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25th annual Oregon Brewers

FestivalJuly 26 29, 2012

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

MEDIA KIT

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Welcome to the 25th annual Oregon Brewers Festival

The Oregon Brewers Festival is one of the nation's longest running and best loved craftbeer festivals. Situated on the west bank of the Willamette River, with towering Mt. Hoodas a backdrop, it is the ideal venue for anyone who loves craft beer. With a laid backattitude and scores of award-winning beers, the festival reflects the essence of the city ofPortland, and is the crowning jewel of Oregon Craft Beer Month.

Better known as the OBF, the festival was the brainchild of Art Larrance, co-founder ofPortland Brewing Co. Art had traveled to the original Oktoberfest in Munich and knewwhat a big beer party was like. His goal was to re-create a similar atmosphere here in

Portland and bring attention to the resurgence of microbrews.

Art collaborated with craft beer veterans Dick and Nancy Ponzi of BridgePort Brewing Co.and Kurt & Rob Widmer of Widmer Bros. Brewing Co. to produce the first Oregon BrewersFestival in 1988. Despite the limited number of microbreweries nationwide at the time or perhaps because of that fact the festival was overwhelmingly successful and hasnever looked back.

Craft beer has come a long way since then according to the Brewers Association, 1,940craft breweries operated for some or all of 2011, comprised of 1,063 brewpubs, 789microbreweries and 88 regional craft breweries. Small and independent craft brewershave propelled the number of U.S. breweries from less than 100 to more than 1,900 in 30

years. You can find craft beer in grocery stores and service station marts, on restaurantmenus and hotel mini-bars, on airlines and trains, in cans, bottles, growlers and kegs.

The OBF was at the forefront of exposing craft beers to the public, and it continues to doso. This July 26 through 29, 82 craft breweries from all parts of the nation will serve morethan 30 beer styles to nearly 80,000 beer lovers from around the world. There will be 84beers in the main tents, and another 50 specialty beers in the Buzz Tent. We are alsothrilled to debut a Sour Tent this year as well. We encourage everyone to gather withfriends and raise a mug in celebration of great craft beer.

We realize that it is the media that helps spread the word about our successful event,and we are extremely appreciative. If there is anything we can do to help you with a

story, please call or email me at any time.

Cheers!

Chris Crabb503-314-7583chris@oregonbrewfest.com

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FACT SHEETEvent Name25h annual Oregon Brewers Festival

VenueTom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland, OregonMain entrance at S.W. Oak Street and Naito Parkway

DatesJuly 26 - 29, 2012 "Always the last full weekend in July"

TimesThurs through Sat, taps are open from Noon to 9 p.m.Sun, taps are open from Noon to 7 p.m.

Token & mug sales close one-half hour prior to the taps shutting off

AdmissionAdmission into the festival grounds is free. In order to consume beer, purchase of a 2012souvenir mug is required and costs $6. Mugs from previous years will not be filled. Beeris purchased with wooden tokens. Tokens cost $1 apiece. Patrons pay four tokens for afull mug of beer, or one token for a taste. The festival is cash only; there are ATMs on-site.

DescriptionThe Oregon Brewers Festival is one of the nation's longest running and best loved craft

beer festivals. Situated on the west bank of the Willamette River, with towering Mt. Hoodas a backdrop, it is the ideal venue for anyone who loves craft beer. With a laid backattitude and scores of award-winning beers, the festival reflects the essence of the city ofPortland.

The Oregon Brewers Festival exists to provide an opportunity to sample and learn abouta variety of craft beer styles from across the country. Eighty-two craft breweries from allparts of the nation offer more than 30 styles of handcrafted brews to 80,000 beer loversduring the four-day event. A Buzz Tent offers another 50+ rare and specialty beers, andthis year will feature the debut of a Sour Tent as well.

The festival's focus is craft beer, but there's more than sampling involved. The eventfeatures live music, beer-related vendors, beer memorabilia displays, beer writers andpublishers, homebrewing demonstrations, and an assortment of foods from a variety ofregions. The Crater Lake Root Beer Garden offers complimentary handcrafted root beerfor minors and designated drivers. Minors are always welcome at the festival whenaccompanied by a parent.

The Oregon Brewers Festival strongly encourages responsible drinking, and urgespatrons to take advantage of the MAX Light Rail line, located just one block west of thefestival on SW Oak Street. Go by bus, train or taxi, just don't drink and drive. The festivalalso offers free, on-site bicycle parking.

Contact Information

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www.oregonbrewfest.comwww.facebook.com/oregonbrewersfestivalwww.twitter.com/oregonbrewfest

http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/

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Oregon Brewers Festival raises a mug in a toast to its25th annual year of celebrating craft beer

Festival to feature 84 beers in main tent, another 40 in theBuzz Tent and debut a new Sour Beer Tent

PORTLAND, Ore. On a sun-soaked July afternoon, theres no better place to sip sudswith friends than the Oregon Brewers Festival, one of the nation's longest-running andbest-loved craft beer festivals. Nearly 80,000 fans will travel from points around theworld to take part in the 25th annual event, July 26 through July 29 at Tom McCallWaterfront Park in downtown Portland. Event hours are Noon to 9 p.m. Thursday through

Saturday, and Noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.

From Belgians to Browns, Doppelbocks to Dunkels, Pales to Pilsners and Scottish ales toStouts, the Oregon Brewers Festival serves up more than 20 beer styles from 82 craftbreweries from around the country. There are 84 beers in the main tent one perbrewery plus two gluten-free offerings and another 40+ in the Buzz Tent. This year,organizers have also announced they will add a Sour Beer Tent to the festivities, bringingawareness of one of the latest craft beer trends to a massive audience.

