2016 Nano Fest celebrates small breweries — your week in beer for April 8 – 14

Ordnance Brewing pouring at the 2016 Spring Beer and Wine Fest
Meet the Ordnance Brewer on Thursday April 14 at the Green Dragon. Ordnance will be tavellin all the way form out east in Boardman. The new Ordnance Brewing crew brings a selection of beers to Portland, including, Full Metal Jacket IPA, an English style IPA billed as Western Europe meets West Coast in this quaffable IPA. A fusion of new world hops with a malty backbone reminiscent of a maltier English Style pale.

Celebrate the 2016 Nano Fest as it celebrates small breweries, plus many more events for your week in beer for April 8 – 14.

2016 Nano Beer Fest
Nano Preview Night Party 5-10 p.m. Friday, April 8, The Commons Brewery; Nano Beer FesNoon-8 p.m. Saturday April 9 & Noon-6 p.m. Sunday April 10, John’s Marketplace, 3535 SW Multnomah Blvd.; Free admission, $20 package includes a commemorative glass, 10 drink tickets and one raffle ticket, cash only; ATM onsite. Parking is limited, mass transit suggested.
For its eight year, the Nano Fest gets bigger with more than 30 nano breweries of beer, cider and mead from the Northwest: here’s the complete list Besides tastings of all the beers and ciders, they’ll raffle off rare bottles of beer, beer memorabilia/swag and other great prizes every hour of the festival with all proceeds going to the Oregon Humane Society, who’ll be there Sunday Noon-3 p.m. with dogs & puppies available for adoption. Homebrew clubs the Oregon Brew Crew and PDXBrewers will have tables both days to meet with and talk home brewing – and give attendees a chance to taste some of their homebrews.

Nano Beer Fest at John's Marketplace 2016

Plus, there are meet-the-brewer sessions scheduled through out the weekend:
Saturday Noon-2 p.m.
• Abram Goldman-Armstrong – Cider Riot!
• James Cardwell – Vagabond Brewing
• John Griffith – Boring Brewing
Saturday 2 -4 p.m.
• Matt Cowart – Conversion Brewing
• Greg Neldner – Shattered Oak Brewing
• Alex Hutchinson – Back Pedal Brewing
Saturday 4-6 p.m.
• Rick Strauss – Bent Shovel Brewing
• Joel Sheley – Gateway Brewing
• Justin Marble – Ridgewalker Brewing
Saturday 6-8 p.m.
• Larry Clouser, Josh Huerta, Erick Russ – Pono Brewing
• Joe Hitselberger – Wolf Tree Brewery
Sunday Noon -2 p.m.
• Dan Antal, Aaron Fastenow, and Chris Sjolin – Cooper Mountain Ale Works
• Theo Leikam – Leikam Brewing
Sunday 2-4 p.m.
• Steve Wesley – Hop Haus Brewing
• Aaron Hanson – Bunsen Brewer
Sunday 4-6 p.m.
• Gary Gross – Ethereal Meads
• Charlie Johnson – The Labrewatory

Gigantic Brewing & Against the Grain Brewery Finga Lickn Good Label

Finga Lickn’ Good Release
3-9 p.m. Friday April 8, Gigantic Taproom, 5224 SE 26th Ave.;
The Gigantic guys brewed Finga Lickn’ Good brewed with Amelia Pillow from Against the Grain Brewery. They started with a Kentucky Common – a bourbon inspired mash that contained rye and corn, and Belgian Special B crystal malt and then kettle soured the beer, which was then Oregon pinot barrels. The finished beer is simultaneously tart yet rich, with deep pinot fruit notes, oak and caramelized sugars. Finga Lickn’ Good will be on draft at Gigantic and 22oz bottles will be available for sale. This is a limited release of under 100 cases and will be available at only Gigantic and Against the Grain in Kentucky.

Selfie Fest Roadshow Continues
3-6 p.m. Saturday April 9, Uptown Market, 6620 S.W. Scholls Ferry. Rd., Beaverton:
The celebration of Oregon’s self-distribution law continues with the chance to try beers from some great new small breweries, including Pono, Royale, Baerlic, Leikam, Rosenstadt, Drinking Horse and Uptown Brewing.

Fruit Beer Tasting
2 p.m. Saturday April 9, F.H. Steinbart, 234 SE 12th Ave.; free.
Your taster comments will help the Oregon Beer Growler crew determine the best six or seven Oregon fruit beers, which will be featured in the May issue of the magazine.

Halftoberfest
3 p.m. – Midnight Saturday April 9, the Steinhaus, 2366 S.E. 82nd Ave.;
Jeremy and Quyen decide to start a few months – okay, six months or so – early with Oktoberfest celebrations and came up with the idea for the first Halftoberfest, and you know the rest: lederhosen, dirndls, German beer and food. They’ll be tapping some special kegs, giving away schwag, and offering food specials.

Finnriver Honey Meadow Release Party
4-7pm Saturday April 9, Portland Cider House, 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd:
Try Finnriver Farm & Cidery’s Spring Seasonal, Honey Meadow Cider; this annual favorite, Finnriver Honey Meadow begins with organic Washington apples fermented dry, infused with a botanical bouquet of fresh lemon balm, delicate chamomile and finished with a bit of local honey. Two of Finnriver’s traditional all apple offerings, Farmstead Cider and new barrel aged Oak & Apple Cider will be on draft along with Finnriver’s Pear and Dry Hopped Ciders.

Meet the Ordnance Brewer; Taste the Beers
5 p.m. Thursday April 14, Green Dragon, 928 S.E. Ninth Ave.;
From way out east in Boardman, the new Ordnance Brewing crew brings a selection of beers to Portland, including, Full Metal Jacket IPA, an English style IPA billed as Western Europe meets West Coast in this quaffable IPA. A fusion of new world hops with a malty backbone reminiscent of a maltier English Style pale. Also:
Kölsch
An ale in lager clothing is their take on an old German style revamped with a little northwestern malt backbone. If you’re looking for an easy drinking anytime beer, this one goes down smooth.
Rx Pale Ale
Pouring a light straw color, this extra pale ale gets its spicy flavor from a healthy dose of rye malt. The rye spice combines nicely with a Citra and Mosaic nose to bring you a beer that is just what the doctor ordered.
Leginboober
Honey Golden Ale –This beer is a delicious fusion of malt, local honey and hops with a dry finish. Want to know what a Legginboober is? Ask brewer Logan to let you in on the secret.
Fxxx Yeah! Habanero Barley Wine
This is what you get when your brewer is sick and tired of getting requests for chili beer, just brewed a Barley Wine and felt like he wanted to punish someone. Brewed with dried lemon grass, dried abrol chilis and fresh habaneros — I got to try this at the Spring Beer & Wine Fest and found it to be a fine, big beer. 11.5 percent.