2014 Portland Fruit Beer Festival Preview

This weekend marks the return of the Portland Fruit Beer Festival taking place once again at Burnside Brewing Co. The festival takes place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday that will feature 23 beers and 2 ciders along with a rotating list of 25 specialty beers and 1 specialty cider.

Now in its 4th year, this all ages fest was the brainchild of Jason McAdam, brewmaster and one of the founders of Burnside Brewing.
With each passing year this festival seems to grow and is now up to 26 different varieties of fruit beers and ciders and this does not even include the the solid list of rare ones the will be tapped throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday (the complete list is available by scrolling down).

The festival kicks off tonight with a VIP Session from 4:00 to 9:00pm. If you’re thinking about attending you better have your ticket now, all the limited amount of 300 tickets have been taken. But the real event that includes the rare beers gets going on Saturday at 11:00am and going until 9:00pm. And if you’re one that wants to avoid the huge crowds you may want to consider attending on Sunday when the hours are 11:00am to 6:00pm. With the forecast for the weekend looking very positive with highs in the upper 70’s, this is perfect weather for drinking under the sun.

Burnside Brewery & Portland Fruit Beer Festival Documentary from Ron Cummings on Vimeo.

Advanced General Admission tickets are now available online with a service fee or at the pub at Burnside Brewing or you can get tickets at the gates. The festival will be held at 7th & E. Burnside in Portland in both the Burnside Brewing parking lot and on a shut down E. 7th street with outside seating, tents, and over 50 different beers pouring over the 2 day festival. A $20 entry package includes a beautiful screen printed 16oz glass and 12 drink tickets good for 3oz pours of most beers with some more expensive beers at 2 or 3 tickets a pour. If you’re feeling adventurous full pint pours will also be available. Additional tickets are available for $1 at the fest.

For those that do not drink (underage or not) or are designated drivers, these folks do not have to pay an entrance fee. However, they also cannot get a wristband and sample and beers. You can return to the fest on different days for no additional charge as long as you have your glass. This year’s glass is said to be slightly different than previous years glasses.

With all of this talk about beer, one may become a bit hungry from all of these fruit beers. There will be various local food trucks on site to cure your hunger. The featured trucks include Bunk Sandwiches and rustic handmade grilled pies from Pulehu Pizza. And it the trucks don’t catch your fancy, the Burnside Brewing Brew Pub will also be serving up their excellent pub fare.

And if you still are thinking about volunteering your time for this beer festival, last we heard is that they still need to fill a few shifts. Organizers are looking for OLCC certified volunteer pourers for this for-profit festival. Shifts are available on each of the days and volunteers get free tickets, glasses and hats. If interested please email the volunteer coordinator at hollyemerywalen@gmail.com.

Now for the most important part of the festival, here’s the final festival beer list:

10 Barrel Brewing – Bend, OR
Cherry Sour Brown
Beer Style: Sour Brown Ale aged on tart cherries
IBUS: 16 BUs
ABV: 6% ABV
Description: We brewed this malty brown ale, soured it and aged it on tart cherries for
the perfect mix of sour, malty, refreshing and just plain strange.
Unlike anything we’ve ever done before…

Alameda Brewing – Portland, OR
Mayme B
Belgian Dark Golden
6.6% ABV
45 IBU’s
Description: The Mayme B is a Belgian Dark Golden bier brewed with Mamey fruit(Pouteria sapota). This tropical fruit native to the Caribbean and Central America has a flavor which could be described as a mix of sweet potato and pumpkin topped off with maraschino cherry and a almond twist. The mamey was added post boil in the kettle and also post fermentation lending this beer a lovely almond/vanilla character. Subtle hops meld with a simple malt bill of Belgian Pilsner malt, Special B, and the clean Belgian yeast to create an interesting and nuanced brew. Enjoy.

Barley Browns – Baker City, OR
India Purple Ale
Style: IPA
ABV: 7.2%
IBU: 55
Description: American Style IPA brewed with experimental hops and Concorde Grape Juice.

Breakside Brewery – Milwaukie, OR
Passionfruit Sour Ale
Style: American Sour Ale
ABV: 4.5
IBU: 4
Description: Award-winning sour beer conditioned with passionfruit!

