Well, it is the end of 2009 and, as is customary at the end of any year, the media has thrown at us 2009 year in review after 2009 year in review. Recaps of the past year’s events fill almost every television station, every website and every newspaper. Covering everything from the year in celebrity gossip to the year in natural disaster gossip, these 365 day highlight reels come at us with almost punishing frequency. It is enough to make even the most patient of us want to scream out “No more!” and retreat to the farthest corner of the Earth to seek sanctuary from the onslaught of year-end media coverage. I for one have had just about all I can take of the “top 10s”, “best ofs” and “favorites” of 2009. They are nothing but cheap, lazy, pandering journalism. Anyway, here is the portlandbeer.org Favorites of 2009 article.

Now, it would be pointless to try and recap every festival, tasting or beer release that happened this year. I did not attend every beer related event in Portland, nor did I try every beer released this year by Portland breweries. To do so would take more effort and more money than I am able to invest in my craft brew hobby. Gaping holes would fill my year end review due to my inability to be there for everything that was reviewable. What I can bank on though, is the fact that the majority of you reading this drank quite a bit of Portland beer and attended many beer-centric events in this fair city and amongst all of us, every event was attended and every beer sampled. So, in hope that no favorite is left unmentioned, I pose to you, faithful portlandbeer.org reader, these four questions:

1. What was your favorite Portland beer of 2009?
2. What was your favorite beer related event of 2009?
3. Which Portland brewery most impressed you in 2009?
4. What was your favorite beer based memory of 2009?

Answer one or answer them all. One of the best parts about drinking beer is discussing beer and any input on what impressed you this year is welcome to the discussion. To get things started, here are the answers to these four questions from two fellows named Matt and one named Ian. The one named Ian is me.

Matt Wiater (portlandbeer.org show runner, often wears a hat)

Moose and Squirrel Russian Imperial Stout.

What was your favorite Portland beer of 2009?
2007 Bourbon Barrel Cask Moose and Squirrel from Laurelwood. Technically, this beer was released in 2009, so I hope I can get away with this answer. Patience is the ultimate respect you can pay to the right beer. Letting it sit for two years in a barrel, in plain view, every day, takes a lot of willpower. In conjunction with varying amounts and types of malt, hops, and yeast, aging is another dynamic that can take a beer in a much different direction over time. Fading hops, blending malt flavors, and wood flavors leached from the barrel, can all add to a complex yet smooth creation. A surprise and quiet release of this aged beer on cask is just one example of what lurks in the dark corners of Portland.

What was your favorite beer related event of 2009?
Holiday Ale Festival. A mixture of different (mostly strong) beer styles, as well as a mixture of different (mostly strong) personalities makes for a great afternoon under a tent on a cold, rainy day in Portland. The early afternoon crowds consist of a lot of beer geeks using up a vacation day to drink and talk beer. All of the beers aren’t for everyone, but if you can’t find several outstanding offerings, you may want to ask yourself if you like beer at all.

Which Portland brewery most impressed you in 2009?
Cascade Brewing. Ron Gansberg and Curtis Bain have been somewhat quietly doing their own thing just over the West Hills. During the great onslaught of IPAs and DIPAs and other floral monsters making Portland synonymous with hoppy beers, Cascade Brewing was quite content at creating a mixture of fruit beers, sours, belgian-style beers, and barrel-aged beers. Well, not I guess they weren’t too content, since many of these beers were used in immensely complex blends such as Cuvee Du Jongleur, Bourbonic Plague, and Drie Zwarte Pieten. Cascade Brewing is always inventive and releases great beers all year long.

Baltic Porter Tasting at Upright Brewing.

What was your favorite beer based memory of 2009?
Baltic Porter Tasting at Upright Brewing. Beer is social. Hanging out with other people involved with the Portland beer scene–from drinkers, to writers, to brewers–is almost always a good time. Spending time in a newly opened Upright Brewing, tasting Baltic Porters from around the world, and hanging out with people who enjoy beer, is a great experience, not to be taken for granted.

Matthew DiTullo (Guy who makes videos about beer for BREWPUBLIC, wears hats less frequently)

What was your favorite Portland beer of 2009?
Bourbon Fred from the Wood. This year seemed to contain a lot of big releases from Hair of the Dog. Michael, Matt, Bob, and a handful of one offs (which may make their way into bottles). During Oregon Craft Beer Month, Alan Sprints hosted an open house at the Hair of the Dog Brewery. Portland was introduced to the “Four Freds.” The two standards, Fred and Fred From the Wood, as well as Bourbon Fred From the Wood and a Fred Flanders aged with a high bacteria yeast. The Bourbon Fred From the Wood was not only one of my favorite beers of 2009, but one of the best bourbon aged beers I’ve had. The Fred base seemed to mesh well with the oaky, vanilla, smooth and warming alcohol notes that the barrel aging applied. Man, would I kill to sip on another Bourbon Fred during these colder months.

