Gigantic Brewing and Weird Portland United Partner on Peculiarium IPA

Portland, Ore., April 7th, 2025 — For the 10th release in the much-lauded ‘Weirdtastic’ beer series collaboration between Gigantic Brewing Company and Weird Portland United (WPU – 501(c)(3)), the team has partnered with the institution at ground zero of Portland weirdness, The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium. Founded in 2011 by co-owners Lisa Freeman and Mike Wellins, the Peculiarium is a one-of-a-kind museum offering locals and tourists alike the chance to see and experience everything from alien abductions and bigfoot sightings to original Will Vinton creations and other local art.

“I have known Mike and Lisa for many years, and their contributions to our weird legacy cannot be understated. The Peculiarium is  an iconic part of Portland’s offbeat culture and helped establish PDX as the nation’s capital of weird. Therefore, it was essential that the Peculiarium be included in the Weirdtastic beer series as soon as possible,” said Brian Kidd, Portland’s Unipiper and founder of Weird Portland United. 

For the beer itself, the team wanted to create something as uniquely Portland as the Peculiarium, and so they turned to the wild blue Oregon emberquat, making it part of a genuine NW style IPA for the first time ever. Gigantic Brewmaster, Ben Love, reflected on this challenge, stating “we didn’t know if we were going to be able to source enough of the elusive emberquat for this brew, but ultimately we found a long forgotten stash in the cooler at Strange Fruit Farms on Sauvie Island. You really can find anything there. The end results speak volumes, with the emberquats giving the beer a unique blue haze, which can verge on purple depending on the light. And the citrusy emberquats compliment well the natural citrus notes of the Mosaic and Citra hops, making for an unforgettable pint pleasing to both the palette and the eyes.

Peculiarium IPA marks the 10th collaboration between Gigantic Brewing and WPU since 2022, following a string of much hyped and celebrated Portland-centric beers including Unipiper Hazy IPA, PDX Adult Soapbox Derby Summer Ale, Mike Bennett’s Day Off IPA, Darcelle Blonde IPA, Bud Clark Coffee Stout, Poison Waters Beermosa, Portland Elvis Gold Lager, and Santa Clone Winter Warmer. Through these efforts, the team has raised over $6,000 in support of Weird Portland United’s efforts to sustain a normal level of weird for the Rose City. Those efforts will continue throughout 2025, culminating in a celebration of everything weird that PDX has to offer with the return of Portland Weird Fest this September. Peculiarium IPA is available on draft and on store shelves everywhere Gigantic beer is sold. 

Peculiarium IPA Release Party/14th Anniversary Celebration

Celebrate with the Peculiarium on its 14th birthday at their new annex and event space, Hangar 13. Enjoy the trippy spins of long-time collaborator & friend DJ Evel Steve, with live sideshow performances by Krystin Railing, The Celtic Oddity & Steven Kage, yummy refreshments and of course, the unique flavor of the new Peculiarium IPA. Costumes are encouraged! 

The party at Hangar 13 is free and open to the public (21 and up). Free parking will be available exclusively for the party in the lot directly behind Hangar 13 (entrance on NW Savier St). There will be free admission to the main museum from 6-7pm the day of the party as well. RSVP to the Facebook event to be entered to win an epic Peculiarium Swag Bag

21+ | April 12, 6-9pm | Hangar 13 – 2206 NW Thurman St. | Join the Facebook Event

The Peculiarium Presents: Live Action Sideshows

A Three-Act Night of Wonder, Weirdness & Winks to the Absurd on Saturday, April 12 at Hangar 13

Act 1: The Super Cute Circus Show | Showtime: 6:30 PM
High-energy circus fun kicks off the evening with The Super Cute Circus Show by Krystin Railing. Featuring dazzling hula hoop tricks, playful clowning, and interactive surprises, this joyful performance is a celebration of creativity, curiosity, and pure circus charm. 

Act 2: Demon in a Top Hat |  Showtime: 7:30 PM
A demon in a top hat conjures chaos in a house of horrors. This isn’t a magic show—it’s a séance gone wrong. Steven Kage delivers theatrical mischief, shadowy illusions, and just enough eerie tension to keep you guessing and grinning.

Act 3: The Celtic Oddity – Showtime: 8:30 PM
Brace yourself as The Celtic Oddity pushes the limits of the human body through a series of jaw-dropping classic sideshow acts—all with a wild, dark twist. It’s daring. It’s dangerous. It’s exactly the kind of spectacle you didn’t know you needed.

About The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum | 2234 NW Thurman St, Portland, OR 97210

The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum, founded by Lisa Freeman and Mike Wellins, has been located in NW Portland’s Slabtown District since 2011, showcasing whimsical, strange, and unique artifacts and art. Lisa & Mike have called Portland home for a combined 87 years with their wacky, roadside attraction aesthetic. Inside, you’ll learn about all things peculiar from aliens to mummies to zombies, and everything in-between. The Peculiarium playfully lampoons urban legends, conspiracy theories, & pop culture, and celebrates lesser-known Portland history & characters. With hands-on art displays and a snarky sense of humor, the Peculiarium is a little gallery packed with big fun and strange things to amuse and confuse. The museum gift shop offers original art and oddities created by locals as well as once and future locals, that you won’t find anywhere else. www.peculiarium.com   IG: @peculiarium.pdx

About Hangar 13 |1799 NW 22nd Ave, Portland, OR 97210

Hangar 13 is the Peculiarium’s bold new outpost—a third-place hub for creatives, conjuring offbeat exhibitions, community mischief, curious collaborations, and strange brews (literally). Think of it as the Peculiarium’s wilder cousin: part clubhouse, part curiosity shop, part chaos engine. Signature programs include Spark the Build, Actors Tank, and The Peculiarium Presents: Live Action Sideshows—a rotating mix of DIY spirit, performance oddities, and collaborative magic you won’t find anywhere else. Curated by Sasha Santiago, Hangar 13’s resident Director, the space pulses with imagination, irreverence, and a snarky wink to the absurd. H13pdx.com

About Gigantic Brewing Company

Gigantic Brewing Company is an independent, artisanal brewery located in the Southeast quadrant of Portland. We hold ourselves to a simple principle – Never Give an Inch. We vow to start small and (stubbornly) stay small, focusing our efforts on making exceptional beer, rather than a lot of beer. When you drink Gigantic, know that we didn’t just put our names on the label – our effort, imagination, and dry wit are in every can. Enjoy Gigantic at the Gigantic Brewery (5224 SE 26th Ave), Gigantic Hawthorne (4343 SE Hawthorne Blvd), Gigantic Robot Room (6935 NE Glisan), on tap or in cans at your favorite grocer, bottle shop, bar, or restaurant in Oregon. www.GiganticBrewing.com

About Weird Portland United

Founded in 2019 by Portland’s Unipiper in an effort to curb the growing homogenization and sanitization of the city’s image, Weird Portland United exists to discover, promote, and nurture the dreamers, creators, and risk-takers that keep Portland weird. In 2020, WPU awarded over $5000 in grants to Portland creatives through the #KeepWeirdAlive campaign. In 2024, WPU launched the ‘Portland Weird Fest’ at Oaks Amusement Park to coincide with the establishment of ‘Keep Portland Weird Day’, as formally recognized by Portland City Council. The single day event drew over 1000 attendees in a celebration of the city’s weirdest achievements. www.weirdportlandunited.org