World’s largest rare beer charity event returns to Portland
One of the world’s best beer events is this weekend in Portland, as Brews for New Avenues (B4NA) returns to new venue The Redd on Salmon this Friday for Oysters & Gueuze and Saturday for the main gala event. What’s on tap? Rare beers, creative auctions and beer games, and most importantly raising funds for homeless and at risk youth.
One part beer fest, one part rare beer collectors auction house, the Brews for New Avenues (B4NA) event has something for the beer collector with some coin burning a hole in their pocket as well as the casual beer fan who would like to enjoy the broad selection of easy drinkers and rarities. The festival is worth attending for anyone looking for a unique beer festival outside of the usual, and even if someone is on a budget they can try some amazing beer for only $20 general admission and have a chance to enjoy the show and take home some rare bottles wile supporting a good cause.
B4NA is presented by New Avenues for Youth, a Portland based non-profit founded in 1997. When the first B4NA event was held in 2012 outside Rogue Ales headquarters and their Eastside Pub, it was as a modest street party to tie the burgeoning craft beer scene to a good cause. The event exploded over the preceeding years, eventually moving to the Leftbank Annex next to the MODA center and raising hundreds of thousands for important youth homeless services. As the event has grown, so has New Avenues mission, with the changing landscape of Portland’s growing homeless situation they have evolved programs to not only assist those in need but to help end it before it begins.
Events like Brews for New Avenues (B4NA) have supported their innovative work along the way, as well as other great partnerships and events the non-profit hosts such as the Steve Allen Comedy Show and their Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop. The beer community both local and internationally has pushed B4NA from raising a little bit of money to becoming one of their major fundraising vehicles. Since it’s inception, the event has raised $1.7 million and spawned adjacent events, collaboration beers, travel experiences, and education. This year’s goal is to raise atleast $250,000 from the main event and in-person and online rare beer auction.
“We’d really like to crack the $300k barrier this year, or get close to it. We’re at $1.7 million and change over the last 11 years, so if we can break $2 million total after this year, we’d be pretty thrilled,” says Brews for New Avenues co-chair Jeremy Herrig.
Last year’s event raised more than $260,000 -- a remarkable achievement. “Brews for New Avenues is critical to our mission,” said Lauren Eads, Director of Development & Communications. “It’s incredible to witness beer lovers from all around the world come together to support young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in our community.”
Hundreds of beer enthusiasts, many of whom travel to Portland from around the globe, are expected to attend this year’s event now held at The Redd events venue. B4NA moved to the new venue in 2022, and it proved a significant step up for the experience and organizers to expand the event and make it more accessible. The huge parking lot allows room for more people with less crowding, and to add more event sponsor booths, food carts, and live music.
The party kicks off early on Friday, August 18th with the Oyster & Gueuze Social from 3-6pm. Admission includes draft and bottle pours of rare imported Belgian Lambics and a selection of clean local beers, fresh Pacific Northwest oysters and heavy appetizers are included in the $100 ticket price (limit 2 tickets per person). If you love slurping raw shellfish and spontaneously fermented authentic sour beers this is a can’t miss event, and gives attendees a chance to get early access to bid on items in a small silent auction.
The main Brews for New Avenues event kicks off at 1pm on Saturday, August 19th with a VIP session for special ticket holders. This is where much of the rare beer auction takes place in-person, and even if you don’t have the funds to bid on hundreds of dollar bottles and thousands of dollar experience packages, it’s worth attending just to see the action take place. The exclusive VIP event will feature special pours, as well as a silent auction with hard-to-find bottles.
The General Admission event will then welcome all guests at 4pm for an additional silent auction and the chance to bid live in a auctioneer chant in the style of the ‘going once going twice!’ type of bidding war. More than 50 local, national, and international breweries will be pouring draft and bottled beer for GA attendees. A lively food truck area will feature Pidgin Hole and Alchemy Sandwich Co. Tunes will be provided from Farnell Newton and The Othership Connection performing live. Outdoor games from Pound Disc Golf provide extra non-eating or drinking activities. And if you want just a taste of that rare beer magic, the popular “Wall of Beer” is a mystery bag version has close to 1,000 bottles on it - all for $10 per pick, with many bags featuring beers of exponentially much more value.
