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Through Oct. 4
Loyal Legion Oktoberfest
Loyal Legion is making use of its 99 taps to host a cumulative Oktoberfest party, putting a new Oregon Oktoberfest beer on tap every day until the official end of the fest in Munich. It culminates in a huge tap takeover from NoPo's Occidental. This is also the only time of year you'll get non-Oregon beers on tap. Expect Paulaner, Ayinger, Weihenstephaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Spaten, Warsteiner and Franziskaner. Loyal Legion, 710 SE 6th Ave., 235-8272, loyallegionpdx.com.
Sept. 25-27
Oaks Park Oktoberfest
Pull out your dirndl and hosen for the theme-parkiest Oktoberfest in city limits—also to our knowledge the only one sponsored by an actual Munich beermaker (Paulaner). There will be wiener-dog races, games, amusement-park rides and a kids' play area so they don't bug you when you drink the beer. Oaks Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, 233-5777, oaksoktoberfest.com. 3 pm-midnight Friday, 11 am-midnight Saturday, 11 am-7 pm Sunday. Admission $2-$5.
Sept. 25-27
Roscoe's Fresh Hop Summit
Where should you go for fresh hops in Portland? Right here, at the apple of Montavilla's one good eye. Roscoe's will flood its taps with fresh-hop beers as green as they come for three days. They promise Upright, Oakshire, Pelican, Ecliptic, Laurelwood, a new Mosaic from Breakside, Reverend Nats, cask Simcoe from Machine House, and a whole bunch more. Roscoe's, 8105 SE Stark St., 255-0049, roscoespdx.com.
Sept. 25-27
Pacific Northwest Brew Cup
Oregon's greatest beach town, Astoria, will host a brew cup featuring 40 breweries in the region—whether a fresh-hop beer from Fort George, a gose from Buoy, or the wonderful Hop-a-Wheelie IPA from Boneyard—on the waterfront, making it a riverside Oktoberfest. Barbey Center at the Maritime Museum, 1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, pacificnorthwestbrewcup.com. Noon-10 pm Friday, 11 am-10 pm Saturday, 11 am-4 pm Sunday. $9 for a cup, $1 for each additional taster.
Sept. 26
Hood River Hops Fest
Near the hop fields of the Gorge, Hood River puts on one of the most anticipated beer fests of the year, amid ridiculously pretty scenery. Local breweries like Pfriem, Logsdon and Double Mountain will offer fresh-hop beers alongside hoppy heavyweights from Breakside, Laurelwood and Barley Brown's. VIP access includes a ticket to something called the Painted Hills beef bar. Columbia Street between 5th and 7th streets, Hood River. Noon-8 pm. $15-$50. Tickets at brownpapertickets.com.
Sept. 26
Sisters Fresh Hop Festival
Do you like deserts better than mountains and rivers? Sisters, near Bend, will host a fresh-hop fest featuring 26 breweries, including some little-known ones like Smith Rock and Riverbend. Village Green Park, 101 E Washington Ave., Sisters, sisterscountry.com. Noon-8 pm. $5 for a mug, $1 per 4-ounce taste.
Sept. 26
Vegan Beer & Food Fest
You might think that all beer is already vegan. And you'd be wrong. Lots of brewers use animal byproducts to create foam, or clear yeast, or to sweeten (ah, sweet honey). This fest is 100 percent animal-free unless you bring a dog. There will be more than 15 breweries and cideries with vegan libations, plenty of vegan food from an impressive array of carts, cafes, diners and bakeries, and—dear lord—so much kombucha. Zidell Yards, 3121 SW Moody Ave., veganbeerfest.com. 1-7 pm. $25-$75.
Oct. 2-3
Portland Fresh Hops Fest
Didn't make it to Hood River for the freshest fresh hops? Most of the same fresh-hop beers will be here, just…less fresh. Oaks Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, oregoncraftbeer.org/freshhops. 5-9 pm Friday, noon-8 pm Saturday. $15-$20.
Oct. 2-4
Prost Oktoberfest
The last gasp of drunken Germankind in Portland. Owner Dan Hart will pick up where Stammtisch left off with another outdoor lager drink-off, this time in North Portland. Prost, 4237 N Mississippi Ave, 954-2674, prostportland.com.
Oct. 3
Beer Pro/Am
Willamette Week's annual Beer Pro/Am pairs the Portland area's finest homebrewers with pros for a competition. It's an eclectic and widely experimental bunch, with past competition favorites running the gamut from barrel-aged Belgians to Neapolitan ice cream-themed ales brewed with hefeweizen yeast, and silky coffee milk stouts. Maybe we're biased, but one of our top 10 Oregon beers of the year for each of the last two years has come from this festival. This will be the only place to try it. The North Warehouse, 723 N Tillamook St., 719-5520, wweek.com. 1-6 pm. $27 for tastes of 20 beers.
Oct. 3
Celebration of Beer Festival
Way up in the pretty environs of Skamania Lodge in the Gorge, you can try out the local product from upriver breweries including Mt. Tabor Brewing (which is in Washington), Double Mountain Brewery, Full Sail Brewing and Backwoods Brewing Company. Skamania Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way, Stevenson, Wash., 844-233-9146, skamania.com. Noon-5 pm. $25 for mug and 5 tasters, $1 for additional tastes.
Oct. 3-4
Handmade Bike & Beer Festival
After combining what used to be two separate festivals—Biketoberfest and the Oregon Bicycle Constructors Association show—this fest is a huge bike fair featuring cycling performances, games, showcases of handmade bikes from more than 30 makers, and a whole mess of craft beer and food. Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd., 232-4677, hopworksbeer.com. Noon-9 pm Saturday, Noon-5 pm Sunday. $10-$40.
