However a few months back I received a collection of hard sodas from Owl’s Brew, a company that crafts canned cocktails, which had just released its line of Spiked Pop. Owl’s Brew creates botanically-driven drinks with real ingredients, and that approach to these hard sodas reflects that approach, which include ingredients such as vanilla bean, hibiscus, green and white teas, real fruit juices, and more. The tagline is, “Hard soda, done clean.”

They are low in sugar as well: each can contains only five grams of carbs per 355ml (12 ounces), with 110 calories. There are seven flavors so far: Black Cherry, Pineapple Dew, Lemon Lime, Strawberry Hibiscus, The Doc, Cream Soda, and Watermelon Lime.

With 4.8% alcohol by volume, they are at the other end of the soda spectrum, so to speak, from those like Stiller’s Soda (which I’ve also reviewed). I was pretty intrigued by these when I received them, not knowing quite what to expect. One thing I found interesting as I was working my way through the flavors is that nearly all of them include tea as a major ingredient (green, white, black, or rooibos).

All of the varieties share the same stats per can (mentioned above) so I won’t re-list those stats individually. Let’s get into reviews!

Lemon Lime

I started with what I judged to be the lightest, but also potentially the most familiar. The website’s brief description says:

Bright, zesty, and wildly refreshing. Fresh lemon and lime juice meet crisp bubbles for a sparkling finish that actually tastes real. And oops, we spiked it.

The ingredients listed on the can are: Sparkling water, raspberry leaves, alcohol from cane sugar, cane sugar, lemon juice concentrate, lime juice concentrate, Red M.

My notes: Pale yellow, almost milky white. Not much aroma, and what I get is largely lime, with a touch of bottled lemon juice character (acidic); there’s maybe a bit of crushed herbal greens (the raspberry leaves?). It has an herbal taste as well, almost like a hop water, but it also makes me think of tobacco leaf; the citrus is dialed back and it’s not overly sweet. The lemon-lime character is nice and bright albeit mellow. It’s a bit too herbal in my opinion, giving it something akin to a medicinal character, and doesn’t really drink like soda pop, but more like a citrus hard seltzer.

Cream Soda

Continuing in the “lighter” vein, I do enjoy a good cream soda, so I was excited to try this one. The website says:

Smooth, creamy, and made with real vanilla. This nostalgic classic just got a boozy up upgrade.

p.s. Add some Vanilla Ice cream for an unforgettable Spiked Float

Ingredients: Sparkling water, organic green rooibos, vanilla bean, alcohol from cane sugar, cane sugar, citric acid, Red M.

My notes: Golden color, clear, looks like a beer actually. The aroma gives vanilla bean with a touch of tea, mellow but overall I get “cream soda” from it. There is definitely tea in the flavor and a perfumy, flowery vanilla character that’s reminiscent of cream soda but is strongly “iced tea with vanilla extract” along with a bit of sweetness. Not a sweat tea level of sugar, it’s pretty mellow and not cloying. “Floral” is the main descriptor I think I’d settle on here, as much vanilla blossom as bean.

Watermelon Lime

This could be a fun flavor combination in a craft soda, not one that I’ve had before (though I’m sure I’ve had a sour beer with this combo). The website says:

Juicy watermelon meets zesty lime in a crisp sparkling mash-up that tastes like peak summer energy.

Made with real juice, brewed botanicals, better bubbles, and no weird stuff. It’s hard soda that grew up.

Ingredients: Sparkling water, organic white tea, alcohol from cane sugar, cane sugar, lime juice concentrate, raspberry juice concentrate, watermelon juice concentrate, citric acid, Red M.

My notes: Smells like ripe, freshly-cut watermelon, seeds and all, with a bite of lime/citric acid at the back. The color matches the color of watermelon juice. The flavor is a bit earthy, more watermelon rind than fruit, and I get a fair amount of the tea with a little pop of lime. Similar to the Cream Soda, it reads more “iced tea with fruit” than as a soda, with mellow sweetness. I want more watermelon flavor to match what I get in the aroma.

Strawberry Hibiscus

I feel like strawberry soda in general should have a big, sweet, berry character and bright red color; that isn’t really the case with this flavor, unfortunately. The website says:

Bright strawberry and vibrant hibiscus come together in a juicy Spiked Pop that’s slightly tart, super refreshing, and wildly delicious.

Made with real juice, brewed botanicals, better bubbles, and no weird stuff. It’s hard soda that grew up.

Ingredients: Sparkling water, organic black tea, organic hibiscus, alcohol from cane sugar, cane sugar, lemon juice concentrate, strawberry juice concentrate, raspberry juice concentrate, Red M.

