Happy Hump Day! Here is the news in Oregon beer for this Wednesday, May 17. 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.

McMenamins Kennedy School (Portland) is hosting the second annual Oregon Brewshed Brewfest tonight from 5:30 to 9:30pm: “Oregon Brewshed Alliance, Oregon Wild and the Kennedy School present the second annual Oregon Brewshed Brewfest. With the motto “great beer begins with clean water,” The Oregon Brewshed® Brewfest is a celebration of fantastic Oregon craft beer and the wild watersheds that make it possible, featuring the breweries and other businesses committed to watershed protection through their partnership in the Oregon Brewshed® Alliance. More than 30 Oregon breweries and other craft beverage businesses will be pouring a special beer or other beverage for attendees, and include: Migration Brewing, Claim 52 Brewing, Cider Riot, Falling Sky Brewing, pFriem, Fort George Brewing, Worthy Brewing, Oakshire Brewing, Portland Cider Company and many more. Your ticket gets you 8 tastes, a special pint glass, a Brewshed® Brewfest Passport, one raffle ticket and entry. Additional tastes and raffle tickets will be available for $1 each.” The cost is $25, and proceeds go to benefit Oregon Wild.

And the Kennedy School also has their Extra Credit beer tasting going on from 5 to 7pm, featuring Concordia Märzen: “Historically, beer was not brewed during hot summer months and March, or Märzen, was the unofficial end to the brewing season before refrigeration. Märzen is a rich, malty, copper-hued lager with a nice, crisp bite. This beer is super refreshing and brewed in very limited quantities, so this beer will go fast. Prost!”

Saraveza (Portland) is hosting a meet the brewer event with Little Beast Brewing tonight from 5 to 8pm: “Are you excited about Chuck Porter’s Little Beast Brewing? Yes? Join the club. Never heard of it? Well, get up to speed! Little Beast Brewing is brand spanking new to the Portland beer scene, but owner and co-founder, Chuck Porter is a legacy in his own right and this new brewery has been anticipated by beer geeks since the day Mr. Porter left his head brewing position at Logsdon a few years back. He’s known for mixing cultures and making beautifully nuaced beers with layers of delicate complexities. At our Farmhouse and Wild Ale Fest in early April we debuted Little Beast on draft and wet our whistle for what’s to come. Now its your turn! On Wednesday, May 17th, we’ll be showcasing Bes and Fera, Chuck’s first two beers and having him here to answer any questions you might have about the little wild beasts he’s working with to make his beer so tasty.”

Belmont Station (Portland) is hosting the release of the collaboration beer from Noble Ale Works and Grapes of Wrath, Party Time! Excellent! IPA, from 5 to 8pm tonight: “Noble Ale Works & Grains of Wrath, releases a new collaboration IPA Party Time! Excellent! and it is going to be just that, a party! (Excellent!) Brewer Mike Hunsaker and the G.O.W crew along with Noble Ale Works brewer Brad Kominek will be hanging out, drinking beers and talking all things IPA.”

McMenamins Oak Hills Brewpub (Portland) has their From the Fishbowl beer tasting today from 5 to 8pm, featuring Barrel-Aged King Jester’s Imperial Stout: “This is one thick, full-flavored Stout! Molasses and star anise were added during a vigorous boil to provide more complexity to the large doses of dark Crystal and Dark Chocolate Malts. This brew is balanced by more than an adequate amount of whole leaf Brewers Gold Hops that lend a bit of spiciness. After all that, a small portion of this batch was aged in a Billy Whiskey Barrel for four months. The barrel was provided by the Master Distillers at Cornelius Pass Roadhouse. The Billy Whiskey barrel adds flavors of oak, vanilla, and of course, whiskey!”

Full Sail Brewing (Hood River) is rolling out another Session beer variant: Watermelon Wheat. From the press release: “A refreshing wheat beer with an aroma of fresh watermelon, Session Watermelon Wheat offers a medium malt body with subtly sweet watermelon flavor and a crisp wheat finish. “Spring is here, with summer soon to follow,” says Full Sail Brewmaster Jim Kelter. “While the availability of beer knows no season, watermelon of course is another thing. Beer and watermelon, two quintessential summer pleasures, are paired here in Session Watermelon Wheat.” Session Watermelon Wheat pours a deep gold with a white lacy head and a slightly floral aroma. Brewed with 2-row Northwest Pale, Malted Wheat, and Unmalted Wheat, Hallertauer and Crystal hops, and a hint of fresh watermelon flavor, Watermelon Wheat is a refreshing brew for the blue-sky days of spring and summer drinking.” Man, they are getting some serious mileage out of this brand.

Rogue Ales Portland Public House is hosting the tapping of Rose Haven Porter today starting at 5pm, which is a fundraiser worth supporting: “Homelessness lasts 24 hours a day. Rose Haven is where more than 3,000 women and children go during the day for safety, services and support. Located in our NW neighborhood, we’re thrilled to support this amazing organizing with Rose Haven Porter. Join us for the official tapping of this beer and meet the Rose Haven team to learn more about their incredible work and how you can get involved. Rose Haven Porter brownies will also be available.” $1 from every pint sold goes to Rose Haven, so make sure to enjoy a pint or three tonight to help them out!

Portland’s Imperial Bottle Shop is hosting Bend’s Silver Moon Brewing for a Silver Moon night tonight from 6 to 8pm: “Join us as we welcome Silver Moon Brewing for a night of delicious specialty brews. We’ll be pouring a great lineup of 5 beers, including: Unkle Pilsner, Mango Daze Pale Ale, IPA 97, Brokedown Palace Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Brown, and Barrel-Aged Dark Tranquility Imperial Stout. Beers available by the glass or pint, or as a 5-beer sampler tray for $11.”