The 3rd Annual Firkin Fest takes place Saturday, April 17th at the Green Dragon (928 SE 9th).
A firkin, for those unfamiliar with the term, is an old English unit of volume.
For beer and ale a firkin is equal to nine imperial gallons, seventy-two pints, or a quarter of a barrel (40.91481 litres). Casks in this size (themselves called firkins) are the most common container for cask ale.
Now you know.
The Firkin Fest features firkins of beer from twenty Oregon breweries, artisan cheeses and chocolates, and is structured quite differently from most local beer festivals. This beer fest ain’t cheap ($30!), and you have to buy tickets ahead of time (at Rogue.com, or at the Green Dragon by phone or in person). But, the crowding won’t be quite as ridiculous as at some beer fests because attendance is split into two sessions, with only a limited number of tickets sold for each (last year it was 200 per session).
Heather and I attended last year’s event, and thought there were not enough places to sit or lean and prop your pint, there were no lines for most of the beers most of the time, which was a pleasant departure from most beer festivals.
The $30 admission gets you a souvenir glass, eight 6 ounce taster tickets, and two food tickets. The first session runs from 11am to 2pm, and the second from 3pm to 6pm.
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