My notes: It’s kind of a pinkish-gold color, and tea and hibiscus are the prominent aromatic notes; it’s herbal and floral, and I don’t really get any berry from it. There’s tea in the flavor, but also a mellow, slightly artificial, strawberry syrup-like flavor that’s reminiscent of aspartame; maybe that’s a contribution from the hibiscus? Or just something in the strawberry juice doesn’t work with the tea? Either way, it’s a touch medicinal and herbal, with a bump of sweet but leaving an artificial-y aftertaste.

Pineapple Dew

This was another flavor that sounded pretty interesting to me; I was envisioning a pineapple Mountain Dew, I suppose, which seems like a great idea to me. The description says:

Tropical and electric. Juicy pineapple flavor with crisp bubbles and a bright finish that keeps things extra refreshing.

Made with real juice, brewed botanicals, better bubbles, and no weird stuff. It’s hard soda that grew up.

Ingredients: Sparkling water, organic black tea, chamomile, alcohol from cane sugar, pineapple juice concentrate, cane sugar, lemon juice concentrate, citric acid, Red M.

My notes: Yellow color as I’d expect, and the aroma has tea as I’d expect at this point, along with a tart note that I can’t quite place, maybe a combination of lemon juice and pure citric acid or maybe even a kombucha-like character. No real pineapple in the aroma. In the flavor there is subtle pineapple, but it’s not very strong—I would have liked more of a pronounced pineapple juice flavor—and it’s blended with the herbal tea that’s been characteristic of these past few sodas. It doesn’t quite work as well as it should.

Black Cherry

This is another I was interested to try and had high hopes for, because I do like cherry as a soda flavor (both directly and as an accompaniment to say, cola). This one includes hibiscus as well as cherry. The website says:

Dark cherry with a juicy hibiscus twist. Smooth, bold, and just sweet enough. Deep, crushable, and a little flirty.

Made with real juice, brewed botanicals, better bubbles, and no weird stuff. It’s hard soda that grew up.

Ingredients: Sparkling water, organic black tea, organic hibiscus, alcohol from cane sugar, cherry juice concentrate, cane sugar, citric acid, Red M.

My notes: Attractive crimson red color, nicely clear. Tea again is the main aromatic quality, with a bit of cherry juice behind it; there’s no real presence of hibiscus that I can detect. In the flavor, it has more of a soda quality than the previous few, where I’m getting some sweet cherry and a touch of herbal hibiscus tart character, underpinned by the black tea. It’s a bit of a blend of cherry soda and iced tea, one of the better flavors in the lineup.

The Doc

Finally, The Doc, which as I noted in my review notes, just has to be inspired by Dr. Pepper, as it has longer list of herbs and spices in the ingredients. The short version—yes, sort of, but… more like a sarsaparilla. The description says:

A grown-up twist on the classic soda you already love. Same familiar, nostalgic flavor. Cleaner ingredients, crisper finish, with a spike.

Made with brewed botanicals, better bubbles, and no weird stuff. It’s hard soda that grew up.

Ingredients: Sparkling water, green tea, dandelion root, dried cherry, orange peel, vanilla, mint, cloves, cardamom, ginger, licorice, pepper, alcohol from cane sugar, cane sugar, cherry juice concentrate, citric acid, Red M.

My notes: Based on the ingredients list this seems like the most interesting of the bunch (obviously based on Dr. Pepper). It’s rather pink, a dark pink in color, and the aroma initially reminds me of root beer but then it grows more herbal, something akin to an herbal liqueur, with pepper, fruits, and mint in particular present. It tastes something like an herbal root beer as well, spicy, with a lot going on; it’s a medley of mint, cloves, green cardamom, orange peel, some licorice, some raw ginger, green tea, and more—almost all the ingredients can be distinguished, I think. There’s a minty touch of menthol character as well. It’s definitely interesting, a little different, but does it work? I think yes, as a kind of nostalgic sarsaparilla type soda.

Final thoughts

These are quite interesting, though not really what I was expecting; they are much more of a natural, herbal-based line of soda-tea blends, since the (black/white/green/rooibos) tea character is so prominent in them. That’s fine! I received three of each flavor (two variety packs) so I was able to revisit each and they grew on me as I drank them.

That natural character is the hook for these, and especially as they are low-calorie, low-sugar, I’m sure they will find (have found) an audience; these really are more of a lifestyle line of drinks than a straight soda line would otherwise be. They are also light enough in ABV to be sessionable while still scratching that alcohol itch.

You can find these at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, among other retailers, so they should be relatively easy to find if you’re curious and want to try them for yourself.

