Here is the news in Oregon beer for the halfway point of the month, October 15—we are rapidly approaching Halloween! As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so check back often. If you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that posted as well.

Today is the official release of McMenamins‘ seasonal Halloween beer, Black Widow Porter, going on tap through the end of the month (and beyond as needed). “Originally created at the Thompson Brewery 24 years ago on October 15, 1991 and made by all Thompson Brewers to come after, Black Widow has become an expected and welcome Halloween treat at the Thompson Public House in Salem. This year the Widow’s web will envelope the entire company once again, as every McMenamins brewery will be making a batch.” Make sure not to miss out as this is a tasty brew.

Terminal Gravity Brewing (Enterprise): They are doing a tap takeover in Portland at the new bar Paydirt today. From the press release: “10 beers will be on tap, including some rare Pub Only finds driven over from Eastern Oregon in the back of a ’87 Volkswagen 240 Wagon (Emissions approved…we think). Whiskey pairings, swag giveaways, cornhole, and 70 ° weather will accompany the crews from TG and PAYDIRT, so don’t miss this event! Starts at 4PM. 2724 NE Pacific (Zipper Building).”

Belmont Station (Portland) is hosting a bottle release party for Swift Cider tonight from 5 to 7pm: “Swift Cider is made right here in Portland from locally-grown, fresh-pressed apples. A blend of wild and cultured yeasts ferment the juice and the cider clarifies naturally by aging at cool temperatures. Their delicious ciders have been available on draft for a while now, and we are excited to help them launch their beautiful new bottles! They will be pouring samples of two of their ciders, newly in bottles: Wholesome Apple and Dank Hop. Plus, we will have their third cider, Marionberry, soon to be in bottles, on draft in the tap room. Swing by, taste their ciders and take some home.”

McMenamins White Eagle (Portland) is hosting the special beer release and meet your maker for the Black Widow Porter variant, Widowmaker, today starting at 5pm: “Every Autumn, when the chill winds blow and dark shadows fill the formerly sunswept forests of Summer, the Black Widow spins her ebon web to ensnare the senses and tantalize the palates of countless souls. However, this year, the brewers at Edgefield have managed to capture the fiendish arachnid. We’ve incarcerated a portion of this year’s Black Widow Licorice Imperial Porter in one of Edgefield Distillery’s Hogshead Whiskey Barrels for months and the result is a witches’ brew of flavor- from vanilla and oak to dark chocolate and toffee.”