Today is the start of the Great American Beer Festival in Denver! Good luck to all the Oregon breweries entered and attending, we’ll be watching for those awards to come rolling in. Here’s the rest of the news in beer from around Oregon for this Thursday, September 5. As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so check back often. And if you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that updated as well.

Lompoc Brewing (Portland): Their Halloween imperial porter, Monster Mash, is out today and they are holding the release party at Sidebar starting at 4pm: “We’ll be releasing Monster Mash Imperial Porter in bottles & draft on Thursday, Oct. 5 at Sidebar from 4pm to close. Monster Mash features a full-bodied, full-flavored mash up of a half dozen dark specialty malts, including chocolate, rauch and kilned coffee grains. The malty sweetness is balanced nicely with the bitter notes of dark chocolate and coffee, alongside Centennial, Cascade and Willamette hops. At 8.1% ABV, it’s a monster indeed! Sidebar is ages 21+”

The Bier Stein (Eugene): Today is the kickoff for their annual New Belgium Cruiser Bike giveaway which raises money for charity: “It’s that time of year! We are excited to once again raffle off a sweet New Belgium cruiser bike to benefit a local nonprofit. The raffle period lasts six weeks; the big giveaway will be November 16th. This year’s donation recipient is Food for Lane County. For the opening event, we will feature 6 New Belgium beers on tap (Fat Tire White, Voodoo Ranger IPA, Pilsner, Atomic Pumpkin, Clutch, and La Folie!), and beer ranger Amity will be dealing the free samples. From now until the final event, you will get a free raffle ticket when you buy any New Belgium product, or you can purchase additional raffle tickets for $1. Money generated from these ticket sales will be donated to Food for Lane County. The Bier Stein will match sales of raffle tickets. The final event will be on 11/16 from 5-8pm, when Ryan will hold a big raffle with the bicycle as the grand prize. You must be present to win!” Tonight’s kickoff party is from 5 to 8pm.

Saraveza (Portland) is celebrating Oktoberfest with Paulaner tonight from 6 to 8pm: “We’re happy to host our very own Oktoberfest with Munich, Germany’s own Paulaner Brewery. We’ll have steins of their Oktoberfest, the first handful of drinkers get to take the stein home! We’ll has have Paulaner’s classic Dopplebock, Salvator, on tap. We’ll have German inspired food specials, dirndls, and maybe even a stein hoisting competition for those of you that like a challenge. Come celebrate the best time of year! Ziggy Zaggy, Ziggy Zaggy, Oy, Oy, Oy!! Prost!!”

Bend’s Platypus Pub is hosting Hop Valley Brewing for a fresh hop release and tasting tonight from 6 to 8pm: “Hop Valley brewing is coming over with the freshest of fresh hop beers to sample, Citra self Down is pale was brewed with 4 pounds per barrel of fresh citra hops picked at their peak ripeness and then tossed into our kettle whirlpool, and hop back to create a “hoplicious” brew. Also available a Mango pale ale called…. Mango and Stash! Who comes up with these names? Please come down to the basement and enjoy some free samples and great grub.”

Widmer Brothers Brewing (Portland): Their Thursday Tap Day at their pub is featuring Fresh Hop Crystal Gayle Goschie today: “Fresh Hop Crystal Gayle Goschie (5.1% ABV, 26 IBU), a fresh hop take on an American Krystal Weizen named after one of our beloved hop farmers. The Innovation Brewing team cruised out to Goschie Farms in Silverton a few weeks ago to tour the farm with Gayle and harvest the Crystal hops that ended up in this brew. Brewed with 250 pounds of Crystal hops, this filtered wheat beer has a full “wet” hop flavor reminiscent of fresh cut grass, with notes of citrus and watermelon. We first brewed this beer during fresh hop season last year, and it was such a big hit, we couldn’t wait to brew it again. Stop by the Widmer Brothers Pub to try Fresh Hop Crystal Gayle Goschie before it’s gone for another year!”