Lompoc Brewing's Black Out Beer Fest & Chowder Challenge

Lompoc Brewing will host its annual Black Out Beer Fest tonight on Friday, February 21st from 4 to 11pm at Sidebar. The Black Out Beer Fest will feature 15 dark beers from Lompoc and special guests Alameda, Breakside, Cascade, The Commons, Ecliptic, Laurelwood, Lucky Lab, pFriem and Widmer.

Tasting packages are required to drink the beers and cost $15, which includes a souvenir 15.5 oz glass tasting mug and 10 beer tickets. Additional tickets are available for $1 apiece. It will cost four tickets for a full mug or $1 for a taste. Mug and ticket sales take place in Sidebar with the beers being located in Sidebar, the brewery bar and the heated tented parking lot. Live music will be provided by Leslie Lou and the Lowburners. Tonight’s event is for ages 21+. You can bring the kids on Saturday for the Chowder Challenge.

The breweries and beers include:

• Alameda 2012 Siberian Bear Russian Imperial Stout
• Breakside Salted Caramel Stout
• Cascade Milk Stout
• The Commons Boysen Imperial Belgian Porter
• Ecliptic Mintaka Export Stout
• Laurelwood Baltic Porter
• Lompoc 2013 Sour Stout
• Lompoc Batch 69 Baltic Porter
• Lompoc 2010 Bourbon Barrel Aged Monster Mash
• Lompoc2009 Merlot Barrel Fermented Dark Side Porter
• LompocGalia Belgica Belgian Strong Dark
• LompocCherry Wood Porter (Official Release Night)
• Lucky Lab Black Sheep CDA
• pFriem Belgian Stout
• Widmer Triple Threat KGB

Then make sure to return the following day for Lompoc’s Chowder Challenge that begins at Noon at Lompoc’s 5th Quadrant.

Now in it’s 8th year, this year’s Challenge will take place on Saturday, February 22nd from Noon to 4 pm. The blind tasting competition that features 12 local brewpubs and restaurants will take place at Lompoc’s Fifth Quadrant in North Portland. And to kick off the weekend properly, Lompoc Brewing will host its annual Black Out Beer Fest on Friday, February 21st from 4 to 11pm at Sidebar.

Do you wonder who serves the best clam chowder in Portland? Participating brewpubs and restaurants include Cascade Brewing Barrel House, Columbia River Brewing, Ecliptic Brewing, Farm House Cafe, Ice Axe Grill, Laurelwood Public House, Lompoc 5th Quadrant, Lompoc Tavern, RingSide Fish House, Salty’s on the Columbia, Tabor Tavern & Widmer Gasthaus.

Two-ounce samples of traditional New England-style clam chowders from each of the participants are 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; awards are also given for second and third place.

To taste the chowders, attendees ages 12 and over purchase sample trays for $10. All of the money raised will be 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 festivities also feature live music by Leslie Lou and the Lowburners, a beer garden, a kids area, a raffle with prizes from the participants, and pub food for purchase. Minors are welcome at the family friendly event.

The New Old Lompoc won the inaugural Chowder Cup; the Morrison Hotel stole it away the next year, but it was wrested back by the New Old Lompoc at the next four events. Last year, with the New Old Lompoc out of the competition while being rebuilt, the Ice Axe Grill swooped in and took the cup. Now that the New Old Lompoc has been revived as the Lompoc Tavern, it’s anyone’s game!

Just make sure to come early, last year the chowder ran out before 4pm.

Lompoc’s Fifth Quadrant/Sidebar
3901 N Williams Ave
Portland, OR