The Oregon Brewers Festival is first and foremost a celebration of beer, but the eventalso features four days of live music, food booths, craft vendors, and industry displays.

The Crater Lake Soda Garden provides complimentary handcrafted root beer to minors

and designated drivers. Minors are allowed into the event when accompanied by aparent.Admission into the festival grounds is free. In order to consume beer, purchase of a 2012souvenir mug is required and costs $6. Mugs from previous years will not be filled. Beeris purchased with wooden tokens, which cost $1 apiece. Patrons pay four tokens for a fullmug of beer, or one token for a taste.

Alternative modes of transportation are encouraged, with free monitored bicycle parkingavailable each day. The main entrance is at SW Oak Street and Naito Parkway, one blockfrom the MAX Light Rail line.

The Oregon Brewers Festival takes place during Oregon Craft Beer Month, a celebrationof craft beer by Oregon's specialty breweries. During the entire month, a variety ofspecial events will take place at craft breweries throughout the state, culminating withthe Oregon Brewers Festival.

The Oregon Brewers Festival was founded in 1988 as an opportunity to expose the publicto microbrews at a time when the craft brewing industry was just getting off the ground.

Today, that industry has flourished, especially in Oregon, which has 107 brewingcompanies operating 139 brewing facilities in 55 cities. Portland alone has 48 breweries more than any other city in the world. For more information about the Oregon BrewersFestival, visit www.oregonbrewfest.com.

http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/

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2011 Oregon Brewers Festival Generates$23.2 Million for Local Economy

A recently completed study estimates the economic impactof the Oregon Brewers Festival on Multnomah County

PORTLAND, Ore. - June 5, 2012 - A recently completed study estimates the economicimpact of the 2011 Oregon Brewers Festival (OBF) on the local economy at $23.2 million.

Jeff Dense, Professor of Political Science at Eastern Oregon University, and his Politicsand Beer class administered 628 on-site interviews at the 2011 event, July 28-30 at Tom

McCall Waterfront Park in Portland.

The analysis utilized IMPLAN (IMpact Analysis for PLANning) data and software packageto estimate the economic impact of the Oregon Brewers Festival on Multnomah County.

The OBF generated $16.24 million in direct and $6.97 million in indirect (additional inputpurchases made by local businesses) expenditures. Additionally, the OBF generated $5.9million in induced expenditures (local business owners, suppliers and employeeexpenditures related to direct and indirect expenditures)."The study highlights the economic impact of the Oregon Brewers Festival, andPortland's role as one of the premier beer tourism's destinations in the United States,"Dense said.

Respondents were queried on demographic factors, along with estimates of OBF-relatedexpenditures in tourism-related categories, including transportation, lodging, meals,gasoline purchases, non-beer related recreation, beer purchased to take home, andexpenditures at the OBF.Findings of the study include:

Out-of-state (Southwest Washington excluded) and international visitorsaccounted for 56% of OBF attendees.

64% of OBF attendees were male; 35% of attendees were 21-29 years of age.

The average local attendee spent $104.

The average out-of-state and international attendee spent $750.

82% of respondents indicated they were staying 2 or more days.

In addition to the estimated $23.2 million economic impact on Multnomah County,local residents spent an estimated $7.97 million related to the OBF.

53% of respondents were attending the OBF for the first time.

This year marks the 25th annual Oregon Brewers Festival, which will take place July 26through July 29 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland. Event hours areNoon to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and Noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. Nearly 80,000fans will travel from points around the world to sample from more than 120 beers at theannual event.

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Contact: Jeff Dense, Eastern Oregon University, (541)-962-3854,jdense@eou.edu

2012 PARTICIPATING BREWERIES

Brewery, Beer Name, Beer Style10 Barrel Brewing Co., Raspberry Crush, American-Style Sour Ale21st Amendment Brewery, Bitter American, Session BeerAlameda Brewing Co., Huckleberry Hound IPA, Specialty BeerAlaskan Brewing Co., Alaskan Oatmeal Stout, Oatmeal StoutAnderson Valley Brewing Co., Summer Solstice Cervesa Crema, Summer Cream AleBallast Point Brewing Co., Sculpin IPA, American-Style India Pale AleBayern Brewing, Inc., Bayern Dark Doppel Bock, German-Style Eisbock

Bear Republic Brewing Co., Black Racer, American-Style Black AleBeer Valley Brewing, Oregonberry Wheat Ale, Fruit Wheat Ale or Lager with or without

YeastBison Brewing, Honey Basil Ale, Herb and Spice BeerBoulder Beer Co., Mojo, American-Style India Pale AleBoulevard Brewing Co., Z N, Belgian Style WitbierBoundary Bay Brewery, Double Dry Hopped Delta Pale Ale, American-Style Pale AleBridgePort Brewing Co., Stump Town Tart, Fruit BeerCaldera Brewing Co., Caldera Hop Hash, American-Style Strong Pale AleCascade Brewing Co., Razberry Wheat, Raspberry WheatCoalition Brewing Co., Rooster's Cream Ale, American-Style Cream Ale or LagerCollaborator, Pineapple Express, Light American Wheat Ale or Lager without Yeast

Columbia River Brewing Co., Rye Not IPA, American-Style India Pale AleDeschutes Brewery, Armory XPA, American-Style Strong Pale AleDeschutes Brewery, Gluten Free, Gluten Free North West Pale AleDick's Brewing Co., Dick's Dubbel Trouble, Belgian DubbelDogfish Head Craft Brewery, Positive Contact, Experimental Beer (Lager or Ale)Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom, Goliathon, Dark American-Belgo-Style AleDunedin Brewery, IPA Chronicle: FL-Oregon Trail, American-Style India Pale AleEel River Brewing Co., Climax Extra Pale, American-Style Pale AleElectric Brewing, Electric Beer, German-Style Klsch/Kln-StyleElysian Brewing Co., Space Dust IPA, American-Style India Pale AleEpic Brewing Co., Epic Hop Syndrome Lager, Session BeerFearless Brewing Co., Fearless Scottish Ale, Scottish-Style Heavy Ale

