The holidays are a time filled with joy and merriment for many, but for some it can be a very trying and difficult time. It’s easy to take for granted what we have to be thankful for at times – family, friends, loved ones, and our health…

One particular Portland family of four, the Ruelles, is dealing with a difficult time and we would like to encourage you to show your support to help them out. It’s not often that we steer away from the ever-important topic of craft beer, but if you could take a moment give to help these good folks out, it will really make a difference.

Earlier this fall, mother Summar Ruelle was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer that had metastasized to her lymph nodes and to various bones in her body. Less than two weeks later, the family received more devastating news: their three-year-old daughter Sapphire was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Both mother and daughter have begun their journey for treatment. A website has been established to help with the massive bills and care of these folks. If you’ve got anything to give we strongly encourage you to please help.

Lompoc Brewing of Portland has already shown their support of the Ruelles by organizing a fundraiser at their Fifth Quadrant Sidebar (3901 N. Williams Ave., Portland, OR) on December 13, 2012. A percentage of this day’s sales will go to helping the cause. If you wish to learn more, visit www.theruellefamily.com and to make a donation, visit www.theruellefamily.com/Donate.aspx

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

The Holiday Ale Festival at Pioneer Courthouse Square will certainly be at the front of every beer lover’s mind this weekend. Each year the event offers a vast array of specialty releases to warm the cockles of your liver while providing an excuse to head into the festive sights and lights of downtown Portland and catch up with family and friends. Here under the heated tents, merriment is shared amongst many, illustrating the collective Cascadian love for great craft beer, a signature element of our region.

For some, the weekend crowds of Holiday Ale Festival may be a bit intimidating, especially if you head out on Friday and Saturday night when things are in full swing. Thankfully, here in Portland, there are plenty of wonderfully enticing satellite events that may offer a bit more intimacy, if not just simply serve as a nice supplement to Holiday Ale Festival itself. In addition to the in-tents fest downtown, here’s a look at where we plan to be quaffing great beer: Read More…

Posted under beer events, beer releases, Oregon beer, places to drink beer

Northwest Canning, the Pacific NW’s first mobile canning business has teamed with Coalition Brewing, a local micro-brewery, and Envision Ambiance, a local event planning company, to host the Cans 4 Kids fundraiser benefiting the non-profit Outside In.

Here is a link to the Facebook event with more information.

http://www.facebook.com/events/534025263293502/

Posted under events, Uncategorized

Laurelwood Brewing Co. is gearing up for its annual Doernbecher Children’s Hospital toy drive. The toy drive starts November 26, 2012 at the Northeast Portland, Southeast Portland, and Battle Ground, WA pub locations. Bring in a new unwrapped toy, hand it the host, and receive a coupon good for a $2 pint or a free non-alcoholic beverage (excludes specialty coffee drinks). Laurelwood’s Area Manager Desi Riscol stated, “Children and family are close
to our hearts here at Laurelwood, and what better way to show holiday cheer than to help out families that are occupied with more important things. This toy drive was a success last year, but we want to make it even more so this year.” Come out and help Laurelwood bring smiles to the children and families of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital this holiday season.

Participating Locations:
• NE Portland, 5115 NE Sandy Blvd.
• SE Portland, 6716 SE Milwaukie Blvd.
• Battle Ground, WA, 1401 SE Rasmussen Blvd.

About Laurelwood Brewing Company

Laurelwood is a family owned brewery that creates one of the most recognized regional craft beers. Owners Mike De Kalb & Cathy Woo-De Kalb are dedicated to sustainable and organic practices, and first began producing certified organic beer in 2001. Laurelwood’s product line is known for its creativity and quality therefore winning many national and  international beer awards. Laurelwood’s handcrafted beers can be found on draft and in bottles throughout
Oregon and Washington. To find out more about Laurelwood Brewing Company go online at www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com.

Posted under beer events, events, Oregon beer, places to drink beer, Washington Beer

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

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

Dick’s Brewing Company

Second Annual Beer for a Cure

Centralia, WA based Dick’s Brewing company is giving back; and in a big way! For the second year in a row the brewing company is holding the Second Annual Beer for a Cure event featuring live music, a homebrew competition and awards ceremony. Throughout the day a silent auction will take place, while food and pints fresh from the brewery will be on sale.  Proceeds from the event will go to the American Cancer Society.

Professional brewers from Dick’s Brewing Company in Centralia have volunteered to help judge the homebrews and give the amateur brewers some words of advice on how to improve their crafts.

WHEN:     Saturday, August 18^th, 2012, 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.

WHERE:  3516 Galvin Road, Centralia

For more info on how to enter your homebrew or on the event itself visit their website: www.dicksbeer.com.

What better reason to drink beer than to help find a cure!

Posted under beer events, events, Washington Beer

We will be tapping a keg of specialty beer and for each pint sold $1 will be donated to Fences for Fido (http://www.fencesforfido.org/)
There will be a raffle prize that includes a piece of original artwork by Rain Elliott and Mindy Humphrey, of Mindy’s Designs, will have some PAWsome dog-themed beer gear for sale (http://www.etsy.com/shop/MindysDesigns).
Fences for Fido representatives will also be there to distribute information and to talk about their wonderful organization. Come socialize with fellow dog lovers and learn what Fences for Fido is all about. Invite and bring friends and family. Unfortunately, Fido is not invited to this event. It is just for humans.

