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As the masses don their masks, so do Portland's many breweries and beer halls, replacing their typical hoppy fare with stronger, darker, and more gourd-fueled flavors this weekend.
There are several places to get your creep on this week, with a festival of pumpkin beers, the 40th anniversary of one of the nation's longstanding beer institutions, and a two day festival of evil-themed ales and lagers which is split between two of SE Portland's best ale apothecaries.
Even if you don't feel like dressing up, you should still dress up your liver — many of these rare treats will ghost out of tap lists in just a few days.
Thursday, October 27
Alesong Brewing and Blending Night
Matt Van Wyk's upstart Alesong whistled its way to Great American Beer Festival gold this year, just a short time after first opening its doors, courtesy of a delicious dry-hopped wild ale called Touch Of Brett. Tonight, that beer, and several other surely excellent Brett beers and sour ales hit the taps at Imperial, where nerds the city over will guzzle them with glee. Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom, 3090 SE Division St. 5 pm. Free.
Friday, October 28
Roscoe's Beer Summit: Halloween
Roscoe's breaks out the pumpkin ales and various other dark concoctions for two days of candy, beer, and costumes. With beers like Alesong's harvest ale, Dogfish Head's Flesh and Blood, and a 2014 version of our much beloved gourd ale Pumpking (Southern Tier), there will be plenty on hand to sate your spooky side, and to scare the shit out of your liver. Roscoe's, 8105 SE Stark St. 2 pm-12 am Friday-Saturday, October 28-29. Free.
Saturday, October 29
Killer Pumpkin Fest
Not even Typhoon Songda can keep a great pumpkin down. Live out your pumpkin-spiced fantasies at the rescheduled Killer Pumpkin fest at Green Dragon. You can smash pumpkins, bowl pumpkins, or just carve (family-friendly!) shapes into them. There will be 40 pumpkin beers, enough to get you high on cloves if the alcohol doesn't get you first—plus, like, pumpkin food and dog-costume contests. $5 suggested donation. Green Dragon, 928 SE 9th Ave. 11 am-12 am. Free.
Sunday, October 30
Kwaktoberfest
Three of Belgium's Bosteels Brewery's finest—Kwak, Tripel Karmeliet, and DeuS will tap today at Portland's best Belgian ale apothecary, providing a tasty imported treat for an otherwise American holiday weekend. Bazi Bierbrasserie, 1522 SE 32nd Ave. 2-8 pm. 5 oz samples of each for $15.
Tuesday, November 1
Horse Brass 40th Anniversary
There is no beer bar in Portland more storied than Don Younger's (R.I.P.) venerable Horse Brass—and certainly none that could claim 40 years of history and an honorary beer made by Pliny kings Russian River. For their official entry into middle age, Horse Brass will tap their Russian River Don the Younger beer, a Rogue Horse Brass anniversary ale, and staff collaborations with breweries including Culmination, Rosenstadt, Solera and Sierra Nevada. They'll also pull crazy beers out of their 40-year-old cellars. Come drink them. Horse Brass Pub, 4534 SE Belmont St. All Day. Free.
Dia de los Muertos Festival de Cervezas
A host of death-themed ales and lagers hit the taps at two of SE Portland's finest ale houses this Tuesday and Wednesday, in celebration of Mexico's annual all soul's day. Dark beers like Breakside's Bourbon Aztek join blood-red sours like Double Mountain's Devil's Kriek, culminating in a tasty—albeit dangerous for your health—multi-day assault on your tastebuds. Bazi Bierbrasserie, 1522 SE 32nd Ave, and Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom, 3090 SE Division St. 3-9 pm. $5 entry, tickets $1.50 each or 10 for $12.
Willamette Week