Sacred Drop The Rise of the Craft Beer Revolution
Double Mountain Brews from Hood River, Oregon
Tell me if this doesn’t completely entice you to want to drink a beautifully crafted Oregon beer:
“Welcome to a place where the water runs pure and clean, from snow-capped mountaintops through lush green valleys. A place where hops grow in such abundance, their harvest is celebrated each autumn by beer makers and beer lovers alike. A place with a metropolitan area that has more craft brewers per capita than any other place on earth. Is it a dream? No. It’s Oregon, home to Oregon Craft Beer. And we’ve been waiting for you.”
This was brought to you by the Oregon Craft Beer Guild.
Oregon is home to over 136 brewing company operating in 61 cities across the state. Did you know that in Portland alone, there are 54 breweries—and over 70, if you include the entire metro-area? Portland has beat out Cologne, Germany, for the highest number of breweries per capita and has become the Microbrew Capital of the world. For my German husband, this revelation is a serious blow to his ego. Good thing for us, we live in Oregon!
Well, if you haven’t heard of Oregon beer, it is time to pay attention. Oregon is home to craft-brewing pioneers such as Deschutes Brewery, Rogue, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Santiam Brewing, Widmer Brothers Brewing, McMenamins, and Full Sail Brewing Co.—all of which make incredible beers that are well worth the trip to visit. Oregon craft brewers make a wide range of beer styles, so there is always going to be something for you.
Given all of this, it is not surprising that Portland has been chosen as the first place for the launch of the film CRAFT this Thursday, April 3, 2014, at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland. It will be the first of a multi-city tour; click here for more information on upcoming stops in Denver, Fort Collins, Austin, Oakland, and San Diego.
If you are new to the craft beer scene, this film follows a Cicerone (a beer expert— Cicerone is to beer as Sommelier is to wine) by the name of Craig Noble on his coast-to-coast once-in-a-lifetime journey, from his start as an apprentice at a farm brewery, to his beer schooling in Vermont and then to the development of his own farmhouse ale recipe. This documentary film also takes a look at how breweries are taking on the mandates of quality, creativity, and integrity expected in this industry and the passion required by the people behind these hand-crafted beers. Enjoy the trailer!
I am just now discovering all there is to offer in this great foodie-and-beverage capital of the Pacific Northwest. Local is what is supported here, and Oregonians are very loyal to all things local. Furthermore, if your local brewery is putting on something that supports local causes (as Santiam Brewery supports the local Humane Society), Oregonians will be there.
From start to finish, the beer making process
Visiting Oregon soon?
If you are coming to visit Oregon, make sure to save the dates of upcoming events in the area:
April
April 3 Widmer Brothers Pub Grand Re-Opening in Portland
April 3 CRAFT Film Launch at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland
April 18-19 20th Annual Spring Beer & Wine Fest at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland
April 25-27 10th Annual Brew Fest at Oregon Gardens in Silverton
May
May 2-3 Cinco de Micro Brew Fest at the Salem Convention Center in Salem
May 16-17 Brewer’s Memorial Ale Fest – 8th Annual in Newport (Rogue)
May 23- 31 Central Oregon Beer Week in Bend
May 30-31 Cheers to Belgian Beers in Portland
June
June 21 Eastern Oregon Beer Festival in La Grande
June 2-29 10th Annual North American Organic Brewers Festival at Overland Park in Portland
July- Oregon Craft Beer Month
July 23-27 27th Annual Oregon Brewers Festival at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland
If you are looking for great events in your own neck of the woods, visit the Beer Advocate for more information.
A few of my favorite local Brewers
Come support some of the local Oregon Breweries. If you aren’t in the area, take note of these great places, and add them to your Must Visit list!
There are a few of my favorite places:
Portland
- Deschutes Brewery (Technically based in Bend- visit them there too)
- Hopworks Urban Brewery
- Ecliptic Brewing
- Coalition Brewing
- Lucky Labrador Brewing Company
- Widmer Brothers Brewing Company (Widmer Brothers Pub Grand Re-Opening- April 2)
- Laurelwood Public House & Brewery
Salem
Hood River
- Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom (they also have phenomenal pizza!)
- Full Sail Brewing Co
Bend
Check out this great page for more info on all there is to offer in Bend: BeerMeBend
Ashland
- Standing Stone Brewing Co.
- Rogue Brewery and Pub (Also in Portland)
Pacific City
- Pelican Brewing Company – if there is a wait, check out Ben and Jeff’s Burgers and Tacos, they have incredible burritos! You can take your beer and burritos onto the beach and enjoy the beautiful view!
Eugene
- Ninkasi Brewing
- McMenamins (They are also in Bend, Portland, Salem, and other great places throughout the state)
Brewery Tours in Portland
There are tours for everyone here in Oregon. Choose your own adventure below:
- Educational and informative tours in Portland with Brewvana
- Pedal your way to Portland breweries with BrewCyle Portland
Enjoy and drink safely! Cheers!
About the author: April Yap-Hennig
April Yap-Hennig is a wine lover and marketer with 12 years of experience in International Marketing and Communication in Europe and the United States, and with life experience also in the Caribbean and South America. She holds a Masters in Viticulture and Enology from the University of La Rioja, Spain, an MBA from Purdue University, and B.A. from University of Utah. She is also a Certified Wine Sommelier from the International Wine Guild in Colorado. April was born in Utah, raised in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador, and has lived and worked in The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain. Her love of wine started when she studied in La Rioja, Spain, during her undergraduate studies. This is where she fell in love with the country, the region, the people, the culture, and, finally, the wine–thus changing her life and eventually her career.
She is now the co-founder and owner of Epicurean Media, a beverage-and-food artisan public relations and marketing consultancy; she also founded and writes the Sacred Drop Channel at www.sacreddrop.com. She is forging a new future in Oregon with her husband and their hilarious French bulldog, Guapo.
Check out her websites:www.about.me/aprilyaphennig, www.sacreddrop.com, and www.epicureanmedia.com.
Sacred Drop 