Cheers To Belgian Beers

Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers festival is back for the third consecutive year to celebrate the wonder of the Belgian beer style. All brewers participating will employ the same yeast strain to illustrate the diversity of styles that can be concocted from the Wy’east 3822 Ingelmuster ale yeast. This yeast, formerly known as Dutch Castle, is a unique Belgian ale yeast that lends a banana-clove/phenolic spiciness to the beers it helps to brew. You can expect many of these brews to lean toward the tart, astringent side of the palate.

2009’s event is the first year that all Oregon Brewers Guild members, including breweries outside the Portland Metro area, were be able to participate in submitting a beer to the friendly competition.

A “People’s Choice Award” will be determined by the sampling masses with the winning brewhouse earning homecourt for next year’s event and the option to select the yeast strain the 2010 charity beneficiary.

Lucky Lab is the reigning champion of the competition and has chosen to donate all the profits of this year’s festival to the Oregon Humane Society. Meow!

Here is a list of the beers you can expect to see this year at Cheers to Belgian Beers:

Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers is happening on Friday, May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd from Noon – 10 p.m. at the Lucky Labrador Beer Hall located at 1945 NW Quimby in Portland, Oregon.

Admission is free, but there is a $5 charge for a tasting goblet, which is required to sample beers, and $1 for tastes. Tickets can be purchased at the festival entrance.

For more information please visit www.oregonbeer.org/pctbb.