Fire Mountain Brew House, Tan Line Summer IPA, American-Style India Pale AleFirestone Walker Brewing Co., Wookey Jack, Rye Ale or Lager with or without YeastFlat Tail Brewing Co., White Light / White Ale, American-Style Wheat Wine AleFlyers Restaurant and Brewery, Pacemaker Porter, Robust PorterFlying Fish Brewing Co., Exit 16 Wild Rice IPA, American-Style India Pale AleFort George Brewery and Public House, Quick Wit, Herb and Spice BeerFull Sail Brewing Co., Brewers Share Chris' Summer Delight, Berliner-Style Weisse(Wheat)Gigantic Brewing Co., Dynomite!, Imperial or Double India Pale AleGolden Valley Brewery, Rose` de Vallee`, Fruit Wheat Ale or Lager with or without YeastGoodLife Brewing, Traditions Oak Aged Pale Ale, Wood- and Barrel-Aged Pale to Amber

mailto:jdense@eou.edumailto:jdense@eou.edu

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BeerGreen Flash Brewing Co., Hop Head Red, American-Style Amber/Red AleHale's Ales Brewery and Pub, Hale's Supergoose IPA, American-Style India Pale Ale2012 PARTICIPATING BREWERIESPage 2

Brewery, Beer Name, Beer StyleHopworks Urban Brewery, Evelyn's Imperial Sunshine IPA, Imperial or Double India Pale

AleKona Brewing Co., Big Wave Golden Ale, Golden or Blonde AleLagunitas Brewing Co., OBF Fusion, Oregon SpecialtyLaurelwood Brewing Co., Portlandia Pils, Out of Category - Traditionally Brewed BeerLogsdon Farmhouse Ales, Kili Wit, Farmhouse AleLompoc Brewing Co., Saison the Beach, French-Style Bire de GardeLucky Labrador Brewing Co., Ale X, Experimental Beer (Lager or Ale)Maui Brewing Co., La Perouse White, WitbierMcMenamins John Barleycorns, Freewill IPA, American-Style India Pale AleMoylan's Brewery & Restaurant, Pomegranate Wheat Ale, Fruit BeerMt. Emily Ale House, Organic Strawberry Honey Ale, Fruit BeerNatian Brewery, Elephante' Red Ale, American-Style Amber/Red Ale

New Belgium Brewing, Somersault, Golden or Blonde AleNinkasi Brewing Co., Lady of Avalon, International-Style PilsenerOakshire Brewing, 25, Imperial Oregon AleOccidental Brewing Co., Occidental Kellerbier, Kellerbier (Cellar Beer)Odell Brewing Co., St. Lupulin Extra Pale Ale, American-Style Pale AleOld Market Pub and Brewery, Cherried Alive, Fruit BeerOmission, Omission Pale Ale, American Pale AleOregon Trail Brewery, Oregon Trail Lavender Ale, Herb and Spice BeerParadise Creek Brewery, Dirty Blonde, Golden or Blonde AlePelican Pub & Brewery, Winema Wit, WitPhat Matt's Brewing Co., Klsch Ale, German-Style Klsch/Kln-StyleProdigal Son Brewery & Pub, Splendor in the Glass V: The Splendor Under the Stairs,American-Style Pale AlePyramid Breweries, Outburst Imperial IPA, Imperial or Double India Pale AleRam Restaurant & Brewery, Berry White, Fruit BeerRed Rock Brewing Co., Red Rock Elephino Double IPA, American-Style India Pale AleRedhook Brewery, Peach Trippel, Tripel with fruit addedRock Bottom Brewery, Teddy's Sunburn Red Klsch, German-Style Klsch/Kln-StyleRogue Ales, Rogue 23, Baltic-Style PorterRussian River Brewing Co., Row 2 / Hill 56 - The Story of Simcoe, American-Style StrongPale AleSeven Brides Brewing, Lil's Pils, International-Style PilsenerSierra Nevada Brewing Co., Beer Camp Imperial Pilsner, American-Style PilsenerSprecher Brewery, Sprecher Mai Bock, MaibockStone Brewing Co., Dogfish Head / Victory / Stone, Saison du BUFF, Herb and Spice BeerSummit Brewing Co., Unchained #10 Belgian Abbey Ale, Strong Ale

Terminal Gravity Brewing, X IPA, Double Hopped Double IPAUinta Brewing Co., Hop Notch, American IPAUpright Brewing Co., Upright Alt, AltVertigo Brewing, Tropical Blonde, Fruit BeerWasatch Beers, Wasatch White Label, Belgian WitWidmer Brothers Brewing Co., Smooth Cream-N-Ale, Specialty Beer

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STATISTICS

25th year of the festival

84 handcraft beers are poured in the main tents; two of these are gluten-free.

There are 82 participating breweries, including Collaborator.

14 states are represented: 1 from Alaska, 1 from Arizona, 13 from California, 3from Colorado, 1 from Delaware, 1 from Florida, 2 from Hawaii, 2 from Minnesota, 1

from Missouri, 1 from New Jersey, 44 from Oregon, 4 from Utah and 7 fromWashington and 1 from Wisconsin.

Kona Brewing Co traveled the furthest at 2,600 miles; Maui Brewing Co was aclose second at 2,566 miles; Dogfish Head was third at 2,439 miles

The highest alcohol beer is Dogfish Heads Positive Contact, an experimental beerstyle, at 9% ABV.