Burnside Brewing – Portland, OR
Nero’s Fiddle
Style: Graff
ABV: 7.0%
IBU: ?
Description: Burnside Brewing and EZ Orchards Cidre came together to create this Belgian-style graff.  A blend of late harvest Roman Beauty, Pink Lady, and Granny Smith
apples was whirlpooled into the kettle at flame-off.  The wort/juice blend was then fermented with a  Belgian yeast to create aromas of apple, pear, vanilla, and rose.  The proprietary blend of apples drive the flavor profile of this tart and dry summertime hybrid. Play the fiddle.

The Commons Brewery – Portland, OR
Citrus Royale
Style: American Sour
ABV: 5.8% ABV
IBU: 11
Description: A sour spelt based beer with Navel Orange, Murcott Mandarin, Meyer Lemon peel and orange and lime juice.

Deschutes Brewery – Portland, OR
Peach Slap
Style: Sour Ale with Peaches
ABV: 3.2%
IBU: 22
Description: Peach Slap is a crisp, tart Belgian ale with a generous helping of peach puree.  The base beer is light but well-rounded thanks to a portion of unmalted wheat, and gains complexity from the addition of juniper berries and pink peppercorn.

Ecliptic Brewing – Portland, OR
Lacerta Frambuesa
Style: Belgian Framboise
ABV: 6.5
IBU: 20
Description: Lacerta is the lizard constellation. We’re sure the Aztecs had to deal with them in their caves. This frambuesa is made in the Aztec style. The base beer is a light ale and it was infused with Cocoa Nibs in the mash. Hopped gently to let the malt flavors shine through. Once fermentation was going strong pounds of Raspberries were added to the fermenter. Lacerta has a nice belgian yeast spiciness that blends well with the fruit. The Cocoa nibs add a layer of flavor to the malt profile

Elysian Brewing – Seattle, WA
D’Mango Unchained
Style:  Pale Ale
ABV: 6%
IBU:  32
Description: The D is silent. We think its light bitterness and mango fruitiness give it just the right splatter to hasten spring amid all this rain.  A simple, almost antebellum malt bill of pale, Munich and honey malts, bittered with Centennial and finished with Citra and Mosaic.  Four pounds per barrel of puréed mango added to the fermenter make it just the thing to order up for two weary travelers.  SG 14°P/1.056; 32 IBU; 6% abv

Falling Sky Brewing – Eugene, OR
Marionberry Smoked Ale
Style: Fruit and Smoke Beer
ABV: 5.4
IBU: 17
Description: Looking for a summer pink drink? Need a beer for the afternoon BBQ? Don’t catch your hair on fire with this unique offering combining two of our favorites summer brews. Painstakingly home-smoked malt by our brewers using Peach wood and Oregon Grown Marionberries provide subtle sweet smoke character and a refreshing tartness.
Malts: Weyermann Pale, MFB Munich, Weyermann CaraFoam and Peach wood Smoked Malt. Hops: Mosaic. Extras: Over 100lbs of sustainably harvested Oregon Grown Marionberries (Stahlbush Island Farms)

Flat Tail Brewing – Corvallis, OR
Brettberry Wit
Style:American Wit aged on blueberries w/Brett B
ABV:6%
IBU:0
Description: Our white tail wit, aged and fermented with Oregon blueberry purée’ and Brett B.

Fort George Brewery –  Astoria, OR
Pi Beer
Style: Fruit Wheat Beer
ABV: 5%
IBU: 3.141592653358979323846264338372950288419716939937510
Description: A 40% Wheat beer with a secondary fermentation on strawberries and rhubarb. It is light, tart, fruity, pink and very drinkable. We love making beers that are drinkable.

Gigantic Brewing – Portland, OR
Boysen The Hood
Style: Golden Tart Boysen Belgian
ABV: 6.4
IBU: 19
Description: The latest from “The World’s Most Crafty Brewery”: A tart Belgian-Style Boysenberry Golden, soured in the kettle and hand crafted using only the finest world class pilsner, crystal and wheat malts, locally grown Mt Hood and Crystal hops. Taste the Awesome!

Hopworks Urban Brewery – Portland, OR
Organic Fruit Cocktail
Style: Belgian Fruit Beer
ABV:5.9%
IBU:4
Description: Take a fermented step back in time and grab a pint of Fruit Cocktail. Featuring organic juice from the five fruits that make up the USDA definition for fruit cocktail, specifically 40% Peaches, 35% Pears, 10% Pineapple, 10% Grapes, 5% Cherries. This fruity golden ale is dry, effervescent and the perfect excuse to cut class with your friends.

