Lompoc Brewing Weekend of Black Out Beer Fest & Chowder Challenge

With February fast approaching this means Lompoc Brewing will be back with its annual weekend of Black Out Beer Fest and Chowder Challenge. The 4th annual Black Out Beer Fest will take place on Friday, February 19 from 4:00 to 10:00pm at Lompoc Sidebar and in the adjacent heated/tented parking lot to the north. Then on the following day, Saturday, February 20 the 10th annual Chowder Challenge returns to Lompoc Fifth Quadrant from Noon to 3:00pm.

Lompoc Black Out Beer Fest
Friday, February 19 – 4:00 to 10:00pm
On the Friday night the Lompoc Black Out Beer Fest will feature 25 dark beers from some of the regions best breweries. Two black beers will be from Lompoc and the remaining 23 from the following breweries.

• 54º40’ Brewing Company
• Baerlic Brewing
• Buoy Beer
• Breakside Brewery
• Burnside Brewing
• Cascade Brewing
• Double Mountain Brewery
• Ecliptic Brewing
• Everybody’s Brewing
• FOTM Brewery
• Fort George Brewery
• Gigantic Brewing
• Hopworks Urban Brewery
• Kells Brew Pub
• Lucky Lab Brewing
• Pelican Brewing
• pFriem Family Brewers
• Portland U Brew
• Roots (vintage keg)
• StormBreaker Brewing
• Three Creeks Brewing
• Upright Brewing
• Uptown Market
• Widmer Brothers Brewing

There will also be live music and food specials.

To drink, admission is $15, which includes a souvenir 15.5 oz glass-tasting mug and 8 beer tickets. Additional tickets are available for $1 each. It costs four tickets for a full mug or $1 for a taste. Original mug and ticket sales take place in Sidebar. Mug and tickets are purchased at the door. The event is for ages 21+.

Lompoc Chowder Challenge
Saturday, February 20 – Noon to 3:00pm
Then the following afternoon Lompoc’s annual Chowder Challenge returns for its tenth year with a shorter session that will take place from Noon to 3:00pm.

This year’s participants include:

• 5th Quadrant
• Burnside Brewing
• Cascade Brewing Barrel House
• D’s Bar
• Farm House Café
• Pelican Pub & Brewery
• Produce Row Cafe
• Saraveza
• Sports on Tap
• StormBreaker Brewing
• Uptown Market
• Widmer Brothers Brewing

Patrons (ages 12 and up) pay $10 for a tasting tray featuring a dozen two-ounce samples of New England-style clam chowders served in non-labeled tasting cups. After tasting all entries, attendees vote for their favorite. The chowder receiving the most votes is named the People’s Choice Winner and takes home the coveted Chowder Cup and a cash prize; awards are also given for second and third place.

The event also features live music, a beer garden, a raffle with gift cards from the participants, and pub food for purchase. The event is family friendly and open to all ages.

All net proceeds are donated to Portland’s Community Transitional School, which provides important educational services to children who are homeless or otherwise at risk of school failure.

The reputation of the New Old Lompoc’s clam chowder was the motivation behind the original Chowder Challenge. The New Old Lompoc restaurant on NW 23rd Ave. won the inaugural Chowder Cup; the Morrison Hotel stole it away in the following year, but it was wrested back by the New Old Lompoc at the next four events. In 2013, with the New Old Lompoc out of the competition while being rebuilt, the Ice Axe Grill swooped in and took the cup. In 2014, the New Old Lompoc – revived as the Lompoc Tavern – returned the cup to its original hands, and won again in 2015.

Best of luck to this year’s participants!

Lompoc Sidebar/Fifth Quadrant
3901 N Williams Ave.
Portland, OR 97227