Happy Valentine’s week! Here’s the Oregon beer news for Monday, February 11. 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 updated as well.

Zwickelmania is this Saturday! This is the statewide “open house” from 11 to 4 that most of our breweries are participating in, put on by the Oregon Brewers Guild. “2013 President’s Day weekend, dozens of Oregon breweries and brewpubs will open their doors to visitors for the state’s 5th annual Zwickelmania. Zwickelmania, hosted by Oregon Craft Beer, is a free statewide event that offers visitors a chance to tour Oregon breweries, meet the brewers and sample their favorite beers.” Lots of breweries are doing something special, and there are even shuttles in the major areas (Portland, Bend, Eugene) that will be running. This is a not-to-be-missed event!

Fort George Brewing (Astoria): In addition to Zwickelmania, this Saturday is Fort George’s Festival of Dark Arts event that cornerstone’s their Stout Month; this year’s event is taking over their city block with their “Carnival of Stout” festivities (fire dancers, live music, belly dancers, artists of various kinds) and there will be plenty of stout beer on hand including something like 14 of Fort George’s own brews. It’s going to be an amazing day if you can make it to Astoria. Admission is free, and it’s $8 for the tasting glass and $1 per sample.

The (new/old) Portland Brewing is throwing a Fat Tuesday-style relaunch party tomorrow to celebrate the rebranding of the former-MacTarnahan’s-nee-Portland Brewing from 5 to 9pm. They’ll be featuring “Our new brews: PBC IPA, Rose Hip Gold & Oregon-Only Oyster Stout, Commemorative PBC tasting glass (while supplies last!), Live music, Chats with our brewmaster Ryan Pappe, Food pairings, Raffle Prizes @ 7:30.” The event is free to attend but if you have some money to spend, “$15 get [a] Commemorative PBC glass, 3 beers & food pairings.”

Hop Valley Brewing (Springfield): This week (on Wednesday) Hop Valley is celebrating their 4-year anniversary! Wednesday the 13th starting at 6pm, if you’re a member of their mug club your first beer will be free. And I imagine they will have some more specials going on that day as well.

Bend Brewing Company (Bend): They are currently offering a new 22-ounce bottle release, of their Sexi Mexi, a fantastic beer that I will need to grab a few bottles of: “Sexi Mexi is a beer with a rustic chocolate sweetness. Its spicy flavors reveal hints of cayenne, cinnamon, vanilla beans and orange peel underscored by smokey ancho chili. It finishes with a touch of heat! 10% ABV. This is a collaboration between Artist Anneke Ayers, Chef Sean Paxton and brewmaster Tonya Cornett.”

Mazama Brewing (Corvallis): They are having their brewhouse tanks and equipment delivered today, with some nice-sized fermenters, and that means Mazama is getting very close to brewing beer! Their website says they will be open February 2013 so this seems like a very good possibility.