This weekend is the second annual Portland Fruit Beer Festival taking place, of course, in Portland, this year rolled into the overall Portland Beer Week festivities (though still a killer standalone event). It’s taking place this Saturday and Sunday, the 9th and 10th, outside of Burnside Brewing again though this year they’ve been able to close 7th Avenue to provide a larger venue.

If the thought of “fruit beer” still brings up images of early craft-brewed wheat(ish) wine-cooler-like beers (often weirdly marketed as “girly beers”), then think again: like last year the beers that have been specially-brewed for this Festival represent a pretty radical rethinking of what you can do with beer and fruit. They have an amazing beer list, check it out:

• 10 Barrel Brewing, Raspberry Sour (American-style sour ale brewed with raspberries)
• Alameda Brewing, Huckleberry Hound (IPA brewed with huckleberries)
• Bend Brewing, Ching Ching (Berliner Weisse brewed with pomegranate and hibiscus)
• Block 15, Tropical Storm (Blended farmhouse ale brewed with yellow papaya)
• Boneyard Beer, Femme Fatale (Raspberry tart ale)
• Breakside Brewery, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (“A malty golden ale made with whole strawberry rhubarb pies (crust included) in the mash, kettle, and fermentor.” OMG!)
• Burnside Brewing, Red Light District (Imperial stout brewed with Belgian chocolate and strawberries)
• The Commons Brewery, Saigon Saison (Saison brewed with, among other things, lime juice and mango)
• Deschutes Brewery, Extinction Stout (Raspberry stout)
• Dogfish Head, Festina Peche (Berliner Weisse with peaches) and Tweason’ale (gluten-free)
• Elysian Brewin, Yuzu’s Belgian-Style Golden Ale (brewed with lemon peel and yuzu juice)
• Flat Tail Brewing, Strawberry Mandarin Wit
• Fort George Brewery, South (Oak-aged raspberry summer ale)
• Gigantic Brewing, Hot Town, Summer in the City (Imperial Black Saison aged with chili peppers)
• Hopworks Urban Brewery, Belgian What Up Apple-Weizen
• Laurelwood Brewing, Camera Obscura (Belgian-style dark ale brewed with “Hawaiian Cascara, i.e., the cherry off of the coffee bean”)
• Lompoc Brewing, Bomb.com (Blended beer with sour cherries)
• Lucky Labrador, Lychee Lager
• New Belgium Brewing, Hip Hop Saison (Saison brewed with raspberries and rosehips)
• Ninkasi Brewing, Cherry Bourbon Renewale Porter (Aged in Heaven Hills Bourbon Barrels with cherries)
• Oakshire Brewing, Whack & Unwrap (Orange chocolate porter)
• Upright Brewing, Levinator (Bock with Oregon black currant puree)
• Widmer Brothers, Marrionberry Hibiscus Gose

I have to admit, I’m most intrigued by the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie from Breakside… brewed with actual strawberry rhubarb pies in each stage of the brew! It kind of boggles the mind.

There’s also a rare taplist that will be rotating throughout the day, filled with a number of other interesting and rare fruit beers, and that looks pretty amazing too.

For cost and entry info I’ll quote: “Drinkers minimum entry package is $20 for a glass and 12 tickets. Additional tickets are $1 and good for 4oz of most but not all beer and cider, a full pint is available for most beer/ciders for 4 tickets. The festival is all-ages and minors or those who are not drinking may enter without charge. Re-entry is allowed day of with your wristband. No Animals.” You can purchase tickets in advance online here.