Happy Monday! Here’s the beer news from around Oregon for February 13th. As usual I’ll be updating this post periodically throughout the day, so if you have some news to share please contact me and I can get it posted.

Zwickelmania is this Saturday, the 18th, and breweries across the state are getting ready to open their doors to visitors for tours and tasting—many above and beyond the regular tours they offer. The Oregon Brewers Guild is the organizer of the event and they’ve pulled together an impressive list of participating breweries and itineraries on the event page. And, three of the big beer regions—Central Oregon, Willamette Valley (Eugene), and Portland—will have shuttles running that can take folks on Zwickelmania tours. It’s going to be a good day for checking out breweries, I know I’ll be hitting up the Central Oregon ones!

Hop Valley Brewing (Springfield): It looks like today is their 3-year anniversary celebration! Starting at 6pm tonight, “Libation Society” members (their Mug Club I think) will get their first beer free, and beers are $2.50, and they’ll be tapping a firkin of “Mr. Black” (a dry stout). Merchandise will be given away every half hour as well. If you’re around Eugene or Springfield, stop by and help them celebrate three  years. (It’s a good brewery—check out my review here.)

There are of course some Valentine’s Day-themed events going on tomorrow:

• Block 15 Brewing (Corvallis) has their Love Potion #9 tapping tomorrow, which is a chocolate black raspberry stout.
• Coalition Brewing (Portland) has a limited keg of something special going on tomorrow: “Sweet Kiss Goodnight, a double porter aged on oak and vanilla bean.”

The Bier Stein (Eugene): Next Wednesday (the 22nd) they have a cool event happening: “Local homebrewer Denny Conn is turning his camp experience into a benefit for FOOD For Lane County. One of a select few to attend Sierra Nevada Brewing’s “Beer Camp” last November, Conn was able to participate in the brewing of a 20 barrel batch of beer. The result is an Americanized version of the German alt bier style. Camp participants are able to share in the results of their brewing experiences and Conn chose one of his favorite charities to benefit. “Alternate Ending” will be on tap at The Bier Stein beginning February 22nd until all three of Conn’s kegs are sold. Because of Conn’s and The Bier Stein’s generosity, all proceeds from the special brew will be donated to FFLC. The specialty beer will be $5.00 per pint, which means each pint sold will provide the equivalent of 15 meals! During the kick-off event there will also be drawings for Sierra Nevada Brewing merchandise, along with FFLC barrels to collect food donations.” (via Facebook)

Natian Brewery (Portland): Looks like they’ll be canning soon, joining the growing ranks of craft breweries that can their beers. Based on the Facebook photo the Undun Blonde Ale (5.3% abv) will be the first of their beers launched in can.

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

• Ambacht Brewing (Hillsboro): “Ambacht Ales will be at Hank’s Thriftway in Hillsboro on Valentine’s Day from 3 to 6pm! We’ll be sharing our Honey Triple, Dark Farmhouse, and Hillsboro Brown, stop by for a taste!” (via Facebook)
• Fort George Brewery (Astoria): Wednesday the 15th from 6 to 9pm they are holding their Oysters and Stouts Brewer’s Dinner. It’s a five-course “Stout Month” meal featuring oysters in nearly every dish (sans dessert) paired with a variety of stouts (not just Fort George’s but guest beers as well). Tickets are $65/person or $120 for 2.
• Caldera Brewing (Ashland) will be at “Oysters and Ales” at Bella Union in Jacksonville (Southern Oregon) on Thursday, the 16th: “Featured beer on tap at a special price, oysters available any way you like them; cooked, over cooked, barely cooked or raw!” (via Oregon Brewers Guild)
• Natian Brewery (Portland): Natian will be on-hand at The Guild Public House in Portland for a Meet the Brewer event from 6 to 8pm. (via Oregon Brewers Guild)