Happy Friday and TGIF! Here’s the Oregon beer news for Friday the 10th and the weekend. As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day with the latest news, so check back often. If you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that posted as well.

Columbia River Brewing (Portland) is celebrating their 5th anniversary today with a party starting at 3pm: “Happy hour starting at 3pm to close. BBQ Smoked Brisket with BBQ Baked Beans and Potato Salad. Live music starting at 7pm. Kids welcome as always.” Congrats!

McMenamins Thompson Brewery (Salem) has a special Oregon Craft Beer Month beer tasting today all day long today featuring Bodhisattva Chai Stout: “Adam Yauch is a very familiar name for many generations young and old. A man part of The Beastie Boys that fueled the history of hip hop and brought forth different ways of thought. In his honor I present you with this big bodied stout. Soft notes of crystal rye malt help fuel the body of this beer with notes of Tibetan Chai which feature Darjeeling tea, ginger root, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom flavors. The artistry of the brewing world is something that I am always striving for. To be inspired by people who have left us is an even bigger honor. I leave you with Adams words …..’With the interconnectedness that we share as one/ Every action that we take affects everyone/So in deciding for what a situation calls/ There is a path for the good for all'”

Culmination Brewing (Portland) has a special beer release today at the Tin Bucket in Portland, featuring Imperial Black Footed Ferret IPA: “We got to be part of a collaboration beer with Culmination and Yachats Brewing. We brewed and Imperial black IPA and will also have Culminations Brett IPA and Hose Shandy on draft.” Starts at 4:20pm, according to the Facebook event.

Ex Novo Brewing (Portland) is celebrating their first anniversary tomorrow, Saturday the 11th, with an all-day party from noon to 9pm: “We’re shutting down the street and will be celebrating in style! Great Portland bands Lost Lander, Tango Alpha Tango, All the Apparatus will be playing a *free show! First ever Ex Novo bottle release! BBQ! Games, fun and awesomeness! VIP Package = Ex Novo tulip glass, 10x4oz drink tickets and a bottle of our Anniversary Beer – Unus, a Brett Saison. Tickets here.” Congrats!

Saturday is also the return of LagerFest, taking place at the White Owl Social Club in Portland, featuring over 50 different lager beers from a fantastic lineup of regional and international breweries. It takes place from 2 to 10pm, and costs only $10 entry which also gets you 5 drink tickets, with additional tickets cost $2 per ticket, or 3 for $5, 6 for $10. If you like lagers, then you should definitely be checking out LagerFest tomorrow.

McMenamins West Linn (West Linn) has a special beer and meet the brewer event today, featuring a “Fruit Beer Taster Tray” pouring all day and brewer Jacob Willson on hand from 3 to 6pm to talk about the fruit beers. “McMenamins very first fruit beer, Batch #2 brewed On October 29, 1985 at the Hillsdale, was a Marion/Blackberry ale made from fruit growing in the parking lot.  By early November of 1986 we had also seen the production of roughly forty batches of fruit beers between Hillsdale(1st brew 10/85), Cornelius Pass (1st Brew 5/86) and Lighthouse (1st Brew 7/86). Contrary to the oft reported media claim, the raspberry-based Ruby was not McMenamins first fruit beer, nor its second or third either  — Blueberries, Pinapple, Apple and Cherries were fruits used in batches preceding the creation of the first Ruby, currently McMenamins best-selling beer.  From that point forward probably every other variety of fruit McMenamins brewers can get their hands on has made its way into every style-of beer imaginable.” The beers are Purple Haze, Big Pink, Ruby (of course!), and Citrus Wheat.

Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider (Portland): Tomorrow (Saturday) they are holding their “Night of 1000 ¡Tepaches!” from 4 to 11pm at the taproom: “It is rumored that the 1st 10 guests to arrive will receive a coconut from which to drink ¡Tepache! from. 20 blends of ¡Tepache! available for tastes, including 5 beer blends from some of the participating breweries below, a couple beer blends of our own, some other-cidery collab blends, and more weird flavored blends. Further rumors of a Wesvleteren 12 blend and/or a Speedway Stout blend. No tickets or cover charge to get into the event. Tokens are $2.00 each and may be exchanged for a 4 oz pour of ¡Tepache! or ¡Tepache! mix.”

Tomorrow, Saturday, is McMenamins Edgefield‘s 104th birthday celebration! “Celebrate a century-plus-four with us. Enjoy outdoor music as well as presentations by McMenamins Historian Tim Hills and Troutdale Society members, and much more.” They’v got live music, kids entertainment, historical presentations, and more lined up—plus I’m quite sure there will be beer and drink specials. Fun!