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Solera Brewery in Parkdale, Oregon
Whew! Now that Portland Beer Week is over, it’s time to take our liver pills and have a good rest, yeah…?
Not so much.
You can always tell it’s festival season in Portland – the general complexion of the beer-going populace changes from a pasty-gray (you can see like veins and stuff…) to a more robust smattering of intense freckles and toasted red lobsters. “Hey everyone! Take off your hoodies, there’s this glowing orb in the sky!” And it’s supposed to be 95 to 100+ degrees all weekend, so you better get your drinkin’ pants on…
Yes, it’s festival season in Portland and I’ll be damned if I can’t turn around without running into another glorious celebration of artisanal ales, filled with miniature glasses, oddly clothed folks and some of the most unique beers to pair them with.
If you’re in town this weekend, you have no excuses to miss enjoying some of the best beer gatherings the Northwest has to offer and these are the cream of the crop, so don’t miss out…
Kriekfest – Parkdale, OR (near Solera Brewery)
For those unfamiliar with the term Kriek, the word is Flemish for Cherry and definitely one of our favorite takes on the spontaneously fermented lambic style (we even wrote about it once). And our great friend and local author Brian Yaeger is possibly putting on his last festival in town, so it’s certain to really go off.
Tickets for the fest are $25, which include a souvenir glass and 8 drink tickets. But what’s even better is that there are still tickets left for the round-trip chartered bus that will run from Portland to Parkdale. Once there, you’ll have at your disposal one of the best curated Kriek lists ever and one of the most spectacular venues to behold as Mt Hood looms immediately over the proceedings.
BrewFest in the Park – Overlook Park
Previously known as the only Organic Beer Festival in the world (aka North American Organic Brewers Festival or the Organic Beer Fest), this year it appears to be mostly the same as only a few offerings aren’t organic. Though this year proceeds will benefit the Timbers Army 107IST (Independent Supporters Trust) and we’ll be there to celebrate as well!
This year’s gathering will offer 60 Craft Beverages including beer, ciders, mead and a soda garden for minors. $25 will get you a compostable cup, 15 drink tickets and free re-entry all weekend with your wristband. And of course their will be food carts, vendors and plenty of fun for the entire family. They’re open Friday and Saturday from Noon to 9pm and Sunday from Noon to 5pm. Learn more here via Oregon Craft Beer.
Portland International Beerfest – North Park Blocks
This has 
historically been one of the best summer festivals in Portland every year, even more so when they moved it to Holladay Park a few years back, allowing for more space, food vendors and reveling. This year, it’s returning to it’s previous location in the North Park Blocks, which is a beautiful spot in it’s own right and should provide plenty of shade considering the high expected temps.
If you buy your tickets online, Regular Entry gets you 15 tickets and your miniature tasting glass. Then there’s The Big Deal, which gets you 30 tickets and the tasting glass for $35. Otherwise, if you pay at the gate, you get 10 tickets for $25 and it’s cash only. And as they do every year, they’ll have the New Belgium Pie Joust, $3 Pilsner Urquell pints, and Seattle’s Machine House will be back with their excellent hydraulic tapped Real Ales. We can’t guarantee we’ll be able to make it this year, but it should be an unforgettable experience as always.
