Here is the news in beer (and cider) from around Oregon for this lovely Wednesday, May 2. As always I will be updating this post throughout the day with additional news items as I find them, so if you have anything noteworthy to share please contact me and I can get it posted.

Government Camp’s Mt. Hood Brewing is opening a second location in Portland, with a planned early summer opening. From the press release: “Located on the east end of Tilikum Crossing across from the Oregon Rail Heritage Center and near OMSI, Mt. Hood Brewing Co. Tilikum Station is slated to open in early summer 2018. Mt. Hood Brewing Co. Tilikum Station is moving into a former TriMet transfer station that has been repurposed into suites, two of which will house Mt. Hood Brewing. The Tilikum Station outpost will feature Mt. Hood Brewing Co. ales on draft, bottle, and can. Mt. Hood Brewing Co. Head Brewer Bryan Borgmeier is busy developing a signature beer for the Tilikum Station location, one that goes well with wood-fired pizza. A limited selection of Oregon wines and cocktails will also be available.”

Bend’s Atlas Cider is changing its name to avoid potential legal conflicts with Washington, DC-based Atlas Brew Works. Bend’s local TV news channel reported the story last night: “A popular Bend-based cider-maker is about to change its name, but not because it really wanted to. Instead, Atlas Cider co-founder Dan McCoy announced on Facebook Tuesday the impending name change, from Atlas Cider to Avid Cider, because of a trademark dispute with a small brewery on the East Coast. Just last year, McCoy said, they were contacted by the owner of Atlas Brew Works in Washington, D.C., and learned they had trademarked the name just three weeks before Atlas Cider did. And so, at the Bend cidery’s five-year anniversary carnival on June 1, the new name will be rolled out.” Three weeks difference, that’s rough. But Atlas—becoming Avid Cider—will keep their Atlas myth-themed logo.

Among some newsworthy items that came out in the past few weeks that I hadn’t reported on yet (possibly “old news” but definitely worth noting):

• Three Creeks Brewing (Sisters) has its award-winning Stonefly Session Ale seasonal releasing in cans for the first time, with the official release party tomorrow (May 3) with a Stonefly Fish Fry.
• Portland Brewing rolled out a new look to its branding, as well as a new beer, New Way IPA, last month. The brewery also rebranded Portland IPA as Ink & Roses IPA.
• 2 Towns Ciderhouse (Corvallis): Two Thorns Specialty Rosé cider returned in April, featuring “fresh-pressed Northwest apples, raspberries, and rose petals” and created in collaboration with the Portland Thorns soccer team.

Ninkasi Brewing and Bigfoot Beverages have teamed up to present Bend Funds for Firefighters throughout the month of May, a month-long fundraising give-back program in support of City of Bend Fire Department. From the press release: “For every Ninkasi keg sold in Bend, Ore. and surrounding areas during the month of May, $20 will be donated to support the Bend Fire Community Assistance Program—providing immediate assistance and relief to those experiencing crisis.Established by the City of Bend Fire Department, the Community Assistance Program offers crisis assistance in two ways: in the field, and through community involvement and partnerships. The program funds can be accessed anytime by Bend Fire personnel to provide immediate assistance to those experiencing a crisis including aiding families and individuals with food, temporary lodging, warm clothing, school supplies, and much more.” And the kick-off party is taking place on Friday the 4th at Broken Top Bottle Shop in Bend, with $1 from every Ninkasi beer ordered donated to the City of Bend Fire Department.

Speaking of Broken Top Bottle Shop, for the first six days of May the brew hub is holding its sixth annual April Showers Bring May Sours event—so it’s going on right now! “Join us for 6 days of 6 sour ales! Including: 🍺 pFriem Family Brewers ‘Druif’
🍺 Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, LLC. ‘Peche N Brett’
🍺 De Garde Brewing ‘Deutsche Hose’
🍺 Cascade Brewing ‘Bourbonic Plague’
🍺 The Bruery ‘Sour In The Rye with P.O.G’
🍺 Block 15 Brewing Co. ‘Dark Omen'”

Tap City Beverage in Medford has a special deal for teachers this week: “Happy teacher appreciation week! All teachers swing by to get 50 cents off each pint till May 6th.”