The lowest alcohol beer is a tie between Beer Valley Brewings Oregonberry WheatAle, and Full Sail Brewing Cos Brewers Share Chris Summer Delight Berliner Weiss,both at 4% ABV.

There are nearly 40 beer styles represented. The most popular styles are IndiaPale Ale and Pale Ale, followed by fruit beers and herb and spice beers.

Number of volunteers at the festival: 2,000+

There are 6 breweries bringing organic beers: Bison Brewing Co, Eel River BrewingCo, Fort George Brewery, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, Mt.Emily Ale House, Old Market Pub & Brewery.

Number of beers in the Buzz Tent: TBD.

Number of beers in the Sour Tent: TBD.

Continuing trend: Fruit Beers. For years, 21st Amendments Watermelon Wheat hasbeen the festivals top seller. This has not gone unnoticed by other brewers, and fruitbeers have increased every year. Although 21st Amendment decided to bring a non-fruit beer this year, there are plenty for the fans to choose from, including beersmade with cherries, raspberries, pomegranate, strawberries and more.

Of interest: Brewers are finding inspiration in innovation, rather than just piling oningredients and alcohol. This year's lineup averages 6.2% ABV and 39 IBU, which isfairly moderate compared to years past.

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OREGON BREWERS FESTIVAL HISTORY

Oregon has a love affair with beer that stretches back to 1888, when Portland brewerHenry Weinhard offered to pump beer from his brewery through the pipes of theSkidmore Fountain to celebrate its unveiling.

In the days before Prohibition, every beer was as individual as the brewmaster who madeit. Back then, a strong thirst would send a man or woman down to the corner saloon forsome cool lager drawn fresh from the tap. Usually the beer was made at a nearbybrewery, and it was distinctive - rich in malts, hops and character. Then cameProhibition, wiping out nearly all the Pacific Northwest breweries. A handful carried on,but by the end of World War II, most local beer was poured from just a few regionalkettles.

Then, starting in the early 1980s, a group of entrepreneurial beer lovers with a taste forbeer and a head for business started individually opening small, commercial beer-makingenterprises known as microbreweries.

The microbrewery, today more commonly referred to as the craft brewery, has broughtback much of the old-style tradition of beermaking. Beers are once again made with all-natural ingredients: malt, hops and yeast. The beer is produced in small, handcraftedbatches according to recipes that are far too costly and time-intensive for hugecommercial breweries. But this time, ales, stouts and porters are the beer of choicerather than less-flavorful industrial lagers. Craft brewers didn't want to make the sameproduct as the big brewers. They turned to ales, because the yeast provided moredistinctive and varying flavors. Ales were also preferred because they took lessequipment and one-third the amount of time to ferment.

The craft brewing movement was slow to start, but once it caught on, it exploded. In1985, there were 21 craft breweries in America, including microbreweries, contractbrewers (beer brewed by an entity that is not owned by the brewing company whosename is on the label) and brewpubs (a restaurant and brewery on the same premise).

Today there are more than 1,400.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, there is a concentration of microbreweries unmatched

anywhere in the country. Portland itself holds the honor of being America's unofficialbrewpub capital, with more microbreweries and brewpubs than any other city in theworld.

It was in Portland that Oregon's first microbrewery was opened. Charles Chuck andShirley Coury operated their own winery for fifteen years before turning to beermaking.

They founded Cartwright Brewing Company in 1980 at 617 SE Main St. in Portland. Theyproduced and marketed a light ale called Portland Beer, which they sold in area tavernsand restaurants. The beer sold for about $1 a bottle.

The Courys began brewing Portland Beer by keeping the beer under pressure throughthe bottling stage. After running into too many technical and financial difficulties with

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this method, they emulated other small breweries using traditional methods of naturalconditioning in the bottle.

The brewery closed at the end of 1981 - the beer wasn't great, and supposedly thebottling was downright poor. According to beer writer Fred Eckhardt, Courys last brewwas auctioned off at $1 per case to help pay off the countys personal property tax lien.OBF HISTORYPage 2

In 1984, Dick and Nancy Ponzi, a local wine making family, teamed up with brewer KarlOckert, graduate of the University of California at Davis Malting and Brewing Sciencesprogram, to establish the 600-barrel Columbia River Brewery. Setting up shop in a three-story, century-old former rope factory (the historic Portland Cordage Company Building),in Portlands industrial Northwest neighborhood, they founded what is better knowntoday as BridgePort Brewing Company.

The Ponzis used word of mouth to invite people in to the pub, since microbrews still wereso new to the general consumer. "People were so intrigued with the idea that theyoverlooked our klutziness!" explained Nancy.

Two brothers, Kurt and Rob Widmer, having trouble finding beer in the U.S. that theylike to drink, began making beer for themselves and their friends. Tired of workingfor the man, Kurt and Rob decided to turn their hobby into a vocation, quit their jobsand cobbled together a brewery. They scrounged up parts wherever they could, andbuilt Widmer Brothers Brewing Company in an industrial part of NW Portland. Thebrewery officially opened on April 2, 1984. Brewmaster Kurt Widmer had traveled toZum Urige, a prestigious brewery in Dusseldorf, German to learn about Altbier (oldbeer). As a result of his research, the brewery featured an altbier and a weizenbier,their interpretation of a filtered wheat beer.

The idea of microbreweries began to catch on in Oregon, and so did the cooperativespirit. Brewers began working together to change the laws to allow the concept of abrewpub, citing that it was no different from having a tasting room in a winery.Oregon legislature viewed microbrewing as a homegrown industry that needed thehelp; thus, in 1985, the law changed. That same year, Mike and Brian McMenaminopened Oregon's first pro-prohibition brewpub, the Hillsdale Brewery & Public Housein SW Portland. That same year, McMenamins became the first brewery in the USA tolegally use fruit in the brewing of ales raspberries for Ruby Ale, one of theirstandard ales.

