2017 Central Oregon Beer Week Starts Friday, May 19th Runs Thru Sunday May 28, 2017

Courtsey of Central Oregon Beer Week (COBW)

Bend, OR— March 24, 2017 – Central Oregon Beer Week (COBW) Now in its sixth year Central Oregon Beer Week celebrates the region’s bustling craft beer industry in a terrific ten day event. With 29 active Central Oregon breweries, locals and visitors alike can plan on a solid week of craft beer bliss in Central Oregon. The Kick Off Celebration will be held Friday May 19th at the new 10 Barrel Brewing Co. East Side Pub in Bend. This will be the first opportunity for craft beer aficionados to try the Official Beer Week Beer, brewed by the folks that won last years SMaSH Fest People’s Choice award, Bend Brewing Co.  This year Central Oregon Beer Week will once again feature unique SMaSH (Single Malt and Single Hop) beers prepared by a growing list of Oregon breweries from the Pacific Northwest. A list of participating breweries will be posted mid April over at CentralOregonBeerWeek.com, where you can also see previous participants and winners. These beers will be available for all to taste, May 27th at our SMaSH Fest, held once again at McMenamins Old St. Francis School O’Kanes Gallery. Breweries are encouraged to contact us to receive an invitation to participate in this years festival. The festivities continue with numerous events during the week including daily brewery events at our official Brew Hub –  Broken Top Bottle Shop, live music at select venues, special food and craft beer pairings, tastings, presentations, and a special Central Oregon Brewer’s Guild benefit at Crux Fermentation Project, and more! It’s going to be a good time once again!

More details on planned events so far:

Friday May 19, 10 Barrel’s production brewery and newly-opened pub off Empire kicks off Beer Week with a party!

Saturday May 20th, Crux Fermentation Project will be hosting the event as a fundraiser for the Central Oregon Brewers Guild. We will have up to 10 local brewery teams competing in games such as yeast balloon toss, spent grain relay, cheap beer toss, jockey box assembly and others. We will also have a small beer fest that day, which will include beers from the breweries entered into the games. Noon to 6pm. All ages welcome. More details to come.

Saturday May 27, SMaSH Fest at McMenamins, 20-ish Central Oregon and beyond breweries brew Single Malt and Single Hop beers to showcase specific varieties. After Bend Brewing won the People’s Choice with a sour beer last year, expect breweries to look at other variables (yeast, adjuncts) they can play with while staying true to the malt and hop restrictions.

 

About COBW

Now in its sixth year, Central Oregon Beer Week unites breweries, brewers, businesses, and beer lovers for an annual week-long celebration of craft brews. Central Oregon Beer Week also supports the local community by donating a portion of proceeds to a charitable organization. Visit CentralOregonBeerWeek.com. Central Oregon Beer Week is a subsidiary of Original Gravity Events, LLC  OriginalGravityEvents.com

Double Mountain Brewery Reusable Bottle Program

Courtesy of Double Mountain Brewery

The Double Mountain Program: Since 2013, our unique half liter bottles are made of thick walled glass, allowing them to be cleaned and reused many times. Empty bottles can be returned to the brewery, where they are cleaned, sanitized and refilled with beer. Reusable bottles are used across the globe as the most environmentally sustainable packaging for beverages. According to the 2012 Beverage Industry Environmental Round Table Report the carbon footprint of manufacturing, recycling and distribution of multiple use refillable glass bottles use 4 times less carbon than recycled (one-way) glass and 7 times less carbon than aluminum cans.

“We are excited to be a part of this bold environmentally sustainable program. Oregon is the perfect place to expand our current refillable bottle system and bring in more breweries to do the right thing.” Matt Swihart, Brewmaster

Thursday March 23^rd 2017: In an ongoing effort to continue and expand our reusable bottle program, we have teamed up with Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) to collect Double Mountain bottles. Our combined efforts will increase collection capabilities by having several bottle drop redemption centers in addition to Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom locations, growing the return percentage of our bottles and softening the environmental impact. “Beer enthusiasts in Oregon know and care about the environment. Double Mountain and OBRC are embracing a reusable/refillable beer bottle that is the most sustainable way to drink great craft beer,” says Master Brewer Matt Swihart

Click on the links below to view video coverage of this exciting program launch:

Koin 6

Fox 12 Oregon

Courtesy of Double Mountain Brewery

About Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom: Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom was established in 2007 in the heart of downtown Hood River, OR. Founder Matt Swihart opened the brewery with a clear mission: make great beer for craft beer fans. Their unique location lends to not only using pure and clean glacial water for their beers, but they also take advantage of regionally grown hops. With their reusable bottle program, customers love the softer environmental footprint and know they are part of a solution to sustainability. They can be found on tap and in bottles throughout the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Learn more at www.doublemountainbrewery.com

Cider Riot! Launches Everyday Semi-Dry Cider in Cans,Hosts Release Party at Mississippi Studios

Courtesy of Cider Riot!

