Here’s the Oregon beer news for Thursday, December 15th. There are a lot of events going on today, as Jeff noted earlier in the week, particularly in Portland. I’ll be updating this news throughout the day, so if you have additional news or events you’d like to share, contact me and I’ll update this post.

Falling Sky Brewing (Eugene): I posted briefly about this new up-and-coming brewery recently (via the New School), and the Oregon Brewers Guild yesterday posted a bit more information which reminded me they are planning to open in January. On Facebook yesterday they posted that the OLCC has given their approval to the new brewery so it sounds like if all goes well they will indeed open on time. This will put the number of breweries in Eugene to six, if I’m counting correctly!

Rock Bottom Brewery (Portland): According to the Oregon Brewers Guild, Rock Bottom is celebrating a 17th Anniversary Release today: “Brewers C. Hutchins & Bolton M. will have a trivia questionaire from 1994, prizes, a new anniversary beer and cake.” Unfortunately I can’t find anything else about this, including on Rock Bottom’s own Facebook page; I know Rock Bottom is often looked down upon by the beer geeks for being a chain pub, but this seems like it would be a fun event to check out. It starts at 5:30pm.

Upcoming tastings, releases, and “Meet the Brewer” events:

• Coalition Brewing (Portland): They have their inaugural movie night tonight that continues in the celebration of their Apollo Creed CDA release—but that’s not all! There is a “beer showdown” between Apollo Creed and a new small-batch “White” Wheat IPA and the movie they’re showing is the original “Rocky”—get it? Apollo Creed… Rocky… CDA vs. White IPA… Yeah. The event runs from 7 to 10pm.
• The Green Dragon (Portland) is featuring a Meet the Brewer with Jason McAdam from Burnside Brewing, starting at 5pm. The beers being poured will be Burnside Alt, Oyster Strong Ale, Alter Ego 2PA, and Bacon Gas Infused Bourbon Barrel Stout. (“Bacon Gas Infused”??)
• Oakshire Brewing (Eugene) will be at Belmont Station in Portland from 5 to 8pm tonight for the Skookumchuck release and meet the brewer with Matt Van Wyk. “We’ll have a limited number of bottles for sale and when they are gone that’s all there is. Plus Skookumchuck, Hellshire II, and Ill Tempered Gnome on tap in the Biercafe.”
• The Hop & Vine (Portland) is featuring “Christmakuh” in conjunction with Sierra Nevada Brewing, a special tasting with proceeds helping the Oregon Food Bank. There will be eight Sierra Nevada beers on tap, including Life & Limb, Foam Pilnser, and the Ovila lineup: “The Hop & Vine and Sierra Nevada representatives will have 8 special limited beers on draft and a free Ovila chalice when you bring a new toy for the Portland Metro Toy Drive. The entrance fee is one non-perishable food item or $1 to get in going towards the Oregon Food Bank in this time of need. The incredible lineup of brews on tap include many seasonals and rarities including offerings from SN’s Beer Camp line of beers and the complete Trappist collaboration Ovila series of 4 beers available in a flight for only $7.”
• Occidental Brewing (Portland) is holding a tap takeover at Bottles on Fremont in Portland, from 6 to 9pm tonight: “Six Occidental beers will pouring, including a small batch of Trippel, never before released.”
• Full Sail Brewing (Hood River) has their December Brewmaster Dinner tonight starting at 5pm (and going until they run out). Cost is $30 per person and the four courses available look really tasty!
• Cascade Brewing (Portland) is releasing “Frost Killer” a big Winter Warmer at their Barrel House today. It has 8.3% abv and “notes of ginger & spice & a mellow sweet finish.” As a bonus, a vintage 2009 Vlad the Imp Aler is being released today as well—get down there and get it while you can!