Mashing-In News: Viking Beer Fest, Beer & Blues
GOOD MORNING, SOUTH PUGET SOUND!
Friday, August 22, 2025 — Kristen Wiig turns 52 today!
Today’s craft beer news brings a full pour of Northwest festivals, industry shifts, and brewing culture— from Des Moines blues paired with local brews and Beaverton Vikings raising horns, to barley hitting historic lows, Pliny the Younger reflections, and even bobbleheads of beer barons.
Northwest Craft Beer Meets Live Blues at Poverty Bay Fest This Saturday
The 2025 Poverty Bay Blues & Brews Fest hits Des Moines Beach Park this Saturday, August 23, 2025, pairing dozens of Northwest craft beers and ciders (from breweries like Jellyfish, Georgetown, Stoup, and Four Generals) with a killer blues lineup including Hank Shreve Band, Alison Joy Williams, Joel Astley, and Hillstomp—all to raise funds for local Rotary causes, with 100% of proceeds going back to the community. (I Love Kent)
Viking Beer Fest Takes Over Beaverton Aug. 22–23
The Viking Beer Fest returns to Nordic Northwest in Beaverton Aug. 22–23, 2025, featuring small-batch beers, meads, ciders, Scandinavian fare, Viking reenactments, live combat, a full-size ship, ax throwing, music, and contests celebrating Nordic culture. (Beaverton Valley Times)
New Zymurgy Issue Explores the Amateur–Pro Brewing Bridge, Plus 18 Recipes
The September/October 2025 Zymurgy celebrates the bridge between amateur and professional brewing with 18 recipes, featuring Gary Glass’s journey from AHA director to GABF medalist, a Bay Area Mashers–Maltose Falcons collab with maltsters and breweries, Gunnar Martens’ hazy twist on Kölsch with Bönnsch, insights on brewing world-class Witbier, and Ron Minkoff’s witty guide to naming competition beers. (Homebrewers Association)
Vinnie Cilurzo on Pliny the Younger, Brewing with Integrity, and “Staying in Our Lane”
The 2025 release of Russian River’s legendary Pliny the Younger Triple IPA once again drew massive excitement, prompting a revisit with co-founder Vinnie Cilurzo, who reflects on the brewery’s community impact, integrity, and commitment to “staying in its lane” by making beloved beers while embracing creativity with ingredients and the evolving brewing landscape. (Brewers Journal)
U.S. Barley Acreage Hits Record Low in 2025, Lowest Since 1875
U.S. barley acreage has fallen to a record low of 2.28 million acres in 2025, with production forecast at 141 million bushels—down 2% from last year—marking the lowest harvested area since 1875 despite slightly higher yields, according to the American Malting Barley Association. (ProBrewer)
From Fonio to Black Tuesday: What’s New in Brewing Gear & Culture
Craft Beer & Brewing’s latest Editors’ Picks spotlight everything from sustainable fonio grain and bespoke barrel-aged Black Tuesday bottles to a charitable hop blend, Milwaukee’s first beer-baron bobbleheads, and a new book on how beer helped battle the Great Depression. (Craft Beer & Brewing)
Golden Ages in Brewing: Memory, Loss, and What Comes Next
John Keeling reflects on brewing’s so-called “golden age” and his own career after the recent loss of two industry friends, noting how each generation romanticizes the past while life and brewing continue to evolve toward the next chapter. (Brewers Journal)
Craft Beer Meets Slots: San Diego’s Perfect Pairings
San Diego’s thriving craft beer scene has found a playful pairing with online slot games, where styles like juicy IPAs, dark stouts, crisp lagers, and fruity goses are matched with different slot themes to create an easygoing, immersive experience that blends flavor, fun, and atmosphere. (San Diego Beer News)
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
