The slimmed down version of 2023 Oregon Brewers Festival comes to Portland’s Waterfront this weekend. After cancelling the actual Oregon Brewers Festival this year, co-founder Art Larrance has partnered with the Portland Rose Festival to curate a Oregon Brewers Festival Tap Takeover during the Portland CityFair.
When Portland CityFair returns this coming weekend, the Oregon Brewers Festival Tap Takeover will be the featured event. The tap takeover will take place during CityFair’s second weekend at Tom McCall Waterfront Park from June 2 -4, 2023 during the hours of Noon – 9:00pm.
“After 34 years of running the fest, I’m looking forward to the OBF taking a new shape in partnership with the Rose Festival,” said Art Larrance, co-founder of the Oregon Brewers Festival, in a statement.
And now the curated tap list for the Oregon Brewers Festival Tap Takeover at the Portland CityFair has been unveiled. From perusing this list, it is one that features over three dozen craft beers and ciders all hailing from Columbia Distributing. Therefor the variety is a bit limited and many of the Oregon and Washington breweries have multiple beers featured. We have the complete beer and cider tap list posted below in this article.
Tickets to CityFair are $15 at the gate but you can save some money by purchasing in advance online. Access to the Oregon Brewers Festival activities is included with CityFair admission. Attendees will be able to purchase the 2023 Rose Festival edition Oregon Brewers Festival Mug and purchase a 12-ounce pour from a selection of OBF-curated beers on tap. Cash and cards are accepted as payment. However, previously purchased OBF tokens will not be honored at this event.
Here’s a preview of the Art Larrance curated tap list for the Oregon Brewers Festival Tap Takeover at the Portland CityFair.
IPAs:
Pain In My Thiols IPA / Newport, OR / Rogue Ales / Double West Coast IPA/ 8.7%ABV/ 50 IBUs/
A Thiolized yeast strain makes this beer greater than the sum of its parts with the addition of Simcoe, Citra, Hallertau Blanc, Bru-1, and El Dorado hops.
Overlander Imperial IPA / Redmond, OR /Cascade Lakes Brewing Company / Imperial Double IPA / 8.9% ABV / 55 IBU
Tropical Fresh IPA / Bend, OR / Deschutes Brewery / IPA / 6.5% ABV / 50 IBU
“Sit back and relax as you let the waves of pineapple, citrus and mango wash over you. Close your eyes and you can hear the breeze rustling through the palm trees. An antidote to a hazy glow, we sought a bright and beautiful color as canvas to flaunt big tropical hops.”
Hazy IPA / Salem, OR / Gilgamesh Brewery / IPA / 6.5% ABV / 45 IBU
“A juicy IPA brewed with unmalted wheat and rolled oats to provide body and a protein haze for a silky mouthful”
Overland IPA / Portland, OR / Hopworks Brewery / West Coast IPA / 6.9% ABV / 60 IBU
“It is a modern West Coast IPA, perfect to enjoy by the fire at the end of a long day. Golden in color, with notes of citrus and dank pine, and a clean, bitter finish. The can art depicts a charging bison, once a decisive indicator of the health of the Western prairie.”
Ferocious Citrus IPA / Portland, OR / Hopworks Brewery / IPA / 6.2% ABV / 40 IBU
“Our hazy blood orange IPA balances citrusy hops, tangerine, and blood orange to create a crushable fruited hazy.”
Hello Again / Portland, OR / Migration Brewery / Session IPA / 4.8% ABV / 33 IBU
“A lean grain bill and oats fortify an explosion of hop flavor and aroma with a punchy pineapple sweetness. Mosaic and Azacca hops give a 1-2 punch of tropical fruity mango and tangerine.”
Billy Ray Citrus Tangerine IPA / Bend, OR / Silver Moon Brewery / IPA / 6.4% ABV
“Practically an orange slice. Crack a can and stay healthy!”
Dreamboat IPA / Bend, OR / Worthy Brewery / IPA / 6.9% ABV
Bodhizafa / Seattle, WA / Georgetown Brewery / IPA / 6.9% ABV / 80 IBU
“This IPA gets its light silky texture from rolled oats. The flavor and aroma both express mandarin and citrus all around. Over five pounds of hops per barrel makes this IPA truly Bodhilicious. Gold medal winner in the American Style IPA category at the Great American Beer Festival in 2016!”
