North American Organic Brewers Festival celebrates
11 years of drinking organic, saving the planet
Eco-conscience beer festival will serve up more than 60 organic drinks
PORTLAND, ORE – With a motto to “Drink Organic, Save the Planet, One Beer at a Time,” the North American Organic Brewers Festival – the world’s only organic brewers festival – will celebrate its 11th year this August 13 through 16 at Overlook Park in North Portland. Event hours are Noon to 9pm Thursday through Saturday and Noon to 5pm Sunday.
Designed to raise awareness about organic beer and sustainable living, the festival will serve 63 organic beers, ciders, meads and braggots from three-dozen breweries located in the United States, Canada, Germany and England. Styles run the gamut from Ambers to Belgians to Wild Ales, with a bit of everything in-between. (A complete list of participating breweries is available at www.naobf.org.) The event also offers live local music, organic food, sustainability-oriented vendors and non-profits and a kid’s area in a beautiful park setting.
This year’s event will feature an exceedingly rare opportunity to sample draft beer from Pinkus Müller, the world’s first certified organic brewery, located in Münster, Germany. Pinkus Ur-Pils and Pinkus Münster Alt kegs will be tapped on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the festival at 4pm daily. Because of its limited supply, only tasters will be available, and it will cost two tokens for a taste.
The festival is pleased to introduce the Merchant du Vin Organic Bottle Garden, which will feature 11 bottled beers and cider from Pinkus and Samuel Smith’s of Yorkshire, England. The bottled products will be available all days of the festival in both taster and full cup options. These products will cost either double or triple tokens (triple for fruit beers).
Admission into the NAOBF is free. The purchase of a $7 reusable, compostable cornstarch cup is required for tasting beer, as are tokens, which sell for $1 apiece. A full cup of beer costs four tokens and a taste costs one token; select beers, ciders and meads cost double tokens. Patrons receive an extra token with a validated Tri-Met ticket, a ticket from the Hopworks Bike Corral, or a valid ID with an Overlook neighborhood zip code (one extra token per person allowed).
The NAOBF is a family friendly event, and minors are welcome with parents. A kid’s area offers art activities, face painting and a root beer garden with complimentary Crater Lake Root Beer and Orange Cream Soda for minors (and designated drivers).
Events generate a lot of waste, and the festival works extremely hard to minimize its footprint. Of the 2,018 lbs. of waste generated at the 2014 event, the NAOBF kept 95% from going into the landfill due to extensive composting and recycling efforts, and the event generated only 101 lbs. of garbage.
The NAOBF encourages responsible drinking and urges patrons to take advantage of the MAX Light Rail; the Yellow Line Overlook Park Station is adjacent to the festival. For more information about the NAOBF, visit naobf.org.
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