What was your favorite beer related event of 2009?
Holiday Ale Festival. As with every year, I always look forward to the Holiday Ale Fest. I love big brews and this is one of the best showcases in the Northwest. You’ll find many great and unique Barleywines, Sours, Barrel Aged Beers, Imperial IPAs, Baltic Porters and more; all usually made especially for this event. You can’t beet the good company of fellow beer drinkers under the city lights and lit Christmas tree protected by a heated, cozy tent with some of your favorite brews.

Alex Ganum, Upright Brewing.

Which Portland brewery most impressed you in 2009?
Upright Brewing. Alex Ganum started this brewery at the beginning of the year in the Left Bank Project on NE Broadway. Within his less than a year of running he has established himself well within the beer community. Alex has been producing unique, farmhouse style beers inspired by those from Belgium and northern France. He uses a French Saison yeast that gives his beers a dry, refreshing edge and allows him to stand out from the rest of the hop bombs we find around here. His tasting room is a delight, where you can find one offs that are experimental as well as successful. One of my favorites was the Turkey On Rye, a rye malted saison aged in barrels with chocolate and dried, Turkish peppers.

What was your favorite beer based memory of 2009?
Not remembering the Barleywine and Big Beer Festival. Held during the weekend of my birthday this past March at the Lucky Lab on NW Quimby. Barleywines are my absolute favorite style, so I was super excited this was offered over my birthday. A wonderful variety of Barleywines, both fresh and vintage as well as Imperial Stouts, Belgian Quads and other Strong Ales. To cap it all off, after the fest we did a pub crawl in SE making it from The Morrison Hotel, to The Green Dragon, and ending at Roots Brewing. And to further cap off my birthday weekend a trip to Higgins was in order to enjoy a rare bottle of Hair of the Dog Cherry Adam From the Wood — Yum!

Me (Ian Seniff, portlandbeer.org contributor, enjoys the convenience of wearing hats)

What was your favorite Portland beer of 2009?
Bourbonic Plague. When I saw this on the list at Annibrew 2 at Bailey’s Taproom I was fairly skeptical. A sour porter did not seem like something I would have any interest in. However, after trying it my skepticism turned to elation. This was a huge eye opener for me as to what beers could be. Honestly, like nothing I had ever had before. My tongue had trouble trying to comprehend what was happening. That is why I had several tastings.

2009 Holiday Ale Festival.

What was your favorite beer related event of 2009?
Holiday Ale Festival. I figured I would make it unanimous for HAF. The cheerful setting and excellent big brews made it the perfect end to my beer year. A close second was Annibrew 2 at Bailey’s Taproom but the fact that the Holiday Ale Fest was 5 days long put it on top. I was also lucky enough to attend the Belgian Brunch on the final day and got to try a beer made with weasel poo (Mikkeller’s Beer Geek Brunch Weasel).

Which Portland brewery most impressed you in 2009?
Cascade Brewing. So none of my answers are very creative, so what? Not only is Cascade a great Portland based brewery, but Cascade showed me this year that they are one of the finest breweries in the country. Cuvée Du Jongleur, Sang Royal, Sang Noir II, Vlad the Imp Aler, and Bourbonic Plague are some of the best beers I have ever had and from the looks of things, Cascade seems to have a dynamite 2010 ahead of them as well.

What was your favorite beer based memory of 2009?
Porno Sweatpants Fellow and general people watching at Bailey’s Taproom. Due to Bailey’s location and my desire to sit outside whenever possible, I have seen a variety of strange things this year at Bailey’s. Drifters and people just out of Mary’s Club are frequently enjoyable viewing fodder and the day that the Insane Clown Posse played the Roseland gave me the chance to see a variety of people all ages freakishly painted and in various states of shirtlessness wandering around while I enjoyed a cask conditioned IPA. Some even stopped in for a brew before the festivities. While all of this would be very interesting for a people watcher like myself, Porno Sweatpants Fellow was the ultimate sight to see. It was August 1st and I was in line for Annibrew 2 at Bailey’s. I had arrived about a half hour early in order to get a nice place in line as well as a seat at a table. As my friend and I patiently waited in the summer heat for the tasting to begin a man exited the convenience store across the street and began walking toward us. The man, weighing in at about 240 and no taller than 5’7″, mustachioed and with stubble galore, proceeded to remove his recent purchase from its black plastic home. He then opened it to the center-fold and inserted one hand down his rampantly stained sweatpants. As he passed us, and all 30 or so people in line, he gave a little head nod that suggested that he knew exactly what he was doing and he could care less what this line of beer enthusiasts thought about it. Porno Sweatpants Fellow then headed down Broadway and into our hearts. Good-bye, Porno Sweatpants Fellow. You are remembered fondly.