PORTLAND, Ore. – March 24, 2017 – Portland’s Cider Riot! is proud to present the sessionable apple cider for all day: Everyday Semi-Dry Cider. The first canned offering from Cider Riot! will be available in six packs of 12-ounce cans starting in April.

Apples grown in lush orchards in the shadows of the great Northwest’s Cascade Range are pressed and fermented to create Everyday. The cider’s mild sweetness is balanced by a bright crispness evocative of the first crunchy bite of an apple fresh from the tree.

This New World cider boasts aromas of sliced peach, light tropical fruit, and harvest-ripe apples. The fresh apple flavor – with crisp, refreshing acids and a mild sweetness – is ideal for any time of day. Everyday is gluten free, sulfite free, vegan, unpasteurized, and low in carbohydrates.

With the launch of Everyday, Cider Riot! opens a new chapter, making its ciders more widely available. To celebrate, Cider Riot! is hosting a can release/dance party at Mississippi Studios with Natasha Kmeto and Troubled Youth on April 12 at 8pm. Tickets are $5 and available at Ticketfly.com.

About Cider Riot!

Abram Goldman-Armstrong founded Cider Riot! in his North Tabor neighborhood garage in 2003. Since then, Cider Riot! has won acclaim from cider judges and everyday drinkers alike. In August of 2016, Cider Riot! moved into its new 7,300-square-foot production facility at 807 NE Couch St. Dedicated to producing dry, refreshing ciders, Cider Riot! also boasts a tasting room that’s open Wednesday through Monday from 4pm to 11pm, offering pinball, darts, and the No Q No taco food cart on the spacious outdoor patio. For more information, visit CiderRiot.com or call 503-662-8275.

Website: http://ciderriot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ciderriot/

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1403248793030773/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CiderRiot

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cider_riot/

Hashtags: #CiderRiot #EverydayCider

Ghostfish Brewing Releasing Meteor Shower Blonde Ale

Courtesy of Ghostfish Brewing Co

Seattle, WA —Ghostfish Brewing Company spent much of its first two years setting out to prove gluten-free beer could be every bit as intense and diverse as other kinds of craft beer. After focusing on creating dark beers, hoppy beers, strong beers, Belgians and more experimental styles, Ghostfish added Meteor Shower Blonde Ale to its year-round lineup.

Meteor Shower is for those new to craft beer, or for serious beer aficionados searching for an easy-drinking break from more intense and aggressive brews. Find Meteor Shower in 4-packs of 12oz cans most places Ghostfish beer is sold.

Ghostfish is hosting a Meteor Shower Pint Night on March 25, featuring pineapple, passion fruit and blueberry flavored kegs and $2 Meteor Shower cans with 360° lids that can be entirely peeled off. The Ghostfish chefs have created a special menu of “Irish Enchiladas” made of Meteor Shower corned beef and boiled potatoes wrapped in braised cabbage, Lobster Mac and “Showered Clams”—fresh clams steamed in Meteor Shower with herbs and chalets.

“There’s always been this kind of hole in our portfolio for just a solid, easy-drinking beer that anyone can appreciate,” says Brewmaster and Co-owner Jason Yerger. “Meteor Shower is the answer to that. It’s a crisp blonde ale thats light on the palette and easy on the hops, but still has the character and complexity people expect from Ghostfish beers.

“Malted rice and millet take centerstage in this beer, bringing a clean, honey-like
sweetness and a full bodied, true malt flavor. German Perle hops balance it out with
light floral aromatics and just a touch of bitterness to create an all-around anytime beer, whether you’re gluten-free or not.”

