I recently received samples of the two current beers, Amber Lager and Lighter Lager. In addition to being 3.5% ABV, both have 120 calories per 12-ounce can with 9.2 grams of carbs. I’ll note that “no added sugar” doesn’t mean there is no sugar at all; there are sugars naturally present of course (maltose, dextrose most likely) from the brewing process. But no additional adjunct sugars are added.

Let’s get into reviews.

Amber Lager

The company doesn’t offer any details on the beers on the website, so we just have the stats to go by: 3.5% ABV, no mention of IBUs.

Appearance: Darker than I’d expect, more brown than amber, with a bit of haziness. Big pile of light tan head of foam that subsided to a skiff and a lacy ring.

Smell: Bready aroma that has a bit of spice and a bit of raisin to my nose, reminds me of a loaf of raisin pumpernickel bread. Grainy, light fruity esters (that’s the raisin), rye flour.

Taste: Spicy, slightly roasty malt character that’s a little rough around the edges with a slightly woody note; the spiciness could be a yeasty phenol but I think it’s malt- or husk-derived. I think there’s some oxidation here too, which would actually account for the raisin note I get in the aroma as well as some of the flavor. No appreciable hop character.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and once you notice the oxidation, that’s the character on the tongue and into the finish, a bit of stale paper and raisin for a dry finish.

Overall: It needs some work, but once you get past the oxidation there’s a decent baseline beer here.

Lighter Lager

Classified as an American light lager, presumably brewed to compete with light macro lagers.

Appearance: Pale yellow and hazy, with a thin white head.

Smell: Pretty light with some graininess and a hint of a yeasty note; perhaps some dried corncob; rustic. Not a lot of aroma overall though.

Taste: It’s a pale, rustic lager, with some grassy character, some corn, a rustic yeasty note, fairly clean profile with no hop character and a touch of minerality. Not much else to report, it drinks pretty easily.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, a touch light, some of that rustic grain and yeast but otherwise clean finish.

Overall: Decent, the better of the two beers here. No oxidation on this one.

I received samples of the beer to review from the tourist agency, and even though it’s no longer Tap Season (it runs from January 15 to March 15) it’s still drinking just fine.

Appearance: Orange color with a bit of coppery overtone, big fluffy off-white head that has good lacing. There’s a bit of haze for an unfiltered appearance.

Smell: Fruity aroma with some spicy dankness; the fruit is in a tropical direction with a bit of tangerine, red berry, perhaps passion fruit, and a touch of chamomile tea (floral and herbal).

Taste: Appetizing savory greens flavors from the hops with a bit of pleasant spice and herbal character; it has a craveable quality to keep you sipping. Moderate bitterness which makes itself known without burning the palate. Any fruity notes that I’m getting remind me of fruit peels and skins: more bitter, slightly tannic, with green and pithy character. Crackery malt. Clean, solid, moreish flavors all around.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, a hint of fruit skin tannin helps with a dry impression, nice savory finish. A touch creamy.

Overall: It’s a nice IPA, super drinkable with excellent flavor balance.

As part of the rollout, BJ’s is hosting a five-course Japanese beer dinner featuring Waterfall on April 13 at what appears to be most or all of its locations.

I’m not close enough to a BJ’s location to check out the dinner, but the company did send me samples of the new beer to review. Here are some additional details from the marketing email I received:

Developed collaboratively by the BJ’s and Sapporo/Stone brewing teams, the crisp, light-bodied lager is brewed with Japanese-grown Sorachi Ace hops, German Saphir hops, pilsner malt, jasmine rice and Vienna malt, resulting in subtle citrus, floral and herbal notes with a super smooth, dry finish. Available exclusively at BJ’s for a limited time, it’s a refreshing spring pour and a unique addition to the brand’s house beer lineup.

It’s also a milestone year for BJ’s brewing program as the brand celebrates its 30th anniversary.

I also find it interesting that the email refers to both Sapporo and Stone Brewing (Stone is of course owned by Sapporo), but all the other marketing material and can labeling that I’ve seen just mention Sapporo.

One of the hallmarks of these sodas is that they are only 30 calories per can, with 7 grams of sugar, and crafted with all-natural ingredients, making these a lifestyle brand that embraces the nostalgia of classic soda flavors. I recently received a selection of all four to sample and review.

Here are details about the new Shirley Cola:

Stiller’s Soda, co-founded by lifelong soda lover Ben Stiller, is expanding its nostalgic lineup with the launch of Shirley Cola! Stiller’s fourth flavor and a bold, reimagining of the beloved classic, cherry cola.