Related posts:

1. 12th Annual Holiday Ale Festival
2. Holiday Ale Festival 2009: Pretty Great
3. Oregon Brewers Festival bucks the economic downturn, celebrates banner year with record attendance and sales

There’s a lot going on this week. Let’s get to it!

Tuesday (2009-04-28)
Green Dragon’s Meet the Brewer: Laurelwood’s Chad Kennedy
6PM to 8PM

Featured Beers:

• Green Mammoth Imperial IPA: The Imperial version of Laurelwood’s popular Organic IPA, with Cascade Ahtanum and Amarillo hops.
• Saison: To create this unique beer, Laurelwood used Organic malted barley, white wheat malt, oats, maize, and Belgian candy sugar. Subtle notes of citrus are added by the use of orange and lemon. Most of the character of this beer is thanks to the yeast, a strain for the Ardennes region of Belgium.
• Espresso Stout: Two great tastes that taste great together. Brewed with thre-quarters of a pound of Stumptown coffee per keg, this opaque creation features a smooth java flavor and aroma.

Wednesday (2009-04-29)
Deschutes Brewery Mirror Mirror Barleywine and Red Chair IPA Release
5pm

SSIA. Portland and Bend pubs.

Thursday (2009-04-30)
Full Sail Tasting and Meet the Brewer at Belmont Station
5-7pm

Taste the wide range of bottled Full Sail beers, including the latest Brewmaster Reserve Keelhauler Scottish Ale. Brewmaster John Harris will tap a keg of Black Gold Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. The Keelhauler will be on draft too!

Friday and Saturday (2009-05-01/02)
Cheers to Belgian Beers at the Lucky Lab
Noon – 10pm

Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers festival started 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 yeast will be 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 the profits of the 2009 festival to the Oregon Humane Society.

Saturday (2009-05-02)
Deschutes’ Portland Pub First Birthday
Noon – 6pm

Deschutes Brewery’s Pub in the Pearl District is celebrating its first birthday on Saturday, May 2nd, from 12 noon until 6:00 p.m. Bring the whole family for birthday cake and menu specials. Deschutes Brewery is located at 210 NW 11th and Davis in the Pearl District. (503) 296-4906

Related posts:

1. 2005 and 2009 Deschutes Mirror Mirror Barleywine!
2. Upcoming June Events
3. AKA 2010 Lucky Labrador Barleywine and Big Beer Tasting

2008 Holiday Ale Festival

Ah, the 2008 Holiday Ale Festival is but a hazy memory in the minds of those who attended–and many are already anticipating next year’s lineup! As we wrote earlier, we sampled a lot of different beer. Many were brewed exclusively for this event–never to be seen, smelled, and tasted again. Luckily, while we were paying attention to the beer, someone else was paying attention to the event. The following is a press release from one of the festival’s organizers, Chris Crabb:

“Sunny skies and mild temperatures set the mood for the 13th annual Holiday Ale Festival, which witnessed attendance consistent with the year prior: final numbers reached 17,000. The West Coast’s most prestigious winter beer festival took place Dec. 3 through Dec. 7 at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Organizers added a fifth day to the event this year, which was well-received by the public. According to event manager Preston Weesner, the goal was to have 500 attend on opening day: more than 1,000 turned up, many to sample an additional eight special beers that weren’t available the rest of the weekend. A new annex with a third bar was also deemed a success, as it helped to alleviate the crowds in the main tent.

The Belgian Beer and Brunch, an auxiliary event held on the Sunday of the festival, sold out, with more than 80 people sampling prestigious beers and noshing on pastries, meats and cheeses.

The Holiday Ale Festival presented more than 50 robust winter craft beers on draught, all of which were either created for the event, or were rare or vintage beers not readily available in the state. These winter warmers were all designed to ward off the chill of winter and warm both the palate and soul. Complex in aroma and flavor, these beers were rich in color, big in body, and high in alcohol.

The People’s Choice winner, which was determined by the beer that went through the most kegs, was Collaborator’s Hallucinator Olde Ale, followed by the Holiday Ale Festival/Hair of the Dog Commemorative Blend Jim II.

Festival attendees stayed warm and dry under a large clear-topped tent that covered the venue while allowing for views of the city lights. Gas heaters created a cozy ambiance under the boughs of the city’s Christmas tree.

In addition to beer tasting, the Holiday Ale Festival also featured on-site food from Rogue Ales, event merchandise, complimentary Crater Lake Sodas for designated drivers, organic cheese pairings, mead sampling, and seasonal background music.

Next year’s Holiday Ale Festival will take place Dec. 2 through 6, 2009. For more information about the Holiday Ale Festival, visit www.holidayale.com or call 503-252-9899.”

Related posts:

1. Holiday Ale Festival celebrates the season with 40 specialty and vintage winter beers from across the nation
2. Holiday Ale Festival has an early gift for beer lovers, announces Wednesday opening with rare vintage beers
3. 12th Annual Holiday Ale Festival

Festival organizer Preston Weesner talks to Firestone Walker’s Matt Brynildson about the amazing 2006 Jim.

