Christmas Day is two weeks from today! Are you ready? There’s plenty of things to do and beers to drink before then, so here’s the news in Oregon beer! As usual, I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so check back often for the latest news. And if you have news to share, please contact me and I can get that updated as well.

The Bier Stein (Eugene) is adding to the number of mini beer festivals this Saturday with their Starkbierzeit (“strong beer season”) Festival of Strong Beer. “The all-day event will feature high-gravity beers from around the world, focusing on rare and vintage ales. Half the taplist will be taken over, and roughly a dozen bottles will be pouring from 2pm until 10pm. Tickets for bottle tastings will be $1 apiece, and a 3oz. pour will range from one to four tickets.” This will be a great fest to attend and if you’re in Eugene, you can split time between Bier Stein and 16 Tons (and their Strong Ale Fest).

Sky High Brewing (Corvallis): Tonight is the release party for their Jingle Balz Winter Ale, their hoppy spiced strong ale (6.5% abv): “Join us in the upstairs bar tonight from 4:00-6:00 for the official release of our favorite winter beer JINGLE BALZ!” Enjoy the beer and possibly win some swag as well. No word yet on whether Jingle Balz will be released in bottles (last year they released in in 22-ounce bombers).

Mazama Brewing (Corvallis) has bottles of their new Mazamanator Dopplbock on sale at the brewery today. This is I believe the first beer they have bottled, and it debuted at the Holiday Ale Festival this past weekend; here’s that description: “A Munich classic made local at Mazama, this doppelbock features big, sweet toasted malt flavors upfront, with warming alcoholic cheer and a roasty, toasty finish with just a hint of Noble hops. This strong lager is just the thing for toasting the good health of your warmest friends on the coldest nights.” It’s bottled in 22-ounce bombers and is a whopping 9.9% abv.

Double Mountain Brewery (Hood River) has a new beer on tap, Black Perle, a “Montanan” Imperial Stout: “Featuring Perle hops in the hop back, and a medley of rye, chocolate, roast barley, and pilsner malts, we bring you a shining jewel of a brew. The robust nose of baker’s chocolate, caramel, and coffee gives way to let the more delicate aromas of blackberry, spice, and vanilla out to play. Dark, soothing, and substantial, this stout is a good blanket that will get you through those cold nights.” It’s 9.5% abv and hopefully we’ll see that show up outside of Hood River.