Happy post-Super Bowl blackout! Hope everyone’s recovering from a day of chips, dips, beer and more. Here’s the news in Oregon beer for Monday, the fourth of February. 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 contact me and I can get that updated as well.

The big news today is the official opening of Bend’s Worthy Brewing! The (local) anticipation surrounding Worthy’s grand opening might be unmatched in recent years (though certainly Crux’s opening seven months ago was a pretty big deal as well), with as construction on the brewery has a been a constant fixture on Bend’s east side over the past year leading to many questions of “When?” Today is the day, and they have five beers on tap to open with: Go Time Xtra Pale Ale (6.3% abv), Lights Out Stout (7.7%), Worthy IPA (6.9%), East Side Pale (6%), and Worthy Imperial IPA (8.5%). I will have a write-up on the opening later today.

Bull Ridge Brewpub (Baker City): It’s been awhile since I’d highlighted Bull Ridge’s happenings, and they’ve been busy in this new year so far, in the form of a new brewing system! To my (untrained) eye this looks something like a 7-barrel system (to go along with the new fermenters they’ve also received) which is leaps and bounds beyond the nano-scale system they’ve been brewing their beers on. It’s still going to be a few weeks before the system is fully up and running, but once it is, perhaps a trip to Baker City is in order!

Belmont Station (Portland): Tomorrow (Tuesday the 5th) they have a tasting with one of the rising stars of the Portland cider scene, Reverend Nat’s, from 5 to 8pm: “Nat West has been making cider in his Southeast Portland home for years and it hit our shelves in swing top 750ml bottles in May of 2012.  If you have not yet experienced his craft ciders (or you already know and love them) come on down and try free samples of the Hallelujah Hopricot, made with heirloom American apples plus coriander, bitter orange peel, paradise grains, apricot juice, and whole leaf Cascade and Amarillo hops, fermented with French saison and Belgian ale yeasts in the style of a Belgian witbier. Then try Deliverance Ginger, made with American dessert apples, and fresh ginger juice along with just a hint of pure cane sugar. Last but not least, try the Providence, a traditional English-style still (uncarbonated) cider fermented with raisins and spices. This is not your run of the mill cider!”

Falling Sky Brewing (Eugene): Falling Sky teamed up with Corvallis’ Nectar Creek Honeywine meadery to brew up a collaboration braggot that is set to be released this Wednesday: “Sky Nectar Braggot Release Party: Wednesday, Feb 6 4pm. What do you get when you cross a beer and a mead? Braggot! Come down to Falling Sky, meet the Nectar Creek and Falling Sky brewers, and enjoy the first taste of this historical brew.”

Three Creeks Brewing (Sisters): This Saturday, February 9, Three Creeks is offering up a fun (albeit introductory) “Beer 101” event: “Learn about Basic Beer Ingredients, the Brewing Process (via TCBC brewery tour) and Sensory Analysis. A full taster tray is included in the $10.00 price, for which we usually charge $15.00. For those of you that think like I do, the answer is YES you have to take the course to receive the taster tray :)”  You should be able to register for this event by contact the brewery directly.

Deschutes Brewery (Bend): Seasonal favorite Cinder Cone Red is back on tap at the Pub—this American Red Ale is definitely a fan favorite with something akin to a cult following, though Deschutes discontinued bottling it a few years ago with the advent of their Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale. However it makes it’s occasional appearance at the Pub this time of year so you’ll want to get some while you can!

Full Sail Brewing (Hood River): If you missed the Hood River release of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, don’t fret: Full Sail is holding a horizontal tasting of the Stout at their Riverplace location in Portland tomorrow: “For 12 months our Imperial Stout has been aging in three types of bourbon whiskey casks — Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam Rye, and Four Roses. Our final release is a blend of all three, but we reserved some of each from the individual barrels for a stellar horizontal tasting. Compare the distilleries’ barrels to the final blend with us at our Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout release party, here on Tuesday February 5th at 5pm.”