Here’s the Oregon beer news for Hump Day, Wednesday the 14th of March. I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so please contact me if you have some beer news you’d like to share.

Today is Pliny the Younger day at the Green Dragon in Portland (plus an overall Russian River Brewing release) featuring limited pours of Younger and also Pliny the Elder, Damnation, Supplication, Blind Pig, and Consecration on tap from 5 to 8pm tonight. As with any event where Pliny the Younger is involved, there are limited spaces so you’ll need to call 503-517-0660 to reserve your ticket ahead of time (assuming they haven’t already sold out!)

Fort George Brewery (Astoria): Next month they are featuring a Homebrewer’s Dinner—a really cool-sounding event—but if you want to have a chance of participating (having your homebrew selected and served) you’ll need to enter your beer for consideration by next Friday, the 23d. “The Fort George Brewery + Public House will celebrate and honor the art of homebrewing at a special beer-pairing dinner on Wednesday, April18th. Homebrewing provides the passion, creativity and innovation that resurrected and sustains the craft brewing movement. Homage will be paid to these pioneers by featuring a five-course dinner designed to compliment each beer. Homebrewers interested in featuring their beer should submit a two-bottle sample to the Fort George Brewery by 5pm, Friday March 23rd for consideration. Samples should be labeled with the name, brewer’s name, style, ABV, and contact information.” If chosen (five will be chosen to complement the five-course dinner), the homebrewers will need to provide “approximately 3.3 gallons or 35 12oz. bottles”. I really like this idea!

McMenamins John Barleycorn’s (Tigard) is celebrating its 16th birthday today and while it’s not directly beer related, their new White Owl Whiskey will be on hand a few days before its official release: “Stop by today for a special cocktail made with White Owl, sugar, Angostura Bitters and fresh squeeze lemon and orange for $5.” In addition the beer will be at happy hour prices all day, so be sure to swing by if you’re in the area.

And over at McMenamins Old St. Francis School in Bend, they are having a limited-edition beer tastingall day featuring Chocolate Infused Lava Rock Porter: “Mike “Curly” White has mixed some of his Lava Rock Porter with a chocolate-tea concoction that makes this unique keg just what the weather ordered! The Lava Rock Porter is a rock hard version of a Porter with deep malt tones that progress to a smooth chocolate-like finish.  A small amount of hops dance a bit but the malts flavor is the what really erupts on your taste buds.” The beer is available at happy hour pricing all day but when it’s gone, it’s gone.

Breakside Brewery (Portland) has a “Pi Day” special today: “Special tapping for Wednesday/Pi Day: Gin Barrel-Aged IPA will be on tap and available in bottles in very limited supply this evening. If you missed this beer at Zwickelmania, don’t miss out again.”

Harvester Brewing (Portland) is featured in a Eugene tasting today at 16 Tons Taphouse, with James Neumeister on hand pouring free samples of Harvester’s gluten free beers. The beers are made with sorghum, chestnuts, certified gluten-free oats, and pure cane sugar, and they have three styles in production now: a Pale Ale, a Dark Ale, and an Experimental Red Ale.