We’re up to the last weekend in January, and I for one am glad it’s Friday! I hope you have a great weekend planned and with the number of beer festivals taking place you should be able to fill it out if not. Here’s the news for this weekend, which I’ll continue to update throughout the day on Friday. Cheers!

Friday, Jan. 25

It’s a weekend of fests that kicks off with The Civic Taproom in Portland and its 4th Annual Barrel Aged Festival that runs through Sunday. There will be a selection of beer, cider, and mead all barrel-aged, from a variety of brewers. You can order in four, eight, and 12 ounce sizes as well as flights, and there will be a selection of barrel-aged bottled beers available for purchase as well.

It’s Hammerhead’s 33rd birthday at all McMenamins locations Friday! “Our Hammerhead Ale was crafted 33 years ago, born out of creativity at our Hillsdale Brewery in Portland. All McMenamins are celebrating this signature ale with specials!” There will be $4.50 pints of Hammerhead, $9 growler fills, and $2 pounder cans to go. Plus food specials. Stop by and enjoy one of Oregon’s oldest continually-brewed beers!

Bend Brewing Company is hosting the release party for its new Trade War Export Stout on Friday evening, which also features a cookie pairing with special limited variants of the stout. “Join us on Friday, January 25th to celebrate the release of our newest canned beer, Trade War Export Stout! To make the night extra fun, we’ve partnered with our friends over at Too Sweet Cakes bakery to pair their cookies with our beer. Each pint of Trade War purchased you get a FREE honey & vanilla chocolate cookie from Too Sweet Cakes – it’s a match made in heaven!”

Migration Brewing (Portland) is releasing Rock Steady Hazy IPA on Friday: “Matt Zaffino will be bringing 55 degrees and sunny weather for Friday the 25th. We will supply a brand new refreshed patio the next phase in our hazy 4-pack can releases…Rock Steady. Rock Steady is a full bodies N.E IPA with aromas of passion fruit, complimented by citrus and tropical fruit.”

North Forty Beer Company in Roseburg kicks off its grand opening weekend on Friday: “Join us on Friday, January 25 & Saturday, January 26 to CELEBRATE our Grand Opening! We’ll have swag GIVEAWAYS all day and a Grand Prize Founders Club giveaway on Friday and Saturday!” There will be live music, special T-shirts and swag, and more.

Bierly Brewing (McMinnville) hosts the release party for its Baker Street Porter on Friday beginning at 4pm: “A tasting room favorite, Baker Street Porter, will finally be available in bottles soon! Join us for a special event celebrating its release. We’ll have complimentary food that pairs especially well with the Porter, in addition to our regular menu. This will be the first opportunity to buy bottles of this beer, before it hits grocery store shelves.”

The Bier Stein (Eugene): Day 2 of Belmont’s Block 15 Bonanza! with Block 15 Brewery continues Friday: “The fun continues on Day 2 with a wide array of beer still available on draft, plus more limited and vintage bottle releases. Be sure to swing by at 5pm to give the prize wheel another spin for the chance to win even more sweet swag!”

Reach Break Brewing (Astoria) is hosting a Coast Guard fundraiser benefit night starting at 5pm Friday: “Join us for a community fundraiser benefiting our local USCG families. $1 from every pint sold at Reach Break Brewing & Reveille Cider will be donated to support USCG families that are affected by this Federal Govt shutdown! We will also be accepting donations to be included in the final contribution. The benefit night will take place on Fri, Jan 25th from 5pm-9pm.”

Ratchet Brewery (Salem) has its Firkin Friday kicking off at 5:30pm: “Tonight’s Firkin we have a variation of the Shifting Gears IPA made with Tangerine and Coriander! The Firkin with be tapped at 5:30! We pour the beer until it’s gone so come get it while it lasts! This limited release beer will only available tonight!”

Saturday, Jan. 26

Saturday is the big brewfest day, starting with the 6th annual NW Coffee Beer Invitational at the Goose Hollow Inn in Portland. “Twenty talented brewers and beverage makers were asked to create freshly-made beer with locally-roasted coffee. With the emphasis on flavors, and an abv of 7% or less, this event promises inspired combinations. Entires will be judged and the winners will be announced during the festival. Tickets available at the door only. $20 admission includes a festival glass and 10 taster tickets.”

Wild Ride Brewing (Redmond) hosts its second annual PorterMania, featuring a dozen different porters available from 2 to 7pm. The $20 advance price ($25 at the door) gets you 12 four ounce tasters of the various porters, which will include Grammy’s Cookies Porter with cinnamon and vanilla, and Snickers Time Porter (which I assume is inspired by Snickers candy bars).

The Tualatin Winter Brew Festival takes place at Stickmen Brewing in Tualatin from noon to 9pm Saturday: “Featuring 20+ seasonal and specialty offerings from local brewers, cider houses and vineyards, plus great food from local restaurants and a full line-up of live entertainment, the stage is set for a fun event and all for a good cause. Admission: $20 Admission ($25 at the door), Minors Free. Includes event wristband, a commemorative tasting glass and drink tickets for tastes or full drinks. The number of tickets per taste will vary depending on the beer/cider/wine. Additional tickets may be purchased. This is a family friendly event and minors may attend free. Drink tickets may be purchased for non-alcoholic drinks. This is a fundraiser benefiting the Tualatin High School PackBackers – the TuHS Athletic Booster Club.”

