Happy Friday! Here’s some news in Oregon beer for January 9 and the weekend (which I hope is a great one!). As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day with the latest news, so check back often. And if you have news to share, please let me know and I can get that updated as well.

Mazama Brewing (Corvallis): Tomorrow (Saturday) from 2 until 10pm they are holding their second annual Dark Days Winter Ale Festival at their brewery, a 21+ event that costs $15 for the glass and tasting tokens, and definitely the weekend’s “must do” if you’re over in Corvallis! “Get out of the cold, blustery weather, and warm up in our brewery with over 15 Beers, Ciders, and Meads from our favorite Oregon Fermentors including special Mazama releases and free tastings from HOTV Homebrewers and Stowaway Spirtis. Live music from 7-10 by Dogheart and Terry Lee’s Got a Buzz. Kalamata Bisto and First Due Smokey BBQ will both have their delicious food for sale. There will be a FREE shuttle provided by Ale Ways that will pickup at LaSells Stewart Center and drop off at Mazama Brewing every 20 minutes or so.”

The Oregon Beer Growler will be in Newport today, at Bier One (also the home of Newport Brewing) to host a free blind tasting of stouts to feature in their February issues. “Tasters will choose their favorite stout beers to be featured in the February issue. There is no charge to taste 12 stouts, all from Oregon. Tasters choices will be revealed at the end of the event.” It starts at 5pm, if you’re in the area swing on by and render your opinion on your favorite Oregon stout.

PFriem Family Brewers (Hood River): This Sunday they are hosting a book signing for my friend Brian Yaeger’s new book, Oregon Breweries! “Come in for tasty lunch and beers with the whole family at Hood River’s most family-friendly brewpub. Get your copy of Oregon Breweries signed by the author…or his kid.” The signing starts at noon and will go a couple of hours, at least. Make sure to swing by, say Hi and buy a book!

Deschutes Brewery (Bend): Get ready for the latest release in their Pub Reserve Series—The Specialist, a “big, barrel aged ESB.” It looks to be a classic English-style ESB barrel aged in Pinot Noir, bourbon, and sherry barrels. “The Specialist – our first beer release of the year (not the Sylvester Stallone/Sharon Stone movie from the 90s) hits our pubs in just two weeks.” Yum!

Sky High Brewing (Corvallis) has a new beer release today: Whole Nutta Love Hazelnut Brown Ale. “Paul’s at it again with a traditional American brown ale gone nuts. Barley, chocolate malts, East Kent Golding and Cascade Hops. 100lbs of Oregon Filberts roasted in house and introduced both in the hot, and cold brew phase. This ale will inspire the nut lover in all of us, and add a little nuttiness to your day or night!”

Wild Ride Brewing (Redmond) has a new beer release of their own to tout: “The latest and greatest Wild Ride brew (if only by ABV, if nothing else) has hit the taps! Come check out the XR7 Triple IPA in the Tap Room, clocking in at 10.1%! It’ll be distributed very soon as well.” Lots of good stuff coming out of Redmond lately!

Opposition Brewing (Medford): And continuing the beer release theme, the latest from Medford’s Opposition: Krumpus. “Come on down tonight for the 2015 release of Krumpus, our Double Peppermint Mocha Stout! We pull all the stops for this brew adding in ample amounts of chocolate, lactos (milk sugar), and coffee from the Rogue Valley’s favorite supplier – The Human Bean!! Then we finish with a touch of peppermint. At well over 8% abv, Krumpus is a monster of a stout that’s sure to please.” What is it with the mint-flavored stouts that seems to be happening more and more lately?

Worthy Brewing (Bend): They have their “Firkin Friday” today featuring a special cask beer. Today is: “Lights Out Stout with orange peel and cocoa nibs. Sounds just about right for a day like today.” That sounds like it could make for an excellent cask pull!