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Back in the day, telling someone you’re going to a Fruit Beer Festival may get you some odd glances and a few questions about your manhood. Today, in the midst of a craft beer revolution that spans the globe, people are wiser to the idea that some of the best beers are now brewed and fermented with fruit, not just added as a garnish or flavored with juice. Those lucky enough to be in Portland this weekend will be able to experience the spectacle first hand at the only annual fruit beer festival in the nation.
Those who signed up early and were able to snag the 300 tickets sold for the early VIP pouring happening tomorrow evening will be able to revel in DeGarde’s Blueberry Bu Weisse, Elysian’s Double IPA (featuring 42lbs each of raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry purée) and Ebony & Ivory, an Upright Brewing/Bushwacker Cider collab (Gose infused with white truffles blended with a cider infused with black truffles). Here there are no limits and experimentation is the order of the day.
The event annually kicks off Portland Beer Week, which started last night and runs through Monday June 15th. The Fruit Beer Festival is happening once again at Burnside Brewing, open from 11am to 9pm Saturday, 11am to 6pm Sunday and the VIP session tonight from 4 til 9pm. You can buy tickets here online for $22.09 (including fees) or in person for $20.
Last weekend, I was lucky enough to preview some of this year’s finest creations, introduced by the brewers who concocted them. See the full list of beers being served and the list of limited release/rotating beers. Almost all of these beers were brewed for the festival and will be difficult to find, if not impossible once the fest is over. Here’s a preview of the one’s you shouldn’t miss.
Cucumber Crush – 10 Barrel Brewing (Bend, OR)
To say that all year I’ve been salivating in my dreams about fresh cucumber flavored beer might be a little too much information, but it’s the truth. Made for last year’s Fruit Beer Fest, it’s brewed with the same base as their popular Swill Radler. This 2014 World Beer Cup Gold Medal winner is not to be missed (Limited). 4% abv
Peach Slap – Deschutes Brewing (brewed at their Portland, OR pub)
Had this last weekend and it was the one the best beers we sampled, by far. A crisp, tart Belgian ale with generous amounts of peach purée, plus some unique additions of juniper berries and pink peppercorn. It weighs in at an apparently slight 3.2% abv, but tastes MUCH bigger.
Mayme B – Alameda Brewing (Portland, OR)
The most unique of those we sampled, this Belgian Dark Golden ale features a fruit I’ve never heard of. The Mamey fruit is native to the Caribbean and Central America, with a shape similar to a large avocado, this ingredient was sourced from Florida. To me it tasted a lot like a Rauchbeer (smoked) though with warming the complex flavors shine through – sweet potato, pumpkin, almond, vanilla and maraschino cherry. 6.6% abv
Orange You Glad I Didn’t Say Banana – Laurelwood Brewing (Portland, OR)
Citrus always seems to a common ingredient at this event, especially last year, though this is one of the better citrus beers I’ve had. It’s an old world tart wheat with a wide variety of citrus including 6 lbs of grapefruit zest plus orange, lemon and key limes. It’s packs a huge pucker profile but only sports an abv of 4.4 and an ibu of 14.
Citrus Royale – The Commons (Portland, OR)
This was an unexpected addition to our tasting, possibly saving the best for last. After last year’s successful Biere Royale brewed with black currants, they decided to create a sour spelt based beer featuring navel oranges, Murcott Mandarin, Meyer Lemon peel, orange and lime juice, and soured it with yogurt. 5.8% abv 11 ibu.
Up From San Antone – Widmer Brothers/5 Stones Artisan Brewery (Portland, OR and Cibolo, TX)
Oregon and Texas join forces for an epic White IPA unlike any you’ll have this summer. Named after a George Strait tune, it’s brewed with coriander and over a 100 pounds of grapefruit. This super easy drinker has a not-so-overbearing tartness fused with plenty of Amarillo Hops, one of the hoppiest available this weekend. 6.6% abv 55 ibu.
Oude Bes: Strawberry Balsamic – Oakshire Brewing (Eugene, OR)
I’ve yet to try this one, though after reading the description, I had to change my shorts. Some of their older aged Flanders Red beers aged in Pinot Noir barrels with strawberry and plum, dosed with Brett and lacto. THEN they blended their favorite 5 barrels of this concoction and aged them on strawberry purée and a balsamic vinegar reduction, resulting in a tart and acidic ale with a mild lambic-like baryard funk. Fer fuchs sake! 6.2% abv 12 ibu
