Happy Hump Day! If you’re participating in Eugene Beer Week I hope you’re pacing yourselves because there is a lot more to go. Here’s the news in beer from around Oregon; as usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day with the latest news, so check back often for updates. And if you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that updated as well.

Cascade Lakes Brewing (Redmond) announcing big news yesterday: they are now being distributed in Alaska! From the press release: “starting in late May, Blonde Bombshell, 20” Brown Ale, Cyclops IPA and HopSmack IPA became available in the Alaskan craft beer market. Partnering with K&L Distributors, these four brands are now available in Fairbanks, Juneau and Anchorage in six-pack bottles and 50-liter draft kegs.” Congrats to Cascade Lakes, this is a big move for them!

Old Town Brewing (Portland) is now selling bottles of their beer, and to celebrate this milestone they are holding several bottle release parties starting today at Belmont Station from 5 to 7pm: “The crew from Old Town will be in house to help launch their first bottle release. Come try a taste of their first two bottled beers: their flagship Shanghai’d IPA and Sun Dazed Kolsch, a silver medalist at last year’s World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival. Additionally, we will have the Sun Dazed on tap in the biercafe!” Initially, the beers “will be available at retail locations across Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington, with hopes of expanding throughout the Pacific Northwest.”

And here is the latest Eugene Beer Week happenings for today:

• The Eugene Beers Made By Walking is taking place today from 6 to 8pm, featuring a walk in the Berggren Watershed Conservation Area with Claim 52 Brewing, Elk Horn Brewing, Falling Sky Brewing, and Viking Braggot. Beers brewed from this (and other) walks will be tapped November 5 at The Bier Stein. [Update – wrong day!]
• And speaking of The Bier Stein, today they are featuring a “Session Session” all day long: “We enjoy sitting down and having a few now and again. It’s great to do this in the company of friends and beer that won’t put you to sleep. Here we present Session Session, a celebration of socializing with beer under 5% alcohol by volume. We’ll feature 8 local beers in a range of styles from clean to tart, pale to dark, and easy to easy; feel free to try them all!” Great idea!
• Plank Town Brewing is hosting a day of “Plank Town Rarities” at their Springfield brewery: “All day (11am-11pm), or until we run out of the four tappings that we will have of our most famous brews: Unobtainium I (double IPA), Misery Whip (Strong Ale), Blazing Caber (Scottish Wee Heavy), and Contemplator (Doppelbock). A 4oz taster will be given of each specialty brew for $8”
• Ninkasi Brewing is doing a tasting with Market of Choice on Green Acres today from 4 to 6pm, as well as another Sensory Class today starting at 5pm, focusing on IPAs: “Learn about the IPA style, focusing on the qualities that define it as well as the style’s history and evolution. We will taste and discuss a selection of different Ninkasi IPAs. RSVP Required, 10 seats available, call: 541-344-2739 for reservation.”
• Several breweries teamed up to put on a Collaboration Beer Dinner tonight, taking place at The Abbey at Sprout starting at 5:45pm: “Claim 52, Agrarian Ales, & Party Downtown join forces to bring a collaboration beer dinner to the Sprout! Markethall. 4 courses with 5 beers for $45. Seating is limited to 40. Pick up your tickets in advance at any of the three participating businesses. No day of at the door ticket sales.” Make sure to pick up those tickets in advance!
• Hop Valley Brewing also has a beer pairing dinner today from 6 to 8pm at their tasting room: “Join the Hop Valley team for a 4-course Beer Pairing Dinner. Seats are reserved and space is limited – email Jackie@hopvalleybrewing.com to get your spot.”
• The Tap and Growler still has their bling hoppy tasting going on, and tonight they are also hosting a beer-vs-wine beer food pairing event: “Lompoc Brewing vs Maryhill Winery Beer vs Wine Food Pairing Ticketed Event. The Tap & Growler has 20 seats available for a beer vs wine food pairing with Maryhill Wine Barrel Aged Beers from Lompoc Brewing vs the Maryhill winery wine that came for those same barrels!” From 6 to 8pm.
• Falling Sky Brewing is hosting a billiards tournament along with a beer release tonight starting at 7pm: “Tournament is limited to 16 people. Single Elimination Bracket. We will also be releasing a beer designed to pair well with English bar games! Winner gets a $25 gift certificate! Email info@fallingskybrewing.com to register.”
• First National Taphouse is hosting Viking Braggot, Plank Town Brewing, and Atlas Cider for Spaghetti Western Wednesday tonight kicking off at 7pm: “Viking Meet-Up : Viking Braggot Company is here to share their beer, including the limited release Gypsy Tears. Delicious braggot-style beers are being paired with First National Taphouse’s Spaghetti Western Wednesdays, which includes all you can eat spaghetti, with two sauce options (Browned Butter Mizithra and House Marinara). Also on tap Plank Town Hobbit’s Habit Nitro and Atlas Grapefruit Cider!”

The Green Dragon (Portland): They have a Green Dragon Brew Crew release today at 5pm, featuring Tropical Rain IPA: “The Brew Crew added a taste of India to their latest rendition of an IPA. Tropical Rain is sweetened with jaggery, a sugar made from the sap of palm trees native to India and Southeast Asia. The Brew Crew dry hopped Tropical Rain to keep the hop bitterness in check and to allow the tropical flavors of the jaggery and Meridian hops to shine. Tropical rain is also mashed with pale malt and carapils for head retention.”

Hopworks Urban Brewery (Portland) has the latest in a series of release parties for their new Hard Cider taking place today at Roscoe’s, from 5 to 9pm: “We are celebrating the release of HUB Hard Cider with three release parties in Portland! Each party will have cider on tap, games, and giveaways.”

Alameda Brewing (Portland): Growth news! “Brewery Update: We’ve been very busy keeping up with your Yellow Wolf Imperial IPA demands – love it! We’re canning a lot of this one, also doing draft kegs and bottles. This month, we’ll be adding two new fermenters – they’ll help with the Yellow Wolf production even more so we’re super excited!”