The day of the event was warm and overcast, pleasant weather for being outdoors (especially fruit picking), and we arrived early enough to beat any big crowds. (We were comped general admission tickets as media.) A band was already on stage when we arrived (unfortunately I don’t know which one) and we proceeded to check out the drink selection—a lineup of Public Coast brews along with sodas, wine, and other non-alcoholic beverages.

Since the theme of the day was blueberries, I started with the Blueberry Wheat (brewed with Farm blueberries of course), and later enjoyed a Violent Violet (a blueberry double hazy IPA); the Blueberry Hard Lemonade was quite tasty, too.

Several food vendors were on hand to feed the crowd—Hawaiian grill and poke, picnic-style food (burgers, hot dogs), and ice cream. I don’t know if the VIP section also had a food option, but we enjoyed a plate from the Hawaiian truck while the reggae band performed a great rendition of Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler.”

The farmstand had a variety of merch for sale, including 10th anniversary glassware for the brewery (celebrating ten this year; I bought a coffee mug and pint glass). It was also where you picked up your pint container for picking blueberries (as part of the price of admission); one pint per person.

The highlight was the berry picking; the Farm grows eight different varieties of blueberries occupying a fair amount of its 40 acres. Berries were ripe enough to be falling off the branches, and the bushes were full of them. Everyone samples as they go (it’s a great way to determine which varieties you like best), and we filled our containers to the point of overflowing with plump, sweet blueberries. I believe we ended up with something like two pounds of berries, which are now sitting in our freezer.

All in all, it was a good event if you were looking to make a day out of live music and beer, topped off with berry picking. I don’t know how busy it got later in the afternoon and toward early evening so I can’t judge how successful it was overall for Public Coast as an inaugural event, but it seemed to be getting lively by the time we left, so I would expect to see this event return next summer.

Here are some photos from the day (the header photo above was borrowed from Public Coast’s Instagram feed):

This year’s edition of the Hazy Pack swaps out Brain Melter Hazy Imperial IPA for Galaxy Bender Double Hazy IPA, but keeps Mind Haze and Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA. Since I reviewed the latter two last year, I’ll add some notes on those revisiting the beers, and focus my full review notes on Galaxy Bender below.

Mind Haze IPA

The flagship of the series, the original Mind Haze is 6.7% ABV with 30 IBUs, brewed with Azacca, El Dorado, and Hüll Melon hops.

This year’s edition of the can advertises “Juicy Hazy” for the beer (last year’s was “Hazy Tropical”) but I think it’s more savory and herbal-spicy than fruity as before; I get more minty aromatics over the fruitiness which fades a bit into the background. The flavor sticks the landing on that savory, peppery character, with a nice bitterness hitting the back of the palate that avoids hop burn, though there is a bit of a minty aftertaste/coolness on the tongue. It’s a nice hazy overall, solid with a good bitterness this time around.

Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA

Like Mind Haze, the recipe and stats for Cosmic Crusher haven’t changed from last year: 9.5% ABV with 20 IBUs, with hops Galaxy, Simcoe, and Mandarina. It’s a big beer and it’s full of fruity aromatics worth checking out.

Fruit pops in the aroma here, with apricot, honeydew melon, and some light citrus featuring prominently; it is indeed “juicy” in the nose. The flavor gives melon rind and bitter greens, some floral alcoholic notes, fruit juice character that’s got stone fruit, pear, something tropical. As I noted before, there’s some alcohol but it doesn’t drink like it’s 9.5%; it’s quite mellow and smooth in that regard. It does hit the mark on the “juicy” label.

Galaxy Bender Double Hazy IPA

Galaxy Bender lands in between Mind Haze and Cosmic Crusher, with 8.5% ABV (no IBUs listed). The website description is pretty minimal:

Galaxy Bender unleashes mind-bending waves of tropical fruit and bright citrus. Each sip sends your taste buds on a vibrant, flavor-soaked journey.

But there is a blog post about the new beer that gives more details on the hops Galaxy Bender is built upon:

The name isn’t accidental. Galaxy Bender is built around Galaxy, the Australian hop that’s been rewiring tropical IPAs for years, delivering waves of peach, plum, and grapefruit that feel almost too good to be real. Alongside it sits Citra: the Pacific Northwest legend that essentially reshaped the modern IPA, bringing that electric, zesty citrus charge that arrives before the beer even reaches your lips. The third leg of the constellation is Krush: a newer release from the Hop Breeding Company that brings tropical punch, mango, and orange to the blend. On its own, Krush is interesting. Layered with Galaxy and Citra, it becomes something else entirely.

