Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Beer & cider lineup released for first annual BrewFest in the Park; family friendly event takes place June 23-25 at Overlook Park

Courtesy of the BrewFest in the Park

PORTLAND, Ore. – Grab your picnic blankets, bikes, the kids & the dog for the first annual BrewFest in the Park. The event is taking place June 23 through June 25, at Portland’s Overlook Park, 1599 N Fremont St. Event hours are Noon to 9pm Friday and Saturday and Noon to 5pm Sunday.

BrewFest in the Park will serve more than 60 craft beverages – including beer, cider and mead – from 41 different brewing companies. There will also be food carts (Bunk Sandwiches, The Dump Truck and Urban German Grill), vendors, a Crater Lake Soda Garden for minors and designated drivers, games for adults (volleyball, cornhole and washer toss), and a children’s area with activities and free face painting – all taking place in a beautiful park setting.

The styles at the event range from ciders to cream ales, ambers to lagers, and fruit beers to IPAs. Most, though not all, of the products have been brewed using a minimum of 70% organic ingredients, per USDA guidelines. A list of participants, their products, and their organic status can be viewed on the website at http://BrewfestinthePark.com/participating-breweries; a sortable spreadsheet can also be viewed on Google Drive.

BrewFest in the Park coincides with the Sunday Parkways North Portland route on June 25 from 11am to 4pm; the family is welcome to stop by after the ride, park the bikes in the Hopworks Urban Brewery Bike Corral and enjoy some refreshing craft beverages, including handcrafted soda. Picnic blankets, chairs, non-alcoholic beverages and outside food are allowed at the event.
 
Courtesy of the BrewFest in the Park

Tickets for the event are on sale now, and early purchasers receive an additional five tasting tickets. Advance packages cost $25 per individual and include the festival mug, 15 drink tickets, a wristband, and free re-entry all weekend (with wristband & mug). Packages at the door cost $25 per individual and include the festival mug, 10 drink tickets, a wristband, and free re-entry all weekend (with wristband & mug). Advance packages are on sale now through Bold Type Tickets at http://merctickets.com/events/43891630/brew-fest-in-the-park.

Designated drivers may purchase a ticket for $5 at the door, which includes handcrafted Crater Lake Soda and a bottle of water; designated drivers are not allowed to consume any alcohol. Minors under the age of 21 receive free admission, but must be accompanied by a parent. Leashed pets accompanied by responsible owners are welcome.

Most products cost one ticket for a taste and four tickets for a full mug. Select products, including some beers and most meads and ciders, will cost extra tickets. Additional drink tickets are available at the festival for $1 apiece.

The festival encourages responsible drinking and urges patrons to take advantage of the MAX Light Rail; the Yellow Line Overlook Park Station is adjacent to the festival. Attendees can also take advantage of the Hopworks Urban Brewery Bike Corral, where volunteers watch over bikes for free. Patrons receive an extra ticket with a validated Tri-Met ticket or a ticket from the Hopworks Bike Corral (only one extra ticket per person).

This festival benefits the Timbers Army 107IST (Independent Supporters Trust), whose mission is to support soccer in and around Portland, Oregon, from the grassroots to the highest professional level. The 107IST is a member-based non-profit organization open to anyone who loves soccer, the Timbers/Thorns, and Portland.

Twitter: @BrewFestinPark
Instagram: @BrewFestinthePark
Hashtag: #BFITP17

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

20th Annual Barley Cup Brewfest – Head to Salem this Weekend

Courtesy of McMenamins
Situated in the heart of Willamette Valley hop country, McMenamins has been celebrating great beer at Thompson Brewery in Salem, Ore., for nearly 30 years. From an early pioneer home to a traditional Bavarian restaurant and then as Salem’s first brewpub since Prohibition, Thompson has seen Oregon’s state capital change dramatically in its lifetime. There’s no better time to enjoy a brew at Thompson than at Barley Cup Brewfest, where McMenamins and guest brewers have been asked to send one keg of whatever delicious and special beer they choose. Guests can purchase a glass and tokens to sample the beverages pouring from stations at the cozy bar, and alongside the patio out back and try to determine which one is their favorite brew. The winner of the Barley Cup will be decided by a popular vote among all attendees and the winning brewery will have their name and beer name forever engraved on the coveted Barley Cup trophy.

