Here’s the Oregon beer news for Thursday, February 9th. As usual I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day so if you have something to share please contact me.

The KLCC Brewfest starts tomorrow in Eugene! This annual festival benefits radio station KLCC 89.7 FM, the local NPR station, and this year they’re featuring 57 brewers pouring some 120 beers along with a music sale, a homebrew competition, and the notorious Eugene collaboration brew—where all the Eugene-area breweries collaborate on a special beer just for this festival. It all takes place starting tomorrow (Friday) from 5 to 11pm, and then on Saturday from 1 to 11 at the Lane Events Center Exhibit Hall. It’s a 21-and-over-only event, and it’ll cost you $10 in advance (purchase tickets on the site) or $12 at the door, and includes a souvenir glass (plus $1 per ticket I believe for additional tickets). Should be a good time in Eugene if you can get over there!

Ninkasi Brewing (Eugene) is sponsoring two special screenings of “The Love of Beer” (the documentary movie following( local) women in the brewing industry) at The David Minor Theater in Eugene tonight, at 7:45 and 9:15pm: “Meet the hardworking women (and men) of Ninkasi tonight at our special screening of THE LOVE OF BEER celebrating women in brewing. Tix are $8, tastings and Q/A 30 minutes previous to both screenings at the David Minor Theater. Arrive early!” This is a great movie (I’ve seen it twice now) and if you’re in the neighborhood you should definitely check it out.

Upcoming tastings, releases, and “Meet the Brewer” events:

• Oakshire Brewing (Eugene): Tonight is their early Valentine beer dinner with Marché Restaurant in Eugene, that also serves to help kickoff the KLCC Brewfest. “Join us at Marché as we kick off KLCC’s microbrew festival with a special dinner, carefully crafted to pair with beers from Oakshire Brewing. We’ll be serving family style and visiting with the Oakshire folks, and it promises to be a tasty, festive evening. 6:30 single seating.” Call Marché for reservations at 541-342-3612 extension 2; cost is $45.
• Full Sail Brewing (Hood River) has their February Brewmaster Dinner tonight, featuring a “Retro Classics” theme for the evening, four courses paired with select Full Sail brews. Seating starts at 5pm and goes until they run out, so get there early to make sure you don’t miss it. $30/person.
• BridgePort Brewing (Portland) has their Dark Rain Streetcar Pub Crawl tonight from 5:30 to 8:30pm, starting at their Pub in the Pearl District and hitting a variety of stops on the Portland Streetcar. Cost is free to join except for streetcar fare.
• McMenamins Edgefield (Troutdale): Today is their limited-edition tasting of The Widowmaker, their Black Widow Porter aged in a Hogshead Whiskey barrel. The brewers and distillers both will be on-hand to answer questions about this, and you’ll be able to sample Hogshead Whiskey as well. The beer is tapped at 5pm and lasts until the keg runs out.
• Upright Brewing (Portland) has an amazing-sounding release today: Oyster Stout in a cask stuffed with Black Truffles! “Like last year we have an extra special cask packed with nearly half a pound of Oregon black truffles that will be on tap at the Grain and Gristle starting Thursday at noon and likely into Friday as well. This third batch is tasting fantastic with a full nose and lightly salty finish from the Hama Hama oysters and juice used in the kettle.” It’s all day—noon til 11:30pm—and in addition sales of the Oyster Stout will start tomorrow (Friday) at the Upright Tasting room. Don’t miss out!
• The Bier Stein (Eugene): Today they have a Green Flash tasting as part of their events lead-up to the KLCC Brewfest: “The second of our events leading up to the KLCC brewfest features Green Flash Brewing Co. from San Diego, CA! We will have 4 brews on draft including 2 of their hoppy favorites: West Coast IPA and Hop Head Red IPA, along with 2 specialty brews rarely poured in this market! Brewery rep. Dana Vasquez will be pouring samples including Rayon Vert(Belgian-style Pale Ale w/Brettanomyces)in which we will be offering a package deal consisting of one 12oz bottle of Rayon Vert and a specially made, stemmed Rayon Vert tulip glass for $5. Don’t blink or you may miss the Green Flash phenomenon! Event runs from 6-8pm.”
• Fort George Brewery (Astoria): Tonight they have a couple of events going on: In Bend, they will be at Brother Jon’s Public House for a Pint Night and Meet the Brewers from 6pm on: “$3.25 pints of their Vortex IPA, 1811 Lager, & Sunrise Oatmeal Pale. Lots of fun swag to give away & delicious food specials showcasing the beer.” And, in Oregon City, the Highland Still House is featuring a Fort George night: “Chris Nemlowill and Tim Ensign will be hanging out talking beer and posing for pictures.  Packing in his sleigh, Chris will be toting Polish’s Black Walnut Stout, Bourbon Barrel Cavatica Stout, a double-dry-hopped Vortex IPA, and XIV Chapel Belgian Imperial IPA!”