Happy Friday! I don’t know who started it (though it might have been The Bruery), but the first Friday of October is Barrel Aged Beer Day, a celebration of just what it says—beers aged in barrels. Considering that fall seems to have settled with chillier wet weather, barrel-aged beer could be sounding pretty good right now.

Here’s the news for Oregon beer for this first weekend of October. As usual I will periodically update this post throughout the day (Friday) so check back in occasionally for the latest news and events.

Friday, 10/5

WildCraft Cider Works (Eugene) is hosting its fourth annual Harvest Party this weekend, kicking off on Friday and running through Saturday: “Announcing Wildcraft Cider Works’ 4th Annual Harvest Party, featuring: live music, live art, cider making olympics, apple pressing, apple carnival games, photo booth, face painting, non-profit education, exclusive street food, special fall cider releases and much, much more! Harvest Party is a gathering of entrepreneurs, businesses and artists from Eugene and all around the globe. All share a common vision of exhibiting creative methods to utilize untapped resources and come together as a community in support of a more sustainable future. It is also a commemorative celebration in honor of the Community Apple Drive participants and their efforts to bring awareness to and help reduce the abundance of wasted resources in our locality.”

7 Devils Brewing (Coos Bay) is releasing its fresh hop Co-Hop IPA Friday evening: “The Coos Head CoHop was brewed using 100% back-yard hops from Coos County. 20% of the sales for this beer will go towards a solar power installation planned for the roof of Coos Head CO-op. Join 7 Devils Brewing Co. and Coos Head CoOp for its release party and first Friday night market at the CoOp during the Coos Bay Wine Walk. Bring your shopping bags and grocery list! There will be food vendors and beer!”

McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop (Portland) is hosting a beer tasting preview of A Night of Misrule, Friday from 6 to 8pm: “Kick off your October with a sneak preview of an upcoming event at the Edgefield Brewery: ‘A Night of Misrule’ will be an evening of barrel-aged beer and blending, where we’ll give you the opportunity to influence the final Lord of Misrule blend, available in bottles this winter. This evening, we’ll pour samples of Whiskey Barrel-Aged Imperial Pumpkin Stout, 3-year Barleywine, and Billy Whiskey Barrel-Aged Dubbel. The brewers will be on hand to talk about the beers, and the upcoming Edgefield barrel event, and we will feature a $6 taster tray of all three, plus 13-oz. glasses of these rare creations for just $5.25 each.”

Belmont Station (Portland) is getting fresh with Crux Fermentation Project and Bale Breaker Brewing, as they will be releasing the breweries’ collaboration Way Two Fresh on Friday from 5 to 8pm: “Two breweries making the same Fresh Hop beer at the same time! Come try Way Two Fresh Double IPA — both versions — on tap in the Biercafe. Then stick around for some other great offerings from both Bale Breaker and Crux Fermentation Project:
Bale Breaker: Citra Slicker IPA (Collaboration w/ Cloudburst) and Piled High Fresh Hop IPA
Crux: Dr. Jack Fresh Hop IPA and Off the Fence Fresh Hop Pale Ale”

Ex Novo Brewing (Portland) is releasing a new double IPA on Friday: “Mark your celestial calendars for this Friday the 5th at 3pm! We’re releasing a new DIPA, double dry hopped with 6#/bbl with Nelson, Galaxy and Mosaic. Dangerously drinkable with notes of citrus, pineapple and berries. $16/4pk, see you Friday!”

Worthy Brewing (Bend): Friday the 5th is Worthy’s annual Hoptoberfest celebration, as well as Hoptoberfest Brew-Off (fresh hop homebrew competition). “Worthy’s PNW take on Oktoberfest and Fresh Hop season. Join us for amazing Oktoberfest and Fresh Hop beer specials, swag deals, live music by Cuppa Joe 5:30-7:30, delicious food specials from chef Kyle, and The Worthy Garden Club’s home brewer competition.” It takes place starting at 5pm.

Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider (Portland) is hosting the 2018 release of Abbey Spice, the winter seasonal cider: “With the changing of the season comes the release of Abbey Spice. This rich, dark cider is fermented with raisins and Muscovado sugar, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of oak. Along with 2018 Abbey Spice on tap, enjoy Hot Mulled Abbey Spice and Abbey Punch with orange, molasses, and Rev Nat’s Allspice Dram! Plus glass pours from vintage Abbey bottles from 2015 & 2016 and Providence New England!” The release takes place from 4 to 9pm Friday.

Deschutes Brewery (Bend): The Bend Tasting Room has its Firkin Friday taking place starting at noon when it opens: “TGIFirkin Friday! Stop by the Tasting Room to learn about cask beer, sample our featured concoction, and maybe–just maybe–be the one to tap it! Tried it? Love it? For one special day each week, you can drink a pint of cask beer in the Tasting Room–or take it home in a growler or crowler!” Watch the discussion tab for updates on what will be on tap.

