Weekend In Review

As our KillerBeerWeek approaches, we find ourselves continually enamored with the amount of fantastic beer available in this region. Here’s a look at what beery adventures begot us this past weekend.

Friday

The Portland Art Museum was bouncing with people on Friday night, many of whom were there to celebrate the Shine A Light event.

throw proper museum etiquette out the window: touch—and even tie the knot with—works of art, enjoy break dancing and music in the galleries, and see nude wrestling performances. For those interested in the art of brewing, visitors will also have the opportunity to sample special beers created exclusively for this event by Coalition Brewing, Hopworks Urban Brewery, and Rock Bottom Brewery.

Three delicious beers from three of Portland’s best breweries were conceived and executed in conjunction with works of art from the museum selected by the brewers, artists in their own right.

After the seven kegs from the three brewers were emptied at the museum, we visited Bailey’s Taproom, our friends to host KillerBeerFest this Saturday. Proprietor Geoff Phillips shared a few pumpkin beers with us: Jolly Pumpkin’s La Parcela and Southern Tier Pumking. At Bailey’s we met with our friend John Berry, brewer at Cascade, who was enjoying a nightcap after Cascade’s Wildwood dinner pairing.

Saturday

Saturday morning folks visited Cascade Brewing’s Barrel House unveiled the release of two acclaimed beers in bottles. 2009’s GABF gold and silver medal winning barrel-aged brews, Bourbonic Plague and Vlad the Imp Aler, respectively.

After scooping up some bottles of our own and observing a trip of goats across the street, we found our way to a tasting of Pelican Brewery’s beers at the just opened New Season’s market on Hawthorne Boulevard. Here, brewer Daniel Pollard offered bottle pours of GABF gold medal winning Kiwanda Cream Ale as well as India Pelican Ale and MacPelican Scottish Ale.

Saturday afternoon, we paid a visit to the Portland Nursery, where an annual apple tasting was celebrating its 23rd year. Here, in addition to a cast array of apples and pears, a lineup of cideries offered samples of their liquid wares. Delicious and complex fermented ciders ranging from dry to sweet and covering a vast spectrum of flavor profiles from a range of pectin-rich fruits. Free popcorn, live music, and a little bit of something for people of all ages.

The highlight of the weekend came on Saturday night when friends of craft beer gathered at Saraveza for Viva la Craft Beer Revolucion!, an event coinciding with the pub’s second anniversary. Proprietor and friend Sarah Pederson and her impassioned staff organized a day filled with surprises like free pasties, cupcakes, and tastings as well as fun contests. Pederson’s heartfelt toast of Russian River Consecration to her patrons, friends, and staff who have joined her in a mission to grow the love for great beer was the pinnacle of the evening, making this one weekend we’ll not soon forget. Cheers!

Thanks to Ryan Pederson for photographing and allowing us to use his camera.