will enjoy craft beers from 68 small, independent and traditional craft brewers who will personally pair their offerings with sweet and savory appetizers. Educational salons and workshops will provide additional opportunities to interact with some of America's best craft brewers.

If you missed out on tickets for this year, there's always next year!

Whole Foods Market New Cheese and Beer!

Whole Foods Market is pleased to announce the arrival of two new artisanal cheeses from Het Hinkelspel Cheese Co‐op in Gent, Belgium. The Pas de Rouge washed rind cow’s milk cheese and Pas de Bleu, blue cow’s milk cheese are now available in all Washington and Oregon stores.

Accompanying these cheese selections is Lousberg Belgian Ale. Lousberg was designed by De Proef Brewery of Lochristi, Belgium specifically to complement the Het Hinkelspel cheeses.

“We are always looking to expand our selection of exceptional cheeses,” noted regional specialty coordinator Frank Schuck. “We are particularly excited to offer our customers this
unique beer and cheese combination.”

Het Hinkelspel Cooperative was created in 1982 by renowned Cheesemaker Alexander Claeys. It is located on Lousberg Street in the beautiful and historic city of Gent, Belgium. All Het Hinkelspel cheeses are produced only with highest quality natural ingredients and with the utmost care for its environment. They are imported by Peterson Cheese in Auburn, WA.

Lousberg Belgian ale was created for Het Hinkelspel by De Proef owner & brewmaster Dirk Naudts. It is a bright golden ale with a beautiful floral nose with hints of tropical fruit and honey. It is refined and elegant on the palate, reminiscent of brut champagne. It will be feature-priced at $8.99 per 750ml cork-finished bottle. 8% alcohol by volume. Lousberg is imported to the U.S. by SBS Imports of Seattle, Washington.

Picture credit: Jay Brooks - Brookstonbeerbulletin.com.

Cast Your Vote for Local Beer!

Bend Brewing Co.’s award-winning brewer Tonya Cornett traveled to the U.K. last month as an international guest brewer for pub company J.D. Wetherspoon’s annual International Real-Ale Festival.

Now it’s your chance to make sure that her Wild Blue Yonder Oregon Amber wins the festival’s top prize! The hoppy amber is up against 50 of the world’s best guest ales, according to the J.D. Wetherspoon Web site.

Between today and Monday, May 4, anyone can cast their vote at www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk. Click on the International Real Ale Festival and make your choice. You don’t have to try the beer first, but it will be on tap at Bend Brewing Co. beginning the last week of this month should you want to taste this excellent hoppy amber.

“This is a great opportunity to showcase American craft brewing, and a win would open the door for other American brewers to have the same opportunity,” says Cornett.

Cornett was the first-ever female brewer to be invited to participate in the event and the only representative from the United States this year. “I was thrilled and honored to be included,” says Cornett, who has already been invited back to the U.K. to brew again in the future.

325 barrels (over 10,000 gallons) of Wild Blue Yonder were brewed (with American hops!) in two days during Cornett’s U.K. visit. The beer will be distributed at J.D. Wetherspoon’s over-700 pubs.

Cornett has been with Bend Brewing Co. since 2002 and is a graduate of the World Brewing Academy of Germany, a partnership between Seibel Institute of Chicago and Doemens Academy of Munich. In recent years she has garnered several gold, bronze and silver medals for her beer and in 2008 was honored as the first woman to win the title of Brewmaster of the Year at the World Beer Cup.

Three Breweries Win Double Medals at Spring Beer & Wine Fest Brewery Competition

In a field of nearly 90 beers, three breweries garnered double medals over the weekend in Portland's annual Spring Beer & Wine Fest beer competition, with another 13 breweries receiving medals as well.

Bend-based Deschutes Brewing, Hawaii’s Kona Brewing and Everett-Wash.-based Lazy Boy Brewing each won two medals in the competition. Kona grabbed two golds – one for Longboard Lager in the Lager category and one for Wailua Wheat in the Wheat category. Deschutes’ Miss Spelt, a German spelt ale, won silver in the broad Other category and its Hop Henge won silver in the IPA/Double IPA category. Lazy Boy won silver in the Belgian category with its Belgian Golden and garnered a second silver medal in the Red/Amber category with its Double Red.