Appearance: Properly hazy—it has a cloudy appearance, nearly opaque, yellow-orange, but avoids looking muddy or like a slurry. Decent white head but it doesn’t pile up, though it has decent legs.

Smell: Light fruit to my nose, with pineapple and a bit of peach, with a savory-spicy hop character that borders on allium. Not terribly pungent, rather pleasantly mellow. Some twigginess.

Taste: Soft, grainy in the sense that I can taste the wheat protein contribution (a touch doughy or perhaps even flour-y), with a bit of mellow fruit juiciness (peach juice, a splash of pineapple juice, bitter citrus peel oil). There’s a subtle menthol or eucalyptus-like minty-cool character, and as it warms I get more fresh pineapple toward the back. The alcohol perhaps contributes some floral or fruity esters but otherwise I’m not tasting it.

Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body with a soft, pillowy texture presumably from the protein haze; it’s quite pleasant on the tongue. It finishes with a bit of that menthol-like cool note coating the mouth.

Overall: It’s pleasant, mellow, and hits more of the mark on what I think a “hazy IPA” should be than many I’ve had, which makes this a successful beer in my opinion. Watch out though because at 8.5% ABV it does not drink like it.

The festivities are part of Public Coast’s 10th anniversary, and guests to the Farm can enjoy Public Coast’s beer, picking blueberries, and listening to reggae music. Cost to attend is $25 in advance (tickets can be purchased online here) or $35 at the door.

Details from the press release:

Fresh-picked blueberries, local craft beer, live music, and family-friendly activities highlight farm’s summer celebration

What: Public Coast Farm is hosting Blueberry Jams, a one-day U-Pick blueberry, beer, and music celebration presented by Public Coast Brewing Co. in honor of the brewery’s 10th anniversary. Guests are invited to spend a sun-soaked summer afternoon in Banks, Oregon picking fresh blueberries, sipping Public Coast Brewing Co. craft beer and non-alcoholic beverages, and enjoying live world-class reggae music in a scenic farm setting. This summer, 100% of proceeds from U-Pick blueberry sales will benefit North Coast Land Conservancy, a nonprofit land trust dedicated to protecting Oregon’s northern coastal lands and seascapes.

Each ticket includes one pint of blueberries, with guests free to explore the farm and pick from up to eight varieties of farm-grown blueberries. Local food vendors will also be on-site with food available for purchase. The live music lineup features four acclaimed reggae artists: Dan Kelly of Fortunate Youth, Jubba White, Aaron Nigel Smith, and King Thayo.

Musical Guests:

• Dan Kelly of Fortunate Youth: Dan Kelly, the soulful frontman of Southern California reggae-rock band Fortunate Youth, has been spreading good vibes and positive energy since the band’s formation in Hermosa Beach, CA, in 2009. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Dan is a self-taught guitarist and songwriter who first picked up music on an acoustic guitar gifted to him on his twelfth birthday.
• Jubba White: Jubba White is a No. 1 Billboard-charting Reggae producer, a Grammy-nominated session musician and vocalist that charted at No. 3 on the iTunes Reggae chart. Jubba is also the founder of White Stone Productions and led Dubtonic Kru to victory in the 2010 Global Battle of the Bands in Malaysia, representing Jamaica among bands from 17 countries and earning the title “Best New Band in the World.”
• Aaron Nigel Smith: Aaron Nigel Smith is a Grammy-nominated musician and Billboard #1 recording artist who has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, Winnipeg Folk Fest, Lollapooza, and Pickathon, and performed throughout South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
• King Thayo: King Thayo is a dynamic and versatile artist with roots spanning Sacramento, USA, and Trinidad & Tobago. Raised in the vibrant musical landscape of the Caribbean, King Thayo has cultivated a distinctive sound, effortlessly blending Reggae, Hip-Hop, Afro-Fusion, Soul, World, R&B, and Pop.

When: Saturday, July 25, 2026

Hours: 12 pm – 7 pm
*Doors open at 11 am

Where: Public Coast Farm
22330 NW Fisher Rd, Banks, OR 97106

Tickets:

General Admission: Advance – $25 | Door – $35

• Admission
• One pint of blueberries
• Parking
• Live music
• Access to the farm

VIP: Advance – $75 | Door – $100

• Everything in GA
• Food voucher
• Dessert voucher
• Two drink vouchers
• Farm Gift to take home

Admission-Only Tickets (Must be accompanied by an adult)

• Youth: Ages 13 – 17 – $10
• Child: 12 & Under – Free

Link to purchase tickets: https://www.tickettomato.com/event/10243#buy-tickets. Follow @publiccoastfarm on Instagram for schedule updates and announcements.

