Diff’rent Smokes: Smoke Beer Festival celebrates beers made with smoked malts (or other smoked ingredients) and smoked foods as a benefit to thank firefighters during yet another bad fire and smoke season. A portion of proceeds from admission and additional drink ticket sales go to the Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association.
The event takes place indoors and, weather permitting, outside at Unofficial Logging Co.on Saturday, October 26 from 1 to 5 p.m. Tickets are now available online for $20 and will be $25 at the gate. All ages welcome; no charge for minors. More info online at Bendticket.com/event/diffrentsmokes.
Admission includes five (5) drink tickets for sample pours, while full-glass pours will require two tickets. Additional drink tickets will be available for $1 each.
Up until the late 18th century, all brewing malts were dried over open-flames so the finished beer ended up infused with smoke flavor and aroma. The throwback style survives as the BBQ equivalent of beer, from traditional Rauchbier lagers to smoked porters and ales. The festival will include a keg of Schlenkerla imported from Bamberg, Germany. Schlenkerla, founded in 1405, is famous for its Rauchbier (“Rauch” means smoke in German and you can figure out what “bier” means).
Participating breweries include: Ale Apothecary, Boneyard, Boss Rambler, Bridge 99, Cascade Lakes, Crux, Deschutes, Heater Allen (from McMinnville), Lazy Z Ranch Winery and Meadery, McMenamins Old St. Francis, Spider City, Tiger Town (from Mitchell, OR, pop. 214), and Xichca (from Salem).
