The best way to celebrate the arrival of summer is with a cold one. Conveniently, you can enjoy said cold one (and lots more) during Portland Beer Week from June 9-19. Events will take place throughout the brew-loving city, including releases, special fests – beer and cheese, anyone? – seminars and more. Throw on your favorite stretchy beer-imbibing pants and head to Portland for 11 days of everything beer. We’ve rounded up a few choice events for you to keep an eye out for. Make sure to grab a pint of the Subcontinental IPA – a collaboration between Double Mountain Brewery and Portland Brewing – the official beer of Portland Beer Week.
Portland Fruit Beer Festival || Downtown Portland || June 10-12
Fruit fans of all ages are invited to attend the sixth annual Portland Fruit Beer Festival at the North Park Blocks in downtown Portland. Fruit beers and fruit juices wil be pourin’ alongside eats from local food vendors, including Hot Lips Pizza and Bunk Sandwiches. Of course, since Portland is a supportive hub for local music, a DJ will be spinning tunes.
PDX: Brew City || Mission Theater || June 12
Eager to get educated on the history of craft beer in Portland? This documentary, showing at McMenamins historic Mission Theater, is the perfect place to start. With 7 years of interviews and investigations behind the project, it’s sure to cover all the beer-filled bases, from 1980 to present. Snag your tickets to the film, produced by John Lovegrove and Thom Roholt and also directed by Roholt here.
Roscoe’s and Miyamoto Beer and Sushi Pairing || Roscoe’s || June 13
For all you lovers of the seaweed-wrapped seafood varieties, a four-course sushi dinner awaits with beer pairings from pFriem Family Brewers, Crux Fermentation Project, The Commons Brewery and Breakside Brewery. The meal costs $25 and is sure to satisfy both the West Coast sushi and beer enthusiasts in you.
The Weird Beer Bonanza || Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom || June 15
Any Northwest native knows that Portland is on a long-running mission to “keep Portland weird.” If you aren’t quite sure what that means (and who really does anyway?), attending the Weird Beer Bonanza: Keep Portland Weird & Beer’d ought to shed some light on that for you. A variety of unique and aptly chosen beers made with offbeat ingredients will be on tap at the Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom. Stop by and help keep the quest for weirdness alive.
Pink Boots Society Tap Takeover and Fundraiser || The Civic Taproom and Bottle Shop || June 16
You don’t have to own pink to attend this event and appreciate the sudsy lineup which feminine forces have united to create. Proceeds from the women-brewed beer tastings go to the Pink Boots Society of Oregon, which provides educational scholarships for women pursuing careers in the beer scene.
Portland Beer and Cheese Festival || Wayfinder Beer || June 18
If beer and sushi pairings are West Coast protocol, then beer and cheese pairings must be a religion. Don’t miss the marriage of the two finest eats n’ drinks to grace the culinary world (sounds dramatic but your tastebuds will thank you), taking place for its fifth year at Wayfinder Beer. Cheesemonger Steve Jones has 10 beer and cheese pairings on the queue, plus samples of artisan chocolates and meats. Need we say more?
Great Notion’s Father’s Day Brunch || N.W.I.P.A. || June 19
Wrap up your week of beer with a brunch for the special beer-loving father in your life. Brews made specially to fit the brunch theme – we’re talkin’ Double Stack Maple Coffee Stout, Blueberry Muffin Sour Ale, Zest Grapefruit Berlinner Weisse and Juice Jr IPA – will be pourin’ from Great Notion Brewing. Enjoy ‘em with an array of pastries and treats, of course. Tix are $30 here.
