This year, I loaded up with the carbs for breakfast, so I was able to plow through considerably more beer without feeling ill. Unfortunately, the blueberry pancakes didn’t do anything for my ability to remember what I’d had. Instead, I relied on the miracle of modern smartphone technology to help me catalogue my drunken exploits. (And I only dropped my phone in beer once!)

Special thanks go out to the Taplister guys for the free schwag and friendly conversation. Also, I would like to give props to the amazing place with the crazy nut varieties. I was too drunk to remember the name of your business, but a toast to you anyway.

Of the brews, three really stood out among the rest.

Natian Destination Red
Did you know this Portland brewery existed? Me neither. Still, the combo of the Oregon Honey into the Red Ale really made for a fun combination. Perfect for summer, and was truly the first beer at the fest that I had that was truly “good”. Keep it up Natian…whoever you are.

Moylan Pomegranate Wheat
Fruit beer is a scary concept. It is usually either awesome (Stumptown Tart) or horrible (almost everyone else). Well, whatever the magic sauce is,  Moylan’s found it. The pomegranate isn’t overpowering, the wheat balances it, making it an ideal beer for a warm summer outing. Usually picky SwillJockey drank the equivalent of 5 tokens worth of the stuff, so thats saying something.

Cascade Summer Gose
Hurray for the local boys. Known for their super fruity Krieks, the Cascade Brewing guys at Racoon Lodge created a nice Belgian Sour that was the right balance between fruity, and wheat. This was probably my favorite from the whole fest. There was enough flavor to keep it interesting (unlike many watery offerings from the various tents, but still light and cool enough to be drinkable in the 80 degree sun.

So there you have it. With water in hand, I let my liver recover, and thank skylark, SwillJockey, and the OBF folks for another drunk worthy year. Prost!

Mmmmmmmm. Farmhousey

Win! Best fruity beer at the fest. SJ even got a full glass

Kinda fruity, kinda sour, all yum.

Yes, it did. Summertime + Beer + Portland Waterfront = Amazing. The amount of talent at the OBF was astounding… and I’m not just talking about the women. Did I just say that? Yes, I did. I raise my commemorative Oregon Brewer’s Festival plastic mug to every beer drinking lass out there. It needed to be said. The breweries there represented the best in craft brewery.

The food, although overpriced, was great. The beer, sans a couple odd entries, was a sign that Oregon has the potential to become the beer capital of the world.

My favorite beer happened to be my last one, Rogue’s 21. It’s “Old World” style and yummy, malty, hoppy, drinkable nature made it dangerous. I’m a fan of Rogue, but they’ve never really been my favorite outside the confines of Newport, Oregon. They’ve never bottled anything I truly enjoyed. Let’s hope they start moving in the direction of their Single Malt IPA and 21. These beers make a strong statement and would surely set them apart from their beer isle compatriots.

Whats in a name? Not hops apparently. 0 IBU! Ok, but lacks any finish.

I didn’t even know this place existed. Now that I’ve had this refreshing brew, I recommend s seeking them out.