If you’re not one of the lucky lads or lasses who will be in attendance for the country’s biggest and baddest beer fests, aka Great American Beer Fest (aka GABF), fret not. The 29th installation of the GABF September 16-18 might offer over 2,200 beers to try which is more than you’ll likely find at any other single festival, but after all, who can drink 2,200 beers in three days (We’re imagining a few friends contemplating it).

This month, do what so many people around the country are doing, take a staycation. Yes, it’s that catch word you’ve likely heard promoted from advocates of living local, but it certainly is good for the economy, and in these rougher economic times, it might be just what you need to enjoy the fruits of the Pacific Northwest, in our humble opinion, one of the greatest places to live on the planet.

Here’s a look at some events coming up in September that you might consider attending if you love Oregon craft beer Read More…

Posted under Beer & Music, Oregon beer, beer and food, beer to do list, brewpubs, places to drink beer

Widmer Brother Brewing’s Oktoberfest returns for a sixth year celebrating Munich-style ales and German food and music.  Festivities will take place Saturday, Sept. 11 from 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.

WHAT: Widmer Brother’s Oktoberfest is a tribute to the world-renowned celebration in Munich, Germany, which draws more than six million people annually during the 16-day festival. Widmer Brother’s version, although smaller in scale, is large in Oktoberfest spirit. The festival features a variety of craft beers, traditional German food, accordion players, and live music throughout the day including rock and roll accordion band, Those Darn Accordions, as well as local bands Amadan, Hillstomp, Sassparilla and Chris Margolin and the Dregs.

WHEN: Saturday, September 11 from 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

WHERE: Widmer Brothers Brewery is located at 929 N. Russell Ave. Parking is extremely limited and public transportation is highly encouraged.

COST: Admission to Widmer Brother’s Oktoberfest is free; however, a 2010 souvenir stein is required for consuming beer. Attendees can also bring steins from previous years to the event. All beer and food is purchased with tokens, which cost $1 each. Patrons pay five tokens for a souvenir stein, four tokens for a full stein of beer and food items are $2-$5. Sales of steins and tokens end at 10:30 p.m., one hour prior to the close of the event.

Posted under Beer & Music, Oregon beer, beer and food, beer events, brewpubs, events, places to drink beer

Celebrate water and the end of summer at the 1st Annual Umpqua Brew Fest, hosted by Umpqua Watersheds on Sat., Sept. 18. Every adult over 21 is invited to raise a glass to water conservation, while enjoying great beer, great food, great music, and one heck of a great party!

This free admission event will run from 1 to 11 p.m. in the hardwood forest at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, and will feature microbreweries throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Ninkasi in Eugene, Caldera in Ashland, and our local McMenamins Roseburg Station.

Fresh barbecued oysters and other great food will be available.

This year’s theme is “It’s all about the water.” Festival goers can learn at information booths how our Umpqua River system provides many more benefits than just recreation. This wonderful source of clean and pure water is critically important to our communities’ health and many people’s livelihoods.

Posted under Beer & Music, Oregon beer, beer and food, beer events, events, places to drink beer

Surprise Course:

Entrée:

Dessert:

Posted under Oregon beer, beer and food, beer events, events, places to drink beer

Migration Brewing co-founder Colin Rath says “We are planning on releasing two new beers, at this event BBQ’ing, hopefully a whole pig which is fed by our spent grain by a local farmer here in town, as well as live music and a DJ closing the party in the later hours.”

Posted under Beer & Music, Oregon beer, beer and food, beer events, beer releases, brewpubs, events, places to drink beer

By Matthew DiTullo

Portlanders’ love for a good brunch is equal to their love of craft beer.  The Rose City has a nearly limitless selection of brunch restaurants, with nearly every neighborhood sporting their own hip spots. My fiancée and I usually hit up Nob Hill’s Stepping Stone Cafe, The Pearl’s Byways Cafe, and Belmont’s Pine State Biscuits (which can also be found on Alberta) when we’re in the brunch mood.  But for the past couple of weekends we’ve found ourselves enjoying the incredible brunch offerings at The Hop & Vine.

Establishment owner Yetta Vorobik’s passion for quality food, great beer, wine, and cocktails is certainly evident.  The Hop & Vine has quickly become well respected by beer geeks as a go-to destination for bottles, tap handles, and intimate beer events.  Now boasting a successful brunch menu, patrons are offered options of small and large plates, egg sandwiches, java drinks featuring coffee from a local roaster, and a solid cocktail menu.

On our most recent visit, we started with a plate of zucchini bread.  Two pieces of moist bread, house made rhubarb jam and butter arrived as our first palate pleaser.  I enjoyed the bread with a beer cocktail called the Dutch Devil. This was one tasty beverage consisting of Duvel, Bols Dutch Gin, and Angostura, a bitters compiled of tropical herbs and spices.  It was smooth drinking, with a yeasty, citrus-fruitiness from the Duvel blending with the gin’s pine-like qualities.  The carbonation added a perfect texture to the dry nuances of the gin.

For my main dish I ordered up some cornmeal cakes.  This is the ideal dish for those who can’t decide between a sweet or savory brunch, which is a predicament I always find myself in.  The cornmeal cakes came with a rich, thick maple syrup. The cakes offered a texture reminiscent of cornbread and were accompanied by two eggs, two thick strips of pepper-flecked bacon, and a side of collard greens.  The bacon was tender and juicy, and the egg yolks were a mesh between hard and soft, perfect for dipping the bacon in.  A glass of Rodenbach Grand Cru was the ideal palate cleanser between each bite.

