It’s hard to believe this weekend’s Portland Fruit Beer Fest is only in its fifth iteration; this festival, billed as the “world’s first dedicated fruit beer festival” has become both the signature event of Portland Beer Week and one of the absolute-must beer events in a city already overflowing with them. This year’s event has added a third day (Friday evening) as well as “40% more” space by adding spillover space in the car lot adjacent to Burnside Brewing (where the Fest is held every year). Pete Dunlop has a good writeup of these changes.

Quick disclosure: I’ve never been, and though I very much want to go—I was a fan of fruit beer long (before it was cool—it won’t be this year; a family wedding and houseguests are keeping me in Bend.)

As I mentioned, the location is Burnside Brewing, and the hours are Friday 4 to 9pm, Saturday 11am to 9pm, and Sunday 11am to 6pm. Cost is $20 and “includes a collectible real 16oz glass and 12 drink tickets. Guaranteed re-entry all 3 days of the festival with the required glass and 21+ wristband.” It is an all ages fest, I don’t believe minors have to pay to enter, and you can pre-purchase your package online here.

The beers look phenomenal, and they have a special, fest-only collaboration fruit beer from Burnside and Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider: Fruit of the Garden of Good and Evil.

This unholy marriage of beer and cider is the ultimate temptation of luscious, juicy and tropical fruit character with notes of Pineapple and Apricot that pulls you in before ending in a firey tropical heat of Ghost Peppers, Scotch Bonnets and Aji peppers and a thirst quenching 4.5% (estimated) ABV. Available in 22oz bottles only at Burnside Brewing during the Fruit Beer Fest for $7 with limited draft poured at the festival, Reverend Nat’s and special events.

And just check out the other beers that will be pouring:

• Alameda Brewing: Berried By Night (Marionberry CDA)
• Baerlic Brewing: Apolis Cider Weiss
• Breakside Brewery: Tropical Fruit Salad (Quasi IPA Six fruit blend)
• Burnside Brewing: Peaches of Immortality
• The Commons Brewery: Rouge Mélangé (Syrah and Grenache grape must)
• Deschutes Brewery: Dr. Plum
• Ecliptic Brewing: Ultra Violet Blackberry Sour Ale
• Elysian Brewing/Payette Brewing: Huckleberry Sour
• Ex Novo Brewing: Class Monkey (A blend of Ex Novo Olde Ex Malt Liquor and fine orange juice)
• Fat Head’s Brewing: Prickly Pear Saison
• Flat Tail Brewing: Apricot Orange Ginger Saison
• Gigantic Brewing: Passionfruit Tart
• Hopworks Urban Brewery: Radlerita (Margarita-esque beer made with Lime radler, sea salt and tequila infused oak chips)
• Kells Brew Pub: Raspberry Creamcicle
• Lucky Labrador Brew Pub: Banana Bread
• Oakshire Brewing: Stone Free Cranberry Ginger Wild Ale
• Fort George Brewery: Pucker Pi Beer (Kettle Soured Strawberry-Rhubarb Wheat Ale)
• Laurelwood Brewing: There Gose the Neighborhood
• Lompoc Brewing: Golden Pear
• Upright Brewing: B.B. Stout
• Widmer Brothers Brewing: Fresh Strawberries (Tart Farmhouse Saison with Strawberries)
• 2 Towns Ciderhouse: Peach Saison Cider
• Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider: Ghost Chili Tepache (Pineapple Cider)
• Cider Riot: Hedgerow Fruits (plum and blackcurrant cider)
• Hi-Wheel Cider: Kiwi Lime

Simply put: Are you in or near Portland this weekend? Make it a point to attend this festival!