There are obvious perks for covering the beer scene here in Portland. I get to meet a lot of great people, I get a free beer once in awhile, and chicks, chicks, chicks! The girls are great, but it’s actually not the best part. The part I love most about this job is being involved in a community that knows beer–and knows how to appreciate beer.

For the media preview on opening night, festival organizer Preston Weesner picked twelve standout beers from this year’s beer list. The beers were accompanied by historical notes, ingredients, anecdotes, and stories from anyone who had one to share. The beers ranged in color from light to pitch dark, ABVs from 6% to 15%, and so many ingredients and blends that my head would have been spinning without the beer.

The Holiday Ale Festival is all about diversity and complexity. So much so, that it’s impossible to do any of these beers justice through any poetic descriptions I could write. If you consider yourself a beer aficionado, this is your festival. If you’re an adventurous type, or if you like to experiment, this is your festival. Sure, there are going to be crowds and a bit of noise, but stacked against the fact that you’ll never see many of these beers outside of this festival, there is only one option: go to this festival!

There are a lot of beers to try at the Holiday Ale Festival. Listed below are the twelve picks that Preston Weesner made for the media preview. These are great examples, but keep in mind that all of the beers at the event are hand picked by Preston, so if a few run out, there are plenty of others to try!

Festival Crowd.

1. Cascade Brewing: Drie Zwarte Pieten – Sang Noir (Barrel Aged Double Flanders Style Sour Red) — Made exclusively for the festival, “Sang Noir” is a NW take on a traditional Flanders-style Sour Red Ale. Bigger than a traditional Red this Double Red is a blend of several barrel aged beers. Portions of the beer were aged in Pinot Noir and Whiskey barrels. Fresh Bing Blood Cherries were added to a portion and refermented in the barrel for three months before being added to the blend, giving it a big full bodied tart cherry red flavor with distinct barrel notes. This is a once in a lifetime beer from one of the most innovative breweries in the Northwest. ABV: 14%
2. Deschutes Brewery: 2005 Mirror Mirror (Barleywine) — Mirror Mirror is a double Mirror Pond barleywine that was aged more than eight months in a variety of wooden barrels, including American oak, pinot, port and Bourbon. It was then blended and dry-hopped. Mirror Mirror features a big, warm, malty flavor with complex oak undertones and esters. OG: 1.141, FG: 1.113, IBU: 90, ABV: 11.5%
3. Dubuisson Brewery: 2007 Scaldis Noel — Three different malts give Scaldis its complexity, including a caramel malt for a rich, amber color. This beer is dry, with a clean, nutty finish. The nose is characterized by sherry, caramel, and roasted filbert aromas, complemented by some floral, hoppy notes. The finish is long and warming, but remains in balance with the flavors. ABV: 13%
4. Firestone Walker: Velvet Merkin Stout (Barrel Aged Imperial Stout) — A rich oatmeal stout 25% aged in bourbon barrels blended back to the original batch. ABV: 5.5%
5. Hair of the Dog/Holiday Ale: Jim 2006 (Blended Barrel Aged Specialty) — JIM 2006 is collaboration between the Holiday Ale Festival’s beer steward Preston Weesner and Hair of the Dog Brewer Alan Sprints. Made exclusively for the event, JIM honors the late Jim Kennedy, founder of Admiralty Beverage and a tireless promoter of craft beer and a major inspiration for many in the NW beer circles. This is a blended beer, made with Hair of the Dog beers Fred, Adam, Doggie Claws, Rose and Belgian Dubbel Maredsous 8, and then aged on oak; it’s a beer not to be missed, and the Holiday Ale Festival is the only place to get it. ABV: 10%
6. Hair of the Dog/Holiday Ale: Jim 2007 (Blended Barrel Aged Specialty) — JIM 2007 is collaboration between the Holiday Ale Festival’s beer steward Preston Weesner and Hair of the Dog Brewer Alan Sprints. Made exclusively for the event, JIM honors the late Jim Kennedy, founder of Admiralty Beverage, a tireless promoter of craft beer and a major inspiration for many in NW beer circles. This is a blended beer made with Adam, Fred and Doggie Claws, some German Pilsner was added to dry it out a little, and a few special bottles were added as a toast to Jim: from Alan a 1989 Thomas Hardy’s and a 1991 Rodenbach Alexander, and from Preston a 9 Liter bottle of 2006 St. Feuillien Triple. The blend was then barrel aged for 6 weeks. Only available at the fest and the brewery. ABV: 10.5%