Below is a list of all the winners in the 2009 Spring Beer & Wine Fest Beer Competition:

MEDAL CATEGORY BREWERY BEER STYLE
Gold Red/Amber Mad River Jamaica Red Red
Silver Red/Amber Lazy Boy Double Red Red
Gold Belgian Abbaye de Leffe SA Leffe Blond Belgian Golden
Silver Belgian Lazy Boy Belgian Golden Belgian Golden
Gold IPA/Double IPA Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
Silver IPA/Double IPA Deschutes Hop Henge IPA
Gold Lager Kona Longboard Lager Dortmunder
Silver Lager Trumer Brauerei Trumer Pils Pils
Gold Other Cascade Lakes Blonde Bombshell Blonde
Silver Other Deschutes Miss Spelt German Spelt
Gold Pale Sierra Nevada ESB ESB
Silver Pale Hopworks Crosstown Pale Organic Pale Ale
Gold Porter/Stout New Belgium 1554 Dark Ale
Silver Porter/Stout Oakshire Espresso Stout Coffee Stout
Gold Wheat/Wit Kona Wailua Wheat Wheat
Silver Wheat/Wit P. Weissbierbrauerei Aventinus Eisbock Iced Doppelweizen

Celebrate Spring at The RAM with a Mai Bock Brew Available Wednesday, April 15th!

The RAM Restaurant and Brewery is celebrating the arrival of spring with the release of their Mai Bock Beer. The arrival of spring is heralded by the return of the Goat-MAIBOCK! Debate continues as to the origins of the name… Was it after the town of Einbeck in Germany or a variation on the German work (and recognized symbol of the style) the Goat? Regardless, the name has come to signify one of their most popular seasonal selections. The lager is fermented cold and patiently aged (lagered) at near freezing temperatures to achieve a smooth and immensely satisfying profile. Crisp, clean and golden in color, the Maibock is brewed in the esteemed German Helles style. Over the years they've been fortunate to receive numerous awards for their brewers’ interpretations of the style:

North American Beer Awards: World Beer Cup: Colorado State Fair Indiana State Fair
Gold 2006 1998 Bronze 2004 Gold 2007 Silver
Silver 2007 2002 Silver
Bronze 2008

Come to the Ram to toast the arrival of spring with a Maibock small batch specialty brew!
The Ram Mai Bock is available at the following Washington RAM locations:
· Lacey-8100 C. Freedom Lane / (360)923-5900
· Lakewood-10019 59th Ave. Sw / (253)584-3191
· Tacoma-3001 N. Ruston Way / (253)756-7886
· Puyallup, South Hill -103 35th Ave. / (253)841-3317
· Puyallup, Sunrise Village - 10403 156th St. E., #101 / (253) 445-1005
· Kent-512 Ramsay Way / (253)520-3881
· Northgate-401 NE Northgate Way / (206)364-8000

Samurai Artist Productions & Ninkasi Brewing Present an evening of music and brews

Thursday April 16th 9pm
The Skylark Cafe & Club
3803 SW Deldridge Way
Seattle, WA 98106
206-935-2111

Samurai Artist Productions &
Ninkasi Brewing Presents
an evening of music and brews featuring local bands:
The Toy Soldiers, Hair Envelope and Rebels & Scientists

Jamie Floyd of Ninkasi will be on hand to talk about his beers with all of the currently available Ninkasi beers on tap. Perhaps even something special.

This event is FREE so come on down and welcome Jamie and enjoy some tasty brews and live music.

Brewers Association Releases Top 50 Breweries List

The Brewers Association, which represents the majority of brewing companies in the U.S., announced the annual list of top 50 brewing companies. Released are lists for both Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies of small and independent craft brewers, plus a Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies list. Rankings are based on sales volume in 2008.

"In 2007, 35 of the top 50 brewing companies were small and independent craft brewers. In 2008 there were 37," states Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association. "Craft brewers continue to have success and generate excitement behind the flavorful beer movement, but not without recent challenges including price increases for raw materials and supplies, as well as access to market issues."

Changes from last year's list include breweries moving up or down in the rankings based on volume sales. There was one new entrant into the Top 50 Craft list, The Saint Louis Brewery, and two craft brewers have claimed spots in the Top 50 Overall list—Big Sky Brewing Co. and Mac & Jack's Brewery. Consolidation of MillerCoors, last year's number 2 and 3 brewers, opened up a slot, and the merger of Widmer Brothers and Redhook into the company now named Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc. opened up another slot filled by emerging small and independent craft brewers.

A more extensive analysis of statistics on the craft beer segment in 2008 will be released April 22nd during the Craft Brewers Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. The Association's full 2008 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual breweries, will publish in the May/June issue of The New Brewer on May 19.

