The kegs will be tapped and crisp; flavorful beers ranging from bitter IPAs to dark ales will be filling cups all day long.
Sasquatch Brew Fest began seven years ago to commemorate the life of famous Northwest brewer Glen Hay Falconer with a day of live music, delectable foods and some of the best craft-brewed beer the region has to offer.
With the collaboration of local brewers and avid beer drinkers, the annual reminder of Falconer’s passion and dedication for brewing beer has grown to become one of the premier beer festivals of the Pacific Northwest.
Showcasing more than 50 breweries from Oregon, Washington and California, Sasquatch Brew Fest gives professionals the opportunity to spotlight a wide range of unique and tasteful brews. “Several breweries have brewed specific beers for this festival that you cannot get anywhere else,” said John Burgess of the Northwest Legends Foundation. “When you come to this festival you are going to get good, strong, hearty beer. Everyone has really good beer; try as many as you can.”
In the limelight is the Sasquatch Legacy beer from Glen Falconer’s original recipe, brewed by Ninkasi and Rogue Breweries. The brew’s ingredients include Pacman yeast and crystal malt that has been aged for more than five months. Burgess says this beer will be a highlight of the festival and offer an exceptional taste.
The Northwest Legends Foundation is a Eugene-based non-profit organization staffed by friends of Glen Hay Falconer and has hosted the Sasquatch Beer Festival in Eugene for the past 7 years. The Northwest Legends Foundation also provides support to the Eugene/Springfield community with funds raised from the event. The festival donates proceeds to the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation, which awards brewing scholarships to those in need, and also gives to local charities such as the White Bird Clinic, River Road Park and KLCC 89.7.
“Glen lived here and he died here. This event is really about beer, but also Glen Falconer and the community that he lived in,” Burgess said. “We come together to celebrate this man and what he was passionate about.”
The event will feature the Sasquatch Homebrew Contest that will be administered by the local home brew club, Cascade Brewers Society, and is open to home brewers from Washington, Oregon and Northern California. A select group of professional brewers and beer judges will evaluate and announce the winners at the festival.
Eugene’s own Bier Stein, located in downtown Eugene, has sponsored this event since 2005 and is also sharing its own authentic beer at the festival. The Bier Stein will be selling beer on tap for $1 per pint and all the proceeds will be given to the foundation.
“This event grows every year and is always greatly attended. It is a positive outdoor environment and you get to experience a lot of bigger and more obscure brewers in the area,” said Dave Stockhausen of the Bier Stein.
The Northwest Legends Foundation hopes to provide an opportunity for the public to experience the diverse and unique beers from across the Northwest, but the Foundation also makes an effort to remind the community about the importance of responsible drinking.
“We would like to create a better place where beer is not just about getting drunk,” Burgess said. “It is about the people and the good things in life; it isn’t just about the party. We want people to come and experience beer culture and remember Glen, all while giving back to the community.”
The beer fest opens Saturday at noon at Broadway Plaza, at the corner of Broadway and Willamette Streets in Eugene. Tickets are $10 at the door, and include a commemorative glass and two taste tests.
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