ABV 4.5% IBU 15

Courtesy of Ghostfish Brewing Co

About Ghostfish Brewing Company
Ghostfish Brewing is the first and only dedicated gluten-free craft brewery located in Washington state. Since opening in February 2015, Ghostfish Brewing has been exploring the uncharted waters of never before-used brewing techniques and testing the limits of what can be created without wheat, barley, rye or oats. Ghostfish brews five year-round beers; Watchstander Stout (2015 GABF® Gold Gluten Free Beer), Vanishing Point Pale Ale (2015 Gold U.S. Open Beer Championship Gluten Free Beer), Shrouded Summit Belgian White Ale, Grapefruit IPA (2016 Gold U.S. Open Beer Championship Gluten Free Beer, 2015 & 2016 GABF® Bronze Gluten Free Beer), and Peak Buster Double IPA. The production brewery and taproom are located at 2942 1st Ave. S., Seattle, WA.

Learn more about Ghostfish Brewing’s beers, brewery and taproom on its Ghostfish Brewing Website or Ghostfish Brewing Facebook page

Laurelwood Brewing Releasing Raspberry Wheat On Tap and In 22oz Bottles

Courtesy of Laurelwood Brewing Co

Portland, OR –  This week, Laurelwood Brewing Co. released a new fruit forward beer just in time for the season change, Raspberry Wheat.

“Raspberry Wheat was brewed with spring in mind,” says Director of Brewing Operations, Ben Dobler. “We used locally grown red raspberries for a subtle tartness and Cascade hops to create the perfect citrusy balance, making this beer a great choice for spring.”

Since coming on to the Laurelwood team in late 2016, Dobler has created some creative and unique tasting beers. “We’re excited about our scheduled new releases throughout this year and think that consumers will be too,” says James Buxman, Director of Sales & Marketing.

The new release is part of Laurelwoods seasonal 22oz series and will be available between April and June. Find it on tap and in 22 oz. bottles at Laurelwood’s Portland pubs, located on 5115 NE Sandy Boulevard and 6716 SE Milwaukie Avenue, as well as in stores within Oregon and Washington.

Courtesy of Laurelwood Brewing Co

About Laurelwood Brewing Co.: 

Laurelwood is a family-owned brewery and public house in Portland, Oregon, founded in 2001 by Mike De Kalb and Cathy Woo-De Kalb. Laurelwood Brewing Co.’s award-winning line-up includes the popular Workhorse IPA and Free Range Red Ale. Laurelwood’s handcrafted brews can be found on draft, in bottles, and cans throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, California, British Columbia, and Japan. To learn more, visit www.LaurelwoodBrewpub.com.

Worthy Brewing Adds Stoker Red Ale To Their Line-Up Of Canned Craft Beers

Courtesy of Worthy Brewing Co

BEND, OR -- Worthy Brewing is adding a fifth can to their line-up this spring. Introducing Stoker Red Ale, a hoppy beer designed to stoke your passions and keep them lit. Stoker Red will be available in 12-ounce cans this April.
 

Several months ago, Worthy made the hard decision to discontinue their Eruption Imperial Red. Brewmaster Dustin Kellner took this opportunity to create a more sessionable, judiciously juiced red inspired by its retired cousin. 

For bittering, Worthy’s Brewers added Nugget and CTZ. For aroma and flavor, they added Oregon grown Cascade and Centennial Hops and topped it off with Mandarina Bavaria, a German hop whose mother is Cascade. The final numbers come in at 6.6% ABV and 66 IBU.

“What we wanted to brew was an easy drinking, hop forward red ale. Something that would be as refreshing from a can, as it would be from a glass. It’s always tough to be objective when drinking your own beer, but I think we nailed the style with Stoker,” said Kellner.

“Stoker is fuel for your firebox,” said Roger Worthington, Worthy Brewing’s Founder.  “It has a tantalizing tangerine aroma and a piney, lemonish flavor with a satisfying malt sweetness. It’s the perfect beer for star gazing around the campfire or holding court with friends and foes alike on the pressing issues of the day.”

The can features a swarthy brewer in his rubber boots stoking the kettle with a shovel piled high with big juicy hop cones.

Kegs and cans are distributed by Columbia Distribution in Oregon and Washington, Hodgen Distributing in Eastern Oregon, and by Hayden Beverage in Idaho.

For more information, please contact Shannon Hinderberger at shannon@worthybrewing.com.