Hazy Nelson / Carson, WA / Backwoods Brewery Company / Hazy IPA / 6.8% ABV / 45 IBU
“The return of this brewery favorite means the return of some of our favorite New Zealand hops, Nelson Sauvin and Southern Cross. Key notes of this hazy IPA include white grape, lemon, and grapefruit.”
Tropic Haze IPA / Bremerton, WA / Silver City Brewery / 6.5% ABV / 50 IBU
“A seemingly magical reaction between a specialized yeast strain, oats, wheat, and a special hop blend, helmed by Strata, results in a blossom of rich, tropical fruit flavor that is a feast for the eyes, with a silky-smooth texture and clean finish.”
Head Full of Dynamite / Seattle, WA / Fremont Brewery / 6.8% ABV / 85 IBU
“An ongoing series of hazy IPAs, each one different from the one before.”
Lagers/Pilsners:
Bochi Bochi Japanese Rice Lager / Bend, OR / Crux Fermentation Project / 4.9% ABV
“Brewed in the crisp Japanese style with whole Calrose Rice. Very easy-drinking and pleasant on the palate with a mild floral balance from Oregon-grown Tettnang whole-leaf hops. Kanpai!”
El Crucero / Bend, OR / Crux Fermentation Project / Mexican- Style Lager / 4.8% ABV / 10 IBU
“Grounded by an intriguing malt backbone and lifted by a delicate citrus aroma, this south of the border lager is one you’ll want to sip long after the sun has gone down. Brilliantly clear and highly crushable, our tribute to the traditional Mexican-Style Lager is dry-hopped with Southern Hemisphere Motueka hops, adding a distinct citrus finish so you can skip the lime and still get the full experience of this iconic style. Salud!”
Ziggy Zoggy / Bremerton, WA / Silver City Brewery / Lager / 5% ABV / 23 IBU
“Comin’ in hot with a refreshed recipe, Ziggy Zoggy is here for you and your summertime party squadron. While still paying homage to its German Lager heritage, Ziggy Zoggy is now lighter-bodied, crisper, and more refreshing than ever before.”
Beer Time / Portland, OR / Hopworks Brewery / Pilsner / 4.9% ABV / 38 IBU
“Beer Time Pils is about enjoying the destination, wherever it may be. It is a well-crafted classic German-style Pilsner with a herbaceous, crackery taste and a crisp, dry, floral finish. The art on the can features the vintage “BEER TIME” clock that hangs from the side of Hopworks’ Powell brewpub, with wings to serve as a reminder to stop in for a pint because, as they say, time flies.”
Mexican Amber Lager / Carson, WA / Backwoods Brewery / Lager
Ales:
Trail Dog Summer Ale / Bend, OR / Worthy Brewery / Ale
Johnny Utah / Seattle, WA / Georgetown Brewery / Pale Ale / 5.6% ABV / 55 IBU
“With heavy grapefruit, citrus and resin in the nose, this light colored ale has minimal malt interference, giving the beer a clean finish without a cloying bitterness. Pronounced grapefruit and pine flavors with a faint verdant note. American-style Pale Ale gold medal winner at 2019 GABF.”
Dreamsicle / Carson, WA / Backwoods Brewery Company / Golden Ale / 5% ABV / 10 IBU
“Dreamsicle is a refreshing golden ale with additions of pure vanilla and orange. You’re sure to notice the same flavor profile of the Dreamsicle ice cream treats we grew up with as kids. Now enjoy it as an adult, and let those nostalgic memories pour over you!”
Irish Death / Ellensburg, WA / Iron Horse Brewery / Dark Ale / 7.8% ABV
“Quilter’s Irish Death is the namesake beer of Jim Quilter, Founder of Iron Horse Brewery. This malt focused brew – dark in color and deep in taste – defies those pesky style guidelines. This beer is a little bit extra, and will always be a dark, smooth ale.”
Summer Ale / Seattle, WA / Fremont Brewery / Pale Ale / 5.2% ABV / 50 IBU
“Summer Ale is back and better than ever!Bursting with citrus and melon flavors, refreshing and imminently drinkable, it’s the perfect beer for any Summer day. “Beer has food value, but food has no beer value.”
