“What care I how time advances? I am drinking ale today.” Today is the birthday of American writer Edgar Allan Poe, which doesn’t have much to do with beer in Oregon but it’s a fun fact regardless. Enjoy some amontillado while you contemplate the news in beer! As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so check back often. And if you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that updated as well.

McMenamins Kennedy School (Portland) has their Extra Credit beer tasting today from 5 to 7pm, featuring Dark Days Chili Chocolate Stout: “This Stout is dark and brooding, just like the weather. It has a super chocolaty body that’s tempered with a touch of coffee and a bit of heat to make it the perfect after dinner treat. Enjoy!” Cocoa nibs, coffee beans, and peppers are listed as extra ingredients but they don’t specify what chilis they used.

Coalition Brewing (Portland): They brewed a CBD beer, Two Flowers IPA, and today Tin Bucket is hosting the release party for it from 5 to 8pm: “Coalition made a CBD beer and we are super excited to host the release party. Elan the head bewer will be in the house to educate you about this new style of beer. Two Flowers – IPA Infused with Hemp Juice and CBD Oil – The base style is a west coast IPA that is light, crisp, bitter and refreshing. But in an effort to showcase the synergy between hops and hemp we’ve infused this beer with both hemp juice and CBD oil. The bitter grassiness from the hemp juice augments the hops bitterness, while the citrusy terpenes in the CBD oil mirror the aromatics and hop flavors. There is 5 MG of CBD per 10 oz glass!” And yes, to be clear—CBD is extracted from cannabis.

The Bier Stein (Eugene) today is hosting Tillamook’s De Garde Brewing for an extravaganza all day long! “We are pleased to announce a special event with one of the country’s most distinctive breweries. De Garde Brewing from Tillamook produces all of its beers by spontaneous fermentation, letting the wild yeast and bacteria in the air inoculate the wort to produce a complex of sour, fruity, funky flavors. This event revolves mainly around a beer called Special Rouge, a wild red ale with Montmorency cherries and raspberries. We received a limited number of bottles, and will be pouring glasses of the beer, along with many others on tap and a handful of bottles (the list may change, as some of the beer is still conditioning in bottle or keg). Brewer/owner Trevor Rogers will be here around 5pm.” They have a huge taplist to choose from as well.

Imperial Bottle Shop (Portland) has a “Beaver Fever” night featuring Belching Beaver Brewing and Corvallis’ Flat Tail Brewing, starting at 5pm: “Join us as we celebrate our two favorite beaver-themed breweries: Belching Beaver & Flat Tail Brewing! Beers will be available as a 6-beer sampler tray or by the glass. Participate in the Double IPA Double Beaver Battle (i.e., vote for your favorite of the two DIPAs), or take a chance to win some brewery swag by playing Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Beaver!”

Portland’s Belmont Station is welcoming Perennial Artisan Ales tonight for a tasting from 5 to 7pm: “Join Running Man’s Rob Merollis for a tasting among some of Perennial’s amazing beers, including Meriwether (with The Commons), Jack Rose and 17, plus their incredible Abraxas Imperial Stout. In the tap room, we will also be pouring Abraxas Vanilla and White Impala IPA!”

Old Town Brewing (Portland): Today is the official release for their “Grimm” collaboration beer, Wesen Venom, the third such collaboration with the NBC television series that benefits OHSU Doernbecher. “Wesen Venom (pronounced Vesen Venom), a red wheat lager, will benefit OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, and culminate the series’ final season. The beer will be available at both the Old Town location on NW Davis and the brewery location on Martin Luther King Blvd, with $2 of every pint going directly to the Grimmster Endowment at OHSU Doernbecher.” The beer is launching at both of their locations.

The Growlers Guys has a couple of events taking place at (at least) two of their locations today:

• At the Southeast Portland location it’s their first Brewmaster Series event: “We are proud to present the first edition of our Brewmaster Series as we close The Growler Guys SE PDX early on Thursday, January 19th for an exclusive two hour session featuring two world class brewers.Our first edition features Ben Edmunds of Breakside Brewery and Matt Van Wyk of Alesong Brewing and Blending. Both have garnered numerous accolades in the beer community included gold medals at the Great American Beer Fest. From 6:30-8:30pm you will have private access to Ben and Matt who will each offer and discuss three of their limited barrel-aged beers (5oz pours). And for your snacking delights, Cheese Bar will provide an assortment of meats, cheeses and bread!”
• In Bend at the west side location, they are welcoming Mad River Brewing for a tasting from 4:30 to 8:30pm: “Come on down to Growler Guys West January 19, 2017 to enjoy some great beers from Mad River Brewing. We will have several beers on tap including Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, Slammin’ Salmon IIPA, and their excellent Jamiaca Red Ale, plus more!”