Beer List for 9th Annual Cheers to Belgian Beers

Today the 9th Annual Cheers to Belgian Beers returns for its fifth straight year to MCF Craft Brewing Systems in North Portland. This two day event that will feature 61 different Oregon brewed, Belgian-style beers will take place on Friday, May 8th from 5:00 to 9:00pm and will then close out on Saturday, May 9th from Noon to 8:00pm.

When Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers began back in 2007, the intent was to assist in introducing the local beer community to the breadth of style and flavors of beers brewed in Belgium. Not to say that this is in any correlation but in every year since 2008, Oregon brewers have won medals in the Belgian-Style or Sour Ale categories every year at the Great American Beer Festival or the World Beer Cup. This is quite the feat.

Cheers to Belgian Beers is a Belgian-style Ale Festival that showcases a single yeast strain from each of the beers entered. However, to mix things up a bit for all of the breweries involved the Oregon Brewers Guild holds a dart throw competition to determine the type of Belgian-style beer that will be brewed for the event. This year’s CtBB dart throw took place on January 13th at the Horse Brass Pub. Based on each brewery’s dart throw, the brewery will either brew a Belgian-style beer that is either light or dark in appearance and either lower or higher in alcohol. Each year’s dart throw helps to diversify the color and strength of the beers. Here’s a recap of the dart throw from our reporting on this last month.

The yeast strain that has been chosen for the 2015 CtBB is 1762 Belgian Abbey II™. Here’s the description for this strain:
An excellent yeast strain for use in Belgian dark strong ales. This strain has a relatively “clean profile” which allows a rich malt and distinctive ethanol character to shine. Delicate dried fruit esters can be produced when used at higher fermentation temperatures or in a high gravity wort.
Origin: Abbaye du Nortre Dame
Flocculation: medium
Attenuation: 73-77%
Temperature Range: 65-75° F (18-24° C)
Alcohol Tolerance: approximately 12% ABV

That being said, not all of the 61 beers entered use this exact yeast strain. Eleven of the breweries went out on their own to “buck the system” and used a different strain. These breweries include Burnside, Breakside, Caldera, Cascade, Double Mountain, Ecliptic, Fat Head’s, Gigantic, Pelican, pFriem, and Vertigo. Laurelwood used this 1762 Belgian Abbey II™ but blended it equally with a Flander’s Red, while Coalition used the 1762 Belgian Abbey II™ but also added Lactobacillus. Just make sure to remember this alteration in the yeast strain used when comparing the many offerings at this year’s CtBB.

Here is the Beer List of all 61 beers for the 2015 Cheers to Belgian Beers. Click on the images below to enlarge them.

For the 2015 CtBB one will expect to see something similar to the past four years at MCF Craft Brewing Systems. Once again CtBB will utilizing the space inside where MCF Craft Brewing Systems builds brewing systems and tanks for brewers here locally and around the globe. The outside area will be tented and food from Philadelphia’s Steaks & Hoagies and Urban German will be available on Friday and Saturday.

As with previous years, the No Pity Van will be onsite selling official Timbers Army merchandise. Card-carrying Timbers Army 107ists get a discounted price on admission – just show up with your card and cash. Hopefully organizers will be able to show the Timbers match in Montreal on May 9th at 1:00pm.

Admission to CtBB is free, however if one wants to drink there is a $15 charge for a stemmed glass along with five taste tickets, which is required to taste. Additional taste tickets are $1.00 each. Tickets may be purchased in advance by clicking here.

This is a 21 and over only event-sorry parents with minors. Also this is a Cash Only event so please be aware or there will be an onsite ATM.

If you’re feeling generous, CtBB is still seeking volunteers for the final shift on Saturday. Sign up to volunteer by clicking here.

As with any beer event please consider taking TriMet to CtBB. Just a couple blocks north of the event is the TriMet MAX Yellow Line – Albina/Mississippi Stop near Widmer Brothers Brewing. Or consider taking TriMet Bus #35 that also stops a block away. For those that want to bicycle to CtBB there will be plenty of extra bike parking available on site.

Stay up to date on the 9^th Annual Cheers to Belgian Beers by following their Facebook Event Page. Also make sure to use hashtag #ctbb for all of the social media.

MCF Craft Brewing Systems
723 N Tillamook Street
Portland, OR 97227