Date: Saturday, June 11, 2017
  • When: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.
    • Brewery tours from 12-5 p.m.
    • Music from 7-10 p.m.
    • Distillery tasting from 3-7 p.m.
  • Where: McMenamins Thompson Brewery & Public House, 3575 Liberty Road S., Salem, OR 97302
  • Attending: 8 McMenamins Beers, 6 Guest Beers; 3 McMenamins Ciders, 3 Guest Ciders
Courtesy of McMenamins

Cascade Brewing releases Manhattan NW 2015, announces date for Crazy Navel 2016

Courtesy of Cascade Brewing Co

PORTLAND, Ore – Cascade Brewing will release its Manhattan NW 2015 project today at 12pm PDT; and on June 13, it will release Crazy Navel 2016. Both projects will be available in bottle and draft at its two pubs – Cascade Brewing Barrel House and Raccoon Lodge – and through its distribution channels.
 
Courtesy of Cascade Brewing Co
Manhattan NW is a blend of sour quad and blond ales aged in bourbon barrels with sour pie cherries and apricot noyaux. A tribute to the classic Manhattan cocktail, this unique sour beer interpretation features flavors of bourbon, maraschino cherries, bitter almond and rich malt backbone (10.3% ABV).
 
Courtesy of Cascade Brewing Co
Crazy Navel 2016 is a blend of sour wheat and blond ales aged in oak wine barrels for 14 months with fresh orange zest. Using both Cara Cara and Heirloom varietals, Crazy Navel captures the essence of the navel orange balanced with a refreshingly tart and dry base beer (7.6% ABV).
“Manhattan NW has long been one of our most popular releases and is one of highest rated beers in our portfolio,” explained Tim Larrance, vice president of sales and marketing. “We’re also excited about our long awaited new orange project, Crazy Navel, and are confident it will be a summer hit.”
Manhattan NW is a tier three offering, while Crazy Navel is a tier one. The new bottles have distinct label styles for each of the three Cascade Brewing pricing tiers, with each label within the tier utilizing distinctive colors to clearly differentiate each beer. The tiers differ by the style of beer used in the product, the type ingredients contained within, the time aged in the barrels and types of barrels used.
About Cascade Brewing
Cascade Brewing has been a pioneer in the sour beer renaissance since 2006 and the proud innovator of the Northwest Sour Ale. Its distinctive sour beer blends feature fruit forward, barrel-aged ales with an emphasis on project year-to-year variation. These beers offer a complex array of flavors derived from the acid, the fruit and the residual flavors present in the barrels in which they age. The resulting beers offer a complex array of flavors and aromas derived from with each project year release capturing the unique subtleties of that year’s growing season. Cascade Brewing’s sour ales are brewed and blended in Portland, Oregon. Cheers to the Sours. Enjoy in a profoundly wise manner.
# # #
Overview
Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @CascadeBrewing
Hashtag: #CascadeSours #ManhattanNW #CrazyNavel

Monday, June 5, 2017

Portland Fruit Beer Festival announces additional Special Tappings, Rare Beers & Featured Brewers!

Courtsey of Portland Fruit Beer Festival
The 7th annual Portland Fruit Beer Festival is right around the corner (June 9-11th) and while the main festival beer and cider list has been posted for some time, today organizers are pleased to unveil the rare and rotating taplist including some featured brewer tappings not in the regular lineup. During the festival, organizers dedicate 3-4 taps to rare beers that will rotate throughout the three day fest. These are hard to find and one-off beers that are usually more expensive but amongst the most interesting. This year features special tappings from Firestone Walker, Great Notion Brewing, Crux Fermentation Project, Cascade Brewing, pFriem Family Brewers, De Garde and more.


