2018 Holiday Ale Festival

The winter season holds many gifts for beer lovers in the form of big, bold ales designed to fend off the cold chill of a long winter’s night. Each year, the Holiday Ale Festival annually gathers up dozens of these winter warmers for a joyous five-day celebration. As a result, this quintessential Portland event has earned a reputation as the premier winter beer tasting venue on the West Coast.

Held in the heart of downtown Portland, the Holiday Ale Festival keeps attendees warm and dry under a large clear top tent that covers Pioneer Courthouse Square while allowing for views of the city lights. Gas heaters create a cozy ambiance under the boughs of one of the region’s largest decorated Christmas trees.

More than 50 potent winter ales are featured at this year’s event, all of which are created specifically to bring warmth and cheer to the holiday season. These aren’t beers you’ll find in the supermarket – our brewers have put together special recipes just for the Holiday Ale Festival. From Belgians and Barleywines to Stouts and Sours, these beers are rich, robust and full of complex flavors.

2 Towns will be serving Kentucky Barrel Nice and Naughty released specfically for this festival.  This specialty cider is fermented with dark Meadowfoam honey and aged in bourbon barrels with whole nutmeg, clove and cinnamon sticks for 12 months. Crammed full of cheerful winter spices that mingle with the wood and sweet bourbon aromas, this cider is sure to warm up your cold winter nights.