March 1 is Beer Day in Iceland! According to Wikipedia, the day honors “the elimination of the 74-year prohibition of beer. Prohibition lasted from 1915 to March 1, 1989.” That is definitely working toasting! Here is the news in Oregon beer as well for this Wednesday, March 1. As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day with the latest news, so check back often for updates. If you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that updated as well.

Yachats Brewing is coming to Portland along with Claim 52 Brewing for the release of their collaboration beer, Goat Yoga Brett IPA, at the Loyal Legion today: “The Yachats Brewing and Claim 52 Brewing collaboration, Goat Yoga Brett IPA, is finally ready to be released into Portland. Here is your opportunity to meet the brewers and try the beer at Loyal Legion. Hope to see you there!” It takes place from noon to 5pm.

McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop (Portland) is hosting the awards ceremony for last weekend’s Hillsdale Brewfest today from 2:30 to 5pm: “The 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop is where we’ll reveal the winner of the 2017 Battle for the Belt from the 24th Annual Hillsdale Brewfest. Brewers will gather & anxiously wait for the announcement of first, second and third place. Stop by, grab a beer & watch the competitive madness unfold. The belt will be handed to this year’s rightful winner and you have got to see this…”

Plank Town Brewing (Springfield): The first Wednesday of the month is their “Tanked with the Brewers” special tasting and release event, and tonight from 6 to 8pm Plank Town is releasing their Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout: “A tasting of this brew, along with other barrel-aged tastings will cost $10 and this includes a bottle of barrel-aged goodness for you to take home. We’ll start tasting at 6pm. Bottles of the Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout, From Russia With Stout, will be available for purchase at a discount Wednesday only, along with additional bottle discounts on all barrel-aged 22oz bottles! This luscious brew was a collaboration with The Bier Stein. It’s deep and complex with notes of vanilla and chocolate. You will only be able to find bottles of From Russia With Stout at Plank Town or The Bier Stein!”

The Willamette Week has posted the winners of the 2017 Oregon Beer Awards—big congrats to all the winners on the list (click through for the individual beer categories) but in particular to Belmont Station (Best Beer Bar/Bottle Shop), pFriem Family Brewers (Best Brewpub Experience), Festival of the Dark Arts (Best Beer Festival), Alesong Brewing (Best New Brewery), Baerlic Brewing (Small Brewery of the Year), The Commons Brewery (Medium Brewery of the Year), and Breakside Brewery (Large Brewery of the Year)!

The Bier Stein (Eugene) is the latest Pliny the Younger tapping location, taking place today—and I see that it’s now sold out. Tickets were being sold for $9 per glass, and I like this part: “$4 from each ticket will be donated to one of two local nonprofits: Double Up Food Bucks and Next Step Recycling. You will decide where your $4 goes by dropping your ticket stub into a labeled jar.”

Hopworks Urban Brewery (Portland) has a Pilsner Party taking place tonight from 5 to 8pm, giving their HUB Lager a makeover! “HUB Lager is getting a little makeover on March 01. We’re changing the name to HUB Pilsner and releasing it in 12oz 6-packs! Help us celebrate at our Powell brewpub. We’ll have litre steins of HUB Pilsner, a fish and chips food special, and our great looking brew crew will pose for Pilsner pictures at your table.” They will also be tapping some new specialty brews for the night.

Rogue‘s Eastside Portland Pub has their Green Dragon Brew Crew release taking place tonight, featuring Belgian Rose tapping at 5pm: “Belgian Rose is bright, red-hued Belgian ale that was designed to strike the perfect balance between subtle and complex. This unique, light-bodied ale showcases the wonderful floral and spicy characteristics of Belgian yeast interwoven with those of Medusa, Hallertau, and Saaz hops. A generous amount of rose peony tea was also added to compliment and accentuate the subtle floral notes in this beer. This smooth and refreshing ale is truly a garden of delight that will have you back for more.”

Portland’s Belmont Station is welcoming San Diego’s Saint Archer Brewing in for a tasting event tonight (at least I believe it’s tonight; Belmont’s event page doesn’t actually have a date listed). “Join us as we welcome St Archer Brewing to Oregon. We will be conducting a free tasting of their entire lineup in our bottle shop and we will also have their IPA and Nelson India Pale Lager on tap in our tap room.” If it’s like their other tastings it will probably take place from 5 to 7pm.

Royale Brewing (Portland) has a new barrel-aged beer being released today, as part of a new monthly series: Jasmine Saison. “Starting [today] we’ll be releasing a different barrel aged beer the first Wednesday of each month. This Wednesday the beer will be a Jasmine Tea infused Saison aged in bourbon barrels. Mark your calendars for the first Wednesday every month and get over to the Royale Garrison Tap Room located at 8773 N Lombard in historic downtown St Johns.”

The annual German Starkbierfest returns to Portland starting today! “Portland’s annual Starkbier Fest is back at Stammtisch and Prost! This lent tradition dates back to the middle ages, when monks would fast from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday. Because the monks believed that liquids not only cleansed the body but also the soul, they would make plenty of liquid instead of solid bread from their grain, and then drink it in copious quantities…the more, the holier. While our fast won’t last 46 days, we can still honor their sacrifice by consuming delicous strong biers, and celebrate lent the old fashioned way.” Both Stammtisch and Prost are hosting and they will have German beers and food specials throughout the fest through Sunday the 5th.

Worthy Brewing (Bend) is starting their new Experimental Hop Project today (that I wrote about yesterday): “Help us choose the next hop varieties. We’d love your feedback on beers brewed with experimental hops from the Indie Hops/OSU Experimental Hops Breeding Program. For $5, you can try pale ales brewed with experimental hops 1007-35, C1002-37, G9-1-374 & C115L-1​” Head down there, drink these beers over the next few days and give them your feedback.