Oct. 10
Peche Fest
This fest features 25 beers with lovely peaches inside, from sought-after peach beers like Dogfish Head's Festina Peche, Logsdon's famed Peche 'n Brett, and Upright's Fantasia, to one-off beers from Breakside and Fort George, all held in North Portland's most rightfully beloved beer bar. What's sweeter than a peach? Saraveza, 1004 N Killingsworth St., 206-4252, saraveza.com. 3 pm. $10 for admission, glass and two drink tickets. Additional tickets $2.
Oct. 10
St. Paul Fresh Hop Fest
On the plus side, you're at a fresh-hop festival in the heart of Willamette Valley hop country, where as many hops are grown as anywhere else in the state. On the down side, it is Oct. 10. It is a bit late for fresh hops. Jaycee Bullpen Beer Gardens, 4258 Park Ave., St. Paul, stpaulfreshhopfestival.com. 2-10 pm. $15. Cash only.
Oct. 10
Beers Made by Walking Portland
All summer, the Forest Park Conservancy took brewers on hikes through Forest Park to try to inspire them to make beers—while discouraging them from actually, you know, foraging in Forest Park. You can now hike among Belmont Station, Horse Brass, Bazi Bierbrasserie and Likewise to try the 18 beers and ciders inspired by the nature walks. Trek solo, or join a walking group at Belmont Station at noon. Noon-5 pm.
Oct. 10-11
NW Ciderfest
More than 30 cideries—Apple Outlaw, Bull Run, Cider Riot and so forth— will convene at Pioneer Courthouse Square for some of the last decent outdoor drinkfest weather the city's likely to see. Although, perhaps a hot hard cider or two is also in order? Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave., nwciderfest.org. 11 am-8 pm Saturday, 11 am-6 pm Sunday. $25-$50.
Oct. 17
Killer Pumpkin Festival
This is perhaps the most family-friendly beer fest of the year. Many, many pumpkin beers, sure, but also pumpkin sodas, pumpkin cocktails, and pumpkin bowling, carving, smashing and decorating are featured. If there's something legal you can do with a pumpkin, you can probably do it here. More than 25 pumpkin beers are expected at the fest. Green Dragon, 928 SE 9th Ave., 517-0660, pdxgreendragon.com. 11 am-midnight. $5 suggested donation.
Oct. 18
Killer IPA Fest
This is your hoppy place. N.W.I.P.A. and Brewpublic.com pair up to bring herbal, floral, flowery goodness to beer lovers for the third consecutive year. Kegs of the region's finest hoppy ales will be featured—from award-winning breweries and excellent hophouses like Breakside, Laurelwood and Barley Brown's. And grab a plate of food from nearby Holy Mole, our 2015 food cart of the year. N.W.I.P.A., 6350 SE Foster Road, 805-7342, nwipa.beer. Noon-8 pm. $10.
Nov. 7
Portland CDA Fest
Cascadian Dark Ale—that controversial "style" claimed wholeheartedly by half-hearted Pacific Northwest secessionists—will have its heyday here. These are hoppy, dark, malty beers meant to be the essence of a rainy autumn. And they are by no means the same thing as a Black IPA. Culmination Brewing, 2117 NE Oregon St., 353-6368, culminationbrewing.com.
Nov. 27
Black Friday
Black cider, black soda and especially black beer—including a whole mess of CDAs and black IPAs—will gather at Green Dragon the day after Thanksgiving. But even more importantly, they'll unleash a new barrel-aged beer every hour on the hour, from noon to 8 pm. Green Dragon, 928 SE 9th Ave., 517-0660, pdxgreendragon.com.
Dec. 2-6
Holiday Ale Festival
Themed for the winter but still technically in the fall, this is one of the largest holiday beer festivals in the world. Skip work or show up rosy, because you seriously don't want to be here after 5 pm. There is so much beer, and most of it will never be seen again. Kick fall in the ass on the way out. Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave., holidayale.com. 11 am-10 pm Wednesday-Saturday, 11 am-5 pm Sunday. $35. Cash only.
Portland Bars Where You Can Find Fresh-Hop Beers
Apex
Surly, cash-only Apex has a very nice patio to soak up the early-autumn sun, and has Lagunitas and Laurelwood fresh-hop beer on its taps. 1216 SE Division St., 273-9227, apexbar.com.
Bailey's Taproom
Portland's greatest westside beer bar has had some lovely Californian fresh-hop beer on its taps, and recently had a Stickmen fresh hop out of Lake Oswego. 213 SW Broadway, 295-1004, baileystaproom.com.
Belmont Station
Along with Roscoe's, Belmont Station cares as much about fresh hops as any bar in town—and it brings in the best (Breakside Simcoe!) along with the rarities. 4500 SE Stark St., 232-8538, belmont-station.com.
Laurelwood
Hop-happy Laurelwood is gonzo for fresh hops–with fresh-hop IPA and red, and even hop-poor Kölsch. You can get all of them at Laurelwood's Northeast outpost. 5115 NE Sandy Blvd, 282-0622, laurelwoodbrewpub.com.
Saraveza
Saraveza's taps are fewer than at many other beer bars, but they're always well-chosen, and it stocks at least one tap of fresh hop at its North Portland outpost. 1004 N Killingsworth St., 206-4252, saraveza.com.
Roscoe's
Roscoe's had some of the first fresh-hop beers on its taps, and it will have by far the most in town during its Fresh Hop Summit on Sept. 25-27. 8105 SE Stark St., 255-0049, roscoespdx.com.
WWeek 2015