My fiancée made a great choice with the Crumpet.  A poached egg served on top of bacon and a crumpet, topped with a leek white butter sauce.  The Crumpet was of a great consistency: moist and not overly dry. The egg was cooked to perfection and slightly seasoned with salt and pepper.  Greens with fresh radishes and a light vinaigrette finished the dish making it a perfectly sized and satisfying meal.

Considering the quality and freshness of all this food, my wallet was left just as happy as my taste buds.  The cornmeal cakes fell in at a reasonable $8, and the Crumpet was not far behind at $7.  This delectable yet inexpensive brunch allowed me to grab some bottles to go for enjoyment later in the day.

The Hop & Vine is undoubtedly one of North Portland’s best bars.  It’s no wonder why it has received such high praise in the two years it’s been open.  Weekend brunches just add another layer of commitment to serving exceptional food and libations to their patrons.

Become a fan of The Hop and Vine on Facebook & Twitter to find out about events and special deals!  Brunch is served from 10:00am to 2:00pm both Saturdays and Sundays. The Hop & Vine is located at 1914 N. Killingsworth Street in Portland, Oregon.

Posted under beer and food, places to drink beer

Chef Matt Christianson of Urban Farmer Restaurant has partnered with Upright Brewing owner and head brewer, Alex Ganum, to celebrate summer’s quintessential ingredients: Beer and Barbecue. Chef Matt and Alex have collaborated on a five-course dinner that pairs Oregon Dungeness crab, Wagyu beef and Afton Field Farm chicken with farmhouse inspired beers that are brewed just a few miles from the restaurant in the Rose Quarter’s Left Bank Project.

Posted under Oregon beer, beer and food, events, places to drink beer

From Ben @ Oregon Beer Odyssey:

We are excited to announce a new version of our class on food/drink pairing—Meat Cheese Beer—to be held this Sunday at Upright Brewing’s Tasting Room from 3:30-5:30. This is one of our most unique tasting events: we will begin with a review of the principles for pairing food and beer. Then, we will go through seven pairing courses of artisanal cheeses, world class beers, and cured meats. One the guided tasting is done, folks will have time to mingle, socialize, and mix and match the foods and drinks in front of them. It’s a great opportunity to make friends, expand your palate, and learn about food and beer pairing!

In this meeting of the class, we’ll be featuring some carefully selected sheep’s milk cheeses and a number of rare beers that can’t be found in Oregon!

Sign up today by filling out the registration form on www.oregonbeerodyssey.com. Space is limited!

To give you a sense of what may be in store, here is the list of pairings from the last time we ran this class:

Trumer Pilsner with fresh sheep ‘chevre’ and hot soppresata

Val Dieu Grand Cru with wild boar pate and Roquefort

Hopworks IPA with zamorano and artisan country ham

Upright Four Play with rocastin and abruzzo

Paulaner Salvator with questo La Serena and finocchiona

Beer Valley Fresh Hop Black Flag imperial stout with Ewephoria and sweet coppa

Midnight Sun Panty Peeler Tripel with Prosciutto di Parma and cana de oveja

Cheers!

Posted under beer and food, beer events, events

Join Lompoc brewers Dave Fleming and Bryan Kielty this Wednesday from 6 to 8 pm for a four-course brewers dinner at the fantastic Trébol, located at 4835 N Albina Ave., one block South of Alberta St. Trébol is a Mexican restaurant that specializes in Oaxacan cuisine and utilizes only local organic produce and sustainable ingredients.

The first course is a fresh tomato gazpacho made with organic tomatoes and a cucumber & fennel relish; paired with Lompoc LSD (Lompoc Strong Draft).  The second course features a root vegetable salad and summer greens tossed in a jalapeno lime vinaigrette; paired with Lompoc C-Note, our Imperial IPA.  The main course is a grilled pork loin served with traditional Mexican squash cake and vegetables of the day in a sweet & spicy red chili sauce; paired with Proletariat Red (for vegetarians, grilled tofu is available for this course).  Dessert is a chocolate stout cheesecake served alongside Sockeye Cream Stout.

Wednesday’s weather forecast is 76 degrees, and seating for this dinner will be on the patio – a perfect way to spend a summer evening!  The event costs $40 and is limited to 20 people, so make your reservations now: Call Trébol at 503-517-9347 and ask for Chef Mike.

Posted under Oregon beer, beer and food, beer events, events, places to drink beer

Please join Boundary Bay Brewery in celebrating their 15th anniversary on
September 16th, 2010!

Come to the Beer Garden at 4pm for a Happy Hour BBQ, dancing and live
music by the Marion Weston band.  Enjoy $1 off your pints, anniversary
cake and the special 15th Anniversary Ale which will be tapped at 4pm!

Boundary Bay Brewery’s anniversary celebration, hosted by Robert Sarazin
Blake, is free, family friendly, and open to the public.

The brewery also wants to show special appreciation to their accounts,
regulars and people that have made major contributions to their business
along the way, so there will be a VIP section of the party that will be by
invite only.

Boundary Bay Brewery has been saving the ales since 1995 and are throwing
this party as a way to say thank you for being a part of their craft beer
community through the years. Cheers!!

15th Anniversary Party
September 16th, 2010
4pm – midnight
Boundary Bay Brewery Beer Garden
1107 Railroad Avenue, Bellingham, WA

Posted under Beer & Music, beer and food, beer events, events