Happy Friday! I hope you have a fun weekend planned and if you’re in Central Oregon there are plenty of things to do if you’re looking. Here’s the Oregon beer news (and events) for this weekend of May 18; as usual I’ll be updating this post throughout the day so keep checking back in. And if you have news to share, please let me know and I can get it updated as well.

It’s a Central Oregon Beer Week weekend, with several official events taking place:

• Saturday, 5/19 – Wild Ride Brewing celebrates its 4th anniversary with the Beer Week kick-off party. Featuring a new patio, food trucks, live music, and the new Fourtunate Kolsch will be tapped.
• Silver Moon Brewing starts its Week of Barrel Aged Beers on tap, featuring a special barrel aged flight of beers on tap throughout COBW.
• Broken Top Bottle Shop hosts the first of its Beer Week tastings and live music events, featuring three breweries pouring tastings Saturday: Oblivion Brewing, RiverBend Brewing, and Craft Kitchen and Brewery.
• Then on Sunday, 5/20, BTBS hosts Bend Brewing Company and Wild Ride for its tasting line up.

Now, for other events for the weekend.

Friday, 5/18

Belmont Station (Portland) is hosting the Samuel Smith’s Salute taking place around the country: “Remember – or imagine – what beer drinking was like in America in 1978, before the first Samuel Smith’s shipment arrived. There were about 85 breweries in the US and only one was a craft brewery. Imports were few, and almost all were pale lagers. Today, the American beer scene is the most dynamic on the planet. Savor the benchmark beers from Samuel Smith’s, and recall the prominent role this iconic British brewery has played in the US craft beer revolution. The Annual Samuel Smith Salute is a national call to toast the iconic British brewery that has played a prominent role in the US craft beer revolution! Join us at 7:30 PM on Friday and raise a glass to this iconic brewery with Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale ON TAP!”

McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop (Portland) is hosting the release of the latest McMenamins canned offering, Tropic Heat, all day Friday: “Tropic Heat is a kettle-soured ale brewed with pink guava puree, coconut and habanero peppers. The heat contribution from the peppers is minimal and creates a pleasant background quality that lingers. This slight spiciness accentuates the fruity, full guava taste that is this beer’s foundation. Coconut was also added to pleasantly blend the fine flavors together.”

And the 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop is also hosting a Samuel Smith’s Salute on Friday from 6 to 9pm.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School (Bend): Not listed as part of COBW (though could be considered unofficially part of it) is the OSF’s limited-edition beer tasting Friday at O’Kane’s from 5 to 8pm, featuring Sky Juice Coconut Stout and a chance to meet brewer Vance Wirtz. “This Brewery opened as part of the rejuvenated Old St. Francis School in 2004. Once the basement lunchroom of the former Catholic school, the area has been transformed to facilitate the creation of the handcrafted ales that St. Francis’ patrons have come to know and admire. Vance Wirtz is our Bend Brewer and he’s happy to show you around. So, bring your curiosities & get ready to sample something amazing.”

10 Barrel Brewing (Bend) has a new Fancy Beer going on tap Friday: “Come over to the Bend Eastside pub and try our new Fancy Beer… Me Gusta! Me Gusta was brewed with our long time friend Sean Paxton aka The Home Brew Chef. This Imperial Milk Stout takes inspiration from Mexican spiced cocoa. We added cinnamon, vanilla beans, orange zest, and smokey ancho chili. It is finished with a touch of cayenne. We will start serving Me Gusta 4pm today. Come enjoy one before it’s all gone.”

Saturday, 5/19

Stickmen Brewing (Lake Oswego): The brewery’s 3rd annual Kettle Sour Fest takes place Saturday starting at noon, pouring beers not only brewed at Stickmen but also a wide selection of guest beers. “The 3rd Annual Kettle Sour Fest will, as always, will take place on our lake front patio at our Lake Oswego Brewpub. This showcase of refreshing locally brewed kettle soured beers benefits Friends Of Doernbecher. $20 charge for fest glass, 10 drink tickets, and wrist band. Which are required to taste. Additional tickets are $1.”

McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop is hosting a tasting with Oregon City Brewing on Saturday from 2 to 4pm: “Oregon City Brewing Company will be in the house pouring samples of: Coming To Fruition: Cherry American Wild Ale – This began with multiple barrels of a multi-fermentation sour, aged in French oak for a year. Tart cherries were added for the last four months of the aging process, and blended for this delectable American wild sour.
6% ABV, 5 IBU
Coming To Fruition: Marionberry American Wild Ale – This began with multiple barrels of a multi-fermentation sour, aged in French oak for a year. Oregon marionberries were added for the last four months of the aging process, and blended for this delectable American wild sour.
6% ABV, 5 IBU”

Baerlic Brewing (Portland): Saturday at noon the brewery is hosting Baerlic Beer School: Intro to How Beer is Made: “This one-hour class offers participants an introduction to brewing, fermenting and cellaring beer. Attendees will be force fed as much beer knowledge as we can cram into 1 hour. You’ll learn about the four main brewing ingredients (and a proprietary 5th ingredient) and complete the class with a guided taster flight to fully wake up your beer sensors. By the time we’re done with ya, you’ll be a Grade A Baerlic BS’er! All classes are the 3rd Saturday of every month from 12p-1p. Cost: $20 per person.”

Vagabond Brewing (Salem) is hosting IPA Mania on Saturday: “Join us for our annual IPA Mania event! We’ll have an awesome selection of new Vagabond Brewing IPAs, as well as, 3 guest IPAs from Ex Novo Brewing, Grains of Wrath and Great Notion Brewing! Try a flight of amazing IPAs and get a limited edition IPA event glass!”

Sunday, 5/20

Bend’s Immersion Brewing is holding its Firkin for a Cause benefiting Healing Reins on Sunday from 2 to 4pm: “Come enjoy a special firkin brewed for Healing Reins. Healing Reins offers nationally accredited programs that are safe, effective and fun for children, teens and adults of all ages and abilities. Therapeutic horseback riding, carriage driving, physical therapy, mental health services and other horse-centered therapies change lives. Every purchase of the firkin goes directly to Healing Reins. Drink beer and feel good about it!”