TGIF! I don’t know about you, but this Friday couldn’t come soon enough! Definitely calls for beer this weekend. Here’s the news in Oregon beer for the weekend of the 18th; as usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day with the latest news, so check back often. And if you have news to share, please let me know and I can get that updated as well.

The second annual Cherry Festivus kicks off today and runs through the weekend, taking place at Bazi Bierbrasserie in Portland. There is a $30 VIP session on Friday starting at 5pm, and general admission is on Saturday and Sunday for $20. “From the organizers of the Portland Fruit Beer Festival comes this more intimate unique tasting event that focuses on one of the world’s most popular fruits, with rare and one-off beers and ciders plus cherry food specials and cherry cocktails. The major addition this year, artisinal chocolate pairings and even a cherry beer flight with an optional chocolate pairing flight.” Cherry lovers should be checking this out.

Bend’s Crux Fermentation Project is coming to Portland today (Friday) for the release of their 2016 [BANISHED] Tough Love Imperial Stout at The BeerMongers starting at 5pm: “Join us for a celebratory toast with Co-Founder and Master Brewer, Larry Sidor, and our Crux team— for the release of one of our most highly anticipated beers. This marks the official debut of our 2016 [BANISHED] Tough Love Imperial Stout on draft and in bottles. To make the evening even more special, we will be raffling off two very rare Box Sets of a Tough Love three-year vertical (2014, 2015, 2016).”

Breakside Brewery (Portland) has a tap takover and beer release Friday at Portland’s Lightning Will Bar & Grill: “On Friday, November 18th from 9 PM to Midnight, Lightning Will and Breakside Brewing have teamed up to celebrate LW’s 2 Year Anniversary as well as the release of Breakside’s Imperial Honey IPA. Breakside will be taking over six taps at Lightning Will which will include the Passionfruit Sour Ale, Stout, IPA, Post Time Kolsch, Back to the Future IPA, and the brand spankin’ new Imperial Honey IPA. There will be some rocking live music featuring Ted Vaughn Blues Band, raffles, food pairings, and more.”

Montavilla Brew Works (Portland) has their own Bourbon Barrel Aged Strong Ale release this Friday from 5 to 10pm: “Join us Montavillains [Friday] for a very special winter ale release. We brewed an old Strong Ale and aged it in an Eastside Distilling bourbon barrel for a month. At 9% ABV, it’ll warm you right up!”

Bend’s Broken Top Bottle Shop will be hosting Three Creeks Brewing Friday evening for a tap takeover and Three Creek’s Gear & Beer party: “Join us and Hoodoo Ski & Recreation [Friday] night at Broken Top Bottle Shop for our “Gear & Beer” party to celebrate the upcoming 2016/2017 ski season! Enjoy some Three Creeks beer and free raffles for ski gear, TCBC gift cards and a SEASON PASS for Hoodoo! Thank you Bigfoot Beverages and Powder House for your support!”

Zoiglhaus Brewing (Portland) is celebrating their first anniversary this Saturday the 19th, taking place from 5 to 10pm: “Come help us celebrate one year! European Take-Out Band will be playing from 5:30pm-8:30pm! Free give-aways every hour from 6pm until 9pm! Special limited keg tapping! Brewery tours with Braumeister Alan Taylor! Fun for the whole family!”

AleSong Brewing & Blending (Eugene) is hosting their Autumn Release Celebration on Saturday the 19th from noon to 6pm at the brewery: “Our second quarterly release! Try all our new beers (the only time some will be available), enjoy some amazing food pairings and live music! Then go home with bottles to enjoy later! We will be pouring the four new beers plus a handful of other interesting surprises (8 total beers) and have teamed up with a guest chef to create some incredible food pairings for each of the new beers being released in bottles. Entrance is $15 and includes tokens for beer tastings and a commemorative glass. Food pairings are an additional $15 and available to the first 100 customers. Full pours and further tastings will be available for additional cost and mailing list members who purchase at least 6 bottles in the pre-sale will enter free (12 bottles with food pairings).”

Don’t forget also that McMenamins is celebrating the 31st birthday of their Terminator Stout! “Our big Stout is celebrating 31 years on this day with $4 pints, as well as a growler fill of Terminator for $8. We’ll have bottles available at all locations – while they last in this annual offering!” Be sure to get some!

Pelican Brewing (Pacific City): Saturday is Mother of All Storms day, and they are celebrating the release of this amazing barrel aged barleywine with a beer dinner at their pub from 6 to 10pm. “Join Pelican Brewing Company for a five course gourmet meal paired with Pelican brews. This is your opportunity to get first taste of our award winning Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine, Mother Of All Storms. You will also get the first opportunity to purchase a case of this amazing beer! Must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets are $75, gratuity not included. To purchase your tickets, call our Events Coordinator at 503.965.3674.”

Migration Brewing (Portland): This Friday the 18th they have the release of their Frankie Stout happening: “Our Frankie Imperial Belgian Chocolate Stout makes a comeback! These flavors really help ring in the holday season. Smooth French chocolate layered with notes of banana, dried red fruit, and toasted almonds.”

Rogue Ales (Newport) is having a HUGE release event today (Friday): Brewmaster John Maier’s 20,000th batch of beer! “John Maier’s newest milestone brew will be tapped at 5pm at all Rogue Public House locations, *except Rogue Farms.* For his 20,000th concoction, John used 20 types of hops and 20 types of grain. He rose early in the morning, biked to work (as he always does) and brewed 20,000 Brews by the Sea. Read more about John’s milestone brew here: http://bit.ly/20kbysea”

Peter Kopp, author of Hoptopia, has another book talk on the history of  Willamette Valley hops taking place at the Oregon Hops & Brewing Archives in Corvallis from 1 to 3pm. “Dr. Kopp will share his research journey and talk about how he used OSU’s Oregon Hops and Brewing Archives.”

Great Notion Brewing (Portland): Saturday the 19th they have their latest Crowler Release, Stacks of Coconut, going on all day. “New coconut imperial stout release this wk “Stacks of Coconut’ – crowlers avail starting Saturday.” A coconut imperial stout sounds pretty tasty!

Three Creeks Brewing (Sisters): Saturday they are hosting their Hoodoo Season Kick-Off Party at the brewpub from 7 to 9pm: “Join Hoodoo Ski & Recreation and Three Creeks Brewing Company for our annual Season Kick-off Party at Three Creeks! Win a Hoodoo season pass, a TCBC gift card, schwag and more while celebrating good times wiith your friends and neighbors. Must be 21.”