Rock Bottom Brewery (Portland) is hosting its Barrel Aged Beer Festival from 1 to 5pm. There’s a great-looking lineup of 10 barrel aged beers from a wide variety of spirit and wine barrels, and tickets are $35 which you can pre-purchase online here. The price gets you the glass plus 10 tastings. There will be brewery tours as well and should be a good event.

Bailey’s Taproom has its 10th annual CellarFest also taking place Saturday. “CellarFest is the last remaining event owner Geoff Phillips curates each year digging up a wide range of styles and this year is no different! As usual, the admission is FREE and runs Noon – Midnight. The list is always subject to change.” Posted lineup looks stellar, and this runs all day from noon to midnight so there’s plenty of opportunity to stop in.

And in Hood River, Breweries in the Gorge hosts its 3rd annual Holiday Hangover brewfest from 1 to 7pm at the Elks Lodge in HR: “The festival will feature a wide variety of craft beer including special reserves, ciders, and even hard kombucha, all brewed here in Columbia Gorge. In addition to regionally crafted beer, Apple Valley BBQ will be on site serving up world-class BBQ, and funky beats playing too.” Advanced tickets can be purchased online for $20.

Belmont Station is hosting a special Beer School on Saturday, with Master Cicerone® Rich Higgins. “Join Belmont Station and Master Cicerone® Rich Higgins for a special day of tasting seminars and sensory training on beer! Rich is one of 18 Master Cicerones® in the world, a former brewmaster, and a Certified Sommelier. He has taught over 100 beer classes in San Francisco, New York City, Washington DC, London, and Hong Kong. His classes are always super fun and incredibly informative. The afternoon is broken down into two different classes: Session 1: Beer Off-Flavors Seminar from 1 to 3pm, and Session 2: Deductive Beer Tasting Method from 3:30 to 6pm.” There are still tickets available for the first session which you can buy online here.

Portland’s Uptown Market and Baerlic Brewing are teaming up for a guided stout tasting from 4 to 6pm: “Enjoy a trip around to the dark side with our stout lover Jace, and special guest, Baerlic Brewing Co. own Rik Hall who will discuss the finer points of brewing and drinking stouts, in other words beer geek out.”

The BeerMongers (Portland) is hosting a collaboration party with Upright Brewing and Ruse Brewing to pour the beer the two breweries brewed together: “Well, what do you know? Two of our favorite breweries have gone and made a delicious beer together and we’re saving you a trip to the brewery! We’ll also be featuring a nice lineup of beer from both breweries.”

The final day of The Bier Stein‘s Block 15 Bonanza features: “Day 3 starts as soon as we open with reps from Block 15 sampling out (Not) Imagine 2013, while supplies last, alongside a final release of exceptional bottles. At 2pm the prize wheel will make a final appearance for one last opportunity to win great prizes from Block 15!”

McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop (Portland) is hosting a cider tasting with Apple Outlaw Cider on Saturday from 2 to 4pm.

Ratchet Brewery celebrates its one-year anniversary on Saturday! “Come join us as we celebrate our first year in business! We will have a special tapping of Double Deuce Imperial IPA, Live music from Center Mass String Quartet and The Standing. Gourmet Hometown Heroes will be serving up delicious sandwiches plus cake!! This will be an amazing event. We will have a heated tent for you to sit back and enjoy great beer, music and friends.”

Sunday, Jan. 27

Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider (Portland) is releasing New Moon Mandarin Cider and is hosting a release brunch Sunday morning starting at 10am: “On Sunday, January 27th, I am conspiring with Pine State Biscuits to bring you a brunch party to celebrate the 2019 release of my finest brunch beverage, New Moon Mandarin. Please join me for a delightful breakfast menu provided by Pine State along with pitchers of the day’s celebratory drink, $3 New Moon mimosas, and additional special Cider Cocktails.”

Buoy Beer Company (Astoria) is providing Sunday dinners for those affected by the government shutdown starting this Sunday: “Our community is home to many affected by the government shutdown. Starting on Sunday, January 27th, we will also be hosting a free buffet-style meal from 4-8pm every Sunday (with the exception of Feb 3 11am-3pm) until the government is no longer shutdown. These dinners are available because of generous partnerships with Reed & Hertig, Graziano, Clatsop Distributing, and Ocean Beauty. Please bring your Government ID.” Good work here.

General News

Boneyard Beer (Bend) will start serving brunch in its Bend Pub this Sunday: “Starting this Sunday, @boneyard_pub will be serving up BRUNCH every week, 11AM – 2PM. Brunch items include: Tres Leches French Toast, RPM Breakfast ‘Changa, Sockeye Hash & Ranchero Stacker. During that time we will also be offering $5 Boneyard bloodies & $5 mimosas.”

Portland’s Rosenstadt Brewery has a French pilsner out in the market worth checking out: Houblon Pils. “Medium bodied Pils with malty, cracker-ish notes; floral, fruity hop profile with aromas of black currant and lemon-lime. Crisp, refreshing, distinctive. ABV: 5.2 %, IBU: 33. Available at ST. JACK restaurant & bar and for a limited time at Olympiaprovisions Public House.”