Have liver will travel or our 7 must-try beers plus 1 cider, during 2019's Oregon Brewers Festival.

image and thumbnail courtesy Blake Heiss

For those who lack the initiative to walk into a bar and casually pay for a pint, without any prior experience, we applaud you. Most of us, unless the beer rhymes with names like Sudmeiser, Swiller, or Boars, would probably stare at the draft handles, like pikes upright on the battlefield, reviewing the implement which will provide us the courage to start up a conversation or win an argument. Thankfully, bars aren't the only place to survey the battlefield before going to war. Welcome to the beer festival, one of humanities’ oldest communes where every man and woman has an equal opportunity to enjoy between 1 and 32 ounces at a time, all in the name of bacchanalia.

When and what is the Oregon Brewers Festival?

This Wednesday while a majority of citizens in the Portland or Greater Portland area are planning out their day, imbibers of all shapes sizes, ages, and genders will descend upon the shoreline of the Willamette River, to celebrate the Oregon Brewers Festival. While featuring less than 100 breweries (at around 93), the Oregon Brewers Festival remains one of the most diverse and unique beer festivals for its scale. Plus of the 93 breweries who will be participating, 34 cities are represented. All total, between the number of cities and breweries, there are a total of 26 styles for the eager sipper to try while walking the grounds of historic Tom McCall Park.

But first! Where is it?!

The Oregon Brewers Festival is located at Tom McCall Waterfront Park at 300 SW Naito Parkway, Portland, Oregon 97204. There are four entrances available at “SW Oak Street, SW Pine St, under the Morrison St Bridge and along the sea wall at Pine”.

So what’s the article about?

What if, like the imaginary indecisive topper, you can't decide where to start or what are the must-try beers? Should you fall into this common trap, we have a few that we think are must-try, either as a full 12 ounces or as an individual appetizer. With all this said, let's dig into the list of 93 unique beers and 8 ciders, 83 of which will be making their debut at this year's Oregon Brewers Festival.

Our list!

die Bierleichen Pilsner from Buoy Beer - Astoria, Oregon

Translated from German into Beer Corpses, Buoy Beer is one Oregon's unassuming, casual breweries located in the Northwestern part of the state.

What the brewery says.

This authentically styled North German Pils sums up why Buoy proudly crafts traditional Lager beers. The very palest Heidelberg malt and “Noble” hops yields this seamless beauty, showing mid-palate notes of graham cracker/honey, and gliding to a dry, crisp, satisfying finish. Prost to a sunny, beery July.

What we have to say.

At 5.3% ABV and 30 IBU, this beer will offer some refreshment in what is undoubtedly going to be an average temp of 85-degrees between Wednesday, July 24th, and Sunday the 28th. Either as the first or the runner up, we look forward to revisiting the beers from one of Oregon's more talented breweries.

Wanna check-in?

Flora Fantastica Saison from Upright Brewing - Portland, Oregon

Forever known as the brewery in the basement, Belmont Station-alum Alex Ganum remains humble releasing beers that are fermented topless or in wooden barrels.

What the brewery says.

Blend of Flora Rustica with a vermouth barrel version of Gigantic's Fantastic Voyage, this collaborative saison shows a wide botanical expression and a layered, yeast driven profile. A one-time project specific to the OBF, Flora Fantastica is refreshingly cool and complex. *A collaboration with Gigantic

What we have to say.

Another lower gravity beer at 5.8% and 21 IBU, Flora Fantastica no doubt will showcase Ganum's commitment to brewing classical-styled beers overlooked amongst the tsunami of Hazy, Juicy, or Brut IPAs.

Wanna check-in?

Vermillion Sour from Little Beast Brewing - Portland, Oregon

Continuing our trend of focusing on beers that are lighter in International Bittering Units and lower in alcohol we move onto another Portland gift, Little Beast Brewing.

What the brewery says.

Alive and unpasteurized, this American style Sour Ale has loads of Marionberries and watermelon juice. A bright but approachable acidity enhances the flavors of the fruits, giving way to a very drinkable and balanced beer.

What we have to say.

The larger of the Evergreen-cousin, the blackberry, we anticipate a beer that is tart but balanced by the incorporation of watermelon juice. Plus it helps that Little Beast's Vermilion is a refreshing 5% ABV with a whisper of bitterness at 3 IBU.

Wanna check-in?

Double Stack Imperial Stout from Great Notion Brewing - Portland, OR

Ripping up the script before taping it back together, we move onto Great Notion's irresponsibly-good, Imperial Breakfast Stout.

What the brewery says.

Double Stack is our Imperial Breakfast Stout fermented with an irresponsible amount of maple syrup & aged on whole bean Sumatra from our friends at Clutch Coffee.

What we have to say

Like skinny-dipping into a moonlit-lake, jumping feet first off a fifty-foot cliff, or starting a conversation about politics; sometimes you have to go nuts. Why not start with an 11% Imperial Breakfast Stout, before realizing the error of your ways and going back to the safety of single-digit ABV beers.

Wanna check-in?

