A Busy Saturday: Beer Events for the Week of October 12

Though fresh hop beers are a fairly recent manifestation of our adulation of humulus lupulus, Oregon has long been aware that our hops occupy a special place in the beer world, as these pre-war beer cases from Salem show…(FoystonFoto)

Now THAT’S a busy Saturday, beer events for the week of October 12th. Fresh hop fests continue and a brand new fest with the Portland Kölsch Festival.

Oyster Pop Up Bar/Melvin Brewing
5-8 pm Thursday Oct. 12, Chill n Fill, 5215 N Lombard St.;
The Chill N Fill crew will be shucking Shigoku Oysters for $1 a shuck to go along with Melvin Brewing’s Drunken Master Imperial IPA, Hubert Pale and the Ruckus Russian Imperial Stout.

Old Montavillain Release Party
3 – 10 p.m. Friday Oct. 13, Montavilla Brew Works, 7805 SE Stark St.;
In honor of friday the 13th, publican/brewer Michael Kora and crew will be tapping some of their 2016 Old Montavillain – a 9 percent bourbon barrel-aged Strong Ale.

Lomporter Can Kickoff Party
4-9 p.m. Friday Oct. 13, Lompoc Fifth Quadrant, 3901 N. Williams Ave.; free admission, kids OK.
Lompoc celebrates its new cans: Lomporter, which they say, “offers a creamy taste of dark chocolate complemented by dark cherry and hints of coffee. Brewed with dark wheat, rausch, and chocolate malts, this beer strikes a fine balance between heavy and light. It’s robust enough to sip, but smooth enough to have another.” There’ll be a fire pit (weather permitting), prizes, and a one-day only sale of Lomporter Classic Porter six-packs for just $6. As part of the festivities, they’re also throwing a Shrimp Boil, featuring shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausage for just $13 a plate from 4 pm while supplies last.

Rev. Nat’s Can Release Party
Tomorrow at 4-11 p.m. Friday Oct. 13, Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider, 1813 NE Second Ave.; 21+ only.
Rev. Nat’s Revival and Sacrilege Sour Cherry are now available in six-pack cans at retail outlets. Celebrate with the good reverend at the taproom with free koozies, $2 cans and mystery cans for prizes. Your first can comes with a free koozie and you can win prizes by selecting a can. If you get cola (not cider) in your can, win a trucker hat (while supplies last) or a $15 gift card, and a replacement cider can. 1 in 6 wins…

Little Beast Animal Family Release
Noon – 5 p.m. Saturday Oct. 14, Little Beast Brewing, 3800 Cedar Hills Blvd., Suite 300 E, Beaverton;
Little Beast is celebrating the release of its Animal Family Foeder-Aged farmhouse ales in 375 ml bottles: The beers were six months in the making and feature seven 7 distinct microflora and layers of flavor. Four beers on tap, bottle sales and Little Beast merch available.

WW Cider/Beer Pro/Am
1-6 p.m. Saturday Oct. 14, District East, 2305 SE Ninth Ave.; $28 GA ticket includes commemorative pint glass, tastes of all 32 beers and ciders and more. 21+ only. Tickets here
Willamette Week presents Portland’s original home and professional brewer collaboration event, under the expansive roof of District East for thye first time. Thirty-two home brewers partnered with established pro brewers to debut 32 brand new beers and ciders available only at this event. Your ticket allows you to taste every beer and cider, no tokens or punchcards. Also: retro game lounge, music by DJ Short Change, food carts, games from Pips & Bounce and the Recreation Department. Proceeds from tickets benefit Oregon Tradeswomen dedicated to promoting success for women in trades through education, leadership and mentorship.

Portland Kölsch Festival
Noon – 7pm Saturday Oct. 14, Zoiglhaus Pop-up Beer Garden at 5716 SE 92nd Ave.; $23 includes special Kölsch glass and 12 tix. All ages Noon – 4 p.m.; 21 & older after.
Portland’s first Kölsch Festival is presented by Zoiglhaus Brewing Co. and sponsored by Früh Kölsch and happens in the pop-up Beer Garden next to Zoiglhaus. Organizers will host a variety of Portland’s best breweries and their adaptation of the classic German beer style from Goslar – the Kölsch. Also: games, special food, face painting and a performance from a Rock n’ Roll Fairy for the kids and there will be a dunk tank.

A portion of proceeds from the festival and the raffle will go to the Oregon Brewshed Alliance, a faction of Oregon Wild. Guests can buy raffle tickets for the chance to win prizes provided by the participating breweries. Tickets can also be purchased so you can try your hand at Dunk the Brewer – featuring a variety of brave brewers from the Portland Beer Scene.

St. Paul Fresh Hop Festival
2-10 p.m. Saturday Oct. 14, Jaycees Bullpen 4258 Park Ave, St. Paul; $15 includes admission, mug & five tix. 21 & older only, valid ID required, cash only.
Where better to celebrate Oregon hops than in the heart of hop country — the Fifth Annual St. Paul Fresh Hop Festival brings together farmers and craft brewers to raise money that will benefit the St. Paul community. Sample beers, cider and food and watch college football on the big-screen TV.

O.C.toberfest
4-9 pm Saturday Oct. 14, Feckin Irish Brewing Co., 415 S McLoughlin Blvd, Oregon City;
The second Annual, O.C.Toberfest features Bavarian food, drink and music including traditional German beers and a dozen local breweries’ German style ales. Also: German brats and kraut, o.c. strong man competition with keg toss and a German polka band at 6 p.m.

Winter Kingdom Beer Release
7:30 p.m. Saturday Oct. 14, Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd.;
Hopworks teamed up with Next Adventure on Winter Kingdom, a collaboration beer to celebrate Next Adventure’s 20th anniversary. It’s a deep mahogany-colored, rich and complex winter ale, they tell us: Warm, toasty and toffee malt flavors mingle with spicy and floral notes from Strisselspalt hops, and the addition of fir boughs to the hop-back adds an extra dose of winter. Join the Next Adventure team at HUB for a pint at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Next Adventure will sell raffle tickets to benefit SheJumps, an organization that works to build women and girls participation in outdoor activities. Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10. The winner will receive tickets for the Next Adventure Anthony Lakes Powder Run.

The Art of Cigar and Stout Pairing
Saturday Oct. 14, The Growler House, 21319 SW Sherwood Blvd. Sherwood; $50
Join The Growler House Sherwood and Richwells Tobacco in quaint Sherwood, OR to try stouts including Oakshire – Hellshire VII, a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout; Lost Coast – Imperial Stout; 7 Brides – Monkey Love; and Lagunitas. Each stout will have a cigar specifically paired with it: La Aurora DNA – Robusto, La Aurora Ruby Maduro Preferido – Robusto, Viva Republica Propaganda – Disinformation and Nestor Miranda Corojo – Corona Gorda.

image of Black Widow Porter courtesy of McMenamins

Black Widow Porter Release Party
Sunday Oct. 15, McMenmamins 23rd Ave. Bottle Shop, 2290 NW Thurman St.; all ages, 21 & older to sample.
Originally created at the Thompson Brewery on October 15th in 1991, Black Widow Porter is now available throughout the entire company every year through Halloween. Special Ingredients in this deep black, 7.2 percent ale include Licorice Root, Golding and Chinook hops and no fewer than eight items in the grain bill: Baird’s Pale, Munich, Wheat, Flaked Barley, Baird’s Roast, Baird’s Crystal 135/165, Baird’s Black and Maltodextrin.