Monday is back to kick off a new week and start the second half of the month. The Beer Weeks from last week are over but there is still Oregon beer news rolling along. 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.

This week marks a couple of anniversaries here in Central Oregon, both on Saturday the 22nd: Deschutes Brewery is celebrating their 25th anniversary with a special Black Butte to Mirror Pond bike ride (about 40 miles!) followed up by their 25th Anniversary Party in the Park taking place from 1 to 9pm in downtown Bend’s Drake Park. “Join us for a day filled with family friendly activities, live music, local food vendors, and Deschutes beer, of course! Help us celebrate 25 years of making some tasty craft beer on the banks of Mirror Pond. The party will feature live musical acts including local bands Precious Byrd & ElektraPod plus Andy Frasco & The U.N. and Talking Heads tribute band, Naïve Melodies. Headlining the celebration is legendary Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. Look for some extra fun from local companies like Bend Circus Center and Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe will be offering free demos.”

The same day, GoodLife Brewing is holding their 2-year Anniversary Party on Saturday as well, from 5 to 10pm in their newly-reopened-for-summer Biergarten: “The Biergarten will be open with DJ Pandora playing on the ones and twos, while people enjoy our new Bocce Ball, Corn Hole, and Ladder Ball courts. We’ll also be digging deep into the cooler and bringing out some specialty beers that you wont want to miss!” There’s definitely plenty of time in the day to hit both celebrations!

The Green Dragon (Portland) will be hosting Sisters’ Three Creeks Brewing for a meet the brewer and tasting this Thursday, the 20th. Three Creeks has just released two new seasonals and have a great lineup of beers, so this would be a good chance to taste their wares if you’re in Portland this week.

Deschutes Brewery‘s annual “Black Butte X” series (their anniversary beer, modeled after an imperialized Black Butte Porter) is hitting 25 this year along with their anniversary; and this year’s recipe for Black Butte XXV is apparently a “Tart Imperial Porter.” I’m not entirely sure what that means, though it could be something similar to the “Currant Event” Sour Baltic Porter than showed up at the Brewpub and the Portland Fruit Beer Fest lately. That was a good beer, so I’m hoping for something similar.

Fort George Brewery (Astoria) teamed up with Portland’s Gigantic Brewing and Lompoc Brewing to brew a collaboration India pale ale, 3-Way IPA, that will be released in cans this summer. I don’t have any real details yet but when I see know I’ll post about it.