The Oregon Beer Awards Are Back, in Person, at Revolution Hall This Year

The winners of the state’s only double-blind beer tasting competition will be announced along with the champions in a dozen or so industry categories.

Beers at Revolution Hall. (Brian Burk)

Get ready to witness the largest drunken assemblage of local brewers in one place since the start of the pandemic. For the first time since 2020, the Oscars of Oregon beer will be back in person.

The WW-sponsored Oregon Beer Awards are scheduled to take place Wednesday, April 6 back in their usual home—Revolution Hall on Southeast Stark Street.

That’s where the winners of the state’s only double-blind beer tasting competition will be announced along with the champions in a dozen or so industry categories, including best bottle shop and beer bar, which are selected by an academy of professionals in a two-round ballot system.

The last OBAs took place mere weeks before the pandemic shut down in 2020, making it one of the last large indoor gatherings in the state during the COVID era. Last year, the ceremony did go on, only it was held virtually—streaming live from a backyard hot tub where the hosts and presenters sat soaking while delivering results.

Registration for the 2022 double-blind competition closed Feb. 25, and there are more than 1,000 entries in 29 categories, making this the second-largest OBA ever held. As usual, the two classes with the most entries are India Pale Ale and Hazy or Juicy India Pale Ale. Sessionable Hoppy Beers rounds out the top three, reflecting the popularity of the recent low-ABV movement that both drinkers and brewers have gravitated toward.

You’ll also see the return of the Best Brewpub of the Year category, which was removed from the lineup last year due to the pandemic’s dine-in restrictions, along with a new title: Craft Advocate of the Year—an award for an individual who is an industry leader in innovation.

Tickets are currently on sale and cost $20. You’ll also be able to pick up an issue of WW’s latest beer-themed issue at the venue. The event is for adults 21 years and older and seating is general admission.

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