Beer, beer, beer!
7. Hair of the Dog/Holiday Ale: Jim 2008 (Blended Barrel Aged Specialty) — JIM 2008 is collaboration between the Holiday Ale Festival’s beer steward Preston Weesner and Hair of the Dog Brewer Alan Sprints. Made exclusively for the event, JIM honors the late Jim Kennedy, founder of Admiralty Beverage and a tireless promoter of craft beer and a major inspiration for many in the NW beer circles. This is a blended beer, made with Hair of the Dog beers Adam of the Wood aged 4 months in wet Elija Craig bourbon barrels, Fred of the Wood aged in new American oak, Blue Dot for Hop nose and Doggie Claws to nicely round it out. Jim was remembered and toasted with a 2003 Samichlaus and 2007 Chimay Grand Reserve. It’s a beer not to be missed and the Holiday Ale Festival is the only place to get it. ABV: 9% >
8. North Coast Brewing: Old Stock Ale (Old English Ale) — Like a fine port, Old Stock Ale is well-designed to round-out and mellow with age. Featuring a dark chestnut-amber hue and exotic winey aromas, this ale is brewed with classic Maris Otter malts, and Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops, all imported from England. OG: 1.1, IBU: 36, ABV: 12.5%
9. Redhook Ale Brewery: Double Brewed Double Black Stout (Imperial Stout) — Double Black Stout is a smooth Imperial stout enhanced by the addition of rich, flavorful coffee and dark malts to create a big roasted flavor. This batch was double brewed especially for the Holiday Ale Festival: coffee was first introduced in the mash tun, then cold coffee was added during filtration. The resulting beer has a much richer coffee taste than the normal production batch. OG: 1.07, FG: 1.012, IBU: 47, ABV: 7%
10. Rock Bottom Brewery: Blitzen (Belgian Style Tripel) — Blitzen is a rich, golden strong ale with fruity and spicy notes. It tastes like Christmas! ABV: 8.3%
11. Schloss Eggenberg: 2005 Samichlaus (Bavarian Doppelbock) — Samichlaus Bier is brewed only once a year on December 6th and is aged for 10 months before bottling. Samichlaus is one of the rarest speciality beers in the world and with 14% alcohol by volume, it is the strongest of its kind. It is ideal for aging, and older vintages become more complex with a creamy, warming finish; perfect for the holiday season! ABV: 14%
12. Widmer Brothers Brewing: Babushka’s Secret (Black Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout) – This extremely rich and complex beer was brewed exclusively for the Festival. Widmer started with its now cult classic KGB as the base beer, then added local black raspberries at a rate of 14 lbs per barrel throughout fermentation. The result is an almost purplish opaque color with a beautiful brown head. You’ll notice the combination of fruit and chocolate in the nose, along with a coffee-like roastiness. You will feel a warming sensation from the alcohol that finishes with a nice hop bitterness. OG: 1.086, FG: 1.02, IBU: 70, ABV: 9%

Check out the rest of the photos here.

Related posts:

1. 2008 Holiday Ale Festival — Revisited
2. Holiday Ale Festival has an early gift for beer lovers, announces Wednesday opening with rare vintage beers
3. 12th Annual Holiday Ale Festival

Portland Holiday Ale Festival!

PORTLAND, Ore. – Nov. 1, 2008 – The Holiday Ale Festival is giving beer lovers a gift by opening one day early, and rewarding those who come with a selection of rare and vintage kegs. The 13th annual Holiday Ale Festival will take place Dec. 3 through 7 at Pioneer Courthouse Square, located at 701 SW Sixth Ave. in downtown Portland. Hours for the event are 3 to 9 p.m. Wed., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thurs. through Sat., and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sun. The event has also expanded, increasing its capacity to better accommodate the crowds.

In addition to the three-dozen specialty winter beers that will pour all five days, the festival will tap a limited selection of hidden treasures on opening day; once they run dry, they’re gone. Beer aficionados can look forward to tasting 2005 Samichlaus, the strongest lager in the world; BridgePort Old Knucklehead, Fred Eckhardt Vintage No. 11; 2006 and 2007 Jim, a strong ale blended specifically for the festival by director Preston Weesner and Hair of the Dog Brewing Co.; 2007 Scaldis Noel from Brasserie Dubuisson; 2007 Allagash Curieux, a Belgian tripel aged in Jim Beam barrels; and 2007 Anchor Foghorn, among others.

These rare beers will join the festival lineup of winter warmers, most of which cannot be found outside the event. Among the highlights, look for Alameda’s Papa Noel’s Special Reserve, Cascade Brewing’s Drie Zwarte Pieten “Sangnoir”, Deschutes’ Mirror Mirror Barleywine, Collaborator Hallucinator, Firestone Walker’s Velvet Merkin Stout, Full Sail’s Dry Hopped Wassail, Golden Valley’s Oaken Bomb, Hopwork’s Noggin Floggin Barleywine, Lagunitas’ Black Pepper Chocolate Stout, Lompoc’s Brewdolph, New Belgium’s Abbey Grand Cru, Stone’s Smoked Porter with vanilla beans, Rogue’s Yellow Snow IPA, Sierra Nevada’s Bigfoot Ale, Pyramid’s Snow Cap’n & Tennille, and Track Town’s Oak Rum Stout. A complete list is available at www.holidayale.com.