Bangarang Passion Fruit Sour Ale / Bend, OR / Silver Moon Brewery / Sour Ale / 5.5% ABV / 20 IBU
Kolsch/Gose/Blonde/Hefeweizen/Other:
Blonde Bombshell / Bend, OR / Cascade Lakes Brewing Company / Blonde Ale / 4.3% ABV / 14 IBU
“As the name implies, this is one knock-out of a beer. Brewed to be a light bodied, refreshing ale, Blonde Bombshell combines subtle malt and wheat flavors with a delicate Liberty hop aroma to create a sensational beer.”
Mamba / Salem, OR / Gilgamesh Brewery / Ale / 6.5% ABV / 1 IBU
“A very complex hopless brew, with a light yet slightly sweet and spicy body. Brewed with black tea, a hint of tangerine zest, and rye creating an aromatic and extremely unique brew. Definitely something you must try.”
David’s Chair Classic Hefe / Salem, OR / Gilgamesh Brewery / Hefeweizen / 5.4% ABV
Mango Sour / Portland, OR / Migration Brewery / Sour / 5.2% ABV
Rico Guave / Bend, OR / Silver Moon Brewery / 5.2% ABV / 10 IBU
Margarita Gose / Bend, OR / Worthy Brewery / Gose / 5.2% ABV / 20 IBU
Gose / Seattle, WA / Fremont Brewery / Gose / 4.5% ABV / 10 IBU
“Sour ale with cucumber, lime, & San Juan sea salt. Lightly sweet with moderate sourness and mildly salty with lingering tartness in light, effervescent body that is moderately mouthwatering”
Heather Canyon Kolsch / Hood River, OR / Full Sail Brewery / Kolsch / 4.5% ABV / 20 IBU
“Heather Canyon Kölsch is brewed in honor of one of the most scenic areas on Mt. Hood. In the summer it’s an amazing area to hike, in the winter it’s double black diamond terrain. Brewed in the traditional German-style this is an easy drinking, crisp, dry beer that drinks like a ray of sunshine on a bluebird day no matter what the weather. Delicately balanced with subtle fruit aroma and flavor you’ll enjoy every sip of this clean, quaffable ale that won’t put you over your skis.”
High Five Hef / Ellensburg, WA/ Iron Horse Brewery / Hefeweizen / 6% ABV
“American Hefeweizen with Ginger and Honey. Ginger and Honey join forces to create a zesty citrus flavor. Light and bright, you’ll thank yourself with drinking this cold, crisp high five.”
Ciders/Spritzers:
Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer / Corvallis, OR / 2 Towns Ciderhouse / Spritzer / 8% ABV
HipHops / Corvallis, OR / 2 Towns Ciderhouse / Cider / 8% ABV
“Hopped Apple with Rose Hips – Made with Rose Hips & Talus Hops – Bright and fragrant, this fresh mixtape of rose hips and hops means the beat don’t stop. Talus hops keep it fresh, while rose hips come in hot with a citrusy-floral mesh. So rock the rhythm and throw your hands in the air, and party like you just don’t care.”
Prickly Pearadise / Corvallis, OR / 2 Towns Ciderhouse / Cider / 5.3% ABV
“Made with Nopal Cactus Fruit – Fruity and earthy, Prickly Pearadise brings some dessert flare to the PNW. We use a fusion of NW apples & prickly pear cactus fruit to create a vibrant flavor oasis, proving that a little paradise can be found even in the prickliest of places.”
Cherry Sublime / Corvallis, OR / 2 Towns Ciderhouse / Cider / 5.2% ABV
“Made with Cherries & Key Lime – Fruity & Zappy, Cherry Sublime takes you on a polyphonic trip with every sip. Luminous red sour cherry blends with electrifying lime to create a cider that will take your senses on a journey. Is it sweet or is it sour? You decide.”
“Our theme this year is ‘Focus on Fun,’ and the Rose Festival is very focused on helping bring fun back to downtown Portland,” says Marilyn Clint, Portland Rose Festival’s Chief Executive Officer. “Portland is known as ‘Beervana’ for a reason, and combining these two waterfront traditions at CityFair was an easy decision.”
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
SW Naito Pkwy & SW Morrison St
Portland, OR 97204