I was invited to attend and check out the festivities, so I’m planning to be there; it will be my first time visiting the Farm so I will report on the event and my thoughts on the Farm itself.

The new beer is Ice Bucket IPA, a cold IPA brewed with the 2026 Ales for ALS custom hop blend from Yakima Chief Hops, featuring Simcoe, Citra, Ekuanot, and Columbus hops. It will be pouring from 1 to 5pm on Saturday, with $1 from every pint sold benefitting the fundraiser.

Here are the details from the press release:

Craft beer enthusiasts and philanthropists alike are invited to Calapooia Brewing for the Ales for ALS Beer Release Party, a celebration of community spirit and charity, set for Saturday, July 25, 2026, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 140 Hill St. NE Albany, Ore. 97321. Now in its fifth year, this event is a part of the Ales for ALS™ fundraising program, which supports the ALS Therapy Development Institute in their efforts to combat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

The Ales for ALS™ program brings breweries and beer enthusiasts together from around the world to fight against ALS. Participating breweries receive access to an industry-curated hop blend to craft unique beers, donating a portion of the proceeds to ALS research. The 2026 blend, highlighted in the upcoming beer release by Calapooia Brewing, exemplifies this collaborative effort.

Attendees have the opportunity to be among the first to sample the specially crafted Ice Bucket IPA, a Cold IPA from Calapooia Brewing that features the unique 2026 Ales for ALS™ hop blend with vibrant citrus and floral notes with a berry, tropical, woody and stone fruit flavor.

In addition to supporting a great cause through craft beer, event attendees may partake in a variety of activities, including a raffle fundraiser sponsored by generous local businesses. Raffle tickets will be available at the event for $3 each or $5 for two, with winners announced at the end of the evening. Participants need not be present to win. The outdoor event will also feature a dunk tank, allowing attendees to test their aim on local volunteers and brewery employees; three throws cost $5, with all proceeds going directly to the ALS Therapy Development Institute.

This free event is open to all ages and is both family and pet-friendly. Guests can enjoy a wide selection of craft beers, Vivacity Spirits cocktails, mocktails, house-made soda and delicious dishes from the brewpub while enjoying a memorable day dedicated to a noble cause. For more information about the event and Ales for ALS™, visit the official event page at www.calapooiabrewing.com/alesforals.

About Calapooia Brewing:
Located at 140 Hill St. NE in Albany, Oregon, Calapooia Brewing is known for exceptional craft microbrews, handcrafted cocktails, and a welcoming, community-focused atmosphere. The brewpub is family and pet-friendly, offering both indoor and covered outdoor seating for enjoyment throughout the year.

All of the sodas have only 30 calories per 12 ounce can, and interestingly, they all contain the 100% recommended daily values of vitamins D, C, and B12. While they do contain real cane sugar, they also include stevia, a sweet plant that is a common sugar substitute, and monk fruit, also used as a low-calorie sugar substitute. So they are positioned as a “healthy” soda

And of course, these are all non-alcoholic, just regular soda, which I don’t believe I’ve ever reviewed here on the blog., with the possible exception of root beer. So, let’s see what we’ve got.

Lemon Lime

Crafted with lime and lemon juice concentrates and natural flavors (as well as the ingredients I noted above), Lemon Lime is certainly one of those classic, even universal soda flavors everyone is familiar with. There’s no specific page on the company website for this, but you can buy it directly on Amazon.

My notes: Looks and smells like a lemon lime soda, very pale milky yellow with fizzy body, and bright citrus aroma of fresh lemon and lime juice. The flavor is mellow and pleasant with the fresh squeeze of the fruits and a moderate sweetness—and then at the back, there’s an artificial sweetener note and checking the ingredients, I do see that stevia is on the list which fits that bill. I suspect that this is light enough in flavor that the stevia becomes more noticeable, but it’s not bad. Pretty clean finish without leaving a cloyingly sweet coating on the tongue.

Shirley Temple

A Shirley Temple is a drink traditionally made with ginger ale and grenadine for a cherry soda experience, with more modern recipes using lemon lime instead of ginger; the Stiller’s Soda version goes with lemon lime as well, and the cherry contribution comes from dark sweet cherry juice concentrate. I don’t know how popular it is these days, but with a goal of highlighting classic soda flavors, this works well. You can also buy it on Amazon.

My notes: Lovely pink color and it has the smell of grenadine, a maraschino cherry syrup note that’s pleasant and not cough-syrupy like I feared it could be. The flavor is good, with solid cherry flavor—black cherry hard candy—with a kiss of lime and a touch of grenadine. Sweetness is just right and balanced, and the stevia is much less noticeable than in the Lemon Lime, and seems to mesh better with the cherry. There a bit of lingering grenadine flavor which is fine, otherwise it finishes clean like the Lemon Lime.

