Here’s the Oregon beer news for Thursday, February 16th. As usual I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so if you have some news to share please contact me and I’ll get it posted.

McMenamins (Portland): Saturday the 25th is the Hillsdale Brewfest, and this year it’s the 19th annual edition of this “grandaddy” of McMenamins beer events. This is the fest where 22 original McMenamins beers are entered from their different breweries, the winner of which (based on people’s choice) represents McMenamins at the Oregon Brewers Festival. Read the full press release here.

Lompoc Brewing (Portland): Tomorrow, Friday the 17th, is Lompoc’s Batch 69 Baltic Porter Release Party from 4 to 10pm at their main Lompoc location. In addition to this perfect cold-weather beer, they’ll have a number of other delicious-sounding beers on tap: “Batch 69 Baltic Porter is a strong dark beer with hints of chocolate and black licorice. It was brewed with a lager yeast, giving it a much cleaner smoother finish than a traditional porter. We’ll also be serving up New Olde Ale, an old ale brewed with an English style Windsor yeast resulting in a beer that’s rich and full bodied with a deep mahogany color and rich malt fruitiness; Sour Willy, a blend of five different beers for a light, complex, slightly sour beer with a fruity aroma and mellow cherry, oak flavors; Rosemary Stout, our Sockeye Stout that sat on rosemary sprigs for five days, lending a slight rosemary aroma with a licorice and chocolate flavor; C-sons Greetings; and Fool’s Golden Ale.”

Caldera Brewing (Ashland): Tonight they the featured brewery at “Oysters and Ales” at Bella Union in Jacksonville (Southern Oregon): “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 is be on-hand at The Guild Public House in Portland for a Meet the Brewer event from 6 to 8pm tonight. (via Oregon Brewers Guild)

APEX Bar (Portland): Tonight they are holding Gigantic Brewing Collaboration Night: “The Gigantic lads, Ben Love and Van Havig, have not only been busy building the Gigantic Brewing Brewery & Tasting Room at SE 26th & Steele in Portland, but they’ve also brewed up a series of collabo (aka. collaboration) beers with their brewer friends around Oregon. This is your chance to try all the collabo beers in one place and meet the brewers. Join Ben and Van – along with all the other collabo brewers (Ben Edmunds-Breakside Brewery, Vasilli Gletsos-Laurelwood Brewing, Daniel Pollard-Pelican Pub and Brewery, and Matt Van Wyk-Oakshire Brewing)” 5 to 9pm tonight, be there! (via Oregon Brewers Guild)

Belmont Station (Portland): Alaska’s Midnight Sun Brewing Company is on hand for a Meet the Brewer from 6 to 8pm: “Brewer Jeremiah Boone will be here with a great draft lineup: Arctic Devil Barleywine, Obliteration VIII Imperial IPA, Sockeye Red IPA, Oak-aged Sockeye Red, and XXX Double Black IPA! Plus we’ll have a brand new batch of Midnight Sun bottles just off the boat from Alaska!”

Full Sail Brewing (Hood River) is holding a Meet the Brewer and Beer for Dan’s Satin Stout, the latest in the Brewer’s Share Experimental series tonight at their Hood River pub from 5 to 6:30pm: “Intrigued by the complexity of dark beer, Dan brewed a sweet, dark stout with a very smooth, satiny finish. Dan’s Satin Stout is a creamy, dark beer with a soft and smooth finish and is complemented with the subtly sweet notes of chocolate and a hint of honey. A blend of pale, Munich, caramel, chocolate malt, and roast barley give Satin Stout its deep darkness and complex palate. Willamette and Mt. Hood hops provide just enough bitter to balance the sweet malitness; their slightly spicy aromas complement the floral notes from the addition of wildflower honey. Nitrogen conditioning is the final finishing touch providing a luscious satiny smoothness. 5.2% ABV 36 IBU.” Dan’s Satin Stout is also going to be the featured Full Sail brew on tap for Zwickelmania this Saturday.