Cheers To Spring!

Here at liveinpdx.com, we love beer as much as any Oregonian. Did you know that Oregon boasts the honor of being the state with the second highest number of breweries per capita: an impressive 124 distinct brewing locales? That’s plenty of beer to go around!  From the widely talked about big boys like Widmer, Dechutes and Full Sail, to the backyard nano-breweries like Vertigo and Mt. Tabor Brewing, seems that there is something brewing in Oregon for just about everybody.

If you are new to Portland and not sure which beer is your favorite, or maybe you are looking to try something new, why not check out one of the many brew festivals happening in April?

Inspired by the flavors of Belgium, Cheers to Belgian Beers Festival will feature over 50 beers brewed in Oregon with a nod to ales that hail from the land famous for chocolate, Smurfs and Jean Claude Van Damme. Friday and Saturday, April 19th and 20th at Metalcraft Fabrication, located at 723 N Tillamook St.in Portland.

Enjoy the flowers of spring with your beer at the Oregon Garden Brewfest, featuring over 62 breweries and 22 bands all on the lush Oregon Garden grounds in Silverton, OR. If you plan to sample all the wares, you might want to spring for a brewfest package that includes two passes to both days of the The Oregon Garden Brewfest, plus overnight stay at the resort, breakfast buffet for two and two food vouchers for The Oregon Garden Resort food booth at Brewfest. Packages start at just $189.

Can’t make the brewfests, but want to do some weekend sampling? Check out Saraveza Bottle Shop and Pasty Tavern on N. Killingsworth. Voted one of America’s best Beer Bars by Draft magazine, Saraveza’s brewed selection is curated by “beertenders” who really know their stuff.

If you are the type of person who prefers to tour the local beer from the comfort of your own armchair, perhaps you’d like the selection at John’s Market Place in Multnomah Village, which boasts nearly 1,000 beers, both local and imported, lining shelves and taking up cooler space. This is the place to go for your own personal tour of beers.