Here’s the news in Oregon beer for the penultimate day of January, Thursday the 30th. 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.

Breakside Brewery (Portland): Today is the day their Salted Caramel Stout is released in bottles, and Belmont Station is throwing the party from 5 to 8pm. The beer itself is a collaboration with Portland’s Salt & Straw Ice Cream and is 6.7% abv. Belmont says of the party: “The highly anticipated return of this dessert-like milk stout promises to be a fun time. Breakside Brewmaster Ben Edmunds and a bunch of his brewery posse will be on hand as we pour the first sips of this year’s Salted Caramel Stout. We also will be pouring Breakside’s Oude Noire Black Saison with Orange Peel as the perfect complement. The popular Wanderlust IPA will also be on tap for those needing a hop fix. In the bottle shop, brewer Will Jaquiss will be pouring tastes of the full line of Breakside’s bottled beers.” Don’t miss it!

The Bier Stein (Eugene): Tonight from 6 to 9pm they are hosting a “tap invasion” with Astoria’s Fort George Brewery, a preview to Fort George’s Stout Month taking place all February long: “February is Stout Month! Fort George brewers love their stouts, and we love Fort George. It’s a match made in stout heaven! As a lead-in to Stout Month, we’re tapping six stouts and rolling out our February pairing menu to up the ante! The beers will be on tap all day, and Ft. George rep Tim Ensign will be here pouring samples of new Java the Hop Coffee IPA from 6-9pm.” The beer list is here.

McMenamins Highland Pub & Brewery (Gresham) has a special beer tasting and meet the brewer today starting at 5pm, featuring their Ooh La La Belgian Dark Ale: “A Belgian dark ale rested on medium toasted French oak spirals for added complexity and vibrance to an already loud brew. The malts do a good chunk of the work while the hops reside so noblely in the background. Unlike American yeasts this ale gains the rest of its poignant expression from the Belgian yeast strain selected for fermentation. Enjoy subtle notes of oak and vanilla bolstering a beer that is already loaded with spice, clove, dark fruit, and banana flavors. This is a beer with a lot to explore in every drink and every pint. Don’t miss out. Pass it among present company and watch it polarize every palate.”