Here’s the news in Oregon beer for Friday the 30th of March and going into the weekend. Hard to believe that Sunday is already April Fools Day—be careful when a stranger in the bar offers you a free beer! Today is a busy day so I’ll likely not be able to update this post throughout the day like I do on most days—however, feel free to contact me with any news you have and if I get the chance I’ll try to get it updated.

Upright Brewing (Portland) is celebrating their 3rd anniversary today and they are celebrating “Portland style” with the release of a new bottled seasonal tribute beer to (Gigantic Brewing’s) Ben Love, aptly called “Blend Love”: “Four casks containing a sour cherry version of the Four were blended with about a cask and a half of raspberry laden Six to create this characterful sour ale, full of lactic and acetic character, fruit and oak tannins, and a light funkiness from brettanomyces yeast… It’s perfectly ready to enjoy now but will cellar well for several years. One keg will be on tap along with plenty of bottles for sale at $12 a 750ml and $125 a case. Please note there will be a single case per person limit.” Of course during the celebration (from 4:30 to 9pm) there will be plenty of great beers on tap as well. In or around Portland today? You know what you’re doing tonight.

Oakshire Brewing (Eugene) is being featured in a “Beers in Flight” Night at Eugene’s The Bier Stein tomorrow night (Saturday), featuring three versions of Oakshire’s extra-strength Very Ill Tempered Gnome (a beefier version of their Ill Tempered Gnome winter seasonal): “1.Very-Ill Tempered Gnome 2.VITG aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels 3.VITG aged in Heaven Hill Rye Whiskey barrels and your choice of either – 4.2011 Barleywine or 5.Zwarte Nacht(Dark Belgian Strong Ale)as the 4th component of your flight. All brews will also be available by the glass and Brewmaster Matt Van Wyk will be on hand to answer questions about the beers and talk about all things craft beer and Oakshire!” It lasts from 7 to 9pm and sounds like the perfect way to finish off a cold and rainy month.

Coalition Brewing (Portland) now has bottled beer available! 22-ounce bottles of Two Dogs IPA, King Kitty Red Ale, and Rooster’s Cream Ale are all available for sale at the brewpub. Get ’em while they’re fresh! (And of course the official bottle release party is at the EastBurn next Thursday, April 5.)

Block 15 (Corvallis) has announced the fourth annual “Alechemist” Homebrew Challenge in conjunction with Corvallis Brewing Supply, which will be taking place (judging) on May 6. This year’s competition style is Bière de Garde, and the first prize winner will get to brew the recipe with Block 15 as “brewer for a day.” They’ve got the cost listed at $0(!) to enter, and entries are due between April 21 and May 5 at Corvallis Brewing Supply. “Welcome to the 4th Alechemist Challenge! While the Alchemist no longer exists, Block 15 and Corvallis Brewing Supply are committed to the promotion of homebrewing through advancements in beer style exploration and thus this brewing competition continues. Nick and Joel have selected the style, established parameters and now we encourage you to take the charge!”

Roscoe’s in Portland is holding their 3rd Annual IPA Summit today, starting at 4pm: “We will have 15 amazing IPAs on tap for the event. Some of the Breweries (and beers) will include: Double Mountain (Belgian IPA), Boneyard (Notorious IIIPA), Dogfish head (120 Minute), Oakshire (Coffee IPA), Russian River (Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig), Deschutes (Angler IPA), Laurelwood (Green Mammoth), Avery (The Maharaja), Fort George, and many more that you won’t want to miss.” A hophead’s dream! In addition to pints, there will be five-ounce taster trays available too, so you can put your favorites head-to-head with each other to see which one comes out on top.

Breakside Brewery (Portland) is holding a “Beer Float Fundraiser” on Sunday, April 1, where Breakside is pairing with local ice cream maker Salt & Straw to hold an ice cream social featuring “beer floats made with Breakside’s Salted Caramel Sweet Stout and Salt & Straw’s Bailey’s with Irish Stout ice cream”—yum! And: “All sales from the stout float will benefit the Food Works Youth and Farm Program, a part of Janus Youth. The event will run Sunday, April 1, from noon until 11 at Breakside (820 NE Dekum), or until the stout and ice cream run out!” No foolin’.

Pelican Pub & Brewery (Pacific City) is having a tasting today in the town of Manzanita on the northern Oregon Coast, at the Manzanita Grocery & Deli from 3 to 5pm. Stop by if you’re in the area.

Widmer Brothers (Portland) is rolling out a new addition to their Alchemy Project Series (what they are calling cellarable beers), Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout, a 9.3% stout with red raspberries added. “Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout was first brewed by Widmer Brothers Brewing in 2008 for the Portland Holiday Ale Festival. In the summer of 2011, Widmer Brothers brewers discovered a barrel of the initial batch, which was known as Babushka’s Secret, in the brewery’s cellar. After tasting the beer and realizing how well the beer aged with time, the brewing team decided to brew the beer again as part of the Alchemy Project. Beginning this year, Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout will be released once a year as part of the project.” From the press release it sounds like they’ve infused their KGB Imperial Stout with raspberries, which sounds great. The beer will be released on April 9.