Here is the news in Oregon beer for Tuesday, the 26th of February. As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so check back often for the latest updates. And if you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that posted as well.

Swing Tree Brewing (Ashland): They posted a blog update yesterday with good news, they’ll be moving forward with a spring opening albeit under slightly modified circumstances: “Our liquor license has been approved by the City of Ashland, and the TTB approval (federal) should come in just a few weeks. After that we just have to wait for our approval from the OLCC (state), and then we should be ready to open our doors by April or May… Due to financial considerations, opening with our originally planned 7bbl brewhouse and taproom was going to put our opening date back another year. We considered our options and we decided that first and foremost we wanted to open our doors and get our beer out there for all to enjoy! With that, we decided to open with the ½ bbl brewing system we have been making our pilot batches on, and start with a very modest tasting room.” So even though they’ll be starting small they will be open within a few months. One to look forward to visiting!

Fort George Brewing (Astoria) has their canned collaboration seasonal beer, Tender Loving Empire Northwest Pale Ale (that’s a mouthful!), coming out today at their pre-release party with TLE: “Join Fort George Brewery + Tender Loving Empire to celebrate the release of Tender Loving Empire Northwest Pale Ale in 16oz cans and draft, available March 1st in Oregon and Washington. This is the first of four Seasonal Can Collaborations for 2013. Help ring out Stout Month and say hello to Spring with music by Radiation City and BRAINSTORM. Craft beer + music cures rain.” The party is taking place at Fort George tonight from 8 to 10pm.

Gilgamesh Brewing (Salem) is releasing two new beers this Thursday: “we are releasing not one, but TWO new beers; introducing the Shiitake Bock and the Stunt Double IPA! We will have them both on tap at The Campus starting THURSDAY!”  It might just be a name, but “Shiitake Bock” makes me wonder if it is in fact brewed with mushrooms (which given Gilgamesh’s propensity for unusual ingredients wouldn’t surprise me); if so, that’s one I’m definitely intrigued by…

Elysian Brewing, though not an Oregon brewery, will be at Portland’s Caps & Corks this Thursday for an amazing side-by-side tasting of all of their 2012 Apocalypse beers: “Some lucky folks get to try ALL 12 Beers of the Apocalypse and enjoy some tasty foods this Thursday, 2/28 from 6-8pm at Caps & Corks in NW Portland! Elysian will be there to reminisce upon the Apocalyptic beer journey of 2012. The cost is 20 bucks and a limited number of reservations can be made at Caps & Corks.” This is the kind of tasting you don’t want to miss, and $20 is a steal if you can make it! One of those events I wish I could be in Portland for!

Silver Moon Brewing (Bend): This week’s Growler Power Hour picks—where you can fill a growler of the selected beers for $6 on Tuesday and Wednesday from 4 to 6pm—are Hound’s Tooth Amber and Snake Bite Porter, two excellent house beers.

Double Mountain Brewery (Hood River) has their Molten Lava Imperial IPA hitting the bottles and this Friday is the release for them: “Please join us at the Horse Brass in Portland as we celebrate the release of Molten Lava Imperial IPA, our next bottled seasonal. Let’s get this weekend started off right, this Friday at 5pm!” Molten Lava is 9.4% abv and over 90 IBUs.

Cascade Brewing (Portland): Tonight’s Tap It Tuesday at the Barrel House at 6pm is featuring “Live”  Cherry Blond. “This NW style sour ale is a single component of the Cerise Nouveau. This Blond ale was barrel aged seven months before aging for an additional seven months on 110 lbs. of fresh Bing cherries. Aromas of fresh cherries and subtle hints of cinnamon are noticed up front. Flavors of sweet then slightly tart Bing cherries lead to a dry cherry finish. 8.15% ABV, $7.5 glass or $2.5 taster.”