Root Beer

I’ve always loved root beer and it is still one of my favorite types of soda, especially when it leans into intense root beer flavoring (I’ve had more “natural” versions that taste more herbal or earthy which don’t quite do it for me). This version relies on “organic root beer flavor” which is rather vague, but it actually works out well here. Also on Amazon.

My notes: Right off the bat this has the look and aroma of the classic root beer, and that aroma is spot-on with a perfect nostalgic character that takes me back to homemade root beer we would make when we were kids. The flavor hits pretty close to the mark too, it either needs a touch more sweetness or more of the sarsaparilla flavor bumped up to make it a bit more robust, but within this “natural, classic soda” template it does work just fine. Stevia in the aftertaste (a touch artificial) but this drinks nicely.

Shirley Cola

This is the Stiller’s Soda version of a Roy Rogers, which is similar to a Shirley Temple but made with cola instead of lemon lime or ginger ale—essentially, it’s a cherry cola. It’s also the newest flavor in the Stiller’s Soda lineup, introduced this spring. It features a “natural cola flavor” (not sure exactly what that is since cola flavor is blended from a variety of sources) as well as caffeine, with both grenadine and natural black cherry flavors. Yes, you can get this on Amazon as well.

My notes: This is subtle and mellow, starting with the aroma—light black cherry notes that has a hint of almond, along with cola character (subtle spicing). The cherry/grenadine character in the flavor is also quite mellow, it’s more cola-forward but even then, it’s a bit light overall. It’s almost a touch herbal. It’s perfectly drinkable, but I’m wanting more character overall here. Clean finish like the others as well.

Overall

If you drink soda and are interested in less sugar/lower calories and more focus on natural and organic ingredients—somewhat healthy even, despite still being soft drinks—these Stiller’s Sodas are worth checking out. The price point is a bit high for soda so keep that in mind (you’re also paying for the celebrity backing). In my opinion the strongest flavors of these four are the Root Beer and the Shirley Temple, but they also come in a variety pack so you can try all of them to find what works for you.

The first beer is Cook & Durham ESB from BearKat Brewing and Tigard taproom Hops on Tap, and it’s available now. Two other beers will follow in August and September from Waltz Brewing and Hillsboro Downtown Station, and BinaryBrewing.co, Lazy Days Brewing, and 787 Brewing, respectively.

Here is the press release with additional details:

Local breweries and taprooms team up with Explore Tualatin Valley to craft limited-edition brews.

Hikers exploring the trails of Tualatin Valley this summer can pair their outdoor adventures with local craft beer as part of a new campaign.

Explore Tualatin Valley, Washington County’s official tourism organization, launched its Summer Collab Beer Series on July 1. The three-month initiative brings together five local breweries and two taprooms to produce three limited-edition, collaborative beers. Each brew is directly inspired by a nearby hiking trail or nature preserve, encouraging residents and visitors to explore the area’s natural spaces before stopping by a local taproom.

The campaign launched with the release of the “Cook & Durham ESB,” an Extra Special Bitter brewed through a partnership between BearKat Brewing of Sherwood and the Tigard taproom Hops on Tap. Available while supplies last, the beer draws its inspiration from a trail hike at the nearby Cook Family Park and Durham City Park that connects two municipal parks along the Tualatin River. Download the Tualatin Valley Ale Trail Mobile App to get a $5 pint of the collab brew.

As the seasons change, the series will shift its geographic and flavor focus. In August, the campaign moves west toward Forest Grove and Hillsboro. Waltz Brewing is partnering with the Hillsboro Downtown Station to release a beer inspired by the Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, a 380-acre wildlife refuge located just south of downtown Hillsboro.

The series concludes in September with a three-way collaboration among Beaverton-based BinaryBrewing.co, Lazy Days Brewing and Hillsboro’s 787 Brewing. The trio will produce a final late-summer beer as a nod to Rood Bridge Park, a 58-acre park in Hillsboro known for its woodland trails and river access.

Details about the August and September collab brews are not yet available.

For more information and to download the Tualatin Valley Ale Trail Mobile Passport, visit the official Summer Collab Beer Series webpage.

The fest takes place from 3 to 9pm and costs $35 in advance ($40 day of), with a brewfest glass and 10 tasting tokens included in the entry. Here’s the description:

Bring the whole family out – pups included! – to enjoy the brewfestivities of our annual Roadhouse Brewfest, featuring 32 beers and ciders from McMenamins and local guest breweries. Bring some blankets and settle in for a day of casual summer day of brews, live music, whiskey tasting and more. In between samples, join in on the cornhole tourney or spend your time wandering the idyllic grounds – there’s no wrong way to enjoy this bountiful brewfest!