Laurelwood Brewing – Portland, OR
Aren’t You Glad I Didn’t Say Banana?
Style: Citrus Wheat Ale
ABV: 4.4
IBU:14
Description: A tart old world wheat with mixed citrus (Various including Orange, Lemon, Lime, grapefruit and whatever else we can scare up)  zest and juice. 100+ International Citrus Units

Lompoc Brewing – Portland, OR
Pear’n Kramer
Style: Golden Ale
ABV: 5%
Description: A golden ale fermented in stainless steel with pears that were handpicked in Salem, OR by the brewers and bartenders of Lompoc in August 2013.  This beer sat on those pears for 5 months before being transferred to another tank for conditioning where it was inoculated with a touch of gueuze.  Pear aroma with a slight barnyard like character.  5.0% ABV

Oakshire Brewing – Eugene, OR
Oude Bes: Strawberry Balsalmic
Style: Flanders Red
OG: 12.7
ABV 6.2
IBU: 12
Description: Our brewers dug through the barrel room and uncovered several of our oldest Fladers Red-style beers aging in pinot noir wine barrels.  A few had strawberry and plums added and were dosed with Brett and lacto. We then blended 5 of our favorite barrels and aged them for a month on Strawberry puree and added a balsalmic vinegar reduction for a slightly tart and acidic Flemish-style red ale with hints of strawberries, ripe fruit, and a mild lambic-like barnyard funk. Savor this unique summer fruit salad we’ve created!

Pelican Brewing – Pacific City, OR
Prunus
Style: Apricot Saison
ABV: 6.14%
IBU: 20
Description: Saison du Pelican aged with organic apricots.

Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider – Portland, OR
Sweet Triple Hot ¡Tepache!
Style: Pineapple wine with peppers
ABV: 3.2
IBU: 0
Description: Partially fermented pineapples with three hot peppers: Habanero, Aji and Ghost (but not too hot)

Stone Brewing Co. – Escondido, CA
“The Tiger Cub” Saison aged in White Wine Barrels w/Sour Cherries
ABV: 7.8%
Description: After we made our initial blend of Tiger Cub, we held on to 8 of the White Wine Barrels from the original blend that had developed additional secondary fermentation flavors “funk”, and allowed them to age for a total of 14 months.  One of the barrels developed naturally occurring sourness, and all developed funk from secondary fermentation in the barrel.  Once blended together, the blend was tart, with some peach and apple flavors, and a little acetic acid.  To further intensify the brew, we added sour cherries to the tank.  The end result is puckery goodness, with funky, horsey Brettanomyces, citric acid and fruit sweetness from the cherries, some acetic roughness, and lactic peach flavors.  An intense and complex sour that will age well.

Stormbreaker Brewing – Portland, OR
Name: Mon Petite Cherry
Style:Belgian Pale Brewed and Minneola Tangelo and aged on 100lbs of Cherimoya
ABV: 5.78
IBU: 21.7
Description: Belgian Pale Brewed and Minneola Tangelo and aged on 100lbs of Cherimoya

2 Towns Ciderhouse – Corvallis, OR
Made Marion Cider
Style: Cider
ABV: 6%
Description: Ripe & Juicy, The Made Marion is made with fresh-pressed NW apples and Oregon-grown marionberries.
“There’s gonna be a big to do in Nottingham”

Upright Brewing – Portland, OR
NecTørr
Style: Aquavit barrel aged rye saison
ABV: 8%
IBU: 25
Description: NecTørr is Upright’s rye based dark saison matured six months in Aquavit casks from House Spirits, where the beer sat on dried persimmons, mellowing the spiciness while accentuating the honey notes of the Scandinavian spirit. A bit of pomegranate is included to balance the natural fruit and oak tannins.

Widmer Brothers/5 Stones Artisan Brewery – Portland, OR
Up From San Antone
Style: Grapefruit White IPA
ABV: 6.6%
IBU: 55
Description (including fruit): Up from San Antone is a White IPA brewed with coriander and the zest and juice of 100+ pounds of fresh grapefruit.  This limited release collaboration was brewed with 5 Stones, a small brewery in Cibolo Texas (near San Antonio) that specializes in brewing with fresh produce and non-traditional ingredients.  Named after a line in the song “Amarillo by Morning,” the name is a nod to the location of our collaboration partner and the liberal use of Amarillo hops.  Up from San Antone has a wonderfully hoppy and grapefruity aroma, and the flavor is crisp and refreshing.  Citrusy and bright, this is an amazingly drinkable IPA with loads of character.  Perfect for summer, whether you’re in Texas, Portland or anywhere in between!

