Happy Hump Day once again! Here’s the news in beer from around Oregon for May 13. 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.

Beers Made by Walking has lined up its Oregon schedule and next Wednesday, May 20, it kicks off the first of three Bend/Central Oregon hikes, pairing up with Bend’s Crux Fermentation Project for a hike at Scout Lake. Here’s the overview: “BMBW invites brewers to go on nature hikes and make beer inspired by plants found on the trail. Each hike is free and open to the public. Hikers are accompanied by a local brewer who must create a hike-inspired beer later this summer. These place-based beers serve as drinkable, landscape portraits of the trails that are walked. [BMBW] is pleased to announce that we are working again with the Oregon Natural Desert Association to bring our program to the high desert of Central Oregon.” Go here to register for the May 20 Crux walk, which is free, and I’ll post updates on the various additional walks as they get close (Eugene and Portland area walks as well). The beers that result from this unique program are pretty unique and exciting to try, so if you get the change to join a hike, you should definitely do so!

There are definitely a number of McMenamins events going on this week, and today their Thompson Brewery & Public House in Salem has a special beer release today starting at 5pm, featuring Sure Shot Sake Milk Stout: “Where to begin? How do you start with honoring an artist that has had so much impact on many generations searching for ways and words to live by? Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys did this for many. Here is his beer. Inspired by his love of Tibet we started with barley which is the main source of food for the region. Also added is lactose milk sugar as Tibetans enjoy milk with many of their teas. We boosted it up into a big stout for strength in holding steady to your beliefs and ways. Fermented with Sake yeast to keep a unique profile. The final addition is Tibetan Chai. Notes of ginger, cardamom seeds, and cinnamon can be found chilling softly on the back side of the palate. “When two are served, you may drink” so that we never drink alone.” Sake yeast! I’d definitely be interested in knowing if that fermentation process was any different than usual (considering the source of sake yeast). Wish I could make it over to Salem today to try this one out.

This Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16, is Rogue Ale‘s 9th Annual Brewer’s Memorial Ale Festival, their “annual event created in memory of Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s faithful companion Brewer, who passed away on May 20, 2006.” It’s dogs, beer, and live music! Here’s the longer description: “This dog-friendly brew festival is held inside the Rogue Ales Brewer’s on the Bay in Newport, Oregon and includes: 50+ Microbrews, Live Music, Doggy Musical Chairs, Dog Wash, Dog Dancing, and Celebrity dog look-alikes (Rin-Tin-Tin, Lassie, Benji and of course, Brewer).” I believe it costs $5 to enter. The Facebook event page for the Friday event is here, Saturday is here.

Old Town Brewing (Portland) is expanding, with new toys starting to arrive: “The first of 5 new 20bbl tanks arriving – effectively doubling our production capabilities as well as shine throughout the brewery.”

Ground Breaker Brewing (Portland) has some big changes to their year-round gluten-free lineup: “First, we will be making IPA No. 5 our one year-round IPA. IPA No. 5 is brewed with roasted chestnuts, roasted lentils, and Belgian-style candi sugar. A variety of Northwest hops gives it a complex flavor profile, including pine, citrus, tropical fruit, and a touch of Crystal hop dankness. Olallie will be joining our year-round lineup as our second canned beer. [It is] a light and dry ale brewed with blackberries and rose hips. A large amount of hops with low bittering potential were selected to give Olallie a delicious taste without a high level of bitterness. Olallie is currently available in 20L kegs, and will be available in 12 ounce cans by mid-June.”