“This year, we’ve really concentrated on having a well-rounded draft list, with a multitude of different styles represented,” says co-chair Jeremy Herrig of the main B4NA event. “People will be able to drink everything from great lambic, lager, BA stouts, IPAs, and many things in between. Farnell Newton & The Othership connection are performing two sets - at the end of VIP leading into GA, and then after the live auction - and they’re a great mix of soul, funk, and jazz for people to dance to outside.”
This year, out-of-town guest brewers 3 Fonteinen join B4NA from the Senne valley of Belgium, bringing with them rare beers you cannot get outside of their taproom. Local favorite and long-time supporter Ruse Brewing will also be at this year’s event as a 2023 guest brewer celebrating their incredible beer in a large spectrum of styles.
“We’ve really tried to get back to the core of what works for us after COVID,” adds Herrig. New Avenues isn’t immune to the staffing, hiring, and volunteering challenges over the last few years, so we’re really tying to maximize use of the limited resources we have and not stretch ourselves too thin trying to do too many things. We are really excited about the multiple experience packages we’ve got available in the auctions this year as well as our collaborations/special blends with Upright, Ruse, Fracture, and nebuleus. It’s fantastic that so many industry friends are willing to donate their time and resources for those.”
Some of the custom designed experience packages are available to bid on right now. Highlights include:
de Garde Experience
An immersive full day with the de Garde team for up to four people. You will select a barrel or barrels of your choice to create a custom blend from de Garde’s extensive library containing beer of various ages, a wide range of fruit, and from barrels that once contained specialty spirits and wines. Includes a 2-night stay in a 3-bedroom home, and on blending day a light lunch followed by a multi-course beer dinner at The Schooner at the end of the day.
Von Ebert Experience
You and a guest will join the Von Ebert brew team at the Glendoveer location to brew their award winning Pils, have lunch with a guided tasting by the brewers, then join them for a round of golf.
Great Notion Experience
One package for two people - be part of an entire brew day at the Alberta pub that involves creating beer with a Great Notion brewer, good, drinks, and plenty of your finished beer to take home.
Advanced Cicerone Chris Cohen Tasting (feat. beers from Bokke, Cantillon, SARA, nebuleus, Ruse)
Book yourself & your friends an epic tasting experience, led by Advanced Cicerone Chris Cohen. The beers you’ll get to experience include BFNA exclusive blends Cantillon Cuvée de l’Espérance, SARA Cohesion & Unity, Bokke Gueuze for New Avenues, nebuleus Spruce for New Avenues 2023, Ruse for New Avenues BA Imperial Stout, and some classic examples of various styles.
Adam Lund Homebrew Experience
Brew with award winning local homebrewer Adam Lund at his tricked out home brewery Lundy Brewing. Lund’s accolades include winning Widmer Bros Collaboration Competition, Best of Show Portland Brewers Collective Stout Bout, Best of Show Heart of Cascadia IPA Competition. Adam has taken his homebrews and scaled up by brewing at Widmer Bros, Gigantic Brewing and Green Dragon. You will experience a full brew day, start to finish. You’ll work with him to create a recipe of your choice within reason, no barrel aging. What would a brew day be without beer? He has a kegerator with 12 taps, so you are guaranteed to enjoy beverages on tap. Several weeks after, depending on the beer style, you’ll take part in the kegging and bottling process. After bottling is complete you’ll be taking home at least 24 bottles of the beer you’ve brewed. The auction winner has up to one year to schedule the experience after bidding closes.
Many more virtual auction items including rare bottles, verticals, flights, and vintages, available to bit on now at https://brews2023.ggo.bid/bidding/package-browse
Oyster & Gueuze Social
August 18th from 3-6 PM at The Redd (831 SE Salmon)
Brews for New Avenues
August 19th 1-4pm VIP and 4-8pm GA
at The Redd (831 SE Salmon)
Supporters interested in sponsorship or donating items to the auction should contact Lauren Eads at leads@newavenues.org or go to www.brewsfornewavenues.org for more information.
ABOUT NEW AVENUES FOR YOUTH
New Avenues for Youth is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and intervention of youth homelessness. Since 1997, our programs and services have impacted more than nearly 30,000 young people as they work to overcome barriers, pursue their goals, and realize their potential. From supporting basic needs like meals and counseling to providing opportunities for education, job training, employment, and housing, we meet youth where they are—and help them get where they want to go. www.newavenues.org