2017 Portland Fruit Beer Festival
Bonus Featured Brewer Tappings
  • rare/rotating taplist




Firestone Walker Brewing
Sat. June 10th 11am

Krieky Bones - What began as a birthday gift, took on a life of its own.  Proprietor David Walker cornered us one day and requested a sour cherry fermented beer for his 50thbirthday.  Done.  A handful were sold at a Liberation, after which our loyal patrons demanded more.  Voilà, Krieky Bones Batch #2!  This beer begins its life as a Flanders Red style beer aged 24 months in a 2200 gallon French oak foeder.  Sour Montmorency cherries are added and allowed a secondary fermentation. The aroma is of cherry pie complete with flavors of pie crust and spicy notes.  Vienna malt notes give way to an assertive acidity, and a bright carbonation.  A santé!
Barrel // Ratio // Maturation time
French oak // 100 % // 24 months

Bretta Rose - Thirty miles north of Barrelworks lies the fertile Santa Maria Valley.  Its warm days and cool marine layer-fed evenings allow for a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables to be grown in its rich soil.  One of Santa Maria’s crown jewels is locally grown raspberries.  We jumped at the opportunity to ferment fresh local raspberries with one of our Barrelworks creations.  Behold Bretta Rosé!  A low-alcohol Berliner Weisse style ale, acidified and matured in French oak puncheons for 6 months, is the foundation for this gem.  Add 1000 lbs. of fresh raspberries, allow a secondary  wild fermentation for 4 more months and voila (!), we have a crisp effervescent concoction, bursting with raspberry perfume and flavor, a rosé color, bracing acidity, and a clean and refreshing finish.



Cascade Brewing
Sat. June 10th 3pm

Orange Crusher 2016
Grapefruit Wheat 2016
Shrieking Violet 2016



pFriem Family Brewers
Sat. June 10th 7pm

Abrikoos - Lambic brewed with 3 pounds of apricots per gallon. 5.4% Abv.

Oude Kriek - Adding fresh, Hood River cherries to our barrel aged lambic ale makes us happy, but 10 months later, flavors of cherry pie and the dry, tangy finish are even more satisfying. 5.6% abv.

Peche - When we add juicy, heirloom peaches to our year-old Lambic, magic happens— they unite, gushing with bright acidity, nutty undertones and a tangy finish. It does take eight more months of aging, but it’s well worth the wait. 5.8% abv.


Crux Fermentation Project & De Garde
Sun. June 11th 11am

Crux: Sour Golden Pinot Gris - Sour golden aged 1.5 years in L'ecole red wine barrels with mixed culture fermentation. Fresh Pinot Gris grapes crushed and added to barrels. 11.3% ABV, 20 IBUs

Crux: A Taste of Summer Saison w/ Peach - Inspired by the warmer weather and sunny days, we too our Farmhouse beer and added peaches to the fermentation. Hints of summer peaches and herbal notes play on the nose, along with subtle sweetness on the backend of the palate. 6.5% ABV, 25 IBU

De Garde Brewing: Alle Krüge - A Wild Brown Ale Aged in Oak Barrels with Blackberries. Brewd In Collaboration with Freigeist Bierkultur ALC 6.8% BY VOL

Great Notion Brewing
Sun. June 11th 3pm

Orchard Reserve - a barrel-aged Saison fermented for 10 months in French Pinot Noir barrels with our house sour culture. The beer is conditioned with Tart Montmorency cherries.

Strawberry Shortcake - a tart ale made with Oregon strawberries. This is the strawberry version of our Zest Berliner Weisse series, the cousin to Blueberry Muffin and Key Lime Pie.

Also in the Rotation….

Burnside Brewing: Lime and a Coconut
A special fruit beer fest classic: Lime Kolsch blended with Coconut Water for a truly refreshing and fun summer favorite.

Culmination Brewing: 2016 Peche'
Barrel aged sour wild ale with peaches. 7% Abv.

Deschutes: Tamarind Session Sour
The tamarind tree produces a pod-like fruit with a fantastic citrus quality. In this highly drinkable sour beer we pair tamarind with Victory malt, giving a slightly sweet biscuit note to help balance the tart acidity.
ABV: 4.0%  IBUs: 12

Double Mountain: Peche Mode
Belgian-style ale aged for 9 months on Hood River peaches. This beer also uses Brettanomyces as well as their house yeast. 8.6% abv.