Summer in Belgium Table Beer from ColdFire Brewing - Eugene, Oregon

Returning to the safety of light beers both on the palate in aggressiveness, we return to an oft-overlooked style of beer - Tafelbier. Commonly referred to as a Small Beer in the United States, this style gets its name for its association with consumption at the dinner table. At between .5% and 2.8% ABV, the traditional Tafelbier has been consumed by Belgian adults and children alike.

What the brewery say about this beer.

As the summer weather warms the Willamette Valley, the brewers at ColdFire look toward lighter, easier drinking fermentations in the brewhouse. For its first appearance at OBF, ColdFire brewed a golden version of the standard Belgian Table Beer, a refreshing beverage that is usually lighter in body and lower in alcohol. The brewers added citrus fruit and grains of paradise and increased the ABV to a whopping 4.6%. This beer was made to be refreshing and quaffable with just a touch of intrigue.

What we have to say about this beer.

At 4.6% ABV and 6 IBU, this beer might be called an Imperial Tafelbier (if there was such a thing). Brewed by Eugene's newest brewery, ColdFire, we look forward to seeing if the trip to the home of the Ducks is worth it. Here's a hint, more than likely!

Wanna check-in?

LIGO Key Lime Gose from Ecliptic Brewing - Portland, Oregon

Premiering for the first time anywhere, Key Lime Gose is the latest release from the astronomically-minded, brewery-luminary, in one John Harris.

What the brewery says.

Key lime combines with a clean malt profile and Ecliptic's house lactobacillus strain to create a refreshingly tart summer ale.

What we say.

Probably one of the last, low-gravity, beers we consume at this year's festival; LIGO sounds inviting with its subtle citrus complimented by the tartness of the brewery's house lactobacillus. At 4.8% and 25 IBU, this beer remains another example of smart drinking in the heat, while drinking something tart.

Wanna check-in?

Mango Unchained IPA from Old Town Brewing - Portland, OR

After releasing their tropical, Pina Colada-inspired, Tiki Room; a collaboration with Seattle's Reuben's Brews, the brewery seems bent on keeping the tropic party going.

What the brewery says.

How many mangos is too many mangos? The answer is impossible to know. Old Town has packed every measurable volume of space full of sweet mango deliciousness. The result delivers a punchbowl of fresh orange blossom, ripe passion fruit and, of course, juicy mango––complemented by a welcomed hoppy presence and refreshing bite. So dodge the heat with this sweet treat and enjoy the FRUIT of Old Town's labor.

What we have to say.

Admittedly, we have missed many of the tropic-minded releases from the brewery with the famous deer in flight. At 6% and 50 IBU, this will no doubt slap your palate into submission, before drowning your olfactory in thoughts of straw-roofed, bars, resting on the beach with only the sound of the crashing surf as your vacation soundtrack.

Wanna check-in?

“And now for something completely different. “

Switching things up, here are our three favorite cideries, featured at this year's Oregon Brewers Festival.

Pineapple Rosé from Portland Cider Company - Clackamas, Oregon.

Located south, in Clackamas, this cider focuses not just on traditional apple ciders but also fruit infusions including pineapple, pumpkin, cranberries, and passionfruit.

What the cidery has to say.

Bursting with juicy, fresh pineapples, with a naturally pink hue from a splash of Northwest grown blueberries. Treat yourself with this fruity, tropical delight that will take your tastebuds to an island oasis.

What we had to say.

We added this one to our list because every now and then we can go for a cider. At 5.2% ABV, this cider with its combination of fresh-cut pineapples and locally-sourced blueberries might surprise you.

Wanna check-in?

Now the festival dos and don’ts.

Having listed our must-try beers and (yes) cider, we have a few additional details to share because we want you to have a good time but still be safe getting home, courtesy the organizers at the Oregon Brewers Festival.

Shade now available! One of the prime locations for seating at the Oregon Brewers Festival this year will be under the trees on the southwest end of the park. This is where the beer trailers have always been, but this year, we’ve moved the beer trailers to the east (river) side, opening up all the grass under the trees for seating.

There will be canopies in front of those four beer trailers to keep you shaded while waiting for your beer, then you can head over to the nice cool grass with your buddies.

Celebrate Responsibly. We're pleased to once again be working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation on its SAFE RIDE HOME program. PBOT is working with taxis and transportation network companies to offer reduced-cost rides home with the goal of preventing people from driving under the influence. The Safe Ride Home Program is offering up to $20 savings on taxi rides or a $5 savings on rides with Lyft and Uber. They’ve provided these discounts via a QR code that can be found on the OBF website and in the OBF printed program.

There will also be a limited amount of paper vouchers per day available at the Info Booth for riders without a smartphone. Discounts will be valid Wednesday, July 24 through Saturday July 27, from 12pm to midnight.

Meet the Brewer/Brewer Dunk Tank/Games. This year, we’ve set up a Meet the Brewer Tent where the public can stop by and meet the makers of their favorite beverages. Brewers will be doing 1.5 hour shifts throughout the Festival; the schedule will be posted daily on the Facebook event and at the Meet the Brewer Tent. The brewers have also been signing up for shifts in the Dunk Tank, a fundraiser for UCP Oregon. There will also be games this year, at the southwest end of the park, including corn hole and a ladder toss.

That’s it! Get out there and enjoy your first of 31st Oregon Brewers Festival.