Worthy Brewing – Bend, OR
Peachy Keen
Style: Cream Ale brewed with Peaches
ABV: 5.1%
IBU: 24
Description: A smooth and delicate ale brewed with milk sugar and peaches. Golden in color, this is a summery session ale.

Beyond the regular lineup of fruity beers, the festival will once again be pouring special, more unique and rare beers throughout both days of the festival.

Here’s this list of Rare & Rotating Fruit Beer List:

10 Barrel: Cucumber Crush – Cucumber Berliner-Weisse created for the 2013 Fruit Beer Fest. Gold Medal Winner at the 2014 World Beer Cup.

Breakside: Brett Rouge

Breakside: Beaujolais avec Brett – Strong sour ale fermented with wild yeasts and Oregon­ grown Gamay grapes.

Breakside: Apollo & Dionysus – Cellar Reserve Beer; Not Usually Available to the Public. Gin Barrel-Aged Sour Saison w Sichuan Peppercorn

Burnside Brewing: Coconut/Lime Kolsch – Lime Kolsch blended with Thai Coconut water

Burnside Brewing: Cartel Michelada – Cartel Vienna Lager blended with salt, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, secret ingredient and black pepper (Tapping 11am Saturday 6/7)

Burnside Brewing: 2012 Red Light District – Imperial Stout with Belgian Chocolate, Strawberries and aged in local Rum barrels.

De Garde: Blueberry Bu Weisse (Tapping 4pm Friday VIP session)

De Garde: Blackberry Bu Weisse

Deschutes: Abbey Framboise – Raspberry infused belgian-style Abbey ale.

Double Mountain: Lyle Ryder – Bloody Mary/Red Beer! (Tapping 11am Sunday 6/8)

Elysian: Squeeze Box Berry Imperial IPA – 8.1% Abv Double IPA with 42lbs each of raspberry, boysenberry, and blackberry purée.(Tapping 4pm Friday VIP session)

Elysian: Yuzu Belgian-Style Golden – Belgian Golden with citrusy sweet Yuzu juice.

Flat Tail: Habanero Apricot Wild

Hopworks: Raspberry/Chocolate Army of Darkness – Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with Organic Raspberries and Cacao

Hopworks: Raspberry Triple – Belgian-style Tripel with Raspberries added.

Lompoc: Cherry Christmas – Barrel-Aged winter ale with Cherries.

McMenamins: Pavol’s Bublanina – Barrel-Aged Baltic Porter Aged on Cherries (Edgefield Brewery) ABV: 7.61

New Belgium: Guava Nectarine La Folie – one-off single 5 gallon oak firkin.

New Belgium: Cascara Quad – An ale brewed with Date, Coffee and cherries added

New Belgium: Dieu Du Ciel – An ale brewed with Feijoa and Hibiscus

Oakshire: Hermanne 1882 – Belgian-style ale with Muller Thurgau grapes aged in Pinot Barrels with Brettanomyces.

Thai Me Up Brewing: Chchchchc-Cherry Bomb – Silver Medal Winner at 2012 GABF and 2014 World Beer Cup from Wyoming.(Tapping 4pm Friday VIP session)

Upright/Bushwhacker: Ebony & Ivory – Upright Brewing’s Gose infused with white truffles blended with a cider from Bushwhacker infused with black truffles. (Tapping 4pm Friday VIP session)

Alameda: Blackberry Black Bear XX Stout  – Award winning Export stout with Blackberries added in the cask.

Cider Riot: Hedgerow Fruits – Special for the fruit beer fest (a nod to one of Michael Jacksons favourite beer descriptors). It will be a dry cider made with blackcurrants and Italian plums. (Tapped at 3pm Saturday 6/7 by the brewer)

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Portland-Fruit-Beer-Festival/169321999785107
Twitter: @FruitBeerFest

Regular Festival Hours:
Saturday June 7th 11am – 9pm
Sunday June 8th 11am – 6pm
$20 for 12 tickets and a Glass

VIP Session (SOLD OUT)
Friday June 6th 4pm – 9pm

Burnside Brewing Co.
7th & East Burnside
Portland, OR