Here is the news in Oregon beer for this Thursday, February 15 (beginning the second half of the month). As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so check back often. If you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that posted as well.

Portland’s Imperial Bottle Shop (Division Street location) is diving Into the Abyss today, featuring a special vertical of Deschutes Brewery’s The Abyss Imperial Stout: “We’ve been saving up kegs of Abyss for 3 years to pour you a special Abyss vertical smack dab in the middle of Stout Month. We’ll be pouring 2015, 2016, 2016 on Nitro, and 2017 Abyss by the glass, or try all 4 as a $13 sampler tray (4 oz pours each). And if you need something to cleanse your pallet, we’ll also be pouring Deschutes new Pear Bergamot Sour (50 cents off 12 oz glasses with purchase of a sampler tray).” Get your flight from 5 to 8pm.

The Platypus Pub (Bend) is hosting Portland’s Swift Cider for a cider tasting tonight from 5:30 to 7pm: “Join us to sample Swift Cider, a Cidery with deep roots in Central Oregon. From the Makers: When we started Swift, we set out to make cider better. The mass-market ciders we could find were just too sweet, too artificial, and too boring. Because independent hard cider production effectively ended with Prohibition, it has been up to us to define a category of cider where quality and craftsmanship take precedent.  Starts after work at 5:30 free samples and education untill 7ish. Come on down and warm up.”

McMenamins Kennedy School (Portland) has a limited-edition beer tasting today from 5 to 7pm, featuring Naranja Blood Orange IPA. They haven’t posted specifics about the beer but I imagine it’s juicy and borderline hazy (and orange!).

According to Jay Brooks, Portland Brewing opened on this day back in 1986, marking today as its 32nd birthday! The company has gone through a number of changes over the years but is still brewing. Grab a MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale and wish them a happy birthday!

Eugene’s Ninkasi Brewing announced the launch of their rotating small-batch Whiteaker Series of beers, beginning with Dry Irish Stout this month: “Launching first to Oregon with plans to expand, the Whiteaker Series debuts with the release of Whiteaker Series No. 1, Dry Irish Stout, available on taps statewide starting this month. Based in Eugene’s historic Whiteaker neighborhood, the brewery is surrounded by artists, musicians and innovators. “This series gives our brewers an avenue to explore, create and provide our customers with new, small batch beers,” says Sarah Johnson, Ninkasi chief customer officer. Whiteaker Series No. 1, Dry Irish Stout: Intriguingly dark and low in alcohol, this Dry Irish Stout is crafted with a blend of deeply-roasted malt unveiling nutty, chocolate and coffee notes. Flaked barley gives this beer a smooth, creamy mouthfeel, followed by a distinct, dry finish.”

Modern Times Belmont Fermentorium in Portland is now producing Ice, their Pilsner, in house. Here’s a bit about it from the sales rep email I received about it: “This 4.8% Pilsner, now brewed with this crisp and clean Portland water, has made this beer even better than last year. But that’s just my opinion, of course! This also means that you have unfettered access to a delicious Czech Pilsner starting now.”

Wayfinder Beer (Portland) has their latest hazy IPA, Supernatural IPA, on tap now, according to their newsletter. “[Brewer Kevin Davey’s] latest creation is an even-more-New-Englandy interpretation of IPA, loaded with dank, fruit-forward (and hard-to-find) Vic Secret hops from Australia and Mosaic hops from Yakima Valley in Washington, delivering big juicy notes of passionfruit up top and pithy, grapefruity bitterness below. Substantial amounts of flaked wheat and oats contribute to a creamy, smooth, light-colored body. 6.5% alcohol by volume. On tap now, sure to not last.”