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Portland brewers are a competitive bunch.
As the region's best breweries admire the shiny global stamps of approval that come with their recent World Beer Cup Awards, they gear up for a summer of festival-goer comparisons and Portland Beer Week hemming and hawing.
But all this competition is a good thing: The more brewers work to make the best in the Northwest, the more steps they take to ensure that our region continues to showcase itself favorably to the rest of the world. Plus, you get to drink the good stuff — even if it isn't an eventual medal winner — all summer long.
This week, help pick the best IPA in General Distributors' catalogue, taste some massive flights of Belgian ales, and sip some of Culmination first foeder-brewed sour ale.
As always, the best way to enter the fight for better brew is with your wallet.
Thursday, May 26
General Distributors' IPA Smackdown
Some of the regions finest tongues (and yours too, if you attend) will be used to judge the final round of General Distributors' epic hoppy beer smackdown this evening at Imperial. Featuring heavy hitters like Willamette Week top 10 brew Vicious Mosquito from Sunriver Brewing, and 4th place best-in-Portland IPA Phaedrus from Culmination, there will be plenty of lupulin-laced action to get in on tonight. Just make sure you have a few pints before the debate — these things can get heated! PH. Imperial Bottle Shop and Taproom, 3090 SE Division St. Free.
Culmination Celebrates Its First Foeder Beer
Big, wooden fermenters which imbue delectable tartness to sour beers worldwide, Foeders are a modern craft brewers' best friend. Tonight Culmination celebrates their first ever batch through their big wooden cask, a delectably sour farmhouse ale with hints of pineapple and citrus, called Foed For Thought. While you're at it, grab a bottle of their recent Reverend Nats collaboration — the pair make for one heck of a sour hour. PH. Culmination Brewing Company, 2177 NE Oregon St. Free.
Bike Crush With Baerlic
Two-wheeling commuters are requested at Baerlic brewing this evening, as the brewery uses their machines to mill 500 pounds of malt for a special bike-friendly brew. It's gonna take a lot of pedal power, but something tells us the people who give them most might get a bit of free beer in return… PH. Baerlic Brewing Company, 2235 SE 11th Ave. Free.
Friday, May 27
Roscoe's 7th Annual Belgian Beer Summit
American craft brewers, and especially those in Oregon, have a distinct love of Belgian brews. Yeast-driven styles which offer dark fruit, banana, and clove with their usually-considerable alcohol, there's really nothing not to love about the classic styles from the old world, even in the land of hops. Featuring imports and Oregon-brewed examples from acclaimed breweries like pFriem, Upright, Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, and more, there should be plenty of magical pints to guzzle all weekend long in the shadow of Mt. Tabor. PH. Roscoe's, 8105 SE Stark St. 2 pm. Free.
Bazi's Fifth Anniversary
Portland's best Belgian-style beer bar turns five this weekend, bolstered by a collection of amazing taps and a special collaboration quad brewed with the fine folks at Upright. A seriously-awesome event which will see both continental and New World brews alike, their should be something (Belgian) for everyone this evening. PH. Bazi Bierbrasserie, 1522 SE 32nd Ave. 5 pm. Free.
Willamette Week