Sacred Drop 
Portland’s TOAST 2014: Come sip artisan distilled spirits
Posted on April 8, 2014
The largest artisan spirits revival of America- TOAST 2014
The growth of local distilleries in the state has skyrocketed in the last few years. With a food-centric focus on locally made, artisanal products, this rapid progression in the world of spirits is no surprise. Fortunately the Oregon Distillers Guild coordinates an annual TOAST event for all the spirit aficionados in the Portland area.
With over 30 producers pouring handcrafted whiskey, rum, gin, vodka, tequila, brandy and liqueurs, everyone will have their sip of choice. Craft spirits from Oregon and beyond will be available to try and purchase at theTOAST event. Make an evening of it by hitting the Food Cart Court with several different options to suit all palates.
Ted Pappas, President of the Oregon Distillers Guild, says “This year we will have multiple events throughout the greater Portland area highlighting local distillers along with some of our outstanding restaurants leading up to the event. It’s the first step to transforming our event from a few days to a week of activities.”
So whether you like it in a cocktail or drinking it straight, distillers from across the state and beyond will be sharing their handcrafted wares. Celebrate the start of Spring with some food cart fare and a sampling of locally made spirits at TOAST 2014 on Friday and Saturday nights.
What: TOAST 2014
Where: Two World Trade Center, 121 SW Salmon Street, Portland, OR
When: Friday, April 11th from 5-10pm & Saturday, April 12 from 4-8pm
How: Pre-purchased tickets are $20 for either day and can be bought at the door for $25. Get your tickets today at www.oregondistillerytrail.com/TOAST2014. Tickets include single day admission, interaction with over 30 spirit producers, taste spirits from around the world, and a tasting glass, while they last.
Click here for a map to TOAST 2014
Parking: $5/day at the World Trade Center underground parking
Guest post by Michele Francisco: Michele Francisco has over 18 years of marketing experience, with almost four years in Oregon’s wine industry. She hails from California, where she earned a B.A in English from UCLA and spent much of her free time tasting wine around the state. Michele completed her first year of law school at Santa Barbara College of Law but after tasting a Pinot noir from Oregon, she finally “got” Sideways and decided to move north in search of exceptional wine.
Originally posted on the Portland Examiner.com
The Rise of the Craft Beer Revolution
Posted on April 2, 2014
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.
Unique Portland: The creation of the Urban Winery and Restaurant: Cyril’s at Clay Pigeon
Posted on March 24, 2014
As part of my Unique Portland series on things that make Portland strange, different, and wonderful, I had the chance to sit down with Sasha and Michael of Cyril’s at Clay Pigeon Winery for an interview about how to bring two passions together into one location. Learn here all about Sasha and Michael and their adventures in creating a successful Portland Urban Winery and Restaurant: Cyril’s at Clay Pigeon.
Sasha, a self-proclaimed cheese BFF (best friend forever), and Michael, a wine connoisseur and now winemaker, have created a great place. Clay Pigeon, an urban winery run by Michael in Southeast Portland, specializes in Pinot Noir and Syrah wine from this great state of Oregon. Cyril’s, run by Sasha, is the restaurant, wine bar and tasting room.
Michael started Clay Pigeon originally in their basement in Portland; when they found the right space, they moved the winery to where it is today on Oak Street, on the other side of the wall from Cyril’s.
Michael and Sasha have even created a great video themselves about their passion:
The Fixe lunch of your dreams! Eggplant Involtini with a glass of Bourougne Chardonnay.
Make sure to check out Cyril’s Fixe lunch menu, which is priced at $14-$18 for a three course European-style lunch. You choose whether you’d prefer a glass of wine with your meal or whether perhaps you’d rather have a sweet finish with a delectable dessert. Check back every week as the menu changes.
This is comfort food to the extreme. You can’t help but leave here with a full belly and a content heart. Cyril’s is open Monday through Friday for lunch, and it is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday.
Because we live in this phenomenal foodie town, there is a time, once a month. when over 30 top-notch restaurants offer varying three-course meals throughout Portland for a mere $29 per person. Cyril’s is also a part of this great culinary event.
While you are at Cyril’s, I would highly recommend tasting their Sunshine Salad and cheese boards and enjoy a glass of Michael’s very own Clay Pigeon 2012 Syrah. At this link you will also get a chance to view the bottling of this beautiful Rogue Valley Syrah.
Where you can kick back and relax: Cyril’s Dining Room
Where to find Cyril’s at Clay Pigeon Winery:
815 SE Oak St (@Sandy), Portland, Oregon
Phone: 503.206.8117
Hours of Operation:
M: 11.30-4P
T-TH: 11.30-9P
F: 11.30-10P
S: 4P-10P
SUN: CLOSED
For more information: visit Sasha and Michael at www.claypigeonwinery.com/ and www.cyrilspdx.com.
Follow Sasha and her passion for food on Twitter @CyrilsPDX
Follow Michael and his adventures in wine on Twitter @ClayPigeonWine
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 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 as well as writes for 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 and www.epicureanmedia.com.
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