Art Larrance and Fred Bowman opened Oregon's fourth microbrewery, PortlandBrewing Company, on March 28, 1986. High school buddies, the two started ashomebrewers who decided to go commercial. They signed a consulting agreementwith (the now late) Bert Grant and rented a building at 1339 NW Flanders. At first

they brewed Grant's Scottish Ale, Grant's Russian Imperial Stout, and Grant's WinterAle under license from Bert Grant's Yakima Brewery in Washington. Bowman andLarrance then added their own Portland Ale to round out their repertoire.

In 1987, two Hillsboro High alums decided to put on the Papa Aldos Blues Festival.They approached Art and Fred with the idea of selling the beer at a one-day festivalat Waterfront Park. Art and Fred agreed and got a permit from the OLCC. The pairthought theyd sell 16 to 20 kegs that day. In the end, they sold 76. Art would load 10empty kegs in his truck, run up to the brewery, fill them up and run them back. By thetime he arrived, the 10 hed previously brought were already gone. The beer sold $3for a 12-ounce glass, and that festival sold out the brewerys supply.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry

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The Papa Aldos guys decided they didnt want to do the Blues Festival again in 1988,so they turned it over to the Blues Festival Assn, which made an arrangementwith a national beer distributor. However, when the city issued the permit, itwas good for two years. The Blues Festival Assn didnt want the date on theexisting permit the third weekend in July; the association wanted the Fourth of

July weekend. That left an open date at Waterfront Park with a permit. PortlandBrewing bought the permit from the Blues Festival Assn for $500 for July 23 &24, with the citys permission, had that date assigned to the Oregon BrewersFestival.

OBF HISTORYPage 3

It was Art who came up with the inspiration of the Oregon Brewers Festival. "I hadtraveled to Oktoberfest in Munich and knew what a big beer party was like,"explained Art. "I wanted to create that atmosphere and expose the public to thevariety of good microbrews.

The Great American Beer Festival started in 1987. According to Art, They were the

first, and it was their show we didnt want to copy them. So whatever they did, wepretty much went the other way. They did judging, we didnt. They held their festivalindoors, so we chose to go outside. They offered 1-oz samples. We decided to limitthe beers and not take in all comers.

Art approached Widmer, BridgePort and McMenamins to determine their interest inparticipating in a festival. McMenamins was busy with its own expansion plans andwanted to participate, but declined being an organizer. The remaining three,represented by Kurt Widmer, Nancy Ponzi and Art, established the Oregon BrewersAssociation and set off to plan the first festival.

None of the three had ever done a huge event like this before. "We were all flying by

the seat of our pants," said Art. "It was a great learning experience."

Added Nancy, "it was great fun sitting down with no real plan or agenda as we eachjuggled tasks and ideas. It was a total unknown how it would happen."

"We wanted to bring beers from outside this market for Portlanders to drink," recalledKurt. "We wanted people to be able to compare our beers with other regions so theywould see what was happening elsewhere in the nation."

According to Fred Eckhardt, in an article in Celebrator Beer News, The OregonBrewers Festival was to be a grand showing of Americas finest new-wave micro-brewed beers. This was to be an entirely new approach to beer festivals. (T)hese

entrepreneurs had invited a whole range of Americas smallest and most innovativebrewers to bring their best to Portlands beautiful Waterfront Park on the banks of ourWillamette River.

The festival offered free admittance to everyone, including children, but requiredeach drinker to buy a plastic mug (plastic, because the Portland Park Bureau didntwant broken glass across its most prestigious downtown park). The mug costs $1 thefirst year. Scrip was sold for the beer; $2 for a full serving in the mug, or $1 for a half-pint serving.

The festival itself was sponsored by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Thegroup has wanted to maintain a high-level kind of festivalan educational event,

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said Cathi McClain, then domestic marketing specialist for the agriculturedepartment.

The ODA acted in an advisory capacity, offering volunteers to staff the event and helpwith displays from the Oregon Hop Commission and Oregon Historical Society.

We have always been supportive of wine tastings and the fledgling wine industry,McClain is quoted in an Oregonian article from July 19, 1988. But when Id mentionmicrobrewing to people they thought I was talking about some sort of biology study.

Larrance, Bowman, the Ponzis and the Widmers enlisted the help of everyone theyknew to pull off the event. Family members and friends pitched in wherever theycould to make the event work. The Oregon Brew Crew, an independent group ofhomebrewers, took on the responsibility of volunteers.

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OBF HISTORYPage 4

"Everyone knew how important this event was for the state and for the industry,"explained Kurt. "It was a community effort that made it all come together."

The first OBF took place on a Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday at Tom McCallWaterfront Park, between the Hawthorne and Morrison bridges. Oregons thengovernor, Neil Goldschmidt, had declared July as "Oregon Microbrewery Month."

There were 22 breweries from six different states participating that first year: BayernBrewing, BridgePort, Deschutes, Full Sail, Widmer, Portland, McMenamins, Alaskan,Redhook, Sierra Nevada, Hales Ales, Anderson valley, Oregon Trail, Grants, JamesPage, Hart Brewing, Kessler Brewing, Thomas Kemper, Buffalo Bill's, HiberniaBrewing, Saxton Brewing Co, & Triple Rock.

According to Stuart Ramsay, then in charge of sales and marketing for BridgePort, inan Oregonian article from July 19, 1988, This is a purist festival. No bottled beer orextract beers will be available, he said. (T)his unique event will feature only fresh,draft beers.

