It’s June, so you best be making plans for Roseburg’s third beer festival of 2016. And since it’s almost summer, it’s the only brewfest held in the great outdoors.
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Brewburgers, we can’t claim that RBW+ is the oldest beer event in Roseburg, and it’s up to you to decide if it’s the best, but with 13 events over eight days, it is the biggest and the longest. So, for the next Week+, Roseburg is Brewburg--let the celebration of local beer begin! Roseburg Beer Week+ Sat. May 7 - Sat. May 14  Get aboard the shuttle tomorrow and shuffle down to Canyonville for the first and biggest event of Roseburg Beer Week+, the Hammer N'Ales Brewfest at Seven Feathers Casino Resort. This fundraiser for Umpqua Valley Habitat for Humanity features dozens of craft beers, including offerings from all seven locals and homebrew, as well as food, live music, contests, prizes, and surprises. See you there Brewburg!  It's a fact Sheldon, not a theory--Roseburg Beer Week+ begins with a Big Bang on Saturday, and that warrants a Bazinga! 
OK Brewburgers, here’s another Q & Ales question to help you prepare for the Roseburg Beer Week+ Trivia Contest at O’Toole’s Pub: Which state has the most craft beer breweries per capita? (HInt: It’s not Oregon, although we know Oregon has the BEST breweries.)  The answer to yesterday’s Q and Ale Trivia question is Backside, McMenamins Roseburg Station and Salud, which are the three local brewpubs that make their own beer and serve their own food.  Everything you wanted to know about Roseburg Beer Week+ in 500 words or less, as printed in yesterday’s News Review:
This month Steve Bahr, local craft beer booster and editor of Brewburg.com (the region’s online beer info site), takes the helm to share what will be happening during 2016 Roseburg Beer Week+. The push pins on the Roseburg Beer map aren’t quite as crowded as the maps of Eugene to the north and the Rogue Valley to the south, but with seven breweries and plenty of pubs, bars, restaurants, and stores selling craft beer, Roseburg is indeed becoming Brewburg. What better way to recognize the hard working creators and purveyors of local craft beer than a week long celebration? This year’s Roseburg Beer Week+ (plus sign because it’s eight days) will be from one Saturday to the next, May 7 to 14. The kick-off event on May 7 is the Hammer N’Ales Brewfest at Seven Feathers Casino Resort. Hosted by the Umpqua Valley Habitat for Humanity, the festival has both a new name and location. Cheri Page, the event chair, explains the reason why. “With the change in venue, we also thought it fitting to change the name. Since the primary mission of Umpqua Valley Habitat for Humanity is to serve qualified families through the construction of safe and secure housing, Hammer N’Ales seemed more reflective of our work.” For the $25 Hammer N’Ales entry fee, festival goers get a tasting mug, four taste tickets, $10 in free slot play, and nationally known entertainment. A free Seven Feathers shuttle will run between Roseburg and Canyonville. While sampling local and regional craft beers, festival goers can enjoy Tomaselli’s Wood Fired Pizza and Smokin’ Friday BBQ. In addition, they can try their luck at winning door prizes, a cash drawing, games, and contests. “Come out and support a great cause and enjoy outstanding craft beer and cider, wine, and delicious food and phenomenal entertainment,” urged Page. Lookingglass, the Roseburg area’s newest brewery, will celebrate the grand opening of its tasting room on Saturday, May 14, the last day of Roseburg Beer Week+. Owner and brewer Mark Nunnelee and his wife Lydia have spent months refurbishing the space, which has a walk-in cooler and custom made bar and tables. For the opening the Nunneles will have seven Lookingglass beers on tap, as well as wine and cider. “We would like to bring to Winston some high quality, great tasting craft beer. We hope for a positive and welcome reception by its citizens and visitors. I hope Winston is as excited as we are to open our tasting/tap room there,” said Nunnelee In between the Hammer N’Ales Brewfest the first Saturday and the Lookingglass Grand Opening on the second Saturday, a busy week of events is on the schedule, including beer and food pairing dinners; special beer releases; live music; contests; and Backside Brewing’s second annual Lumberjack Competition on Saturday, May 14. Local beer lovers can go to roseburgbeerweek.com to see a complete list of events by date, venue, and category. Please, pass the word along about this year’s RBW+, and then get out to our local breweries and pubs to celebrate Roseburg, as it becomes Brewburg, at least for one week+ of fermenting fun. |