McMenamins brewfests are always worth checking out and there’s a nice-looking taplist posted on the event site with a good spread of styles while still leaning summery.

There will be brewery and distillery tours as well; Cornelius Pass Roadhouse is one of the original brewing locations in the McMenamins family, so there is definitely some history worth seeking out.

Yes, that means I missed what would have been founder Don Younger’s 86th Birthday celebration, which took place yesterday—but I wanted to highlight that there are still more days and plenty of beer to celebrate this golden anniversary. In particular, there are amazing collaboration beers commemorating the Pub that need drinking!

Here’s the full press release with all the details:

Legendary Portland pub marks a half-century as a craft beer landmark with collaboration beers, live music, longtime regulars, Oregon brewers, and nightly celebrations

The Horse Brass Pub, one of Portland’s most beloved beer destinations and a defining institution in Oregon craft beer history, will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a week of events at 4534 SE Belmont St. from Friday, July 10 through Thursday, July 16, 2026.

Founded in 1976 by Don Younger, Horse Brass played a vital role in shaping Oregon’s beer culture. Long before the city’s craft brewing reputation turned it into a beer-lovers’ destination, Horse Brass was pouring imports, cask ales, and the earliest Oregon microbrews. It gave fledgling local breweries a place to be discovered and provided brewers, drinkers, writers, regulars, and future publicans a place to talk shop and bond over a few pints.

For five decades, the pub has remained a destination and one of the city’s greatest equalizing rooms, with old-timers seated next to newcomers, brewers next to bartenders, and industry legends next to someone walking in for their first proper pint. The dark wood, darts, fish and chips, cask ale, and history displayed on every wall evoke a singular blend of old Portland and old England.

The celebration comes in the same year that Horse Brass co-owner Jerry Fechter was inducted into the Oregon Beer Awards Hall of Fame, a fitting honor for one of the people helping carry the pub’s legacy into its next chapter.

“When most people think of Horse Brass, they think of the beer first. But for me, it’s the people,” said Fechter. “The brewers, our staff, our regulars, the musicians, the spirit of Don, and everyone who has stepped through our doors. For fifty years we’ve been transporting people to an English pub in the heart of Portland, and this celebration is for every one of them.”

Younger’s legacy is inseparable from the story of Oregon beer. He is remembered as one of the great American publicans and a vital early supporter of the region’s emerging microbrewery scene. Horse Brass is widely credited as a place where Oregon brewers found an audience, and where the industry-changing 1985 Oregon Brewpub Bill was discussed among key industry figures.

The anniversary week will also give many guests their first look at the Pony Room, the Horse Brass Pub’s newly opened companion space across the breezeway from the main pub. The room occupies the former Belmont Station storefront and now gives the Horse Brass additional room for private gatherings, busy nights, and special events. During the 50th celebration, it will serve as both overflow space and a living archive, with historic photos, breweriana, rare keepsakes, and pieces of Oregon beer history on display. The room also includes its own small bar setup and a newly completed stained-glass piece by Alan Sprints of Hair of the Dog Brewing.

The celebration kicks off on Friday, July 10 with the tapping of a series of special anniversary collaboration beers and cider brewed or blended with friends of the pub. The lineup includes Russian River’s special anniversary release, Don the Younger, along with collaborations with Double Mountain, Solera, Everybody’s Brewing, Ninkasi, Ecliptic, Gigantic, Fort George, Lompoc, Breakside, Sunriver, Bauman’s Cider, McMenamins, Widmer Brothers, Migration, and Georgetown, among others. Beers will rotate throughout the week, with the newly opened Pony Room available for overflow on busier nights.

On Saturday, July 11, Horse Brass will honor what would have been Don Younger’s 86th birthday with cake and a special toast at 5 p.m. Younger’s presence lives on in the pub’s character, beer list, and sense of humor.

Sunday, July 12 brings Tom May & Friends at 2 p.m. May, now 78, has been performing his folk music at Horse Brass since its first year.

Monday, July 13 celebrates the birth of punk rock, also 50 years ago. The Punk Rock Review begins at 8 p.m., featuring Renegade Leathers, Velvet Merkin, and Stumblebum.

Tuesday, July 14 features the Buds of May Revival from 8 to 10 p.m., with legendary Portland brewer John Harris joining a night of bluegrass and psychedelic jam rock.

