Today is the first day of winter, the shortest day and longest night of the year—happy solstice! It’s a great day (night) to celebrate with a special beer; perhaps one of the various events going on today can help with that. Here’s the news for this Thursday, December 21; 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 also.

Bend’s Monkless Belgian Ales will be at The Brown Owl tonight to celebrate A Festivus for the Rest of Us starting at 6pm: “We are teaming up with Monkless Belgian Ales to throw a traditional Festivus extravaganza with all the trimmings: Meatloaf, Festivus pole, airing of grievances, feats of strength, and Monkless’ new seasonal “Friars Festivus” Belgian Quad!” Festivus technically falls on Saturday the 23rd, but I like the idea of celebrating on the solstice too.

Burnside Brewing (Portland) is releasing a special new beer today, Fable, a Flanders Red style beer, and is hosting the release party from 5 to 8pm. About the beer, the brewery says: “Fable: A select blend of 24 and months old Flanders Red aged in French Oak. Notes of cherry and currant meld with the barrel’s subtle oak and vanilla, and tie together with the style’s signature acidity. We bring you our favorite ale to share with friends over a good tale. The fable of the bug and the barrel began when a blend of specialty malts and bull run water were introduced into oak for a long nap. the precocious blend of fungi and bacteria set to work coaxing the flavors, intent to prove itself as much more than the sum of its parts.” For the release tonight, they will have “Free samples of Fable, snifters ($12) and bottles ($22 750ml) for sale,” a three-year vertical of their winter ale, Permafrost, live music, and more.

McMenamins Kennedy School (Portland) has their Extra Credit beer tasting today from 5 to 7pm, featuring 2017 Whiskey Widow (their Black Widow Porter aged in whiskey barrels): “East met west as Concordia’s 2017 Black Widow Imperial Porter aged for three months in Billy Rye barrels from our brothers at the Cornelius Pass Roadhouse Distillery. The barrels were untoasted and uncharred, imparting a clean, oaken impression of rye whiskey upon the depths of character inherent in the base beer.”

And over at McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop, they’ll be celebrating the longest night of the year with, well, the company’s 2017 Longest Night of the Year barleywine, starting at 5pm: “Come celebrate the winter solstice with us! We’ll be featuring a vertical Edgefield Barleywine taster tray and progressive discounts throughout the evening:
Progressive Discounts Throughout the Evening:
5 p.m. ‘til Midnight: 20% off Bottle Shop logo merchandise
7 p.m. ‘til Midnight: 20% off all apparel
9 p.m. ‘til Midnight: 20% off all McMenamins logo Items
11 p.m. ‘til Midnight: 20% off all guest bottle beer & cider to-go”

The Bier Stein (Eugene) is hosting a somewhat unique Ninkasi themed event tonight from 6 to 9pm: a Sleigh’r Wrap Battle (named after Ninkai’s winter beer, naturally). “So you think you can wrap presents, huh? Prove it. The Sleigh’r Wrap Battle is your chance to put your funky-shaped present wrapping skills to the test. Contestants will be judged on a combination of speed and talent, and prizes will be given to the best wrappers. Prefer to be a spectator? Need some creative inspiration? No problem. We will be featuring a few rare Ninkasi gems, including 2017 Cask Strength Ground Control and a cask conditioned Dawn of the Rain! No tickets necessary, only a festive spirit and the ability to get some funky wrapping done.”

According to Jay Brooks, today is the anniversary of the day Lompoc Brewing opened its doors back in 1996! Which means… today is Lompoc’s 21st birthday! I haven’t seen if there is any special event to commemorate the day, but Thursdays are “Growler Thursdays” at the various Lompoc outposts: “Fill your growler with select Lompoc beers for only $7 for a 32 oz or $11 for a 64 oz. Ask your server what’s available!” So make sure to stop in today, have a beer and fill a growler, and wish them happy birthday!

Imperial Bottle Shop (Portland): Their Alberta location is hosting Ex Novo Brewing for the release party of Kill the Sun: “Come celebrate the 2017 release of Ex Novo Brewing’s “Kill the Sun” Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout on the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year! The crew from Ex Novo will be here and we’ll be the first to pour 2017 Kill the Sun along with a great lineup of Ex Novo beers on draft, including: Kill the Sun, Nevermore black barleywine with smoked figs and cocoa nibs, Sour in the Stone sour saison with peaches and plums, and A soon-to-be-named hazy IPA. Get all 4 in a sampler tray for only $10!”

Portland’s Saraveza is hosting a vertical flight of Deschutes Brewery’s The Abyss for this solstice: “sarWe’ve made it to the Darkest Day of the Year! The sun will barely shine down upon us and then fade back under the horizon. But alas, it’s the Solstice and from here on out the days will get brighter and the beers will taste better! Come celebrate with us; the fall into and eventual return from The Abyss. We’ve dug deep in our cellar and pulled out something to help lighten even the darkest of moods. We’re happy to be sharing a vertical of 2014, 2015, 2016, AND 2017 Deschutes Brewery’s The Abyss as part of our Decem-barrel month. Flights will be $19 for four 5oz pours.”

Wild Ride Brewing (Redmond): Day 9 of their 12 Days of Christmas deals features hoodies: “The perfect gift for winter … Pullover Hoodies! Ours are on special all of Thursday for only $25! Get em while they last!”

And Deschutes Brewery‘s Bend Tasting Room has their 12 Days of Christmas vintage bottle sales and samplings taking place from noon to 7pm. Today’s featured beer is Sour Quad, which is one of their Pub Exclusive line and is very, very good.

Montavilla Brew Works (Portland) is breaking out their 2015 Barleywine for the solstice today: “To celebrate the shortest day of the year, we’re pulling our 2 year old Barleywine out of the cellar! “Old Fellowship” is our 2015 vintage barleywine and it’s perfect for wintertime. Brewed with Full Pint malt, Nugget & Centennial hops. Strong and malty, but very well-balanced and properly aged. $6 goblets or $3 tasters only. Very Limited Release”

Portland’s Culmination Brewing is serving up Momentary Lapse Of Reason NEIPA on tap and in cans today: “Momentary Lapse of Reason is going into 16oz. cans on December 21st! Come by the taproom and pick up your FRESH cans the same day they were filled. They will come in 16oz. 4 packs and will cost $14. We will also have this beer on tap in our taproom. This New England Style Double IPA was brewed and dry hopped with Citra & Eldorado hops. Its A.B.V. comes in at 8.4% with a low bitterness of 26 IBU. It is very juicy and easy drinking. This beer can be described with notes of Orange, Citrus, & Dank. Come and enjoy this fresh and before it’s all gone! Enjoy!”