If the Shirley Temple is the wholesome childhood staple, Shirley Cola is her renegade sibling: a little dusty around the edges, confidently nostalgic, and designed for everyday drinking. Inspired by the classic Roy Rogers, Stiller’s Shirley Cola brings a swagger back to the soda aisle with modern sensibility and unmistakable shelf presence.

Shirley Cola is the latest of the Stiller’s Soda Americana-inspired lineup that launched last September with Root Beer, Lemon Lime, and the original Shirley Temple. Now available in Walmart and Whole Foods locations across the Northeast, and Target locations nationwide, Shirley Cola and Stiller’s are sure to remain a hit!

ABOUT STILLER’S SODA

Co-founded by lifelong soda lover Ben Stiller and food and beverage entrepreneur Alex Doman, Stiller’s Soda is on a mission to bring joy and real flavor back to the soda aisle, one ridiculously tasty can at a time. Inspired by Ben’s New York City upbringing, and his childhood obsession with classic sodas—most notably a good Shirley Temple—Stiller’s is a love letter to soda’s golden age—with none of the weird stuff. Stiller’s Soda contains just 30 calories, 7g of sugar, all-natural ingredients, and added vitamins, making it a ‘better-for-you soda’ that actually tastes like soda. No prebiotics or bitter aftertaste, just a classic, craveable refreshment that makes you smile. It’s clean, fun, and absurdly delicious, because it’s been crafted by soda lovers, for soda lovers.

I rarely drink soda these days, though it does occur to me that these could be used for radler and diesel and perhaps other beer and soda mixes.

I recently received samples of the new Pub Light, and along with those came the opportunity to take a blind taste test: “Pub Light vs the #1 Domestic Giant in the PNW.” With the standard 12-ounce cans of Pub Light, I also received Beer X and Beer Y, two 16-ounce cans covered in blue painter’s tape. The challenge: taste them both side by side and pick a winner; after the test, fill out a survey answering which one I picked as the best, and why.

Naturally, I couldn’t resist taking notes and posting those here with the final results. So, let’s see which was better, Beer X or Beer Y.

Beer X

Appearance: Brassy golden color, bright, clear, with a good creamy looking head. There’s a semi-regular stream of bubbles rising.

Smell: Light toasty notes with a bit of graininess and maybe a hint of fruity ester or green apple.

Taste and mouthfeel: Nice malt character with toasted grains and bread crust, some doughy sweetness, very light grassy hops. Light mouthfeel, clean, with a slight bicarbonate note in the finish maybe?

Beer Y

Appearance: Lighter in color, more yellow, also great bright clarity. Head was fizzier and fell more quickly. Less streaming bubbles.

Smell: Sweeter grain character, perhaps a touch corny, otherwise quite clean.

Taste and mouthfeel: Lighter, more neutral flavor that has a hint of bread dough and a subtle ashy character; minerally. No hop flavor to speak of. Very light in mouthfeel, quite clean, with a bit of gassy fizz.

Verdict

I chose Beer X as the winner, which I suspected was Pub Light because it clearly seemed to be an all-malt beer while Beer Y had all the markers of a typical adjunct light lager. Beer X wasn’t perfect, however, the bicarbonate (baking soda-like) character in the finish was a bit odd, and I would have preferred some hop character in the aroma instead of the estery/green apple note. But overall, it was more interesting to drink.

The Reveal

I stayed as faithfully “blind” as possible while I was drinking and making notes on the beers, and didn’t peek until after I had submitted the survey results. As it turns out, I was right about Beer X—Pub Light. Beer Y, on the other hand, was Coors Light, which I would not have necessarily guessed. Is Coors Light the “#1 Domestic Giant” in the region? Honestly I don’t know.

Finally, here are the Pub Light marketing details from the release announcement:

Introducing Pub Light: Lighter. Cheaper. Funner.

Cheap Fun just lobbed a 99-calorie, 4% ABV curveball into the beer aisle, and this new featherweight lager—Pub Light—is liquid proof that cheap beer doesn’t have to suck.

Delicious enough to attract snobby passionate beerheads, clean enough to pass a yoga retreat sniff test, and bold enough to tell you that your favorite American light lager tastes like s***, Pub Light arrives as the newest, most important addition to the Cheap Fun family of wallet-friendly, good-times-mandatory beverages. It’s here to claim the top spot in the American light lager food chain.

Pub Light is 100% malt—no gimmicks, no additives, no BS fillers like sugar, corn or rice to hide behind. The lighter, baby brother to Pub Beer, Pub Light is an American light lager brewed with an all-new recipe featuring nothing but the finest natural ingredients that sneak in just under the 100-calorie mark. At only 99 calories per 12 ounces and 4% ABV, it’ll keep the party alive without sending anybody home early.