Admission into the venue is free. To taste beer, the purchase of an initial $20 tasting package is required, which includes a souvenir mug and 10 beer tickets. It takes four tickets for a full mug of beer, or one ticket for a taste. Additional beer tickets can be purchased for $1 apiece. The festival stops selling beer tickets one-half hour prior to taps closing. The Holiday Ale Festival is for ages 21 and over.

Despite being held outdoors in the chilly month of Dec., more than 15,000 festival attendees stay warm and dry under a large clear-topped tent that covers the venue. Gas heaters create a cozy ambience beneath the boughs of the region’s largest decorated Christmas tree. In addition to beer tasting, the festival also features on-site food, event merchandise, complimentary root beer for designated drivers, mead sampling, and seasonal background music.

Returning to the event is the fifth annual Belgian Beer Brunch taking place on Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to Noon on the upper level of Pioneer Courthouse Square. The auxiliary event features European pastries, meats and cheeses to accompany an assortment of Belgian winter beers not available at the festival itself. Tickets cost $35 and are available at www.holidayale.com.

Related posts:

1. Holiday Ale Festival celebrates the season with 40 specialty and vintage winter beers from across the nation
2. 2008 Holiday Ale Festival — Revisited
3. 12th Annual Holiday Ale Festival

Bags of Nugget hops for Laurelwood’s Fresh Nugs Pale Ale.

Did you miss the Hood River Hops Fest? Or maybe you made it and it only served to increase your appetite for fresh hop beers. Either way, you’re in luck! There are two more tastivals during the second half of October, one in Portland and one in Eugene.

• October 18 at Hopworks, 2944 SE Powell Blvd. in Portland.
• October 25 at Ninkasi, 272 Van Buren St. in Eugene.

Admission to the events is free; glasses/mugs cost $5, and are required for tasting beer. Tastes of the individual beers are $1 each. Hours are Noon to 9 p.m.

Beers available at the tastivals:

Astoria Brewing Co., Hoptimus Prime, Fresh Hop Ale
BridgePort Brewing Co., Hop Harvest, Imperial Pale Ale
Cascade Lakes Brewing Co., Warrior Fresh Hop Ale, Fresh Hop Pale
Deschutes Brewery, Sodbuster, Golden Ale
Deschutes Brewery, Mirror Pond made with Fresh Hops, Pale Ale
Deschutes Brewery, Hop Trip, Pale Ale
Double Mountain Brewery, Killer Green, IPA
Eugene City Brewery, Fresh Hop Pale, Pale Ale
Fort George Brewery, Ft. George Cohoperative, Pale Ale
Full Sail @ Riverplace, Lupulin, Fresh Hop Ale
Golden Valley Brewery, Tour De Willamette, Pale Ale
Hopworks Urban Brewery, Fest of Fury, Organic Oktoberfest
Hopworks Urban Brewery, Parsec Pale, Strong Pale
Laurelwood Brewing Co., Hop Bale Pale, Pale Ale
Laurelwood Brewing Co., Fresh Nugs, Pale Ale
Lompoc Brewing, Proletariat Red, Organic Red
Lompoc Brewing, Octobock, Bock
Lompoc Brewing, Hop Press, Organic Pale
Lucky Labrador Brewing, the Mutt, Fresh Hop Ale
Ninkasi Brewing Co., Mt Hops, Pale Ale
Pelican Pub & Brewery, Elemental Ale, IPA
Rock Bottom Brewery, Hop Harvest, Fresh Hop Ale
Rogue Ales, Independence Ale, Pale Ale
Roots Organic Brewing Co., Hoppapotamus, ESB
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Teaser, Xtra Pale Ale

Related posts:

1. Beer lovers reap the benefits of Oregon’s fall hop harvest at Oregon Bounty’s Fresh Hop Beer Tastivals
2. 41 Oregon Fresh Hop Beers in 2008!
3. Fresh Nugget Hops

Fresh Cascade hops.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Sept. 9, 2008 – Hopheads, rejoice! The autumn air is turning crisp, heralding the annual harvest of hops, and with it, the celebration of fresh hop beers by Oregon’s famed craft brewers. Oregon Bounty and the Oregon Brewers Guild have collaborated to host a statewide series of three Fresh Hop Beer “Tastivals,” each featuring more than 20 original fresh hop beers from many of Oregon’s top craft breweries.

The Oregon Bounty Fresh Hop Beer Tastivals will take place Oct. 4 at the Hood River Hops Fest, located between 5th and 7th and Cascade and Columbia in downtown Hood River; Oct. 18 at Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd. in Portland; and Oct. 25 at Ninkasi Brewing Co., 272 Van Buren St. in Eugene. Admission to the events is free; glasses/mugs cost $5, and are required for tasting beer. Tastes of the individual beers are $1 each. Hours are Noon to 9 p.m. at all three festivals.

