By KYLE ODEGARD
Corvallis Gazette-Times | Posted: Sunday, September 28, 2008 12:00 am
Dan Culver of Portland sipped from a pint of beer and raved about the different varieties at Septembeerfest, a microbrewery celebration held Sagurday at the Benton County Fairgrounds.
"Just delicious," the 32-year-old said, describing an imperial India pale ale created by Block 15.
Before the event, Culver had never heard of the Corvallis brewpub.
Septembeerfest, which had more than 60 different beers on tap, was held by the Heart of the Valley Homebrewers.
The club has about 40 members in the mid-Willamette Valley.
"We just enjoy beer and like learning about new beers," said Bob Saathoff of Philomath. He added that brewing costs less than buying the beverage, unless you could the labor.
Members appreciate the originality found in microbrews, as well.
"The fresh ingredients, the attention to detail … These aren't cookie cutter beers," said Eric Howard of North Albany, president of the club.
When Howard turned drinking age 11 years ago, microbrews were just coming into vogue, with Oregon at the forefront at the craft brewing movement. Now, there's a lot more of them, especially in the Northwest.
"It's a great thing," Howard said.
When Culver takes trips, he tries to stop by microbreweries.
"In the Northwest and the West Coast, everywhere you go, there's always a brewery. We're definitely spoiled," he said.
This year was the first, in a way, for Septembeerfest. For the previous five years, it was held as part of the Oregon Homebrew and Microbrew Festival.
The homebrew contest, held for the 26th time in May, is the longest running competition of its kind in Oregon, Saathoff said.
It and the microbrew celebration were made into separate events this year because the combined festival took too many hours for the Heart of the Valley Homebrewers.
Proceeds from Septembeerfest will go to the Linn Benton Food Share and the Oregon State University fermentation sciences program.
Kyle Odegard can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.