Story by Keegan Clements-Housser
Photos by Matt DeBow

The wooden statue of a decidedly friendly-looking Sasquatch, local micro brew in hand, set the scene this past weekend at the Northwest Legends Foundation‘s 2011 Sasquatch Brewfest.
Behind the welcoming Sasquatch in the Eugene Hilton lobby and through a line of volunteers checking IDs and handing out entry tickets, visitors enjoyed full glasses of beer. You’d be hard-pressed to find a happier, friendlier crowd anywhere in town.
Inside the main room, against the backdrop of a circuit of live bands on stage, representatives manned tasting tables for regional breweries. Each dispensed choice beer to both connoisseurs of hops trying out new brews and roving beer enthusiasts just looking to have a good time.
Though the well-known breweries were certainly maintaining a strong presence—people flocked to the Ninkasi and Rogue tables in droves—they weren’t the only names going strong. Smaller and newer groups, like the Fire Mountain Brew House from Carlton, Oregon, had quite the following as well.
In fact, the event was particularly kind to the Fire Mountain crew. Since their start a year-and-a-half ago, the Fire Mountain Brew House has expanded to local stores and businesses, and this year’s Sasquatch Brewfest—their first as an official brewery—was perfect for getting their name out.
“It’s been a great turnout,” said Henry Dietzman, a Fire Mountain brew master, as beer-drinkers considered the flavors available on tap. Despite the newness of the brewery, Dietzman says it wasn’t hard to get a noticeable presence at Sasquatch. “There’s no competition. We’re all friends here—it’s beer, man.”
According to Ty Connor, MC for the event and local bartender, this laid-back atmosphere has been the feel and general purpose of the Sasquatch Brewfest since its inception in honor of the late Glen Hay Falconer, a renowned brew master who passed away in 2002.
Since its start, the Sasquatch Brewfest has been dedicated to helping new breweries get exposure and home-brewers perfect their craft through scholarships while simultaneously having a great time. This year was no different.
“This is where all the brewers and drinkers get together,” Connor says. “We love this industry. There’s no limit to the creativity of brewers, there’s no limit to the demands of people that drink, and the music is amazing.”
The music was indeed worth the price of admission. Between the four featured bands, the majority of the almost eleven hour long event had guitar-centric rhythms rolling in the background and after every act, throngs of people surrounded the stage to get signed albums. Bands from both near and far made an appearance, from the local group dubious to the Tacoma-based Vicci Martinez, who recently landed a spot on NBC’s The Voice. All the acts contributed to the feel of the event, as beer-drinkers raised glasses and toasted each performance. The encouragements grew increasingly slurred as the night went on.
For some of those same patrons, the atmosphere itself was a pleasant surprise.
“It’s bigger than I thought it would be,” said Brian Miller, a home-brewer and beer connoisseur attracted to the event by home-brewing organizations. “Nice atmosphere. Pretty descent music, too. I didn’t think they’d have a band. I’d thought it’d be a lot quieter.”
When Miller returns next year, as he confidently said he would, it won’t be for the ambiance or the bands but for the love of beer. It was a sentiment shared by many of the night’s attendees who, as the last call went out, clustered around the tasting tables, temporarily forgetting the excellent music played by the Ty Curtis Band, then up on stage.
As Miller explained, “The beer is the most striking thing, and it’s absolutely delicious.”
 

Gallery • 3 Photos

Matt DeBow

Vicki Martinez performs at the Sasquatch Brewfest on Saturday, May 8. She is currently being featured on the NBC’s singing competition, The Voice on Tuesday, May 11.