Good Monday to all! I hope Saturday’s Zwickelmania was a fun event (it was for me) and we’re back with all the news in Oregon beer for Monday the 17th. As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day with the latest news as I find it, so check back often. And if you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that posted as well.

Lompoc Brewing (Portland) has a couple of big events coming up this weekend: Friday, the 21st, is their annual Black Out Beer Fest, taking place at the Sidebar from 4 to 11pm: “The Black Out Beer Fest will feature 15 dark beers from Lompoc and special guests Alameda, Breakside, Cascade, The Commons, Ecliptic, Laurelwood, Lucky Lab, pFriem and Widmer. Tasting packages are required to drink the beers and cost $15, which includes a souvenir 15.5 oz glass tasting mug and 10 beer tickets. Additional tickets are available for $1 apiece. It costs four tickets for a full mug or $1 for a taste. Mug and ticket sales take place in Sidebar; the beers will be located in Sidebar, the brewery bar and the tented and heated parking lot. Live music will be provided by Leslie Lou and the Lowburners. The event is for ages 21+.” Terrific beer lineup, too!

And on Saturday the 22nd, their 8th annual Chowder Challenge follow up the Black Out fest. This is taking place at their 5th Quadrant location from noon to 4pm and is the ultimate chowder throwdown: “Who serves the best clam chowder in the city? A dozen local brewpubs and restaurants will vie for the coveted Chowder Cup… Participating restaurants include Cascade Brewing Barrel House, Columbia River Brewing, Ecliptic Brewing, Farm House Cafe, Ice Axe Grill, Laurelwood Public House, Lompoc 5th Quadrant, Lompoc Tavern, RingSide Fish House, Salty’s on the Columbia, Tabor Tavern & Widmer Gasthaus. Two-ounce samples of traditional New England-style clam chowders from each of the participants are served in non-labeled tasting cups. After tasting all entries, attendees vote for their favorite. The chowder receiving the most votes is named the People’s Choice Winner and takes home the coveted Chowder Cup; awards are also given for second and third place.”

Belmont Station (Portland): Tomorrow they are hosting the release party for one of the newest cideries around, Cider Riot! along with a meet the cider maker from 5 to 8pm. “Longtime beer writer, homebrewer and home cider-maker Abe Goldman-Armstrong’s Cider Riot! cidery is ready to launch. We are honored to be part of Cider Riot’s launch, and Abe will be joining us in the Biercafe to release his first cider, Everybody Pogo. We also will be pouring a collaboration cider Abe made with Reverend Nat’s called Cider Kin.”

The Bier Stein (Eugene) tomorrow (Tuesday the 18th) is going to be loading up the taps with Ballast Point Brewing beers from 6 to 8pm: ”

Come try some of San Diego’s finest! Ballast Point hit the Eugene scene last year and made waves with its line of seafaring-themed beers. We’re going to reel you in again with five beers, free samples, and their rep Skipp giving away some BP swag. Here’s the tap lineup:Tongue Buckler Imperial Red Ale, Sculpin IPA, Grunion Pale Ale, Victory At Sea Imperial Porter, and Longfin Lager”