Widmer Brothers Brewing Returns with Hefe Day on May 15th
It’s now been 39 years since Widmer Brothers Brewing debuted what has gone on to become Portland’s most iconic beer, Hefeweizen. On Thursday, May 15, 2025, Widmer Brothers Brewing will celebrate 39 years of Hefe with a Widmer Hefe Day Bar Crawl in Northeast Portland.
Back on May 15, 1986, brothers Rob and Kurt Widmer delivered the brewery’s first keg of an unfiltered wheat beer that they dubbed Hefeweizen to Portland’s Dublin Pub. At the time, Widmer Brothers was brewing a few different German inspired beers that included Altbier and Weizenbier, but needed a new beer to expand its offerings for this loyal account. With limited resources to expand the brewery, the brothers decided to offer up an unfiltered version of its Weizenbier and offer up a Hefeweizen that was a first for American modern day brewers.
Now just known as Hefe (hey-fuh), this beer is great way to honor Portland brewing heritage and there’s not better way than doing so on Hefe Day that takes place each and every year on May 15th. This day began in 2016 when then Portland Mayor Charlie Hales and the Portland City Commissioners officially declared May 15th as Hefe Day that consisted of a large celebration in Pioneer Courthouse Square!
For this year’s Hefe Day, the team at Widmer Brothers will be leading a fun pub crawl on Thursday, May 15 from 3:00pm – 9:00pm. The Hefe Da Bar Crawl will include stops at Bradford’s, Clamity Jae’s, Bar 108, and McGillacuddy’s all along NE Halsey Street. Each location will be serving up $3.00 pints of Hefe!
2025 Hefe Day Bar Crawl Locations:
- 1st stop: Bradford’s (10346 NE Halsey St, Portland, OR 97220)
- 2nd stop: Clamity Jae’s (10805 NE Halsey St, Portland, OR 97220)
- 3rd stop: Bar 108 (10845 NE Halsey St, Portland, OR 97220)
- 4th stop: McGillacuddy’s (11133 NE Halsey St, Portland, OR 97220)
The Widmer Brothers team will be spending 1-1.5 hours at each location.
About The Author
DJ
D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 25 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in the archives of Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @hopapalooza.