Oregon Brewers Festival

Oregon Brewers Festival (OBF) is a four-day craft beer festival held annually since 1988 at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland, Oregon, except 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic caused it to be cancelled.[1] OBF has become the most popular outdoor beer festival in North America, based on attendance.[3]

Oregon Brewers Festival
The festival in 2007
BeginsThursday before last full weekend in July[1]
EndsLast Sunday in July
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland, Oregon
Years active1988–2019, 2021–
Participants85,000 (2014)[2]

Admission is free, but to sample the festival's beers, attendees, provided they're at least 21, must purchase that year's OBF tasting glass as well as $1 beer tokens— each token is good for a sample that has varied in volume over the years,[4] while a "full pour" costs 4 tokens.[1][5]

Each brewery brings one beer.[1] OBF also features a root beer garden, which offers free root beer for designated drivers and minors, besides anyone loathing alcohol; the latter must be accompanied by a parent.[5]

History
Year Sample
size[4]
19916 oz
19946 oz
19965 oz
19976 oz
20015 oz
20024 oz
20036 oz
20054 oz
20074 oz
20104 oz
20124 oz
20133 oz
2014[6]3 oz

Live music was introduced in 2001.[7]

In 2005, OBF expanded from a three-day schedule (Friday to Sunday) to four, adding Thursday.[8]

The 2011 Oregon Brewers Festival featured 85 craft beers from 14 states; it attracted 80,000 people over four days.[9] Nearly 2,000 volunteers worked at the festival, selling tokens and pouring beer, among other tasks.[9]

In 2013, OBF added a fifth day, moving the opening to Wednesday; they also replaced the annual plastic mug, which had been used since the festival's beginning, with a tasting glass, which for 2013 costs $7.[8] The previous year's 14-US-fluid-ounce (410 ml) mug was replaced by a 12.8-US-fluid-ounce (380 ml) glass, which reduced the size of a full pour.[4] For 2014, there are 88 beers available, in 30 styles; that does not include the more than 100 available separately in OBF's Specialty Tent.[10]

After two years with tasting glasses made of glass, for 2015, OBF switched to a polycarbonate tasting glass;[2] the change was in response to safety concerns raised by the Portland Police.

In 2018, OBF changed back to a four-day festival, moving the opening to Thursday. That same year, the festival added two hard ciders to the lineup, and four wines –– 2 red and 2 white –– for the first time in the festival's history.

In 2020, the event was cancelled for the first time in history caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; the 33rd was deferred to 2021.

In recent years OBF has anchored a month of beer-related festivals in Portland, including the North American Organic Brewers Festival, the Portland International Beerfest, and the Great American Distillers Festival.[11]

See also

References
  1. "FAQ". Oregon Brewers Festival. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  2. Hale, Jamie (April 17, 2015). "Oregon Brewers Festival will stop using glass after Portland police cite safety concerns". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
  3. Foyston, John (July 23, 2014). "Beer begins flowing at 'America's Oktoberfest'". CNN. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
  4. Dunlop, Pete (July 21, 2013). "What's Up with OBF Pour Sizes, Anyway?". BeervanaBuzz.com. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  5. Perry, Douglas (July 24, 2008). "Brewers Fest FAQ: What you need to know". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  6. Cheney, Cathy (July 14, 2014). "Oregon Brewers Festival fans: It's that time again". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  7. Miller, Trisha; Schrag, John (July 11, 2001). "Beer Wars". News Buzz. Willamette Week. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  8. Foyston, John (February 5, 2013). "Wednesday is the new Thursday: Oregon Brewers Festival will grow to five days this year". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2013-05-03.
  9. Culverwell, Wendy (August 2, 2011). "Brew Fest breaks attendance record". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  10. Harrison, Lacey. "Hopped Up Eugene – The Oregon Brewers Festival". EugeneDailyNews.com. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  11. Watts, Joseph (June 25, 2008). "Brew Fest breaks attendance record". Willamette Week. Retrieved 2011-10-14.

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