Rye Beer Fest is a throwback to when rye was the hottest trend in craft beer
Rye Beer Fest Tap List Unveiled, Bringing Back the Festival This Friday, June 23rd, 2023
Photo from the 2016 Rye Beer Fest at East Burn Public House
A classic Portland Beer Week event is coming back this Friday, June 23rd as the Rye Beer Fest will be held for the first time since 2017 at Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom from 3-10pm. Rye beers are a bit of a throwback to the mid-2010’s when rye was a hot new flavor adjunct in craft beers like Bear Republic Brewing’s Hot Rod Rye, and Sierra Nevada Brewing’s Ruthless Rye. Rye is still not an uncommon ingredient in craft beer, but it’s not the hot trendy new sub-style that used to get called out in beers names either.
The new iteration of the Rye Beer Fest is an indoor/outdoor (all ages from 3-9pm) event with free admission and a pay-as-you-go system for purchasing beers, available in both pint and taster sizes. It’s a great opportunity to get acquainted (or reacquainted) with the spicy, earthy, citrusy and nutty qualities that rye can imbue in a beer. The taplist is fresh and modern, not full of throwback beers but current and brand new beers utilizing rye in exciting ways.
The Rye Beer Fest is more than just a celebration of craft beer; it is also a platform for supporting a significant cause. By participating in this event, attendees contribute to raising awareness and funds for the esteemed mental health non-profit organization, Nami Multnomah.
Attendees can anticipate a remarkable selection of rye-infused brews meticulously curated to delight the palates of even the most discerning beer connoisseurs.
Tap List:
Reuben's Brews - Dark Munich Lager
A dunkel-style German lager. One of the most talked-about beers by our staff when it was first brewed in 2019, and frequently called a favorite by many of our Taproom visitors. Notes of banana bread and nutty caramel with a low degree of bitterness. This beer was also named Best of the Pacific Northwest by the US Beer Tasting Championship in 2020. 5.3% - 30 IBU
Grand Fir Brewing - Ryze n’ Shine. 7.3% abv 60 IBU
A blonde IPA with notes of stone fruit, bright citrus, pineapple, spice. {Made For The Rye Beer Fest/Debuting}
Stormbreaker Brewing - Ryelynn Pearl Premie Pils
Introducing Ryelynn Pearl preemie pils, brewed in honor of the newest addition to the Stormbreaker family. Ryelynn Pearl was born 5.10.21, 52 days early and weighing in at 4lbs 5oz. This rye pilsner is 5.10% with triple pearl hops making their first appearnce at 52 minutes left in the boil. With a whirpool addition of 4lbs 5oz, hops provide aromas of citrus and melon and flavors of orange, lime, and spice. This pils is easy-going and full of excitement to make you want more, just like our Ryelynn Pearl. 5.2% ABV 27 IBUs
Breakside Brewing - Sweet Creatures of Bombast
Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. Sweet Creature of Bombast - Blend of Imperial Stout and Imperial Porter aged in mixed whiskey barrels. A spirituous flavor profile of hazelnut, fudge, and toasty malt. The beer was blended from 19 of the following casks: Imperial Rye Stout aged 21 months in Bourbon barrels; Imperial Porter aged 15 months in wheated Bourbon barrels; Imperial Porter aged 15 months in Oregon whiskey barrels; Triple Baltic Porter aged 27 months in Bourbon barrels. - 12.3% ABV 22 IBU
Ecliptic Brewing - Ogma Rye PA
Ogma Rye PA is a zesty and refreshing Pale Ale. Citrus hop notes pair with spicy rye, offering a lime-orange flavor with a gentle malt finish. ABV: 6.5% {Made For The Rye Beer Fest/Debuting}
Georgetown Brewing - It's a Rye Rye Rye Rye Saison