The anticipated attendance at that first event was 5,000. However, when theweekend was over, more than 15,000 had poured through the gates. The festival wasoverwhelmed by the sheer number of people. It was hot, there were limited coolers,and the coolers that were there kept breaking down. The beer was foamy and thefestival ran out of it. Local participants kept running back to their breweries to keepbeer in stock.

But what the organizers learned was that people were tolerant, well-mannered andenjoyed the festival atmosphere. Despite the glitches, the event came off amazinglywell for a first-year event. "The immediate feeling afterward was that we were readyto do it again," said Nancy. "We were delighted with the response and thrilled that wewere able to pull it off!"

The first festival was billed as an opportunity for sampling. The original idea was tobring in microbrews from outside of the region so people could sample what wasn'treadily available to them. By exposing the public to microbrews, it gave legitimacy tothe product.

"Brewers wanted to come to this festival for a variety of reasons," explained Kurt."We were the first non-judging beer event. And we were brewers ourselves, notoutside promoters. The brewers supported us because the event was incidental towhat we were all doing."

In 1993, the City of Portland asked the festival to move its date from the 3

rd

weekendin July to the last full weekend in order to give the parks grass time to recover fromthe Blues Festival, which was on the 4th of July. Back then, the Blues Fest was held atthe same location as the OBF.

Other changes have taken place over the years. The festival expanded to three daysin 1990, and went to four days in 2005. We werent sure anyone would come, but wewere wiling to try. It turned out to be a huge success, said Larrance. Festival puristsnow swear that Thursday is the best day to attend.

The festival added its second big tent in 1994, to increase circulation and allow for amore comfortable tasting ambience. More beer trailers were brought in the last few

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years to spread out the number of taps and alleviate the lines.

Other than that, except in terms of attendance and number of breweries, most of thefestival has stayed the same. The festival is still very much a grassroots effort,despite being an event that annually draws 80,000 and brings in an estimated $23.2million to the Multnomah County economy.OBF HISTORYPage 5

When asked if he could have ever imagined the success of the festival, Larrancereplied,Yes and no. Having gone to Munich with its 200-year tradition, I could seewhere a lot of people liked to congregate around beer. But I never anticipated theOBF would grow to the magnitude of popularity and international recognition that itcurrently experiences.

Thanks to the foresight of Art Larrance, Dick and Nancy Ponzi and Kurt and RobWidmer, the Oregon Brewers Festival is a true craft brewing success story, one thatall beer lovers hope will continue for many years to come.

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OREGON BEER INDUSTRY FACTS

There are currently 108 brewing companies, operating 142 brewing facilities in56 cities in Oregon.1,5

There are 49 breweries operating in Portland, more than any other city in theworld.1

The Portland metro area is the largest craft brewing market in the US with themost number of breweries at 63.1,7

There are currently 3,871,859 people per the US Census Bureau and 142

breweries or 1 brewery per every 27,265 people.1

Oregons brewing companies employ more than 4900 full and part-timeemployees.1

Oregons breweries donated an estimated $1,230,000 in product or money tonon-profits in 2010.1

Total economic impact from the beer industry on Oregons economy is $2.44billion.3

Oregonians consumed 2.711 million barrels of beer in 2011 numbers forOregon made beer consumed in Oregon, coming soon for 2011.1,5

US craft beer consumption is 5.7 percent by volume.2

Oregons brewers made 1.08 million barrels of beer in 10 or less than 0.5% ofthe beer made in the US.1,6

Oregon is the second largest producer of craft beer in the US.1

Oregon is the third largest craft beer market in the US.7

The Oregon market is the largest market for every craft brewer in Oregon.1

Its estimated that 40% Percent of all draft beer consumed in Oregon is brewedin Oregon. 1

Oregon has the 4th highest percentage of draft beer consumed in the US.6

Oregon is the No. 2 hop growing state in the country with a 2010 crop value of$31,200,000.4

0regon is in the top 5 in the United States in the following:0

Number of Breweries

Breweries per CapitaCraft Beer Production

Craft Beer Consumption

% of Draft Beer Consumed

Sources: 1. Oregon Brewers Guild 2. Brewers Association. 3. John Dunham and

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Associates 4. Oregon Hop Commission 5. Oregon Liquor Control Commission 6. BeerInstitute 7. SymphonyIRI Group

OREGON BEER HISTORY

Significant numbers of immigrants began to move to the Oregon Territory in the1840s. It wasn't long before they had a thirst for beer, so when German brewer HenrySaxer arrived in 1852, tasted the clear, soft water from the nearby mountains andrecognized the prime hop and grain growing potential, he started brewing.

Fellow immigrant Henry Weinhard opened his brewery in 1856. For the next 50 yearsthe new residents of the young state enjoyed the fresh, traditional German lagersbrewed by Weinhard and others. In 1888 Henry offered to send beer through Portlandfire hoses to the dedication of the Skidmore Fountain a dozen blocks away near thewaterfront. But the City's valuable fire hoses would have run close to Portland's seedySkid Road, and civic leaders feared that the rough district's thirsty residents wouldpuncture the hoses for a free drink.

Things changed when Oregonians voted to ban alcohol in 1914, five years before the14th Amendment established a national prohibition. Weinhard's City Breweryswitched to non-alcoholic beer, soft drinks and fruit syrups and managed to survivethe nineteen dry years until Congress repealed prohibition in 1933. Along the wayCity Brewery merged with Portland Brewing Company, owned by Arnold I. Blitz. Theresulting Blitz-Weinhard Brewery produced Oregon's best-known beer until 1999.

During the economic boom following WWII, beer suffered from the same move towardnational production and distribution that put more processed foods on Americandinner tables. By 1980, the number of breweries in the entire country had shrunk to

just 80, "and the prediction was that there would only be 10 left by 1990," said beerbrewer and writer Fred Eckhardt.

