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Pacific Northwest Beer Festivals

pacific northwest beer festivals

Portland, Oregon is the home of the first microbrewery, and the tradition of quality beers is a proud part of the Pacific Northwest. These festivals celebrate it!

Whether it’s a stout, a hefeweizen, a microbrew, a lager, or a pilsner, beer appears in all forms throughout the Pacific Northwest. Breweries are a common site and destination in the Northwest, and so it makes sense that the region would host quality festivals each year celebrating the authentic character of Northwest beers. Check out these festivals when you’re enjoying the Northwest.

Pacific Northwest Beer Festivals

The following are some of the more well-known beer festivals in the area (we even included an Alaska one too)!

beer

Oregon Brewer’s Festival, Portland, OR

This festival celebrates beer the way Oregon loves to celebrate – on a hot summer day in Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Seventy-three brewers are present at this festival, and more than 60,000 beer lovers attend each year. Since the event is a non-judging festival, that means there’s less time to analyze and more time to savor each beer. 

Admission to the festival is free, but once inside they’ll sell you a mug for $8. You can purchase mugs at the festival! In true Portland form, there’s free bike parking available each day. To encourage safety and family involvement in the festival, free root beer floats will be provided to all minors and designated drivers at the festival. Taps are open from noon until 9 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and from noon until 7 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, check out their website here.

Washington Brewer’s Guild Cask Festival, Seattle, WA

This festival has more of an indie appeal, which means it has a cult following among wine snobs and home brewers from around the country. This event is typically held in March, sometimes in several four-hour sessions. Cask-conditioned beers from major regional breweries and smaller producers will be on tap throughout both sessions. 

Cask beers are known for their distinct flavors and aromas, their creamy head, and their smooth textures. The festival location is at the Seattle Center, in the Fisher Pavilion.

For more information, check out their website here.

Fremont Oktoberfest

Fremont Oktoberfest is an annual beer festival held in Seattle’s vibrant Fremont neighborhood. This lively event celebrates the rich tradition of Oktoberfest, showcasing a wide array of independent breweries and craft beers. With its festive atmosphere, live music, and delicious food options, the festival draws beer enthusiasts from near and far.

One of the main highlights of Fremont Oktoberfest is the impressive selection of over 100 different beers from more than 30 breweries. Attendees have the opportunity to sample a diverse range of brews, including traditional German-style beers, local favorites, and unique experimental brews. Whether you’re a seasoned beer connoisseur or just beginning your craft beer journey, there’s something to suit every palate.

For more information, check out their website here.

International Beer Festival, Seattle and Portland

These two international beer festivals happen in July each year and offer the best of the world as far as beer goes. In Seattle, the festival is from July 4-6 at Seattle Center Mural Amphitheater and in Portland, it follows on July 18-20 in the North Park Blocks, near the Pearl District. This is an adults-only festival that has a real party atmosphere. The beer is sold on a “swanky” scale. Visitors can expect to use one to three tickets per beer. There will be more than 100 beers, some very rare, available for tasting. Both events are fundraisers for Pet Cross, and the party keeps going each night until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, check out this website.

Fresh Hop Ale Festival, Yakima, Washington

Beer without hops is like salad without dressing. There’s a lot of fresh hoppiness going around this beer festival. Why not? The Yakima Valley is home to 77% of the annual US hops harvest. One cool thing I recently learned is that the hops for these ales are picked and used in brewing within 24 hours of harvest! 

Make note of the hops variety used with each beer you taste. You may find that you have a preference for one hop variety over another. The 16 competing breweries come from the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.

For more information, check out their website here.

Great Alaska Beer and Barley Wine Festival – Anchorage, AK

The largest state in the union should be home to a great beer festival. In the dead of winter, this beer festival attracts over 50 regional and international brewers to bring over 200 beers and barley wines. But then, what else are you going to do when suffering from Cabin Fever? 

Two days of sampling barley wines will take the edge off that. This festival is a great opportunity forpeople to try out these great regional brews. Don’t skip the Belgian breweries’ booths.

For more information, check out their website here.

If you are looking for other area festivals, check out this list of Portland Fall Festivals. Can’t make it to a festival anytime soon? Check out this Craft Beer Subscription that you can sign up for!

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