Thursday – Sunday
Festa Italiana at Pioneer Square, all weekend!
Saturday
The 4th annual Montavilla Brewfest takes place Saturday, noon-9 in the parking lot behind Thatchers (where you can order your hamburger with pepperoni!) (7915 SE Washington). In Montavilla, of course. Music, barbecue, and over 40 beers. The Beer Here has more details.
Saturday – Sunday
And the 4th annual Great American Distillers Festival takes place both Saturday and Sunday, at the Gerding Theater (128 NW 11th). Samples, seminars, and mixology competitions fueled by spirits!
I hope to make it to the seminar Faeries in Your Backyard: Q&A on Northwest Absinthe with Gwydion Stone (founder of Wormwood Society and developer of Marteau Absinthe Superieure) & Rich Phillips (Integrity Spirits).
For a recent exploration of the NW’s nascent interest in absinthe, read Gastronautical Gastronomicon’s absinthe mania. Modern Drunkard has a good history of absinthe in the article Return of the Green Faerie.
Entry is $10 each day (or $16 for both days) and includes 3 taster tickets. You can buy more tasters for a reasonable price. I think it was $1 last year. Click here for a list of participating distillers, and the spirits they will be sampling. I’m looking forward to the Saffron Vodka from Sub Rosa, and the aged pear brandy from Brandy Peak.
Related posts:
I had the opportunity to try the Trillium absinthe from Integrity spirits and I have to say it was much smoother and tastier than I expected (my experience with cheap European absinthe had not been so pleasant).
The only bummer: there’s quite a few bars that carry it now, but hardly any have invested in the specialized sugar spoons and water drippers that make drinking absinthe such a romantic experience…
Trisha – I’ll have to give it a try. I’ve had Spanish and Czech absinthe before. I didn’t particularly like them. I’ve heard good things about Trillium Absinthe though.
I’ve don’t have much to say since I don’t drink but that I am going to see Vicki Cristina Barcelona this weekend while all of you are enjoying the booze!
VeganFabulous – Oh, the new Woody Allen film; I thought for a moment it was one of the performers at the Italian Fest
Are there any weekends (or weekdays for that matter) in Portland that AREN’T good for beer and booze?
XUP – Since it rains a lot in Portland, the few dry months of summer (approximately late July through late September) are chock full of cultural (and beery/boozy) outdoor events. Once the summer is over we go inside our plentiful pubs and taverns to drink
So Dave. Did you try the Saffron vodka? Did you try the Batch Three of the Tarragon vodka on Sunday?! Also was pouring Batch One and Two of the Saffron, one vs. the other on Sunday.
I mixed a drink with the Saffron vodka, the St. Germain Elderflower liqueur and a dash of fresh squeezed OJ with an orange peel. Damn nice combo.