30th Annual Oregon Brewers Festival Returns Through Sunday

Christian Ettinger from Hopworks Urban Brewery tapping the ceremonial keg at the 30th annual Oregon Brewers Festival.

The 30th annual Oregon Brewers Festival kicked off yesterday to an enthusiastic crowd along the Willamette River in Tom McCall Park.

Prior to the festival itself the day began at The Redd in Southeast Portland for the annual Oregon Brewers Festival Brunch that was hosted by Hopworks Urban Brewery. This event space proved to be an excellent choice as there was ample room both inside and outside. After a hearty breakfast and a few HUB beers more festival attendees arrived to get set for the Oregon Brewers Festival Parade.

The Parade kicked off at 11:30am and was led by Grand Marshasl, John DeBenedetti and Mike Moscarelli of F.H. Steinbart Company. A route that took beer fans from The Redd and across the Hawthorne Bridge led us into Tom McCall Waterfront Park to where the Oregon Brewers Festival ceremonial keg will be tapped.

But prior to this tapping Art Larrance presented New Avenues for Youth with a check for $20,000 as this organization is the 2017 OBF beneficiary. It was also on this stage that Christian Ettinger from Hopworks Urban Brewery handed off the OBF Mallet to Jamie Floyd from Ninkasi Brewing. This means that Ninkasi Brewing will be the host brewery for the 2018 Oregon Brewers Festival Brunch.

The prefest ceremony at the 2017 Oregon Brewers Festival. New Avenues for Youth is this year’s fundraising recipient.
Christian Ettinger from Hopworks Urban Brewery hands off the Oregon Brewers Festival Brunch duties to Jamie Floyd from Ninkasi Brewing for the 2018 OBF.

After Ettinger tapped the ceremonial keg the 2017 OBF officially began serving its 91 festival beers. This year’s offerings were quite impressive from the various 4-ounce samples that we consumed throughout the afternoon.

The following beers were some of our highlights in no particular order from the festival. With sample pours for only $1.00, you really can’t go wrong.

54°40′ Brewing Co. – Art AllAzaccas – American Style India Pale Ale
Blackberry Farm Brewery – Classic Saison – Classic French & Belgian Style Saison
Boneyard Beer – Enzymatic IPA – American Style India Pale Ale
Cloudburst Brewing – Tigers in Tiny Spaces – American Style Pale Ale
Collaborator – Kentucky Kölsch – American Style Fruit Beer
Eel River Brewing – Organic Tropical Blonde Ale – Golden or Blonde Ale
Fort George Brewery – No Pulp – American Style Pale Ale
Ghost Runners Brewery – Chasing Fluffy Pink Unicorns – Contemporary Gose
Gigantic – G & T – Experimental Beer
New Holland Brewing Co. – Dragon’s Milk: Thai Curry – Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
Old Town Brewing – Coconut Curryiocity – Experimental Beer
Perennial Artisan Ales – Ship of the Sun – Classic French & Belgian Style Saison
pFriem Family Brewers – Guava Saison – Specialty Saison
Rogue Ales – Straight Outta Newport – American Style India Pale Ale
Sierrra Nevada Brewing Co. – Know Good IPA – American Style India Pale Ale
Vertigo Brewing – Little Big Hop – Session IPA
Widmer Brothers Brewing – THRILLHAUS – Münchner (Munich) Style Helles

For 2017 the International Tent went away and was replaced with the Specialty Tent.

The only disappointing aspect of this year’s OBF is that the International Tent went away to the Specialty Tent. From our views the Specialty Tent seemed much less crowded than in the past few years. We missed mingling with the international brewers but a few of these brewers returned to Portland anyway to take in one of the nation’s best beer festival.

The Oregon Brewers Festival continues through Sunday, July 27th with hours each day from Noon-9:00pm and on Sunday from Noon-7:00pm. Remember that the OBF is cash only but there are ATMs on site. An OBF mug is required to drink and beer tokens are $1.00 each.

Here’s a photo recap from yesterday’s Oregon Brewers Festival including pictures from the brunch and the parade.

A mug of Hopworks Urban Brewery beer at the Oregon Brewers Festival Brunch at The Redd.
Inside The Redd that was home to the Oregon Brewers Festival Brunch hosted by Hopworks Urban Brewery.
The 30th annual Oregon Brewers Festival program and a mug of beer at The Redd that was home to the OBF Brunch.
This year’s Oregon Brewers Festival program reflected on a some unfortunate deaths in the local brewing community.
The Oregon Brewers Festival Brunch offered up a great selection of food to begin the long day ahead at the festival.
Mike Mathis from Cascade Brewing and Trevor Bass from Hopworks Urban Brewery at Oregon Brewers Festival Brunch.
Ron Gansberg from Cascade Brewing at the Oregon Brewers Festival Brunch.
Hopworks Urban Brewers pulls the Ceremonial Keg for the Oregon Brewers Festival from the brunch to the festival grounds.
The Oregon Brewers Festival Parade went over the Hawthorne Bridge.
The Widmer Brothers Brewing crew was in full force during the Oregon Brewers Festival Parade.
The beers were pouring all day long at the 30th annual Oregon Brewers Festival. (photo by Cat Stelzer)
Chris Milner, local beer legend and college professor, took advantage of the Portland Perks offer at the Oregon Brewers Festival.
The volunteers, many who dress up, are the backbone of the 30th annual Oregon Brewers Festival. (photo by Cat Stelzer)
Big Bolt (left) and Little Bolt from 54 40 Brewing at the Oregon Brewers Festival.
Live music is also a part of the Oregon Brewers Festival.
This year’s Oregon Brewers Festival pays tribute to Richard Frank and Charlie Papp.
McMenamins brewers Jeff Cooley and Graham Brogan attempt to recreate the image of Richard Frank and Charlie Papp on the 2017 Oregon Brewers Festival mug.
Remember to bring cash to the Oregon Brewers Festival.
Ritch Marvin and Morgan Miller, Sales Manager at Gigantic Brewing, at the Oregon Brewers Festival.
The beer lines were short early Wednesday afternoon at the 30th annual Oregon Brewers Festival.
The shade was a popular area to drink and converse at the Oregon Brewers Festival.
Van Havig from Gigantic Brewing and Rick Nelson from Oedipus Brewing at the Oregon Brewers Festival.
The early afternoon is the perfect time to attend the Oregon Brewers Festival.
Vertigo Brewing and 54-40 Brewing offered up two tasty beers at the 30th annual Oregon Brewers Festival.