The Hood River Tastival is part of the Hood River Hops Fest, an expanded event that has built up over the last five years. This particular event also boasts food, nearly 20 arts and crafts vendors, a selection of Columbia River Gorge wines, additional beers from local craft breweries, a children’s play area, and live music. The latter Portland and Eugene Tastivals are produced by the Oregon Brewers Guild.

What exactly is a fresh hop beer? Beer is flavored with hops, cone-shaped flowers that imbue the drink with its bitterness, aroma and essence. Generally, hops are kiln-dried to reduce their moisture content, a process that strips the plant of its essential oils; then packed tightly into bales for storage and shipping, a method that crushes the cones, further diminishing the plant’s woodsy, grassy character. With fresh hops beers, whole hop cones are picked straight off the vine, then trucked to the brewery and added directly to the brew kettle within hours of harvesting. The beer styles produced vary, but the results remain the same: Earthy beers that are redolent with intense herbal, floral and citric aromas and a pleasing bitterness.

Fresh Centennial hops.

“Using dried hops is like using dried spices in cooking, whereas using fresh hops is like going out to your garden and picking fresh herbs,” explained Brian Butenschoen, executive director for the Oregon Brewers Guild. “Fresh hops have a more intense and delicate character to them that really expresses itself in the beer.”

At least 75 of the state’s breweries lie within 100 miles of hop fields, and the annual harvest presents the perfect opportunity for Oregon brewers to demonstrate their unique proximity to one of America’s premiere hop growing regions. In support of this, the Oregon Brewers Guild is participating in the Great American Beer Festival (GABF)’s new “Guilds Pavilion,” pouring only fresh hop beers in its booth that will showcase Oregon’s breweries, beer and craft brewing community. The GABF takes place Oct. 9 through 11 in Denver.

Visit www.traveloregon.com/bounty for more details on the Oregon Bounty Fresh Hop Tastivals and enter to win an Oregon Bounty Getaway.

About Oregon Bounty
Oregon Bounty is a two-month culinary tourism promotion celebrating what makes Oregon taste so good: great food, outstanding wine and beer, and unforgettable travel experiences. The Oregon Bounty celebration runs Oct. 1 – Nov. 30 across the entire state. Oregon Bounty is produced by the Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon—with support from the Oregon Wine Board, Oregon Brewers Guild, Oregon Distillers Guild, Oregon’s regional destination marketing organizations, Oregon Lodging Association, Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild, and Brand Oregon, among others—with the goal of encouraging economic growth and enhancing the quality of life in Oregon through a strengthened economic impact of tourism statewide. Travel Oregon collaborates extensively with local communities, industry associations, government agencies and private businesses, and is proud to grow the Oregon Bounty promotion as a key campaign in the state’s growing $8.3 billion tourism industry, helping Oregon to be recognized as a not-to-be-missed culinary travel destination. Visit www.traveloregon.com/bounty for more information.

About the Oregon Brewers Guild
The Oregon Brewers Guild is Oregon’s non-profit trade association for the state’s independent breweries. The Guild, which receives no state funding, comprises 56 brewing companies, 30 Associate or supplier members, and nearly 2,200 enthusiast members or S.N.O.B.s (Supporters of Native Oregon Beer). For more information, visit www.oregonbeer.org.

Related posts:

1. Full Sail Brewing Celebrates the Bounty of the Hop Harvest with Lupulin Fresh Hop Ale
2. Two More Oregon Fresh Hop Tastivals
3. Oregon Brewers Break Record Production Numbers

Coming out of Oregon Craft Beer Month in July, it’s pretty easy to say how I’m feeling: worn out. I played many roles in July including host, photographer, writer, patron, and professional napper. Sometimes covering several events in a single day, I was ground up and spit out into August a weary soul. I’m not complaining about this because July is an exceptional time to be a beer lover in Oregon. It just that my anticipation for this time of year overshadows the exhausting reality of covering (and enjoying) all of these events.

And now, here I am, at another brewfest, in the middle of August, in Bend Oregon. And after all I’ve done during the previous months, it’s still a high point for me. Maybe it’s getting out of town for a few days. Maybe it’s the great venue and music. Maybe it’s the short lines and variety of beer. It must be some combination of all of those things.

The fact that I can try a few beers, stretch out in the beautiful grass, listen to the music, and take a quick nap without the fear of being trampled by a drunken mob is exactly what I needed. And that’s why I did it a few times on Friday.