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies by Beer Sales Volume
(Based on 2008 sales)

Rank Brewing Company City State
1 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
2 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
3 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
4 Spoetzl Brewery Shiner TX
5 Pyramid Breweries Inc. Seattle WA
6 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
7 Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY
8 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
9 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
10 Magic Hat Brewing Co. Burlington VT
11 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau AK
12 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
13 Bell's Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
14 Kona Brewing Co. Kailua-Kona HI
15 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
16 Shipyard Brewing Co. Portland ME
17 Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul MN
18 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
19 Abita Brewing Co. Abita Springs LA
20 The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
21 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
22 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
23 Long Trail Brewing Co. Bridgewater Corners VT
24 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
25 Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport OR
26 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
27 The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
28 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
29 SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
30 Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick MD
31 BJ's Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach CA
32 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
33 BridgePort Brewing Co. Portland OR
34 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
35 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
36 Mac and Jack's Brewery Redmond WA
37 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT
38 Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants Chattanooga TN
39 Karl Strauss Brewing Co. San Diego CA
40 Breckenridge Brewery Denver CO
41 Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe Eureka CA
42 Otter Creek Brewing Co. Middlebury VT
43 Utah Brewers Cooperative Salt Lake City UT
44 North Coast Brewing Co. Fort Bragg CA
45 Blue Point Brewing Co. Patchogue NY
46 Boulder Beer Co. Boulder CO
47 Pete's Brewing Co. San Antonio TX
48 McMenamins Breweries Portland OR
49 Anderson Valley Brewing Co. Boonville CA
50 The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. St Louis MO


Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies by Beer Sales Volume
(Based on 2008 sales)

Rank Brewing Company City State
1 Anheuser-Busch InBev St. Louis MO
2 MillerCoors Brewing Co. Chicago IL
3 Pabst Brewing Co. Woodridge IL
4 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
5 D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc. Pottsville PA
6 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
7 Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc. Woodinville WA
8 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
9 High Falls Brewing Co. Rochester NY
10 Spoetzl Brewery Shiner TX
11 Pyramid Breweries Inc. Seattle WA
12 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
13 Iron City Brewing Co. Pittsburgh PA
14 Minhas Craft Brewery Monroe WI
15 Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY
16 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
17 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
18 Magic Hat Brewing Co. Burlington VT
19 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau AK
20 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
21 Bell's Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
22 Goose Island Beer Co. Chicago IL
23 Kona Brewery LLC Kailua-Kona HI
24 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
25 August Schell Brewing Co. New Ulm MN
26 Shipyard Brewing Portland ME
27 Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul MN
28 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
29 Mendocino Brewing Co. Ukiah CA
30 Abita Brewing Co., L.L.C. Abita Springs LA
31 The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
32 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
33 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
34 Long Trail Brewing Co. Bridgewater Corners VT
35 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
36 Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport OR
37 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
38 The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
39 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
40 SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
41 Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick MD
42 BJ's Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach CA
43 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
44 BridgePort Brewing Co. Portland OR
45 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
46 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
47 Straub Brewery Saint Marys PA
48 Cold Spring Brewing Co. Cold Spring MN
49 Mac and Jack's Brewery Redmond WA
50 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT
For additional statistics, see Craft Brewing Statistics.

The definition of a craft brewer as stated by the Brewers Association: An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional. Small: Annual production of beer less than 2 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition. Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewer's brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

##

Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association for small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit the Web site, www.beertown.org, to learn more.

Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider Now Available in Oregon

In a market flooded with local wines and microbrews, Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider is looking to offer the Pacific Northwest an alternative libation.

Original: 5.0% ABV.
o Crisp over ice. A classically styled, but untraditional hard apple cider. Fruit forward, with a fresh, crunchy appley nose and a deliciously creamy, refreshingly crisp mouth feel.

Brut: 5.5 % ABV.
o European-style extra-dry over ice. The “champagne” of ciders; combining subtlety and sophistication; the epitome of unforced elegance. A crisp fresh apple bouquet with a brisk, refined finish that lingers on the palate.

Light: 3.2% ABV.
o Bright over ice. Refreshingly light. Invigorating and full-flavored. A clean and cool, brisk and modern cider with delicate undertones.

Crispin uses premium apple juice blends not from concentrate, with no added malt, spirit or grape alcohols, and all varieties are Gluten Free for wheat-intolerant drinkers.

Claiming a unique space between wine and imported or craft beers, all three Crispin Cider varietals-Light, Brut and Original-are available for purchase at QFA and Haggen Food and Pharmacy store locations across the Pacific Northwest. A four pack of Crispin Cider retails for $6.99.

Sierra Nevada Launches "Wild Rivers" Campaign

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. announced today the launch of the “Wild Rivers” campaign to help keep our waterways clean and healthy.

For every 12-pack of Pale Ale and Summerfest Lager purchased in the U.S. this May, Sierra Nevada will donate a portion of proceeds to Western Rivers Conservancy, a nonprofit partner based in Portland, Oregon.

“Our beer is a product of our surroundings,” said Ken Grossman, Founder and President of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and member of the board of directors for Western Rivers Conservancy. “Sierra Nevada is not just the name of our brewery, but also a place with its own unique environment. We need to do our part in protecting that environment for generations to come.”

Proceeds from the Wild Rivers campaign will support Western Rivers Conservancy’s work to create river parks and protected natural areas along rivers like the Klamath River in California, the John Day in Oregon, the Hoh River in Washington and the Bear River in Utah.