Ecliptic Brewing:  Barrel-Aged Carina Peach Sour Ale with Brett (wild yeast)

Lompoc Brewing: Port Barrel Aged Cranberry Saison

Portland Cider Co: Bruce Lychee
Bruce Lychee is a medium cider from 100% northwest apples blended with fresh pressed lychee fruit. Exotic notes of melon and rose are balanced with subtle citrus aromas from Amarillo and Citra hops. 6.4% ABV

Reverend Nat's Hard Cider: Bodhisattva of Compassion
A sour blending project made from Sacrilege Sour Cherry cider aged in Cascade Barrel House barrels, heirloom Golden Russet aged in Ransom Old Tom Gin barrels and pyro-concentrated Newtown Pippin aged in Le Vin de Grand Jon barrels. 8.3%


Ruse Brewing: Turquoise Mountain Sunrise
this golden ale was conditioned in pinot noir barrels for 8 months with our house brettanomyces culture, then transferred to stainless with pineapple puree. Tastes like a cocktail-hence the name!

Wander Brewing: Cranberry Fruit Puncheon
European specialty malts. German and American hops. Specialty farmhouse ale yeast. Aged in French oak red wine puncheons with organic cranberries from Starvation Alley Farms in Long Beach, WA. Pours ruby red. Begins semi-sweet, finishes tart and dry. Blood orange, blackcurrant, jammy, subtle tannic notes. 8.2% abv.




6th annual Portland Beer and Cheese Fest - June 17th

Courtesy of Portland Beer & Cheese Fest
Portland Beer Week (presented by General Distributors Inc.) has announced pairing details and tickets for the 6th annual Portland Beer and Cheese Fest. Oregon’s top celebration of beer and cheese and their harmonious flavors come together on Sat. June 17th, this year featuring an all ‘Cascadia’ theme with all beers and creameries from this region. 2017 is also the first year the Beer & Cheese Fest will feature the cheesemakers themselves with creameries operating their own tables with hand-selected beer pairings by cheesemonger Steve Jones of Cheese Bar, Chizu and Cheese Annex.Poor

Tickets are now on sale for the 2017 Portland Beer and Cheese Fest and tickets are expected to sell-out in advance. In addition to ten paired beers and cheeses the fest features a complimentary (while supplies last) charcuterie table by Creminelli Meats and chocolate by Xocolatl de David included with the all inclusive ticket.

 This years brewery/beer and creamery/cheese pairings are:
  • 54-40 Brewing River Road Pils with
  • Ancient Heritage Dairy’s Willow Creek
  • Little Beast Brewing’s Bes with
  • Marin French Cheese’s Breakfast Cheese
  • Upright Brewing’s Glass Tower (dry-hopped saison) with
  • By George’s Little Antalope
  • Driftwood Brewing’s Farmhand Saison with
  • Lark’s Meadow Farms Alto Vallee
  • The Commons Brewery’s Myrtle with
  • Briar Rose Creamery Carena
  • Fremont Brewing’s Summer Pale with
  • Face Rock Creamery Peppercorn Harvest
  • Culmination Brewing’s 2017 Portland Beer Week “Hop Berry IPA” with
  • Cypress Grove’s Truffle Tremor
  • Breakside Brewery’s Dunkle with
  • Cascadia Creamery Sawtooth
  • North Coast Brewing’s Brother Thelonious with
  • Ferndale Farmstead Smoked Scamorza
  • pFriem Family Brewer’s Oud Bruin with
  • Rogue Creamery Crater Lake Blue

Also, a limited amount of VIP session tickets remain that let tasters in an hour early for a more intimate experience and a special bonus VIP pairing. This years special beer and cheese for the VIP session is Zoiglhaus Brewery’s Gose with Portland Creamery Chèvre and Cajeta.

6th annual
Portland Beer and Cheese Fest
Sat. June 17th 1pm - 4pm VIP session at noon.

This years festival will be held at The Bindery Annex building in Northeast Portland, home to Culmination Brewing. 2117 NE Oregon St, Portland Oregon 97232