It’s the most wonderful time for a beer!
It’s the hop-happiest season of all!
There’s a buzz in the air of Pioneer Courthouse Square
when mugs flow with ales…
A giant heated tent takes over Pioneer Courthouse Square for the beer festival. Photo by Timothy Horn.
Uncork a beer-inspired carol of your own during downtown Portland’s annual Holiday Ale Fest. This celebration of winter suds is set beneath the region’s largest decorated Christmas tree. Revelers can sample from more than 50 featured beers, each designed to keep drinkers warm on cold winter nights.
Drink selections for 2017 included 2 Towns Ciderhouse‘s “Bourbon barrel Nice & Naughty” cider, fermented with dark honey and seasonal spices (like clove, cinnamon and nutmeg) and aged in bourbon barrels.
Ancestry Brewing served its “Horchata Winter Stout,” which was brewed with cinnamon, vanilla bean, nutmag and lactose sugar to create a chocolatey, spice-laden beer. Meanwhile, the “Pink Peppercorn, Lavender & Chocolate Imperial Stout” by Caldera Brewing Co. surprised palates.
The event also includes delicious, holiday-themed foods, live music and a Sunday brunch with exclusive beers alongside European pastries, cured meats and artisan cheeses. Wear some Santa pants, because you’re going to need a bigger waistline. As a bonus — and on the off chance that the strong beers aren’t enough to keep you warm — the festival’s clear-top tent and gas heaters ought to do the trick.
From the Calendar
Holiday Ale Festival
Nov. 28, 2018 – Dec. 2, 2018
Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97204
The winter season holds many gifts for beer lovers in the form of big, bold ales designed to fend off the cold chill of a…