But American palates were in revolt. The social upheaval of the counter cultureincluded the rejection of bland, processed, industrial food, and the college students ofthe 1960s were starting families and looking for alternatives.

In Portland, a group of college friends started Genoa, an Italian restaurant that didn'teven serve spaghetti. Young wine makers were planting Pinot Noir on the red clayhills fifty minutes south of Portland, and two brothers named McMenamin weresatisfying a growing demand for beer with flavor with a dizzying array of imports at alittle cafe called Produce Row.

Cartwright's, Oregon's first craft brewery, opened in 1980. Aptly called amicrobrewery since the production was miniscule compared to the industrialproducers, its beer didn't attract a following and the brewery closed within a fewyears. But the response demonstrated that Oregon was ready for a different kind ofbeer, and when the state legislature made brewpubs legal in 1985, the brewers were

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ready.

Established winemakers Nancy and Dick Ponzi opened what would become BridgePortBrewing in an old rope factory located in the industrial district in NW Portland. A fewblocks away, former homebrewers Kurt and Rob Widmer were pouring their first batchof Altbier. Mike and Brian McMenamin opened Oregon's first brewpub in the Hillsdaleneighborhood in 1985.

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OREGON BEER HISTORYPage 2

The beer-friendly Oregon laws, a growing awareness of the high quality localingredients, and a seemingly voracious thirst for well-made beer triggered a micro-boom in microbreweries. Full Sail opened in Hood River and became the first craftbrewery in the Northwest to bottle its beers. What started as a small brewpub in Bendin 1988 evolved into Deschutes Brewery.

By 1990, with more craft breweries and brewpubs per capita than any other city inthe United States, Portland is proclaimed "America's Microbrew Capital." Unofficially,it's Beervana.

Over the past few years, a new generation of brewers has emerged. Trained in theregion's larger craft breweries, they're opening small, independent brewpubs andmaking unique, individualistic beers. Oregon's now home to 81 breweries. There aremore than 140 places you can go to and drink an Oregon brewed beer owned by anOregon brewery. You can pick up a six-pack of local craft beer at almost any grocerystore, and you can try special, seasonal brews right where they are made.

So what are you waiting for? Put this down and start tasting!

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STORY IDEAS

More breweries in Portland than in MunichOne of Portland's nicknames used to be "Munich on the Willamette." But that's so lastcentury. With 49 breweries in the city limits, Portland has more breweries thanMunich - that Bavarian burg once regarded as the world's beer capital. And, as amatter of fact, back in 1997 the total of craft breweries in the United Statessurpassed the number in Germany. There are more than 1,900 craft breweries in theUnited States, while Germany has about 1,250.

Brewers Association, 303.447.0816, www.craftbeer. com

Homegrown ingredients set Oregon brews apartOregon's mild climate, similar to that of Europe's growing regions, is ideal forproducing plentiful hop crops. Oregon produces 17% of the nation's hops and 5% ofthe world's hops. Recognizing these benefits granted by Mother Nature, breweriesthroughout the United States and the world look to Oregon for hops that will satisfythe tastes of today's sophisticated beer drinker. The majority of hop growing entitiesinclude third and fourth generation Oregon growers. In the Willamette Valley alone,10 different hop varieties are grown. Among the most popular are Cascade, Nuggetand Willamette, developed at Oregon State University under the direction of the

USDA.Oregon Hop Commission, 503.982.7600, www.oregonhops.org

Collaborator ProjectIn 1997, a group of homebrewers was quaffing some beers with Rob Widmer atWidmer Bros. Brewing Co. in Portland. The discussion turned to beer styles thatweren't represented among the craft brewers in America. The brewers bemoaned thefact that they had to rely on European imports for esoteric styles. The Widmerbrothers, Kurt and Rob who both began their career as homebrewers saw a uniqueopportunity. They went on to challenge the Oregon Brew Crew homebrewing club tohold an annual competition, in which the best of the club's beers, regardless of style,

would be brewed and served by Widmer Bros. Brewing. The concept was simple: TheOregon Brew Crew would supply the creativity, while Widmer would provide theindustry expertise to take a homebrew recipe and make it in a commercial facility.

The cooperative project became known as Collaborator. From every barrel ofCollaborator beer sold, $1 is donated to the Bob McCracken Scholarship Fund, whichsupports students at the Oregon State University Fermentation Science programunder the direction of Dr. Thomas Shellhammer. This scholarship was set up by theOregon Brew Crew in memory of a past club president to ensure that future Oregonbrewers get a thorough education. The Oregon Brewers Festival always pours aCollaborator beer at the event, in support of the project and as a nod to its roots.Oregon Brew Crew, www.oregonbrewcrew.org

http://www.craftbeer.com/http://www.oregonhops.org/http://www.craftbeer.com/http://www.oregonhops.org/

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STORY IDEASPage 2

Nano-NanoMicrobreweries you've heard of, but what is a nano-brewery? A loose definition issmall. A microbrewery is generally recognized as any brewery that makes 15,000barrels of beer or fewer annually. Nano brewers brew about one to one-and-a-halfbarrels per batch. And there are a number of such brewers in the city, includingNatian Brewery an OBF participant. For Natian to participate in the Oregon BrewersFestival, it has to brew 15 batches to supply the 20-keg minimum. Nano breweriesare, without a doubt, the hardest-working breweries at the festival.Natian Brewery, www.natianbrewery.com

