It’s time to bring back the Oregon Beer News posts for a new year and try it out again. It’s been some time since last running these daily updates, and with the pandemic still raging this is going to look a bit different. There will be little-to-no reporting of events, unless they are pandemic-safe, for example. However I’ll still be updating this post throughout the day with news as I find out about it.

So here’s what’s new for this Wednesday, January 6, 2021—I hear there’s something going on in Washington, D.C. today you might want to take your mind off of, so hopefully this helps. I’ll also be catching up on some items from the past week or so.

New beers from Wayfinder Beer

Portland’s Wayfinder Beer announced two news beers this week, Hidden Hand Black Lager and Export 66 Dortmunder-Style Export Lager. Hidden Hand is a Czech-style lager, a černé pivo, that is decoction mashed and is 5.2% ABV. Export 66 is “a stronger version of our classic Hell but made with richer malts, alt und Neu-Bavarian hops, and a proprietary lager yeast” and 5.6% ABV. Both beers are available to order online, for pickup on Saturday from 1 to 5pm.

Dave Marliave is back with New Spring Brewing

The New School reports today on New Spring Brewing, the new brewing venture from former Flat Tail Brewing owner and brewer Dave Marliave.

[B]eginning this Thursday, Jan. 7th the first two beers from his new venture New Spring Brewing will begin rolling out into the market.

New Spring beers are made on Flat Tail’s 15 bbl brewhouse now relocated from 202 SW 1st street in Corvallis to 140 NE Hill St in Albany, Oregon. The major system move will also help ring in a new chapter for 14 year-old Calapooia Brewing in a shared space and partnership that gives both brewing companies a better chance to succeed going forward.

Ezra’s article goes into great depth and backstory, give it a read. Among things I was surprised to learn: Marliave has been director of brewing operations for Yachats Brewing on the coast since Flat Tail closed.

Double Mountain Brewery releases Westerly Pilsner

Hood River’s Double Mountain Brewery announced the release of a new seasonal for spring, Westerly Pilsner, a hoppy lager debuting in 12-ounce bottles. The new beer is 5.2% ABV with 25 IBUs, and is available now both on draft and in bottles at the company’s two locations (Hood River and Portland) as well as at retail. I’ll post the full release announcement soon and link it here. Update: Full release and post here.

Alesong Brewing has fun with barrels

Alesong Brewing & Blending revealed some barrel fun in its email newsletter today:

We recently got 10 extravagant new barrels. These former Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels were emptied and filled with maple! Then when those barrels were emptied, we rushed to get them and immediately filled them to the brim with Rhino Suit … Rhino Suit that had already been aging in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels! We’re not even kidding! This very well might become a double bourbon barrel-aged maple Rhino Suit. Or it could even be blended into something beyond that level of luxury! But until it’s aged to perfection, I guess we’ll all just have to wait with excruciating patience!

Block 15 announces Saturday drive-thru release of Cold Front

Corvallis’ Block 15 Brewing is releasing its Cold Front Winter Lager this Saturday, January 9:

Join us this Saturday at our south Corvallis Tap Room for the release of Cold Front both on draft and in cans, alongside our weekly lineup of cans and bottles, crowlers fresh from the tap, and what remains the only day for you to get kegs and corni-fills straight from the source!

As with all of our sales, all purchases will be made through our online store, which is now open and will remain open until Friday at 9:00am.

Cold Front is 6.5% ABV and brewed with European specialty malts.

Worthy Brewing plans new beers, but no seltzers (ever)

I reported earlier this week on how Worthy Brewing of Bend will not ever be brewing “non-crafty” seltzers, hard or soft, and a preview of some of its upcoming Heart & Soul series small batch beers.

“Our Heart and Soul small batch program remains vibrant,” said Kellner. “We’ve got a classic Vienna lager in the tank as well as a pleasantly pungent Mountain style IPA, where East coast hazy meets West coast IPA with Norwegian Kveik yeast doing the heavy lifting.”

“Next up is a smoky Dortmunder lager that utilizes local Mecca Grade pilsner malt, which was malted during the Lionshead fire this summer – real smoke flavor! – plus we added lemon zest sea salt because why not, 2020 has been a crazy year. This Winter we will focus on small batch barrel aged beers, beginning with a bourbon barrel aged imperial Porter and continuing with a variety of wine and spirit barrel aged offerings.”

More here.

Beachcrest Brewing turns 2, releases Old Fashioned-inspired beer

Beachcrest Brewing of Gleneden Beach on the coast celebrated its second birthday on New Year’s Eve, and released its Olde Fashioned Ale inspired by the cocktail to commemorate it.

We took our black treacle special holiday olde ale from our first year anniversary and aged it an extra year in a craft whiskey barrel to create our 2020 Olde Fashioned Ale. Tart cherries were added to the barrel along with bitter and sweet orange peel to make this one-of-a-kind, dark and sinister ale inspired by our favorite classic cocktail.

It was a limited bottle release, so it’s possible there are few if any bottles remaining…

Level Beer has a new beer out, appropriate for the day

Portland’s Level Beer announced a new beer on Instagram: “Move Mitch, Get Out Da Way is a single hop IPA with African Queen hops out of South Africa. Too soon?” No, it is not too soon.