Wednesday, July 15 is Craft Industry Night, with Ben Love of Gigantic Brewing spinning the sounds of ‘76 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Brewers, cidermakers, and industry friends from across the Pacific Northwest will gather for a night honoring the pub’s deep ties to the regional beer community. A group photo is planned for 9 p.m., and the Pony Room will be open with historic photos laid out for guests to help identify the people, moments, and memories captured over the years.

Last call for the first 50 will be Thursday, July 16 with The Rolling Tones, a Rolling Stones tribute band, playing from 8 to 11 p.m.

Horse Brass Pub Anniversary Collabs

Brewers (all in collaboration with Horse Brass Pub)	Name	Style
Double Mountain, Solera, Everybody’s Brewing	“It’s About the Beer”*	West Coast IPA
Russian River Brewing	Don the Younger	Session IPA
Ninkasi, Ecliptic Brewing	Younger Special IPA	West Coast IPA
Gigantic, Fort George, Lompoc	Thrupple IPA 2005	West Coast IPA
Breakside Brewing, Sunriver	Mad Hatter IPA**	West Coast IPA
Bauman’s Cider	Special Dry Blend	Cider
McMenamins	Sunflower IPA	IPA
Widmer Bros.	Wheat from Beyond	Dunkel Alt
Migration Brewing, Puff Coffee	Clem’s Coffee Cream Ale	Coffee Cream Ale
Georgetown Brewing	The Bitter Horseman	ESB

* Don Younger was known for his quote, “It’s not about the beer. It’s about the beer.”
** Named after one of Don Younger’s earlier bars

Horse Brass Pub 50th Anniversary Schedule

Friday, July 10
Collaboration Release Day featuring anniversary beers and cider brewed or blended with friends of Horse Brass. Pony Room open.

Saturday, July 11
Don Younger’s 86th Birthday celebration with cake and a special toast at 5 p.m.

Sunday, July 12
Tom May & Friends at 2 p.m.

Monday, July 13
Punk Rock Review at 8 p.m. with Renegade Leathers, Velvet Merkin, and Stumblebum.

Tuesday, July 14
Buds of May Revival from 8 to 10 p.m.

Wednesday, July 15
Craft Industry Night with DJ Love from 8 p.m. to midnight. Group photo planned for 9 p.m. Pony Room open with historic photos for guests to help identify.

Thursday, July 16
The Rolling Tones, Rolling Stones tribute band, from 8 to 11 p.m.

# # #

About Horse Brass Pub
Founded in 1976, Horse Brass Pub helped introduce Portland drinkers to the depth, range, and community spirit that would come to define Oregon craft beer. For 50 years Horse Brass has served as a gathering place for brewers, beer lovers, musicians, regulars, and visitors from around the world.

With its classic English pub atmosphere, deep tap list, and long-standing connection to the region’s brewing industry, Horse Brass became a place where beer history was made one pint, one conversation, and one song at a time.

Shockingly I have not taken very many photos of (or at) the Horse Brass, even after many years of visiting. But I do like this shot of a beer (probably fresh hop) taken in September two years ago:

As far as I know, there’s never been such a place, but I suppose it does make me think of retro, small-town PNW motels of the kind you might see on Twin Peaks or Gravity Falls (“in the wilds,” as it were). Beyond that it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense, other than artwork that was based around the name “Jacktail” itself.

Elysian sent me samples of the new hazy IPA to review when it was released. It’s 6.1% ABV with 40 IBUs, and the website description says:

Step into the Jacktail – a fog-drenched, neon-lit escape where every sip opens a portal to the unforgettable. This smooth palate-seducer reveals juicy notes of mango, papaya, and citrus, finishing in a velvety haze that blossoms like an unshakable dream. You didn’t plan to stop, but now that you’re here, you may never want to leave.

(This description also evokes a Twin Peaks kind of vibe.)

Appearance: Hazy golden yellow and a bit of orange, with a white head.

Smell: Hazy-fruity notes with papaya and tropical fruits; a bit of green allium (baby chives) and some wheat character which gives a subtle breadiness, and some raw grain.

Taste: Solid up-front flavor and bitterness with a mix of fruit and peppery spiciness, good wheat, grainy/bready character, nothing mushy or muddled. The bitterness is herbal and minty-cool, with hints of bitter fruit peel. A touch of hop burn but it’s more the flavor than the actual lupulin heat; it leaves a powdery hop character impression into the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a bit of fluff but not too soft; it’s pretty clean without much in the way of hop heat or similar character, leaving a clean, almost cooling impression into the aftertaste.

Overall: It’s a good hazy, well defined without some of the muddiness or under/over hopping that I find in many so-so hazies.