Courtesy of Worthy Brewing Co

 Worthy Brewing Company opened its doors in early 2013, delivering remarkably balanced, filtered ales that are hand-crafted using premium ingredients and the pristine water from the Cascade Mountains in Bend, Oregon. Worthy’s campus includes a large outdoor biergarten, full restaurant, and a greenhouse and hop yard onsite for growing estate and experimental hops in conjunction with Oregon State University and Indie Hops. An expansion will be completed in Spring 2017, featuring the “Hopservatory,” with a large telescope, “The Hop Mahal,” a banquet space, “The Beermuda Triangle” expanded indoor seating, and “The Star Bar,” an open air mezzanine bar.

Fat Tire’s Tour de Fat Brings its Party to 33 Cities in 2017

Courtesy of New Belgium

Ft. Collins, Colo., March 21, 2017 - New Belgium Brewing’s “Fat Tire presents the Tour de Fat” is back for its 18^th season and this year without question will be the biggest and boldest yet. The traveling philanthropic beer, music, and bike festival will kick off a 33-show season May 20^th in Asheville, NC and wrap up Oct. 7th in Tempe, AZ.

In addition to greatly expanding the festival’s reach to accommodate more fans, this year’s events will include world-class entertainment by the likes of The Roots, Third Eye Blind, The All-American Rejects, The Naked and Famous, Michael Franti & Spearhead, X-Ambassadors, and many more.

All events will be ticketed (price varies by city) and tickets will be available in advance online at Newbelgium.com/ tour-de-fat or at any of the box offices for Tour de Fat venues. New Belgium has raised more than $4.5 million for partnering non-profits since its inception. This summer Tour de Fat hopes to generate more than $600,000 in support of local causes.

“This is one of the greatest ways we can give back to local communities,” said Brand Manager, Sam Sawyer. “Not only do folks get a great event with top musical acts and plenty of spectacle, local non-profits get a cash injection and the opportunity to share their message. It’s like a win-win-and win-again scenario. This is without a doubt some of the most fun we have all year.”

In addition to musical headliners, a touring ensemble of artists, cirque performers, and general mayhemists will appear alongside local buskers and street performers. New Belgium Brewing will host a battle of the bands in many cities prior to the event to give local bands the chance to represent their hometown scene.

The 2017 Tour de Fat schedule is as follows:

            5/20    Asheville, NC                          Third Eye Blind

            5/27    Charlotte, NC                          A Thousand Horses

            5/31    Atlanta, GA                             Corey Harper

            6/3      Orlando, FL                            Jamestown Revival

            6/6      Baltimore, MD                        Hollis Brown

            6/6      St. Petersburg, FL                    Corey Harper

            6/10    Philadelphia, PA                      Plain White T’s

            6/10    St. Louis, MO                          Nick Waterhouse

            6/11    New Orleans, LA                    Corey Harper

            6/17    Boston, MA                             AWOLNATION

            6/17    Dallas, TX                               Jamestown Revival

            7/1      Columbus, OH                        Smallpools

            7/5      Cleveland, OH                        Rainbow Kitten Surprise

            7/8      San Diego, CA                         The Naked and Famous

            7/11    Sacramento, CA                      Hollis Brown

            7/15    New York, NY                        The Naked and Famous

            7/15    Santa Cruz, CA                        Wilderado

            7/21    Oakland, CA                           Hollis Brown

            7/22    Washington, DC                      Vintage Trouble

            7/29    Chicago, IL                              The Roots

            7/29    Grand Rapids, MI                    Nick Waterhouse

            8/5      Indianapolis, IN                      The Record Company

            8/12    Detroit, MI                              Skylar Grey

            8/12    Boise, ID                                 Blackberry Smoke

            8/12    Kansas City, KS                      Atlas Genius

            8/19    Minneapolis, MN                     The Record Company

            8/19    San Francisco, CA                   Vintage Trouble

            8/23    Madison, WI                            Atlas Genius               

            8/25    Boulder, CO                            Wilderado

            8/26    Denver, CO                             Capital Cities

            8/26    Colorado Springs, CO             Wilderado

            9/2      Fort Collins, CO                      The All-American Rejects & X Ambassadors

            10/7    Tempe, AZ                              Michael Franti & Spearhead

Ticket sales are first come, first served. Information will be updated online in the weeks leading up to each event.

Courtesy of New Belgium

About New Belgium Brewing

New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Belgian Style Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100% employee-owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses, and a Certified B Corp. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews fourteen year-round beers; Citradelic Tangerine IPA, Citradelic Lime Ale, Voodoo Ranger IPA, Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA, Voodoo Ranger 8 Hop Pale Ale, Dayblazer Easygoing Ale, Tartastic Lemon Ginger Ale, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Ale, Bohemian Pilsner, Abbey Belgian Ale, Trippel and a gluten-reduced line, Glutiny Pale Ale and Glutiny Golden Ale. Learn more at www.newbelgium.com.

