Beer Hall: Holiday Ale Fest, De Garde for Days, and Cascade turns 18!

Portland Beer Events for the Week of December 1, 2016

As the days continue to darken, we are once again blessed with an abundance of cheek-warming high alcohol brews to carry us through. Whether enjoying a myriad of dark ales in Pioneer Courthouse Square, or sampling some rare cellared sours from one of the nation’s most acclaimed ale apothecaries, you’ll not have a hard time finding something special to taste at the height of this year’s holiday season.

Thursday, December 1


21st Annual Holiday Ale Fest

Pioneer Square's cozy, boozy annual holiday festival is circled on most nerd's "to-drink-at" list for good reason. There are more than 50 beers here, most very strong and many also oaked-up. You'll want to get nice and toasty amid the revelry of slushy suburbanites wearing velvet Santa hats and hemming and hawing over anything that says it has bourbon in it. Pioneer Courthouse Square, SW 6th & Yamhill. 11 am-10 pm Wednesday, November 30-Saturday, December 3, 11am-5 pm, Sunday, December 4. $35-100.

De Garde for Days

Tin Bucket unleashes kegs and bottles of their favorite De Garde spontaneously fermented sours on the New Portland proletariat. A nectarine version of Saison Premiere will be on draft alongside at least two other sours, with beer trade gold like Saison Melange appearing on shelves long enough for wide-eyed nerds to snatch it up and then text everyone they know about it. Tin Bucket, 3520 N Williams Ave. 5-8 pm. Free.

8th Annual Ebenezer Pub Crawl

John's Market celebrates the holiday season with a five pub crawl through some of Multnomah Village's most illustrious dive bars, with various prizes, and a special tapping of 2011 Old Knucklehead to carry you through. We'll just come right out and say it: If you've never had a draft beer at Renner's—where the tap lines run down through the ceiling—you haven't really lived. John's Marketplace, 3535 SW Multnomah Blvd. 5-9 pm.

Saturday, December 3

Baerlic Woodworker Holiday Market

Wood-aged beer meets other grain-in creations this weekend, as various syrups, bark-wrapped cheeses, tap handles, and other crafts will on parade at Baerlic’s annual Woodworker Holiday Market. An annual event that’s designed to go along with the brewery’s newest version of its Old Blood & Guts Barleywine, there should be plenty of snacks, sips, and knick knacks worth investigating. Baerlic Brewing Co., 2235 SE 11th Ave. 11 am-8 pm. Free.

Tuesday, December 6

Cascade 18th Anniversary Party

(Emma Browne)
(Emma Browne)

The best post-work drinks will be had in Southeast this week, as Cascade Brewing celebrates 18 years in business with a special Tap It Tuesday, along with rare 4oz pours of selections from 2009 and 2010, including their much-lauded Kriek. Cascade Brewing Barrel House, 939 SE Belmont St. 12-9 pm. Free.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.