PORTLAND, Ore. - Jan. 18, 2010 – Breweries across the state will host open houses and special tastings on Saturday, February 13, from 11:00a.m. to 4:00p.m., as part of the Oregon Brewers Guild’s second annual Zwickelmania Oregon Brewery Tour.  Zwickelmania is patterned after the open houses held by Oregon wineries over Memorial Day and Thanksgiving weekends and is presented by the Oregon Brewers Guild (OBG).  The Presidents' Day weekend event offers visitors a chance to tour dozens of Oregon breweries, meet the brewers and sample their favorite beers.

"Last year we had more than 10,000 visitors from across the state participate in Zwickelmania," says Oregon Brewers Guild Executive Director Brian Butenschoen.  "This year we have extended the hours to make the experience more enjoyable and allow participants to experience more breweries."

Zwickelmania takes its name from the zwickel, or sample valve which is mounted on the outside of fermentation or conditioning tanks and allows brewers to take samples for quality assurance and control.  Zwickelmania offers a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes and taste beers where they are produced and meet the brewers who craft them.

Admission to all Zwickelmania events is free, with some breweries offering complimentary sample tastings, food pairings and other activities. Additionally, the Oregon Brewers Guild will provide buses in Portland and Eugene to help shuttle visitors among multiple breweries throughout the city.  Close-toed shoes will be required for any visitors entering brewing facilities. For a complete list of Oregon breweries participating in Zwicklemania and sample itineraries, please visit http://oregonbeer.org/zwickelmania/.

Participating OBG members include:

  • Amnesia Brewing Company - 832 N Beech, Portland 11a.m.- 4p.m.
  • BridgePort Brewing Co. - 1313 NW Marshall, Portland 11a.m.- 4p.m.  - $2.75 pints and brewery tours on the hour.
  • Caldera Brewing - 540 Clover Lane, Ashland 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Case specials at $20, shirts and hats $15 each and Hoodies $35 each. Cash only.
  • Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub - 210 NW 11th Ave., Portland  30-minute tours of the brew house, every 15 minutes between 11a.m. and 4p.m on this day only.
  • Deschutes Brewery - 901 SW Simpson Ave., Bend Noon - 5pm - Guided brewery tours, samples of 2009 Super Jubel and a brewer on hand to answer questions.
  • Double Mountain Brewery Taproom - 8 Fourth St., Hood River 11a.m.- 4p.m.
  • Eugene City Brewery - 844 Olive St., Eugene 11a.m.- 4p.m.  – Tours on the hour.  Bathroom tours all day, mass swearing in to the Rogue Nation at 4p.m.
  • Full Sail Brewing Co. at Riverplace - 0307 SW Montgomery, Portland 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Take a tour and sample a pairing of the latest Brewers Share Beer “Collin’s Dark Secret” and artisian chocolate, a great Valentine’s weekend treat. Guided Brewery Tours at 12, 1, 2, 3 and 4p.m.
  • Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub - 506 Columbia St., Hood River 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Take a tour and sample a pairing of the latest Brewers Share Beer “Collin’s Dark Secret” and artisian chocolate, a great Valentine’s weekend treat. Guided Brewery Tours at 12, 1, 2, 3 and 4p.m.
  • Green Dragon - 928 SE 9th Ave., Portland 11a.m.- 4p.m.  – Tours on the hour.
  • Hop Valley Brewing Co. - 980 Kruse Way, Springfield  11a.m.- 4p.m.
  • Hopworks Urban Brewery - 2944 SE Powell Blvd., Portland 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Washoes, brewery tours and one fantastic zwickelbier on tap in the cooler.
  • Laurelwood Public House and Brewery - 5115 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Tours and beer samples paired with food samples.
  • Lompoc Brewing Co. 5th Quadrant - 3901-B N Williams, Portland 11a.m. – 5p.m. - Special beers available in the brewery, 2 brewers on hand for tours and questions and fresh zwickel pulls off the bright tanks. Sidebar will also be open with 6 taps pouring and special food available.
  • Lompoc Brewing Co. New Old Lompoc Brewery - 1616 NW 23rd, Portland 11a.m. – 5p.m. - Will have some special beers in the brewery and in the pub. Two brewers will be available for tours and zwickle tastes. The pub will have special food available.
  • Lucky Labrador Beer Hall - 1945 NW Quimby, Portland Tours from 11a.m. – 4p.m.
  • McMenamins Crystal Brewery - 1332 W. Burnside St. 2nd Floor, Portland 11a.m.- 4p.m.
  • McMenamins High Street Brewery - 1243 High Street, Eugene 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Brewery open to public. Brewer on site with tastings.
  • Ninkasi Brewing Co. - 272 Van Buren St., Eugene 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Will be open to the public and be doing tours of the plant, tasting room and offering tastes of some hard to find beers.
  • Oakshire Brewing - 1055 Madera St., Eugene 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Tours on the hour, TEN different beers available.  Devour will be on site selling grilled sandwiches, soup and tater tots.
  • Pelican Pub and Brewery - 33180 Cape Kiwanda Dr., Pacific City 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Meet 3 brewers who will be offering brewery tours and beer samples from the fermenter.
  • Philadelphia’s Steaks & Hoagies - 6410 SE Milwaukee Ave., Portland 11a.m. – 4p.m. - Free samples of beer all day with brewery tours.
  • Pyramid Breweries - Mac Tarnahan’s Taproom - 2730 NW 31st Ave., Portland 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Beer samples, scheduled brewery tours and meet the brewers.
  • Raccoon Lodge & Brew Pub - 7424 Southwest Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, Portland 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Sampling beer from the Zwickel and beers from the barrel.
  • Rock Bottom Brewery - 206 SW Morrison St., Portland 11a.m.- 4p.m. - Brewery open house with beer tastings and a zwickel tasting of beer from FV1.
  • Rogue Ales - Brewer’s on the Bay - 2320 OSU Drive, Newport 11a.m.- 4p.m.  – Tours on the hour.
  • Rogue Distillery and Public House - 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland 11a.m. - 4p.m. -  Tours hourly, bathroom tours all day, mass swearing in to the Rogue Nation at 4p.m.
  • Southern Oregon Brewing Co. - 1922 United Way, Medford 3p.m. - 5p.m. with the pub open until 9p.m. - Tour and complimentary flight of tasters for people who take the tour at 4p.m.
  • Three Creeks Brewing - 721 Desperado Ct., Sisters 11:30a.m. - 4p.m. - Brewery tours on the hour and the brewer will be on-site with tastings and beer discussion all day.
  • Vertigo Brewing - 21420 NW Nicholas Ct. Suite D-7, Hillsboro 11a.m.- 4p.m.
  • Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. - 924 N. Russell St., Portland  11a.m.- 4p.m. -  Free tours of their state-of-the-art brewing facility, complimentary tastings and appetizers paired with the beers. They will offer special release beers not available anywhere else along with their standard beers. Kurt and Rob and their brewing staff will be on site giving tours. They will have t-shirts, pint glasses, and other gear for sale.

About the Oregon Brewers Guild: The Oregon Brewers Guild is Oregon’s non-profit trade association for the state’s craft breweries. The Guild, which receives no state funding, is comprised of 64 brewing companies, 27 Associate or Supplier members, and nearly 2,700 enthusiast members or S.N.O.Bs (Supporters of Native Oregon Beer). For more information, visit www.oregonbeer.org.