This Saturday, January 14, the fourth annual High Gravity Extravaganza Brewfest returns to McMenamins Old St. Francis School in Bend. This is a terrific, low-key event that features winter-appropriate strong beers from ten different McMenamins breweries and 15 Central Oregon breweries. Pouring stations are spread out around the property—from the main courtyard to the theater to O’Kane’s Square (ciders were pouring there last year). The Extravaganza showcases the local brewing scene as well as the really good beers McMenamins has to offer.

Huddle around the four blazing firepits or wander around the property to taste all the high-gravity, big, bold ales-and cider at our fourth annual fest! Sample big beers from 15 Central Oregon Breweries, including Bend Brewing Company, Boneyard Brewing and Worthy Brewing. And 10 McMenamins Breweries will represent, including High Street Brewery, Anderson School and Roseburg Brewery.

We’ll also feature McMenamins & guest ciders — all of them to offer cold comfort in the dry desert winter.

I believe I’ve attended each one over the past three years and I really enjoy this event—even though the past two years have been fairly cold and/or snowy so we end up spending more time indoors. However they will have outdoor tents set up by the firepits to help shield from the weather; this weekend looks to be 32 degrees and party sunny which would be pretty nice.

The fest starts at 1pm and runs until 10pm, and for the first four hours is “Meet the Brewers” where you can chat with the folks behind the brews. There will be live music from 4 to 6pm and again from 7 to 10pm as well.

The list of participating breweries and beers they will be pouring is here (PDF), and I’ve compiled the short version here as well:

• Deschutes Brewery, Don’t Rock the Goat (Bock)
• Ochoco Brewing Company, Fusebock (Bock brewed with ale yeast)
• McMenamins High Street Brewery, Voorhees Vortex (Strong Ale)
• Bend Brewing Company, Outback X Strong Ale
• GoodLife Brewing Company, Scotch on Scotch (Scottish ale aged in Scotch barrels)
• McMenamins Thompson Brewery, Five Foot Assassin Double IPA
• McMenamins Concordia Brewery, Yule Shoot Your Eye Out! Double IPA
• McMenamins West Linn Brewery, Unabashedly Angry Reindeer (Strong red with Mosaic hops)
• Wild Ride Brewing, Hoptagious Imperial IPA
• Immersion Brewing, Epic Bender Imperial IPA
• McMenamins Anderson School Brewery, Class of 2016 Wheatwine
• McMenamins Old St. Francis School Brewery, Illustrator Doppelbock
• Cascade Lakes Brewing Company, Baltic Black Gold Porter
• McMenamins Roseburg Brewery, Gimme Shelter Baltic Porter
• Three Creeks Brewing, Tenpine Double Chocolate Porter
• Juniper Brewing, Black #36 (Imperial Black IPA)
• RiverBend Brewing Company, Comfortably Numb (Black IPA)
• McMenamins Monroe Brewery, Ballena 1697 (Imperial Stout)
• Craft Kitchen and Brewery, 9th Plague Imperial Stout
• Kobold Brewing, Lawful Evil Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
• McMenamins Edgefield Brewery, Lord of Misrule 2016 (Imperial Stout)
• McMenamins Crystal Brewery, Dying Embers III (Imperial Stout with chili peppers, black tea, peppermint)
• Worthy Brewing, Vintage Dark Muse 2015 (Imperial Stout)
• Boneyard Beer, The Femur (Barleywine)
• Sunriver Brewing Company, Motorhead Black Barleywine

Some good (and strong, as advertised!) beers here, so plan accordingly.