Happy Friday! Here’s the Oregon beer news for September 7, and the rest of the weekend (and I hope it’s a good one). As usual I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so check back often for the latest news. And if you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that updated, as well.

Deschutes Brewery (Bend): Today is The Dissident day! Deschutes take on the Oud Bruin is being released today at both the Bend and Portland Pubs, where you can buy bottles of this year’s Dissident to take with you (limit 3 per person, per day) as well as drink it on draft all day long. There will also be special menus on hand created with Dissident pairings in mind (or prepared with The Dissident), those will probably kick off at 5pm. Today’s the day! Go get your bottles.

Widmer Brothers (Portland): Their annual Oktoberfest celebration starts today and continues tomorrow. Their Oktoberfest party is the biggest in Portland, and features craft beer, German-style food, and live music including accordion players in true Oktoberfest form! Of course it’s 21 and over only, and is free to attend but you’ll need to buy a stein to drink beer (naturally). It’s token based, $1 per token, and beer and food will variously run you $1 to $7. Incidentally, this year’s actual Oktoberfest runs from September 22 through October 7.

MacTarnahan’s Brewing (Portland) is holding a Scottish Festival tomorrow (Saturday the 8th) to celebrate the release of their Noble Scot Scottish Ale, from noon to 4pm: “Music by NEW SHILLING & SONS OF MALARKEY, Beer Garden, Scottish Food, Mini-Highland Game Competitions, Gaelic Henna Tattoos, Scottish Dance and Bagpipe Performances, Kid’s Activities, Kilt Costume Contest, Local Vendors, Photo Booth & More!” It’s free to attend and all-ages.

Cascade Brewing (Portland): Yesterday they released “The Diesel #2” at the Barrel House which sounds delicious: “the chocolate version of our Diesel Stout. This barrel aged stout was brewed with chocolate and roasted malts, black strap molasses and dark Belgian candi sugar, and then aged for 9 months in Heaven Hill rye whiskey barrels on Bourbon vanilla beans and dark fruit.” One of these days I would love to see some of these beers showing up at some of our beer bars (hint, hint)…

10 Barrel (Bend) is getting close to serving/selling beer at their still-relatively-new production brewery in northeast Bend: “We are getting close to re-opening growler sales at the new brewery. It’s a good way to get a sneak peek of what’s going on tap at the pub next….We will make an announcement early next week!”  I’d love to see this happen, not the least of which I could plan more visits!

Time for some more fresh hop beer news roundup:

• Fort George Brewery (Astoria) has a batch of Fresh Hop OPA (Oatmeal Pale Ale) brewing today, full of Amarillo hops.
• Pfriem Family Brewers (Hood River) are fairly new but even so they’re brewing a fresh hop beer! “pFriem Fresh Hop! Belgian Blonde with TONS of FRESH Amarillo Hops!”
• Deschutes Brewery has fresh hop beers on tap at both Pubs: Fresh Hop Stock Ale in Bend, and Fresh Hop Black Ale and Fresh Hopped Bachelor Bitter in Portland. I expect there will be a lot more over the next few weeks, since the Brewery is brewing something like 12 or 14.

Solera Brewery (Parkdale) has a cool event on Saturday: the Solera Peach Party! “This Saturday we celebrate one of our favorite fruits, the peach. We’ll be tapping our newest brew, a light, tart, low alcohol wheat beer made with local peaches. Serving peach inspired foods and live music (7-10) from Parkdale legend Ryan Mac. Come out and enjoy the last days of summer.” It’s going to run all day from noon until 10pm, so get out there if you can and enjoy one of the most picturesque brewpub locations anywhere!