TGIF! Lots of stuff kicking off this weekend in the Oregon beer scene, make your plans accordingly! Here’s the news for Friday, May 20. As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day with the latest news, so check back often. And if you have news to share, please let me know and I can get that updated as well.

Central Oregon Beer Week begins today! The ten days of celebration will run through Sunday, May 29 (with a bonus at Broken Top Bottle Shop on the 30th) and kicks off this evening with the official kick-off party at downtown Bend’s Crow’s Feet Commons from 6 to 9pm. They’ll have live music, food trucks, and great beer of course! Including the official beer of COBW brewed by Sunriver Brewing, “COBW IWA” (India Wheat Ale) which will be at the party plus at locations throughout the area all week long.

For more COBW events going on all weekend, see the full list below the fold.

Rogue Ales (Newport) is celebrating their 10th annual Brewer’s Memorial Ale Festival this weekend, starting at 4pm on Friday the 20th and continuing at noon on Saturday. “Brewers Memorial Ale Festival is an annual event created in memory of Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s faithful companion Brewer, who passed away on May 20, 2006. Brewer grew up in the brewery and eventually rose to the rank of CEO of Rogue Ales. This dog-friendly brew festival is held inside the Rogue Ales Brewer’s on the Bay in Newport, Oregon.” Admission is $5, with $1 tasters, and you can buy tickets here.

Stickmen Brewing (Lake Oswego) is holding their first-ever Kettle Sour Fest this Saturday all day starting when they open at 11am. “This inaugural event will feature an array of Kettle Soured beers from some amazing breweries. The proceeds from the event benefit the Friends of Doernbecher. Event will be held on the lakeside patio at Stickmen Brewing Company: 40 N. State Street, Lake Oswego. Admission is free. There is a $20 charge for a glass and 10 drink tickets, which are required to taste. Additional tastes are $1.”

Here’s the weekend lineup for COBW:

• Broken Top Bottle Shop: Once again they are hosting multiple brewery tastings and live music every night of Beer Week (plus a bonus night on Monday the 30th). This Friday they have Boneyard Beer and Oblivion Brewing, with music from Strive Roots; Saturday, they welcome Deschutes Brewery, Wild Ride Brewing, and music from Just Us; and on Sunday, they have Three Creeks Brewing, Worthy Brewing, and live music with Tone Red.
• Bend Brewing: All Week long they are offering up a special “Hops vs. Sours” tap takoever with their award-winning specialty beers.
• Cascade Lakes Brewing: From the 20th through the 26th at both their Lodge in Bend and the 7th Street Brewhouse in Redmond, it’s happy hour all day long.
• Silver Moon Brewing: All Week long, they have a special lineup of rare and barrel aged specialty brews on tap, as well as offering a special mug club signup.
• Worthy Brewing: Every day of COBW they are offering food and beer pairing specials, and growler and glass swag specials when paired up with beer purchase.
• Bend’s original eastside Growler Guys has GoodLife Brewing in for a tasting from 5 to 7pm on Friday.
• Deschutes Brewery on Saturday has a special Burger Month pairing of their Bahn Mi Burger with their beer entry they brewed for the COBW SMaSH Fest coming up on Saturday the 28th.
• On Saturday, yours truly will be signing and selling my book, Bend Beer, at Sunriver Brewing‘s new Bend pub from 11 to 2pm!
• Saturday, Bend Brewing and Crow’s Feet Commons team up for the first Brooks Street Block Party featuring great BBC beer and live music starting at 6pm.

Culmination Brewing (Portland) teamed up with Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider to collaborate on a special Pinot Barrel Aged Watermelon Cherry Sour beer and this Friday and Saturday they have a pair of release parties to celebrate! On Friday, join Rev Nat’s from 4 to 11pm for their release party which will feature the beer plus another Culmination beer on tap (along with their ciders). And on Saturday at Culmination the release will feature bottles for sale as well. Don’t miss out on this quite interesting sounding creation!

Les Caves Bier & Kitchen in Corvallis has a fun event taking place this Friday starting at 4pm, “Where the (Spontaneous) Wild Ales Are!“: “Our annual spring event highlighting100% Spontaneously fermented beers from around the world! Featuring beers from Mikkeller , De Garde Brewing, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, LLC., Lambickx, Oud Beersel Brewery – Anno 1882 – Beersel, Belgium, and Rookshire Lane Orchards! Also coinciding with the bottle release of Block 15 Brewing Co. Turbulent Consequence series, including Pêche, Framboise, and new this year Queen Anne Cherry, which will all also be on tap! Join us starting at 4pm, and the fun goes all night, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!”

Block 15 Brewery (Corvallis): Saturday is a big bottle release day for Block 15, with four bottles of wild and sour beers dropping at both of their locations starting at 11am. “This May’s release includes three variations from our spontaneously-fermented Turbulent Consequence program, Ferme de la Ville (a Belgian-style provisional farmhouse ale), and Animal Cookies (a super fresh canned one-off IPA).” You’ll definitely want to get in on these!

The Bier Stein (Eugene) is hosting a cider tasting on Saturday from 6 to 8pm with Rookshire Lane Cider: “Located at the base of Mount Pisgah, Rookshire Lane produces a very small amount of cider and perry from their own trees. Using natural fermentation from the yeast and bacteria on the skins, the ciders are dry and complex with a light effervescence. Aaron from Julian Sinclair Wine & Cider will be here sampling Cidra & Dry ciders!”

Viking Braggot (Eugene): Saturday they are hosting a fundraiser from 2 to 6pm: Pints for Pollinators. “You are invited to join us at Pints for Pollinators on Saturday, May 21 from 2-6pm. This party is hosted by Viking Braggot and sponsored by our good friends at Mountain Rose Herbs. Featuring “Protect our Pollinators” brew made with Mountain Rose Herbs’ Pollinator Tea…Enjoy a pint and help save our bees! Jam to music by Tim McLaughlin’s Revolving Trio. For every pint sold, $1 goes to our Save Oregon’s Bees campaign across Oregon! | GIVEAWAYS, A RAFFLE AND DOOR PRIZE OFFERED. | At 2PM, get tips for creating a bee-friendly garden.”

Seven Brides Brewing (Silverton) is throwing a kick off party for their new Raising Helles on Saturday starting at 3pm: “In celebration of the release of Raising Helles Munich Style Lager, Seven Brides Brewing is throwing a Kick Off Party! Join us at The Tap Room from 3pm to 10pm to help us celebrate, and you might win a great prize! We are having hourly prize drawings for wonderful gifts such as free growler fills, dinner for two and even cases of Raising Helles! Bring the family and join us for the fun!”