Portland’s Cascade Brewing is releasing a big beer on Friday: “This Friday, Oct. 5, is the draft-only release of Manhattan 2016, a blend of sour quad and blond ales aged in bourbon and wine barrels for up to 24 months with sour pie cherries and apricot noyaux. A tribute to the classic Manhattan cocktail, this unique sour beer interpretation features flavors of bourbon, maraschino cherry and bitter almond with a rich malt backbone (10.3% ABV). Available at Cascade Brewing Barrel House and Lodge at Cascade Brewing.”

pFriem Family Brewers (Hood River) is hosting a meet the brewer from 5 to 7pm Friday evening: “Join us this Friday, October 5th to meet our Brewer, Shawn Grover! Enjoy complimentary beer tastings while Shawn talks through four pFriem beers and answers your questions.”

Oktoberfest at Beergarden continues in Eugene, with tapping of Munich’s Hacker Pschorr brewery, featuring the brewery’s Oktoberfest, Hefeweisse, and more.

Bend’s The Brown Owl is hosting Fremont Brewing from 7 to 9pm for a fresh hop tap attack with vertical tastings of all four of Fremont’s fresh hop offerings.

The Bier Stein (Eugene) is tapping a cask of German beer this Friday afternoon: “Oktoberfest isn’t over yet! We’ve got another specialty German cask we can’t wait to share. Join us for the tapping of this Weissenohe Monchskeller Oktoberfest cask today at 4!”

Claim 52 Brewing (Eugene) is donating a portion of Friday’s proceeds to Womenspace, helping to take a stand against domestic violence. A good cause to help out with by stopping by after 4pm for a beer or three.

Ordnance Brewing (Boardman): At the brewery’s Wilsonville taproom, Ordnance is hosting its own fresh hop festival from 5 to 10pm: “Come help Ordnance Brewing kick off the fresh hop season!! Our fresh hops came from BC Hop Farms and they will be here to celebrate with Ordnance Brewing! We will have 2 Ordnance brews, Citra Fresh RX and Centennial Fresh EOD, and a few guest fresh hop brews!”

Sparky’s Brewing (Salem) has its own fresh hop party taking place at 6pm Friday: “Sparkys is about to have a Fresh Hop Partay! hosted by Les from Point Blank! Dustin and Taylor, Sparkys brother & sister brew team are excited to release “Strikes Again!” Our 2018 Amarillo Fresh Hop IPA Tomorrow, Friday Oct. 5!!! We have a huge line up of fresh hop beers including Barley Browns Pallet Jack, Gigantic Sodbusted pale ale, Good Life Descender, Wild Ride 3 Sisters Red, Sunriver Brewing D’Bomb IPA, Wild Ride Kolsch and to many more to name!”

Saturday, 10/6

The third annual Kriekfest takes place in Hood River on Saturday (rescheduled from the summer), featuring a festive day of cherry beers and ciders. It takes place at Waterfront Park all day starting at 11am, and tickets are still available: $40 for the glass and 25 drink tickets, or $25 which gets you 5 tickets. There’s a pretty great lineup of cherry goodness on tap!

The other fruit beer festival taking place Saturday is Peche Fest, hosted by Saraveza in Portland from 3 to 10pm. Now in its seventh year, Peche Fest revels in the peach and features over 20 different peach beers and ciders. “General Admission hours are 3 – 10pm in Saraveza and the Bad Habit Room with a new reduced admission fee! $10 entry includes a collectible branded glass and 2 drink tickets. Additional drink tickets are $2 each or 3 or $5. Advanced tickets are available that guarantee you the limited branded glass and come with an additional drink ticket for a total of 3 sample tickets for only $10. Available here.”

There are more Oktoberfest celebrations taking place on Saturday! Here’s the rundown:

• Zoiglhaus Oktoberfest, Portland, 2 to 10pm at Zoiglhaus Brewing
• Oktoberfest at Uptown Brewing, Portland, 6 to 9pm
• Ninkasi Oktoberfest, Eugene, noon to 10pm
• McMenamins Grand Lodge Oktoberfest, Forest Grove, all day
• Oktoberfest with Fressen and Rosenstadt Brewing, Portland, noon to 10pm
• ORtoberfest 2018 at Allegory Brewing, McMinnville, noon to 9pm
• HoptoberFest Block Party with BridgePort Brewing, Portland, noon to 6pm
• Octoberfish Beer Garden with 7 Devils Brewing, Coos Bay, noon to 6pm
• Paulaner Brewery tapping at Beergarden, Eugene
• Oktoberfest at Belmont Station continues, Portland

Thunder Island Brewing (Cascade Locks) is celebrating its fifth anniversary on Saturday: “CHEERS TO 5 YEARS! We are turning 5. We opened our doors 5 years ago, and now it’s time to party. Join us on Saturday Oct 6th and Sunday Oct 7th for a weekend of celebrations! Beers from the Vault, Mug Club Launch, Music All Weekend & More.” The party will continue on Sunday as well.