The McMenamin brothers: Beer barons and preservationists tooMike and Brian McMenamin were pioneers of Portland's craft brewery renaissance,opening Oregon's first brewpub (Hillsdale Brewery & Public House in southwestPortland). In time, they began looking around for unusual locations for their breweriesand restaurants. Then they began adding new features, such as movie theaters andlodging. Now the brothers have a well-deserved reputation as preservationists, savingold churches, schools and various other buildings in Oregon and Washington fromuncertain fates and giving them new life as McMenamins properties. Good examplesaround Portland are McMenamins Edgefield, a 38-acre beer-lovers' resort that wasonce Multnomah County's poor farm; the Crystal Ballroom, with its magical "floating"dance floor; and the Kennedy School, a 1912 grade school where you can sleep inclass and drink in detention.McMenamins, 503.669.8610, www.mcmenamins.com

Green BeerMost Oregon brewers engage in at least some form of "green" practices in thebrewing process. Spent grain and yeast from brewers is given to farm animals asfeed. Other farmers and landscapers use leftover spent grain to augment their soil, sovery little if any of the state's breweries' byproducts find their way into the wastestream. A number of the state's breweries also utilize organic ingredients -- barleymalt, wheat and hops -- in at least a few of their beers. Laurelwood Public House andBrewery was among the first to make its award-winning organic brews. In 2008,Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) opened its doors as Portland's first Eco-Brewpub,offering all organic handcrafted beers and a sustainable building that incorporates allaspects of sustainability. HUB is Oregon's only brewery powered by 100% renewableenergy.Laurelwood Public House & Brewery, www.laurelwoodbrewpub.comHopworks Urban Brewery, www.hopworksbeer.com

Trendsetter or Mad Scientist?Some call him a trendsetter, others, a mad scientist. Either way, Cascade Brewing

brewmaster Ron Gansberg has emerged as one of Oregon's most innovative brewers,and is at the forefront of vanguard American craft brewing. In his own private battleagainst the "Northwest Hops Arms Race," he has turned to yeast and barrel-aging toproduce flavor. Today, Cascade's inventory has swelled to more than 400 wine,whisky and port barrels, with another 100 in the wings. Once filled, these barrels ageand condition along with bottles - in the Cascade Brewing Barrel House, a 7,000 sq.ft. former produce warehouse in Southeast Portland. The Barrel House also hosts apub where you can taste no fewer than a dozen sour beers on tap at any one time.Cascade Brewing Barrel House, 503-265-8603,www.cascadebrewingbarrelhouse.com

http://www.natianbrewery.com/http://www.mcmenamins.com/http://www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com/http://www.hopworksbeer.com/http://www.raclodge.com/http://www.natianbrewery.com/http://www.mcmenamins.com/http://www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com/http://www.hopworksbeer.com/http://www.raclodge.com/

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STORY IDEASPage 3

Oregon Brewers GuildIn the early 1990s several local brewers met informally to discuss common issues,problems and opportunities. In 1992, this group evolved into the Oregon BrewersGuild, a dynamic trade organization that represents a majority of the state's craftbreweries. Its primary mission is to promote the common interests of the membersand the brewing industry in Oregon by supporting the marketing and promotionalefforts of Oregon's breweries, and by educating beer enthusiasts about Oregon'sindigenous craft beers. The Guild is also very involved with lobbying and legislativework. The Oregon Brewers Guild maintains an interactive website where craft beerenthusiasts can find the latest news from their favorite Oregon breweries and stay upto date on events happening around the state. The site offers brewery and brewpubdescriptions, information on the styles of beer produced, and maps and directions tothe many establishments.Oregon Brewers Guild, 971-270-0965, www.oregonbeer.org

S.N.O.B.sOne of the Oregon Brewers Guild's most popular programs is its S.N.O.B. (Supporterof Native Oregon Beer) membership. This program for the general public allows SNOBmembers to show off their impeccable taste in craft beverages and at the same timeget a backstage pass to what's going on behind the scenes in Oregon's craft brewingindustry. Annual membership dues include an official membership card, a T-shirt, abumper sticker, an email newsletter, discounts on events, and invitations to regionalgatherings.Oregon Brewers Guild, 971-270-0965, www.oregonbeer.org

Homebrewing enthusiasts in OregonThe 21st Amendment that repealed prohibition neglected to legalize thehomebrewing of beer. It wasn't until Nov. 1978 that Congress passed a bill repealingFederal restrictions on the homebrewing of small amounts of beer. President JimmyCarter signed the bill into law in Feb. 1979, and most states soon followed suit. Theopportunity to produce alcoholic beverages at home was seized upon enthusiastically,and the nation moved rapidly into the brewing of beer. The Oregon Brew Crew,located in Portland, is one of the largest clubs in North America. Founded in 1979,Oregon Brew Crew members are brewers of all experience levels, from the extractbrewer just finishing his or her first batch, to brewers turned professional withsuccessful craft breweries. The group's monthly meetings, workshops and classes aregreat places to learn more about beer, brewing, judging and history.www.oregonbrewcrew.com

PDX Home Brewers Club is based out of Beaverton, Oregon and is open to one and allwho share the common interest: to share and learn about the wondrous art of

homebrewing. At its website pdxbrewers.com, you can connect with other brewers toexchange ideas, techniques, equipment and recipes. www.pdxbrewers.com

Heart of the Valley Homebrewers is an American Homebrewers Association (AHA)registered homebrew club based in the Willamette Valley. This group hosts the PacificNorthwest's oldest homebrew competition every year, the Oregon HomebrewFestival. www.hotv.org

Deer Island Brewers in Deer Island reaches out to homebrew fans in ColumbiaCounty. The group shares information, recipes and different brewing techniques, aswell as sponsoring two AHA events each year www.deerislandbrewery.com

http://www.oregonbeer.org/http://www.oregonbeer.org/http://www.oregonbrewcrew.com/http://www.pdxbrewers.com/http://www.hotv.org/http://www.oregonbeer.org/http://www.oregonbeer.org/http://www.oregonbrewcrew.com/http://www.pdxbrewers.com/http://www.hotv.org/