I’m taking some time off from the Oregon beer news posts this week, though I should still have a few general posts I’m catching up on. There are still plenty of things going on of course, so here are some links for big stuff happening this week—in fact, it’s something of a festival week!

• The Bend Brewfest: This kicks off Thursday the 15th and runs through Saturday the 17th, taking place at the Les Schwab Amphitheater. Admission is free, the mug and initial 4 tokens costs $12 (with additional $1 tokens available in $5 block). I should have a more extended post on this later this week.
• Portland U-Brew & Pub‘s 3rd annual Westmoreland/Sellwood Brewfest: Friday the 16th, featuring 8 P.U.B. beers plus 8 more beers from other local breweries on tap, with BBQ and live music.
• McMenamins 18th annual Lighthouse Brewfest: Taking place this Saturday at the McMenamins Lighthouse Brewpub (the oldest brewery on the coast), where “each McMenamins brewery creates its own distinct craft beer style while the Lighthouse serves up food and drink specials and brewery tours all day long.”
• The Mighty Mites Session Beer Fest: Sunday the 18th in front of Bazi Bierbrasserie during the Hawthorne Street Fair, with all the beers being 5% abv or less. $10 gets you a cup and 4 tickets. Ezra has all the details here.
• 10 Barrel IPA Fest: This “Battle of the Beer Cities” is taking place this Wednesday the 14th from 4 to 10pm at their Bend pub parking lot. Breweries from up and down the west coast will have IPAs represented (16 in all) that attendees can vote on for their favorites. You’ll need to purchase the tasting glass and $1 tokens, and this should be a great pre-game for the Bend Brewfest kicking off the next day.

Other tastings and events going on this week:

• McMenamins White Eagle in Portland has the Edgefield’s Der Rasenmäher Kölsch for a tasting and meet the brewer on Tuesday, the 13th.
• Oakshire Brewing is doing a five-course beer dinner in Bend at the Blue Pine Kitchen and Bar on Wednesday the 14th. Cost is $50 and they’ve got a great menu listed on the Eventbrite page where you can buy your tickets online.
• Also on Wednesday Bend’s Broken Top Bottle Shop is holding a beer tasting with California’s uber-popular Firestone Walker—sure to be a good showing.
• McMenamins Kennedy School has a special beer release of “Baba O’Ryely” on Thursday the 15th, a rye pale ale, starting at 5.
• Belmont Station has a cider tasting Thursday from 5 to 8, featuring Portland’s OutCider. Ciders are definitely on the rise!