Posted under beer events, brewpubs, events, Oregon beer, places to drink beer

The beer lineup for the inaugural Pints for Prostates Portland Pale Ale Invitational has been released. The event will be held on July 25 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Ore.

“Our goal was to create an event to celebrate the allure, complexity and flavors of pale ale, while raising awareness about an important men’s health issue,” said Rick Lyke, a drinks journalist and prostate cancer survivor. Lyke founded Pints for Prostates in 2008 after successful prostate cancer surgery. “Thanks to the help of 24 great breweries we have been able to put together a very special beer tasting.”

The tasting event features pale ales from a dozen Oregon breweries and a dozen breweries from around the globe. Presented by Beer West magazine in conjunction with the Oregon Brewers Festival, the event benefits the Pints for Prostates campaign, which reaches men through the universal language of beer with a message about the importance of early detection.

Tickets for the Portland Pale Ale Invitational are $30 and are available online at http://www.pintsforprostates.org . All net proceeds support the mission of the Pints for Prostates campaign. Only 500 tickets for this special event will be sold.

“We are excited about the brewers that have agreed to take part and the world class pale ales they will be pouring. Beer fans will get the chance to try a wide variety of pale ale styles in a single session,” said Megan Flynn, publisher and editor-in-chief of Beer West magazine.  “Pale ales have become America’s favorite type of craft beer. This event salutes the passion brewers and beer drinkers have for pale ale.”

Beers that are scheduled to be poured at the event include:
·        Dark Rain Black Pale Ale from BridgePort Brewing, Portland, Ore.;
·        Caldera IPA from Caldera Brewing, Ashland, Ore.;
·        Portland Ale from Cascade Brewing, Portland, Ore.;
·        Armory XPA from Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Ore.;
·        Bogart NW IPA from Fire Mountain Brew House,  Carlton, Ore.;
·        Pale 31 from Firestone Walker Brewing, Paso Robles, Calif.;
·        Full Sail IPA from Full Sail Brewing, Hood River, Ore.;
·        Kick Axe Dry Hopped Pale Ale from Lompoc Brewing, Portland, Ore.;
·        MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale from MacTarnahan’s Brewing, Portland, Ore.;
·        Moa Pale Ale from Moa Brewing, Marlborough, New Zealand;
·        White Hatter, Black Hatter, Oaked Hatter, Farmhouse Hatter & Rye Hatter from New Holland Brewing, Holland, Mich.;
·        Radiant Summer Ale from Ninkasi Brewing, Eugene, Ore.;
·        Ghost Hop White IPA from NoDa Brewing, Charlotte, N.C.;
·        Wooden Elephant Barrel Aged IPA from Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, Colo.;
·        Protector Pale Ale for Oregon Brew Crew (homebrewers) from Portland, Ore.;
·        Chatoe Rogue Single Malt Ale from Rogue Ales, Newport, Ore.;
·        Flipside Double IPA from Sierra Nevada Brewing, Chico, Calif.;
·        Clear Creek Pale Ale from Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, Wash.;
·        Snake River Pale Ale and Pako’s IPA from Snake River Brewery, Jackson Hole, Wyo.;
·        Barley Legal Pale Ale from Southern Oregon Brewing, Medford, Ore.;
·        Stone Ruination IPA from Stone Brewing, Escondido, Calif.;
·        Hophead Double IPA from Tree Brewing, Kelowna, British Columbia;
·        5-South Pale Ale from 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, Calif.;
·        Wells Bombardier Ale from Wells & Young’s, Bedford, United Kingdom.

“This year marks the 25th annual Oregon Brewers Festival so we are proud to be able to help support Pints for Prostates by making our venue available for the Portland Pale Ale Invitational on the eve of our silver anniversary,” said Art Larrance, one of the founders of the Oregon Brewers Festival.  “The Oregon Brewers Festival is already one of the world’s biggest beer events and the Portland Pale Ale Invitational is another reason for people to visit and enjoy great craft beer.”

Judges at the Great American Beer Festival award medals in seven different pale ale categories. Pale ale categories attract the most entries and are the hottest contested.

“Men are 33 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than women are to have breast cancer, yet few men know about the critical importance of early detection,” Lyke said. “The support of Beer West magazine, the Oregon Brewers Festival and the two dozen great craft brewers donating beer for the event will help us reach an audience that needs to hear our message.”

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

The beer lineup for the inaugural Pints for Prostates Portland Pale Ale Invitational has been released. The event will be held on July 25 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Ore.

“Our goal was to create an event to celebrate the allure, complexity and flavors of pale ale, while raising awareness about an important men’s health issue,” said Rick Lyke, a drinks journalist and prostate cancer survivor. Lyke founded Pints for Prostates in 2008 after successful prostate cancer surgery. “Thanks to the help of 24 great breweries we have been able to put together a very special beer tasting.”

The tasting event features pale ales from a dozen Oregon breweries and a dozen breweries from around the globe. Presented by Beer West magazine in conjunction with the Oregon Brewers Festival, the event benefits the Pints for Prostates campaign, which reaches men through the universal language of beer with a message about the importance of early detection.

Tickets for the Portland Pale Ale Invitational are Read More…

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