Here’s the Oregon beer news for the penultimate day of this week, Thursday the 22nd. 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.

I forgot to mention yesterday in my rundown of fresh hop beer brewing that the Lucky Lab (Portland) is holding their annual Hop Harvest event next Tuesday, the 27th: “Join us August 27th for our annual Hop Harvest Party on the patio at the Hawthorne Pub. The picking starts at 4 p.m. We will have the usual BBQ fired up for those that help us pick hops for our fresh hop beer, ‘The Mutt’.”  The idea is, the community is invited to bring their own hop vines to contribute to the beer, as well as help pick the hops from them—hence “The Mutt” refers to the unknown types of hops all going into this beer. In the past, volunteer hop pickers have gotten free food and beer, but it’s also just a great event to participate in. Be there if you can!

And the hop harvest (in general) is well underway! Check out this photo of US Tettnang hops drying from Goschie Farms; 3½ floors worth in their drying house. That’s a lot of hops!

Lompoc Brewing (Portland) has the latest release in their Rock & Roll series of IPAs, Pressed Rat and Warthog, hitting the Sidebar from 4 to 10pm today: “Light orange in color, it was brewed with Simcoe and Tettnang hops for a slight citrus flavor followed by a spicy finish. We’ll also be releasing Rockaway IRA – the bitterness of Newport hops dominates in this deep copper hued ale, which is dry and crisp with a hint of citrus aroma.” Beers and oh yeah, free appetizers too—you can’t go wrong!

More Fresh Hop Watch items:

• Coalition Brewing (Portland) had it “raining hops” yesterday: “Today we went out to Crosby Hop Farm to harvest 100 lbs of wet Centennial hops…four hours later these went into the kettle for “Simply Dank”, our fresh hop ISA. Stay tuned for that and The Green Pig!”
• Sky High Brewing (Corvallis) is brewing up a fresh hop beer today: “Laurence went and bagged 170lbs of fresh Centennial hops yesterday, and here they are in our hop back today. Look for our First Cut Fresh Hop Ale in two weeks!”
• GoodLife Brewing (Bend) is taking a page from the Lucky Lab, and is looking for community hop growers to help with their first-ever fresh hop beer. From their flyer: “Calling all hop heads and beer enthusiasts! We are brewing our first ever fresh hop beer and you can help! Do you have fields of ripe hop vines at your house or you know someone who does? Well, bring them in and we’ll use them in this unique co-op brew. We hope to use only Central Oregon hops and varieties do no matter. Just make sure they are fresh picked and the more the merrier!” They are looking to have them dropped off at GoodLife on September 1st and 2nd.

The Bier Stein (Eugene) is hosting a massive Corvallis-beer tap takeover today featuring all Corvallis and neighboring Albany beers, ciders and meads on deck: Block 15, Flat Tail Brewing, Mazama Brewing, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Nectar Creek Honeywine, and Calapooia Brewing—quite a lineup! The Bier Stein posted a sneak peek at some of the taps here, and it’s going to be a good night to be at the beer bar in Eugene.

The Green Dragon (Portland) is hosting Portland’s very-own Laurelwood Brewing for a meet the brewer event from 5 to 8pm: “Join our Head Brewer Shane at Green Dragon tonight for Meet the Brewer. They will be pouring Deranger Imperial Red, Tree Hugger Porter, Mother Lode Golden Ale, and Bohemian Pilsner.”