According to the Brewers Association, Oregon's 284 breweries produced more than 1 million barrels of beer in 2018-which breaks down to more than 256 million pints. (Thirsty yet?)
And every February, Zwickelmania celebrates the state's massive craft beer industry with two full days of behind-the-scenes tours, free tastings, and other fun events-including, yes, throughout the Willamette Valley. And for the first time in 2020, Zwickelmania will take place during Oregon Craft Beer Month-which, until this year, has always been held in July.
For Matt Dakopolos, head brewer at Xicha Brewing in West Salem, Zwickelmania presents the rare chance to get out from behind the mash tun and reach a curious audience-beer geeks and novices alike. “My time is stretched so thin, so I have to have a lot of intention around how I spend my time,” he says. “And Zwickelmania is one of those activities where I get to be completely invested in that activity and reach a bunch of people who might not otherwise come to our establishment.”
So even if you can't tell the difference between Nugget and Citra hops, there's still plenty to enjoy. Here's a breakdown of how to make the most of Zwickelmania, along with fun events happening this month at breweries throughout the Willamette Valley.
In so many words, Zwickelmania is a celebration of the Oregon craft beer scene. Every year, more than 100 breweries throughout the state open their doors for all kinds of events-behind-the-scenes tours, meet-the-brewer sessions, free samples, and more.
And that name-Zwickelmania-is more than a made-up word that's fun to say. The festival is named for the zwickel, which is the spigot on a conditioning tank that allows brewers to pour a sample and see how a beer is progressing as it carbonates.
Most breweries taking part offer zwickel samples, so visitors can see how their favorite beers are progressing before they're released. “It celebrates the process of beer being produced, and most folks consuming beer don't have a really easy opportunity to see how a beer tastes at various stages of its production cycle,” Dakopolos says. “And it's really interesting to try a product before it's ready for prime time.”
This year, Portland breweries are hosting their Zwickelmania open-house celebrations on Saturday, February 15, with the rest of the state-including the Willamette Valley-following suit on Saturday, February 22. It's best to check with a brewery beforehand to see whether they're celebrating (the official Zwickelmania webpage is a good source of information), and there are no tickets to purchase.
There's no one way to do Zwickelmania-but for all the differences among breweries, education and exclusive tastings are a common theme.
At Xicha, for instance, visitors can try the brewery's traditional German hefeweizen alongside the same beer currently aging in añejo tequila barrels. Dakopolos says the side-by-side tastings offer a real-time look at how flavor changes in a barrel-and how that beer changes over time-in an approachable, easy-to-understand way. “That's a really fun conversation to have and a really fun experience overall,” he says.
Visitors can also purchase cans of State of Excitement IPA, a collaboration among 30 Oregon brewers designed to celebrate the state's congenial craft beer scene, at participating breweries. In the Willamette Valley, participating breweries include Allegory Brewing, Golden Valley Brewery, Heater Allen Brewing, and Vanguard Brewing Company.
Here's a rundown of five Willamette Valley breweries are celebrating Zwickelmania-and what they have planned:
For more information, visit the Oregon Brewers Guild's official Zwickelmania webpage.