The campaign launches at retailers nationwide on May 1, 2009, and continues through May 31.

Lake City welcomes The Beer Authority, Seattle's newest beer shop

"You've Been Good, Have A Beer!" written on the front windows of Seattle's newest bottle shop is a thought many people will appreciate. Considering The Beer Authority's vast bottle inventory from breweries around the world, one might think about being good more often.

Their motto is "All Things Beer Sold Here", and they don't disappoint. Along with a wide selection of beers in coolers lining two walls, the store offers kegs to go, glassware, brewery apparel, locally produced beer "munchies" and a healthy selection of wine. Tap rentals, an engraving service and gift baskets are on the way. Beer tastings are held each weekday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. and from noon until 6 p.m. on Saturday, each night featuring a different beer from their inventories.

"Browsing the store is easy, and every bottle of beer is individually priced," Said owner and operator Barry Adams. "We have empty six pack holders and encourage shoppers to 'mix and match'." The proprietors, Seattle pub veterans Barry and Shellane Adams, encourage special orders and relish the challenge of finding obscure beers for their customers.

The Beer Authority will be hosting its Grand Opening on April 18th and 19th. Prices across the store will be slashed so if you're looking for that elusive or expensive beer, make sure to attend. Beer tastings with brewers and industry experts will be available the entire weekend so bring your I.D. because you must be 21 years or older to sample.

Located at 12716 Lake City Way NE, Suite A, The Beer Authority is open from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. weeknights, from noon until 6 p.m. on Saturday and from noon until 5 p.m. on Sunday. Their website can be found at here.

Music is always on the house at Doyle’s Public House!

Find yourself at Doyle's Public House in Tacoma for some killer live music! Visit their website for additional information.

1. Doyles and The Weekly Volcano present On The House Thursdays! The Volcano goes out on Thursdays, why don’t you? These are EARLY shows, 7-9, with amazing local musicians in more intimate settings, at volumes more appropriate for the evening. Some music lovers have to get to bed early, right? They NEVER charge cover, and all shows will be followed by DJ Platelunch from Maui, who will spin a musical segue back to the roots.

4/2 Colby Sander/ Soul-O-Guitar / solo electric jazz, funk, classical

4/9 Romeos Un-Plugged/ acoustic country Americana pop duo

4/16 Motopony/ Daniel Blue solo with Greenfield opening / acoustic psychedelic pop

4/23 Vicci Martinez/ solo acoustic

4/30 Josh Hegg and Jim Char / gypsy guitar duo

2. They are continuing their Saturday night shows, and have added to the existing roster a diverse offering of Northwest talent! Saturday shows start at 9:30, and are On The House!

3/28 Jerry Miller Trio / smoking blues funk jazz, from legendary Moby Grape guitarist!

4/4 Westerly (CD Release!) / Country Americana

4/11 The Revengers with Nasty Left/ (Former Biznautics members)/ Grungy Tacoma Hip Hop!

4/18 All Night Yard Sale/ Latin Jazz Gypsy Funk (My Band Debuts at Doyle’s!)

4/25 The Toughtimes/ Funk & Soul Tacoma style!

5/2 The F**king Eagles with A Blanco Bronco/ Tacoma rock kings!/ Jesse Ray’s Birthday Bash!

5/9 Rockin Chair Money/ Old fashioned country rock and blues

3. We fastidiously resume preparations for next March 17th with St. Practice Day!

Friday 4/17 The Stout Pounders/ rowdy irish drinkin music!

Sunday 5/17 The Stout Pounders

Wednesday 6/17 Rick May and Gil Ysalas/ lively celtic fiddle and guitar duo

House Bill 1462

Washington state law currently allows "specialty beer stores" to only sell kegs in 1/6 barrel size or smaller (5.16 cylinders).

Jeff Bert from the Gravity Beer Market in Olympia has been working hard to get this law changed so that you'll be able to get those special beers that only come in 1/4 and 1/2 barrels from your local beer store. Imagine: Mac N Jacks, Walking Man, and others on your home kegerator, purchased from your local beer store!

Jeff says:
"House Bill 1462 is sitting in the Senate Rules Committee right now and we need to get it out and on to the Senate floor. If you haven't heard, this bill will change the law that only allows specialty beer/wine shops to sell 5 gallons or less of beer. It would enable us to sell full size kegs to any and all of our customers at any given time.

Here is a link to HB 1462:

You can see that it passed the House 97-0 and is now ready to go to the Senate floor as long as it gets out of the Rules Committee.

Remember, passing of this bill not only benefits your local mom-n-pop beer store, but also you as the customer, and all of the breweries (especially Washington) as it will open up the doors for them to sell kegs. Truly a win-win for everyone!!

Contact your senator...and let them know you're in favor of 1462.

Find your legislator:here