Beer Hall: Portland Beer Week Begins!

This year’s Portland Beer (a little over a) Week festivities kick off this Thursday, with a mass of tap takeovers, tastings, and beer festivals.

This year's Portland Beer (a little over a) Week festivities kick off this Thursday, with a mass of tap takeovers, tastings, and beer festivals that will have you eating greasy food in the morning for the foreseeable future.

Major events this weekend and early next week include the ever-popular Fruit Beer Festival, Weird Beer Bonanza, and New Breweries Showcase, but there's plenty of smaller events of interest to keep your belly full—including the opening of Portland's very first session beer bar—in the meantime.

Thursday, June 8

Portland Beer Week Kickoff

Portland Beer Week launches with a beer, meat, cider, booze and cheese-fueled rooftop party—including a summery, pleasant marionberry IPA from Culmination Brewing that's the official beer of Portland Beer Week, local liquor tastings, pork belly Hotlips pizza, doughnuts from Blue Star and countless free samples in an indoor market. Did we mention there's a rooftop? There's a rooftop. Exchange Ballroom., 123 NE 3rd Ave., 503-334-8624, pdxbeerweek.com. 4-10 pm. $10.

Negroni Boulevard

It is apparently somehow also Negroni Week? Sponsored by Campari, who has more money than God? Mostly this means bars all over town will have special takes on the Negroni. But Woodsman said fuck that—they're making five different Boulevardiers (kind of like Negronis, but with whiskey), alongside $2 snack pairings. See negroniweek.com for participating bars. The Woodsman, 4537 SE Division St, woodsmantavern.com.

Friday, June 9

Fruit Beer Festival

Fans of fruit have a lot to look forward to on the taps at this year's Fruit Beer Fest, with 21 infused creations that include a tart strawberry and basil ale from Ruse, a special key lime pie beer from 10 Barrel and a blend of Upright's black lime-infused Saison Vert that spent time in both gin and vermouth barrels—yowza. Burnside Brewing Company, 701 E Burnside St., fruitbeerfest.com. 4-9 pm. $20-$25 for 12-14 tastes. Through June 11.

Sessionable Grand Opening Party

The latest in a long line of themed local beer bars opens its doors for the first time this Friday, showcasing wonderful bold flavors without the normal alcoholic gut punch. That's right, everything on tap here is supposed to be between 2.5 and 5% ABV, meaning that you can have a couple before (or after) any beer-soaked event this week. Sessionable, 3588 SE Division St. Free.

Saturday, June 10

Weird Beer Bonanza

An assortment of abnormal pours hits the otherwise pristine and modern Division St. this afternoon, with a range of drinkable oddities that includes a beer made Kimchi yeast from Everybody's, a 90 percent corn IIPA from Flat Tail, and Coin Toss' pickle lager. Bring those friends who are always telling you about weird Lays flavors. Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom, 3090 SE Division St. 12 pm. Drinking jar $5, drink tickets $1.50 each.

Gin and Gin Barrel-Aged Beer

The botanical flavors of the Northwest will be out in full force on this World Gin Day (which is, apparently, a thing), as the Loyal Legion offers up a sampling of gin and gin barrel-aged beer from some of the region's top producers. Expect great selections from Gigantic, Upright, and De Garde, with still as-yet-unnamed spirits to pair. Loyal Legion, 710 SE 6th Ave. 10 am. Free.

Monday, June 12

New Breweries Showcase

The regions best new breweries (including one that was supposed to be open this time last year) peddle their wares at the city's best beer bar tonight, aiming to capture nerdy audiences from their very first taste. Given some recent tasting experiences at many of this year's names, we can say with confidence that 2017's list is a great one, with fresh pours from Reach Break, and Little Beast brewing that will surely wet your appetite for great new ale imprints. Bailey's Taproom, 213 SW Broadway. 5 pm. Free.

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