BY WILLIAM DEAN
“And a partridge in a … beer tree?”
Leave it to Fort George Brewery to come up with a unique way to ring in the holiday season. And we’re not even talking about the towering Christmas tree made out of beer kegs.
On Saturday, the Astoria brewery launched Beer Tree Fest, which isn’t as crazy as it sounds. After all, Fort George makes a few beers with boughs and buds as ingredients, and its brewers age much more in barrels that add subtle but important flavors.
The new event was initially conceived as a modest holiday party, but it quickly expanded into an all-ages festival, according to marketing director Brian Bovenizer.
“We thought, what if we did something where you could get a Christmas tree but also celebrate people who like to put trees in beer?”
That meant extending invitations to 13 Oregon and Washington breweries, turning part of the brewery’s patio off Duane Street into a tree lot, having a band perform holiday songs and bringing in Santa Claus for an early visit.
Amid occasional rain showers, the festivities started at noon and ended at 6, luring a number of families with young children and some wagging dogs.
Many of the attendees were surprised to discover that a beer festival was going on.
They included Ron Buss of Seaside, who brought his 16-year-old cat Mata Hairi to get a picture with Santa. The backdrop was a wall of beer barrels.
“I thought, okay, this is her time to shine,” Buss said after Mata Hairi nailed the moment, with nary a hiss or moan. “She’s so chill.”
Mark Morgans also stumbled on the festival. As his wife left to do more downtown gift shopping, he stayed to sample beer.
“It’s a pleasant surprise,” he said. “Fort George always has something going on.”
Both a home brewer and a forester, Morgans knows something about tree beer – a happy coincidence. He was eager to check out some of the unique draft offerings.
Participating breweries had to abide by one rule: Their beer had to be made with tree parts of some kind. Several used fir and spruce tips harvested by hand. Other recipes called for seasoning with juniper and oak.
Joining the festivities were: Astoria’s Obelisk Beer; pFriem Family Brewers of Hood River; Holy Mountain Brewing, Bizzare Brewing and Fair Isle Brewing, all of Seattle; Wayfinder Beer, Threshold Brewing, Von Ebert Brewing and Grand Fir Brewing, all of Portland; Block 15 Brewing of Corvalis; Sunriver Brewing of Sunriver; and Funky Fauna Artisan Ales of Bend.
Fort George offered six beers, including Cathedral Tree, Spruce Budd and a new draft-only release, Wisdom Line, an imperial red ale brewed with 15 pounds of noble fir tips.
Holiday music was performed live by the Snake Farm Family Band based in Astoria.
Because it’s also the season of giving, a bake sale and silent auction benefited Clatsop Animal Assistance. So did sales of Christmas trees and wreaths.
Setting an early example, Fort George owner Chris Nemlowill bought a tree with his wife Zetty and daughter Irene.
“We’re so happy to be able to get a tree so conveniently,” Zetty Nemlowill said. “In downtown!”