Medium-high carbonation helps accentuate the spicy notes from the high percentage of rye in the grain bill as well as the use of high-alpha Magnum hops early in the boil. Sterling hops (from Oregon's own Crosby Hops) contribute some of that near-noble spice as well as some floral and citrus (sweet orange) notes. I'm also getting a little dried fig from the crystal rye (~3% of the total grist). Dry rye finish. I fed the Jovaru yeast (that weird Lithuanian farmhouse ale strain) a steady diet of Amine (Portland-born/LA-based rapper), Haley Heynbdricx (Portland singer/songwriter), Unknown Mortal Orchestra (NZ-born/Portland based psych rock band), and Dying Wish (Portland hardcore), so I'd like to think it gained some credibility on the mean streets of Portland." 5.7% ABV {Made For The Rye Beer Fest/Debuting}
The Bruery - 2014 Smoking Wood
Smoked Imperial Rye Porter aged in Bourbon Barrels 14%
Casade Brewing - Cherry-Lime Casc-Ade Sour
Cherry Lime Casc-ade features our sour rye ale aged in a foudre for 12 months with Oregon grown Montmorency sour cherries. The blend was then finished with generous amounts of fresh citrus zest and a gentle touch of vanilla bean to complement the delicate and enticing cherry flavor. ABV: 5.9% ALC/VOL
Oregon City Brewing - Abernethy Altbier
This German altbier is hot off the presses! Using kolsch yeast and rye for some spiciness, this traditional German malty ale is named after George Abernethy. He helped start the first newspaper west of the Mississippi River, and he also once owned a lot of the property surrounding our brewery. You're not in Dusseldorf, you're in Oregon City - so all you malt lovers raise a pint to George! 6.1% ABV, 35 IBU
Binary Brewing - Hack The Planet
Hack the Planet is a pale ale with attitude. Spicy, daring, a little tart, it finishes with an Amarillo-powered citrus bitterness to sink your thirst. 6.5% {Made For The Rye Beer Fest/Debuting}
Loowit Brewing - Grimlock Rye Porter
Grimlock Rye Porter Our most award-winning beer ever! This delicious porter won a SILVER medal at the 2016 World Beer Cup, BRONZE medal at the 2021 Great American Beer Festival and has nice notes of roast, chocolate and coffee with a hint of spice from the rye. ABV: 5.0% IBU: 31
Steeplejack Brewery - American Brown Rye Ale
Steeplejack American Brown Rye Ale- (Cask), it’s about 45% Rye. features Maiden Voyage (Admiral Maltings), Pale Rye Malt (Weyermann) English Brown Malt (Bairds) Admirals Hearth Dark Munich (Admiral Malt) Pale Chocolate Malt (Tom Fawcett&Son). hops are Bravo, Glacier, Whole Cone Cascade and Whole Cone Crystal both from Indie. 5.6% {Made For The Rye Beer Fest/Debuting}
Crooked Creek Brewery - Et Cetera
A German-style Roggenbier brewed with local craft malts from Mecca Grade and Skagit Valley Malting, this interpretation of a Roggenbier incorporates both rye malts and a wheat / rye hybrid malt to create a beautiful copper colored beer with the smoothness and drinkability of a Hefe paired with the spicy notes we all love in our rye beers. ABV: 7.5 IBU: 32
Ale Apothecary - Field Spirits
Dark Rye Wild Ale aged in Pinot Barrels 9.3%
Level Brewing - Rye Fidelity IPA
Dry and crisp with mild, spicy notes of rye give way to floral, citrus, and tropical hop flavors and aromas. 6.6% ABV {Made For The Rye Beer Fest/Debuting}
Mt. Tabor Brewing - Gravity Racer IPA
West Coast style IPA with a hint of rye that’s loaded with Simcoe, Centennial & Amarillo for a big citrus finish. The way IPA’s were intended to be! 7.3%, 65 IBU
RYE BEER FEST
Friday, June 23rd, from 3-10 pm (all ages allowed outside from 3-9 pm)
Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom, 3090 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202