Mashing-In News: Oregon Distribution, Beervana Turns 20
GOOD MORNING, SOUTH PUGET SOUND!
Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 — Joanne Woodward turns 96 today!
Friday’s craft beer news reads like a Pacific Northwest pulse check — policy battles in Olympia, Oregon industry shake-ups, festival expansions, historic pub revivals, hop comebacks, ferry-boat IPAs, and a reminder that sometimes a blog can change an entire beer career
Let’s Talk About Oregon: Inside Craft Beer’s Latest Shake-Ups
Grit & Grain Podcast Episode 179 dives into Oregon’s recent craft beer shake-ups — from distributor consolidation and brewery buy-outs to new start-ups — unpacking what these shifts signal for the Northwest beer economy and how Oregon and Washington markets compare. (Grit & Grain Podcast)
Brewers Guild Pushes Back on Excise Tax Proposal
As Washington’s 60-day legislative session enters its final weeks, the Washington Brewers Guild is fighting a proposed 100 percent increase in beer excise taxes, opposing changes to canned cocktail taxes, supporting a statewide tourism funding bill, and monitoring recycling and BAC legislation affecting breweries. (Washington Beer Blog)
SheBrew 2026 Pours into Portland Art Museum
SheBrew returns on March 7 for its 11th year at the Portland Art Museum, bringing together more than 40 professional female brewers, homebrew competitions, nonprofit fundraising for the Human Rights Campaign, and—for the first time—spirits alongside beer and cider. (Northwest Beer Guide)
Burlesque & Beer Comes to Ballard
Obec Brewing in Ballard launches a monthly Burlesque & Beer Cabaret series beginning March 8, pairing craft pints with diverse burlesque and drag performances from Fat Bottom Productions as breweries explore fresh, community-driven ways to draw new crowds. (Washington Beer Blog)
Bale Breaker Brews for Washington State Ferries’ 75th
To mark Washington State Ferries’ 75th anniversary during a summer of global soccer attention in Seattle, Bale Breaker Brewing partnered with Odom and Sodexo to release From Farms to Ferries IPA—available on ferry boats now through July—with a second draft-only collaboration arriving later this spring. (Washington Beer Blog)
Claim 52 Reclaims Historic Rogue Bayfront Pub
Claim 52 Brewing will take over Rogue Ales’ historic Bayfront Public House in Newport—renaming it Claim 52 Brewing Bayfront and reopening in May 2026—reviving the landmark brewpub where John Maier first brewed Rogue beer while expanding the Eugene brewery’s coastal footprint. (The New School)
Comet’s Comeback: From Workhorse to Flavor Star
Terroir Tuesday spotlights Comet, the once-overlooked high-alpha hop bred in the 1970s that has reemerged for its bold grapefruit-and-resin character and climate-resilient genetics, now finding new life in modern recipes and global growing regions. (Shan Ferments)
De Garde Expands 13th Anniversary Into Biggest Fest Yet
De Garde Brewing will host its largest anniversary festival yet on May 2, 2026 at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds, expanding its 13th celebration with 65-plus international breweries, top-tier food and music, camping options, and enhanced logistics as major beer events elsewhere scale back. (The New School)
Beervana: 20 Years of Blogging and Beer
Reflecting on a pivotal brewery visit in Belgium and a leap from academia into full-time writing, Jeff Alworth marks his blog’s 20th anniversary, crediting it with launching The Beer Bible, a global beer career, and two decades of connection with readers. (Beervana)
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and icder cooler inventory
