MORNING FOAM FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 24 2016: A seven-taster flight of craft beer news, from the fluffy head all the way to the bottom gunk. …
Ah, summer in the Pacific Northwest—when the air thickens with pollen, wanderlust, and the heady perfume of international beer dreams. The Portland International Beer Festival kicks off today with a globe-trotting, palate-twisting lineup of 200 brews from the likes of Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Lebanon, and other nations who believe—rightly—that beer is both cultural artifact and divine right. Pro tip: If there’s a rare Japanese saison or Swiss pils you’ve been dying to taste, arrive early or prepare for heartbreak. Meanwhile, Odin Brewing has swallowed Hilliard’s Beer, Rogue Ales continues its annual amber-clad salute to American Revolution, and the second annual Weird Beer on the River promises to out-weird last year’s beet and beef pho creations (yes, that happened). Over in California, the craft scene has exploded past 700 breweries—just in time for the CCBA Summit—and New Holland offers a tart new twist on Dragon’s Milk with their Raspberry Lemon variant. Also, Burger King has decided your arteries were far too boring and introduced Mac ’N Cheetos, which pairs nicely with… a quadruple IPA and an emergency room visit. Let’s begin.
The weekend Portland International Beer Festival kicks off today with 200 beers from Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Lebanon, Switzerland, Italy, Scotland, Canada, England and Japan — among others. Pro tip: If there’s a beer you are dying to try, come early. They won’t last all weekend. The Seattle version is July 8-10 at Seattle Center Pavilion.
Odin Brewing Company has acquired Hilliard’s Beer.
Last year, at the first Weird Beer on the River, beer flavors included pina colada, beef pho and beet. This year, 26 Oregon and Southwest Washington breweries of beer and cider will try to top that July 8-9 at Marina Park at the Port of Camas/Washougal.
Rogue Ales raises a fist for America with the 28th annual release of American Amber Ale, a beer dedicated to the Revolution and the second-ever beer created by Rogue’s brewmaster John Maier.
The California Craft Brewers Association announced more than 700 craft breweries are now in operation across the state. The industry reaches this historic milestone during the early bird ticket sale for the CCBA’s annual showcase of California’s booming craft beer industry: the California Craft Beer Summit and Beer Festival.
New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Raspberry Lemon is a new spin on the brewery’s year-round barrel-aged stout.
For those who are bored with the usual methods of developing angina, check out Burger King‘s newest product: Mac ’N Cheetos.
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
