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Oregon craft beer industry celebrates in July

By Eric Degerman on July 1, 2013

Oregon celebrates July as Oregon Craft Beer Month. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Brewers Guild)

PORTLAND, Ore. – Many vintners in Oregon aren’t shy when they say, “It takes a lot of good beer to make great wine,” so winemakers and beer lovers will appreciate knowing that July marks Oregon Craft Beer Month.

In fact, Dick Ponzi, founding winemaker for historic Ponzi Vineyards in Dundee, launched the state’s first craft brewery – BridgePort – in 1984. He sold it in 1995.

The Beaver State boasts more than 200 brewpubs and/or breweries throughout 60 cities, and according to Watershed Communications in Portland, there are 500 events and counting during this month.

Festivities include new releases, brewmaster meetings, tastings, festivals, pairings, tappings and more.

Oregon Craft Beer Month begins at 6 p.m. today with a toast at McMenamins’ Mission Theatre in Portland. There will be a virtual toast through Google On-Air Hangouts during the event.

Twitter – @Oregoncraftbeer – and Instagram users are encouraged to use the hashtag #OCBM to boast what they’re toasting with and drinking during July.

About Eric Degerman

Eric Degerman is the President and CEO of Great Northwest Wine. He is a journalist with more than 30 years of daily newspaper experience and has been writing about wine since 1998. He co-founded Wine Press Northwest magazine with Andy Perdue and served as its managing editor for a decade. He is a frequent wine judge at international wine competitions throughout North America and orchestrates 10 Northwest competitions each year.