Welcome to Wednesday and the penultimate day of November! December is just around the corner so I hope holiday shopping (and beer) is on your mind. Here’s the news for this November 29; 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 also.

Bailey’s Taproom‘s Dark Days 2 event at The Upper Lip continues today, celebrating imperial stouts with special tappings each day. Today’s theme is “Dragon vs. Rhino” and they will have the following beers on tap: New Holland Dragon’s Milk, New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve: Mexican Spice Cake, New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve: Mocha Mint, Alesong Rhino Suit 2016, Alesong Mocha Rhino Suit, and Alesong Vanilla Rhino Suit. These would be a great complement to the Holiday Ale Festival as well…

…which starts today! Pioneer Courthouse Square has been transformed into the Holiday Ale Fest venue, tented and heated, and everything opens up at 11am today! 55 holiday themed beers, many of which were brewed specially for this event, over five days (through Sunday). $35 is the entry fee but as long as you are wearing your wristband you get back in for free all five days. (You can still purchase advance tickets here.) Hit the site for the full program and details.

Rogue Ales Eastside Pub in Portland has their Green Dragon Brew Crew release today at 5pm, featuring Citrus Pale Ale: “A citrusy ale to brighten these dark winter months, when you want a easy-drinking beer instead of a barrel-aged beast. Deceptively light with Lemon Drop hops for citrus forward flavors and aromas, and an extra kick of Saaz hops for complexity. Grab a few pints to prepare for the long haul.”

Fort George Brewery (Astoria): Tickets for their February 2018 Festival of Dark Arts are on sale now! They went on sale at midnight and the $35 early entry tickets are sold out, leaving the $55 general tickets. Here’s the description to look forward to what you’ll be experiencing: “Let your senses feast on the Dark Arts Gallery, tattoo artistry, belly dancing, and tarot card reading. Stay warm by the blacksmith forge, glass blowers, and fire dancers. Live music will play in two locations, and wherever you go, the stouts will follow – over 60 rare and unique stouts will tempt all of your senses tapped throughout the day.”

Widmer Brothers Brewing is releasing their (previously pub-only) Russell Street IPA in six-packs, and will be hosting a pub crawl this Friday to celebrate. From the New School: “Russell Street IPA has been the top-selling beer at the Widmer Brothers Pub for years, with fans commenting on its pleasant hoppiness and malt balance. The launch is the first in Widmer Brothers’ all-new “Portland Pub Series,” which features beers that have originated in the brewery’s 10-barrel pilot brewery, where the innovation brewing team experiments and collaborates to create new beers, perfect recipes, and keep old favorites fresh. Each beer in the ongoing series started as a one-off small batch beer and became popular at the pub.”