No-Li Celebrates Communities with March Forth Citrus IPA

Courtesy of No-Li Brewhouse

Spokane, USA…Inspire and Collaborate!  No-Li Brewhouse hoists a pint of March Forth Citrus IPA in recognition of neighborhoods and communities across Spokane, the Pacific NW and USA. 

“No-Li supports neighborhoods and communities as they are the central point of beer culture,” says Mike Lay of No-Li Brewhouse. “We believe that a thriving and local beer culture supports local jobs, community energy and a local economy.”  

March Forth Citrus IPA is a 22 oz. bottle seasonal release.  March Forth is packed with orange peel and a zesty citrus finish, 7.2% Alc. & 36 IBU’s.  We celebrate and hoist a pint with each of our communities.

Courtesy of No-Li Brewhouse

About No-Li Brewhouse

Born & Raised in Spokane, Washington, No-Li Brewhouse is locally-owned and community-minded crafting Spokane-Style beers with No Boundaries: innovative beers brewed with locally-sourced ingredients. No-Li Brewhouse was awarded 2016 Washington Brewery of the Year, NBWA 2015 National Brewer Partner of the Year, No-Li has won twenty-one international awards.

Cheers to Belgian Beers festival, taking place June 2 and 3 - Tickets On Sale Now

Courtesy of Oregon Brewers Guild

PORTLAND, Ore. – March 20, 2017 – The early bird gets the worm, or in this case, beer! Advance tickets are on sale now for Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers festival, which features up to 70 Belgian-style beers brewed by Oregon craft brewers using the same single yeast strain. The 11th annual event will take place June 2 and 3 at The North Warehouse at 723 N. Tillamook St. Hours are 1pm to 9pm on Friday and 12pm to 8pm on Saturday.

Drink packages at the door costs $20 for a souvenir glass and eight drink tickets. Discount tickets are on sale now at MercPerks, with two tasting glasses and 16 drink tickets for $28 ($40 value), while supplies last. The event is for ages 21 and over.

This year’s featured yeast strain is Imperial Yeast B45 Gnome, a yeast that creates crystal clear Belgian ales in a short amount of time. Gnome produces peach and apricot esters with a Belgian phenolic character that can be manipulated through temperature. It pairs well with hops, while also complementing malt and caramel characters.

To ensure the diversity of the yeast strain, as well as show off the creativity of Oregon craft brewers, the color and strength of each brewery’s beer is determined by a dart throw. More than 80 breweries took part in this year’s dart throw, held on Jan. 16 at The Evergreen, the private event space at the Loyal Legion. Depending on where the dart landed on the board, a brewer was directed to brew a Belgian-style beer that will be either light or dark in color, with amber as the midpoint; and either lower or higher in alcohol, with six percent being the baseline. Four breweries hit a bullseye, meaning they get to choose their color and strength.

Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers takes place inside The North Warehouse as well as outside in the tented parking lot. Food is available from Urban German Grill. Street parking is available, but limited. Attendees are encouraged to take public transportation — the TriMet Bus Line 35 stops one block away and the Yellow Max Line stops two blocks away — or ride their bike, with complimentary bike parking available.

The festival is seeking volunteers, who receive a glass, 8 drink tickets, a t-shirt and free admission after their shift. An OLCC servers permit is not required to participate as a volunteer server at this event. To sign up, visit  https://www.events-connect.com/ctbb/volunteer.

Cheers to Belgian Beers is produced by the Oregon Brewers Guild and sponsored by Boelter, Imperial Yeast and the Portland Mercury. Follow @OregonCraftBeer on social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, #ctbb17.

About the Oregon Brewers Guild

The Oregon Brewers Guild is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the state’s craft brewing industry and the common interests of its members. Founded in 1992, the Oregon Brewers Guild is one of the nation’s oldest craft brewers associations. The Guild comprises 159 brewing companies, 118 associate/supplier members and more than 3,950 enthusiast members known as S.N.O.B.s (Supporters of Native Oregon Beer). To learn more, visit OregonCraftBeer.org.

 

Website: http://oregoncraftbeer.org/ctbb/

Social Media: @OregonCraftBeer - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1732694283687999/

Hashtag: #ctbb17