Bend Brewing Company is hosting its second annual Fresh Hops on the Pond on Saturday, featuring a big selection of fresh hop beers pouring on the patio (and parking lot) from noon to 7pm. There will be 33 fresh hop beers on tap! And there will be live music as well.

Worthy Brewing is celebrating the Wild & Scenic Rivers 50th anniversary with an anniversary bash from 5 to 7pm: “Join us to celebrate Wild & Scenic Rivers 50th Anniversary Bash at Worthy Brewing! October 6, 5-7pm here at Worthy there will be live music, giveaways and a new beer release! Don’t miss out!”

Deschutes Brewery will be hosting its own fresh hop celebration on Saturday, at both the Portland Pub and the Bend Pub. Each location will have six of their respective fresh hop beers on tap for a tasting tray (or full pours). The beers (and trays) will be available all day.

Saturday is Widow’s Day at the McMenamins Thompson Brewery in Salem! “Our Brewer Jen Kent has crafted our seasonal Black Widow Porter and other dark, unique brews fitting for the season. Stop by for a taster tray filled with haunting qualities, and grab a tour of the brewery while you’re at it.” In addition to Black Widow Porter there are some fresh hop beers and pumpkin beers available too, all day long.

Geist Beerworks in Redmond is holding its grand opening on Saturday all day long. Good chance to check out the new brewery.

McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop is hosting a sampling with brewer Drew Phillips on Saturday from 2 to 4pm: “Drew is stopping by to pour samples of French Oak barrel-aged beers: Restless Farewell French Oak-aged Belgian Blonde is bone dry, effervescent and tart. This Belgian blonde is complex, yet refreshing. Evil Druid French Oak-aged Tripel is tart and strong. It was aged in French Oak barrels with Brettanomyces yeast.”

Great Notion Brewing (Portland) has the can release of its Full Grown DIPA on Saturday: “It’s true, we made two beers inspired by Outkast. Puppy Love was a cute lil’ Session IPA and Full Grown is, of course a BIG 10% DIPA. We dry hopped this beer with a heavy hand using a blend of Simcoe, Vic Secret, and Citra. ‘You say it’s puppy love… we say it’s FULL GROWN!'”

Sunday, 10/7

Coalition Brewing (Portland) is hosting the Dog Daze Afternoon & Beer Release 2018 on Sunday: “They chase away burglars, mail men and even the occasional squirrel that encroaches upon their yard and now it’s our turn to chase away their cancer! Join us on October 7, 2018 from 12 PM – 7 PM as we collaborate with BMW Portland, Sons of grip, and Original Bully to raise money for Chase Away K9 Cancer. Along with the release of our Limited Dog Daze Hazy IPA there will be raffle prizes, a silent auction, costume contest, food from Taco King’s delicious food truck, local vendors, and much more! This event is both dog friendly and kid friendly. So grab the kids, load up the pups and we will see you on October 7 at noon!”

The Bier Stein is hosting the after party to the Fun With Fermentation event taking place at Lane Community College on Sunday: “We are so excited to host the Fun with Fermentation After Party from 4:00-8:00pm on October 7th to continue the fermentation discussion! There will be 4 “event” taps available during that time, and we will be donating $1 for every glass sold from these taps to The Willamette Valley Sustainable Foods Alliance.”

Oktoberfest officially ends on Sunday the 7th, and it’s the last day to celebrate with Belmont Station and Beergarden. At Beergarden on Sunday, the bar will host a tapping with Ancestry Brewing for the brewery’s Oktoberfest Lager, Fall Seasonal, and IPA.

Beerworks (Medford) will be pouring Fort George beer on Sunday: “This Special Tap Sunday, October 7th, we’ll be featuring their new “Crysknife” Hazy IPA brewed in collaboration with Our Mutual Friend Brewery! Fort George IPA kegs are always a favorite and run dry very quickly – stop in and experience this brew before it’s too late!”

General News

Von Ebert Brewing (Portland) has new beer on tap now: “New beer is here! Meet ‘The Wheat.’ This is a hop-forward American Wheat with Citra and Mosaic, red wheat and flaked barley! 4.7% ABV • 30 IBU”

Vagabond Brewing (Salem) has its fresh hops beers newly available: “We’re releasing our FRESH HOP beers today!
1. 🍺Wet Owl (Attack Owl with Mosaic hops)
2. 🍺Into the Wild (with Citra hops)
Fresh hop beers are some of the most fragrant beers of the year. They’re a special twist on your favorite IPAs, let us know what you think!”