Brewery and Beer List:

Anderson Valley
Summer Solstice
Poleeko Gold Pale

Aspall
Dry Cider
Organic Cider

Baron Brewing
Pilsner
Schwarzbier
Helles Bock

Bayern Brewing
Dancing Trout Wheat

Bear Republic
Racer 5
Hop Rod Rye

Bend Brewing Co.
Axe Head Red
Met Golden Ale

Big Sky Brewing
Moose Drool Brown
Trout Slayer Wheat

Boulder Brewery
Hazed N Infused Amber
Sweaty Betty Bavarian Hefe

Bridgeport Ales
Haymaker
IPA

Caldera Brewing Co.
Ginger Ale
IPA

Cascade Lakes
Paulina Lake Pils
IPA

De Proef
La Grande Blanche Imperial White Ale
Zoetzuur Flemish Flanders Red

Deschutes Brewing
20 Anniversary Wit
Twilight Ale

Double Mt.
Hop Lava IPA
IRA

Eel River
IPA

Fox Barrel
Black Currant

Full Sail
Sessions Lager
LTD 02 Lager
Prodigal Sun

Great Divide
Samurai Blonde

Hales
Kolsch

Hopworks Urban Brewing
Crosstown Pale

Kona
Longboard Lager
Wailu Wheat

Lazy Boy Brewing
IPA
Belgien Strong

Lagunitas
IPA
Sirius

Laughing Dog
Huckleberry Cream
Dogzilla Black IPA

Lost Coast
Great White

Mactarnahans
Sling Shot Extra Pale
Amber Ale

Mad River
Steelhead Extra Pale
Double IPA

McMenamins
Copper Moon
Stingray IPA

Mt. Shasta
Mt High IPA
Weed Golden Ale

New Belgium Brewing Co.
Fat Tire Amber
Mighty Arrow Pale

New Old Lompoc Brewing
Dry Hopped Condor
LSD Lompoc

Oakshire Brewing
Espresso Stout

Pyramid Brewing
Apricot Ale
Crystal Wheat

Red Hook
Long Hammer IPA
Later Harvest

Roots Organic
Gruit Kolsch
Neverminde Pale Ale

Seadog Brewing
Blueberry Wheat

Shmaltz Brewing Co.
He’Brew Rejewvenator
Coney Island Lager
Coney Island Albino Python

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Pale Ale
Anniversary IPA

Snoqualmie Falls
Copperhead Pale
Wildcat IPA
Steam Train Porter

Stone Brewery
Arrogant Bastard
Stone Smoked Porter

Trumer Pils
German Pilsner

Victory
Prima Pils

Widmer Brothers
Oktoberfest
Broken Halo

Wildfire Brewing
Summer Golden Ale
Backdraft

Wolavers
Organic English Brown
Organic Wit

href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/portlandbeer/sets/72157606790778182/">
Check out the rest of the photos here.

Related posts:

1. Photos: 2007 Bend Brewfest
2. 2008 Oregeon Brewers Festival — Exclusive Brewers Dinner Beer List
3. 41 Oregon Fresh Hop Beers in 2008!

PORTLAND, Ore. – August 11, 2008 – The Portland Brewers Festival Association of Oregon regrets to announce that the first-ever “All Oregon Ale Festival” has been cancelled for 2008. The event was scheduled to take place September 12 & 13 at Portland International Raceway. Organizers cite various reasons for the cancellation, including still-pending approval by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC), and the lack of time to properly promote the event.

“We are extremely disappointed to cancel the event, but we are cognizant that we need more time to let people know it is taking place,” explained Art Larrance, the brainchild behind the event. “We still believe this is a viable event, and we’re looking forward presenting the All Oregon Ale Festival in 2009.”

The All Oregon Beer Festival was designed to celebrate the best that Oregon’s craft breweries have to offer. Thirty Oregon breweries signed up for the event, which was also to include food and a nine-hole Frisbee Golf course.

Once the OLCC issues a license, event organizers will reconvene to select a date for 2009, and an announcement will be made at that time.

Related posts:

1. 2008 Holiday Ale Festival — Revisited
2. Oregon Brewers Festival bucks the economic downturn, celebrates banner year with record attendance and sales
3. 21st Annual Oregon Brewers Festival Official Press Release

June Beer events in Portland.

You can’t complain about a lack of beer things to do this month. First of all, Belmont Station has some great tastings this month which include draft and bottle selections. As always, they also run specials during these tasting so it a great time to stock up on your favorites:

• Hale’s Ales: June 3rd, 6-8PM
• Dick’s Beer: June 10th, 6-8PM
• Grand Tetons: June 16th, 6-8PM
• Fish Tale Organic Ales: June 26th, 6-8PM

There are also two festivals going on. The Sasquatch Brew Festival is in Eugene, OR this Saturday, June 6th. On the other end of June, Portland is holding the 4th Annual North American Organic Brewer’s Festival. It’s outside, easy to get there, oh yeah, and a lot of great organic beer from all over the world! Unlike some other brewfests, breweries can bring more than one style of beer, and with the list not yet finalized, we’ve counted 70+ beers!

Related posts:

1. NAOBF Volunteer Recruitment Party
2. Beer of the Month – Laurelwood Organic Green Elephant [June 2007]
3. This Week’s Portland Beer Events