Welcome back to the beer news! It’s April Fools’ Day, but I promise this is all real Oregon beer news, at least as best as I can determine and filter. Well, maybe there will be one questionable item. Maybe… Regardless, I’ll be updating this post throughout the day with the latest news so check back often.

Block 15 Brewery (Corvallis) kicks off Oyster Week—for real, apparently—featuring oyster and beer specials and events all week long, culminating in its Oyster & Beer Fest on Saturday the 6th. “Join us for the debut of our Oyster & Beer Fest—the marquee event in our inaugural Oyster Week, itself a weeklong celebration of oysters hosted across both Block 15 locations as well as Caves Bier & Kitchen Oyster & Beer Fest is a showcase of unique oysters sourced freshy fresh from coastal regions around the country, each paired with beer from standout breweries from the same region. Each oyster will be offered in a raw preparation that allows regions and species to demonstrate their unique character.” Should be an interesting one.

The Portland Farmhouse & Wild Ale Festival returns this weekend, taking place outside the clubhouse at Glendoveer Golf Course in collaboration with Von Ebert Brewing. “This years Farmhouse Fest is an invitational-style event with a completely different lineup of breweries and beers for the Saturday and Sunday sessions. Friday, April 5th will be an evening VIP experience with a mix of breweries from the entire fest as well as exclusives not available during the rest of the event.” Tickets are available online, $25 for the general sessions (or $45 for both).

Portland’s Hopworks Urban Brewery is rebranding its BikeBar location as the North Williams Pub and Beergarden. From the press release: “The remodeled facility will open to the public on April 2 from 11am to 11pm and will feature happy hour pricing all day with the debut of a new happy hour menu and a spring cocktail menu; complimentary samples of three new beer releases; kids arts and crafts with SpielWerk Toys from 11am to 2pm; and a DJ spinning beats from 5pm to 9pm. In addition to the new name, the rebranded pub features a new tented and heated beergarden behind the pub, a refreshed play area for kids, new seating arrangements inside, new signage, and a fresh coat of paint.” Sounds like an interesting refresh, but I’m also just glad the venue isn’t closing entirely.

More news from last week that sounds like an April Fools’ but isn’t: Ninaksi Brewing of Eugene is launching a line of hard seltzers. Press release details: “Pacific Sparkling is a craft-brewed seltzer inspired by the spirit of the Pacific Northwest and a love for the outdoors. The flagship flavors—Cucumber Mint and Cherry Blossom—will be available in 6-packs in retail locations across the West this spring. Launching a separate brand for seltzer was a matter of focus. ‘Ninkasi is a beer company,’ said Ninkasi CEO and co-founder, Nikos Ridge ‘And we want to stay focused on creating the next great beer. Pacific Sparkling was born from our team’s excitement to enter a new category and do something different.'”

Ex Novo Brewing (Portland) has new beer back on tap today for you: “This ain’t no April Fool’s joke. Sipalicious Hazy Session IPA is back on draft at both pubs and it’s tasting delicious. Come and get it!”

The New School reported on Eugene’s Agrarian Ales, which has closed: “Agrarian Ales quietly ceased brewing operations this winter (add it to the long list of recent Oregon brewery closures). The farm-based brewery was a destination for family-friendly outdoor fun, good beer, and local food near the town of Coburg, just north of Eugene. The brewery’s website is offline, and one source, a former employee, said that there has been no activity at the brewery since January. The reason for the brewery’s closure seems to be tied to mismanagement of funds, along with legislative issues related to farm breweries, rather than any issues of quality or sales specifically, although 2018 presented the brewery with a host of challenges that adversely affected its revenue.”