Lighter. Cheaper. Funner. Above all? Pub Light is real. And these days, that’s asking a lot.

I’ve not yet tried the Guava Get Down, although ironically I did review the non-alcoholic version recently.

Here’s the press release:

Guava Get Down named Best Cider and Best of Class as 2 Towns and Craftwell continue award-winning momentum

2 Towns Ciderhouse has earned top honors at the 2026 LA Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge, with its newest release, Guava Get Down, capturing Gold Medal, Best Cider, and Best of Class. The Corvallis-based cidery also saw strong results across its Cosmic Crisp® cider lineup and Craftwell Cocktails ready-to-drink portfolio.

Judged by a panel of winemakers, distillers, sommeliers, beverage trade professionals, and media, the LA Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge highlights exceptional beverages from producers around the world.

The standout for 2 Towns was Guava Get Down, a tropical fruit-forward cider layered over a crisp apple base. Judges described the cider as “bright” with notes of “pineapple and guava.”

“Guava Get Down was crafted with carefully sourced ingredients to let the vibrant tropical character of guava shine,” said Dave Takush, head cidermaker at 2 Towns Ciderhouse. “Seeing it earn both Best Cider and Best of Class is incredibly rewarding for our team.”

2026 LA Invitational Wine Challenge Results – 2 Towns Ciderhouse

Guava Get Down

• Gold Medal – Fruit or Botanical
• Best Cider
• Best of Class

Apricot Cosmic Crisp® – Silver Medal – Fruit or Botanical
Huckleberry Cosmic Crisp® – Silver Medal – Fruit or Botanical
Spiced Cosmic Crisp® – Silver Medal – Fruit or Botanical

2026 LA Invitational Spirits Challenge Results – Craftwell Cocktails

Craftwell Guava Crush – Silver Medal – Ready-to-Drink Cider-Based
Craftwell Transfusion – Silver Medal – Ready-to-Drink Cider-Based

The results build on a strong track record for both brands at the LA Invitational competitions. In previous years, Raspberry Cosmic Crisp® earned Best Cider and Best of Class, while Craftwell favorites including Chocolate Espresso Martini, Cranberry Mule, and Transfusion have also earned medals across multiple RTD cocktail categories.

“The LA Invitational is judged by some of the most respected palates in the beverage world,” said Lee Larsen, co-founder and CEO of 2 Towns Ciderhouse. “Recognition for both our craft ciders and RTD cocktails reflects the versatility and talent of our cidermaking team. I couldn’t be more proud of what they’ve accomplished.”

StackStock is brewed with candy cap mushrooms, known for their maple syrup aroma and flavor, which pair well with the big beer (8% alcohol by volume). Peach Cream Soda is not the first soda from the brewery, which also crafts root beer and cream soda, but “peaches and cream” sounds like a winning flavor and not one I’ve had in soda form before.

Press release:

Cannon Beach’s favorite brewpub celebrates its 10th anniversary with new releases and the return of live music Mondays

Public Coast Brewing Co. is releasing a series of new seasonal beers and craft sodas as a part of its year-long 10th anniversary celebration.

“We’re thrilled to bring back the fan favorite StackStock Candy Cap Stout and introduce our new zero-proof Peach Cream Soda,” says Will Leroux, Public Coast’s brewer. “This mix of beloved classics and fresh fruit flavors is the perfect way to say goodbye to winter and welcome spring.”

The StackStock Candy Cap Stout pays homage to the Pacific Northwest by using native Candy Cap Mushrooms. This unique stout has an ABV of 8.0% and features notes of chocolate, coffee, maple, caramel, and pralines, creating a warm and nutty flavor perfect for sipping on a cool and windy day on the Oregon Coast. Along with Candy Cap Mushrooms, ingredients include chocolate malt, oat flake, roasted barley, and more.

The new Peach Cream Soda is a non-alcoholic craft soda bursting with bright, juicy peach flavor—perfectly sweet without being overpowering or syrupy. Made with cane sugar, brown cane sugar, and peach fruit concentrate, it’s the ideal companion for a sunny day on the Oregon Coast. Please note that it also contains dairy.

The StackStock Candy Cap Stout and the Peach Cream Soda will be available for purchase at the brewpub in Cannon Beach on tap and in 16-oz cans/four-packs.

In honor of their 10th anniversary, Public Coast will also be bringing back weekly live music, which is now being hosted on Mondays from 5 – 7 p.m, starting January 19. Be sure to follow @publiccoastbrewing on Instagram to stay up to date on upcoming musical guests and food specials.

Details from the press release:

The Beer, Cider, Non-Alc and Hemp Beverage Festival Adds New Features and Lowers Ticket Prices From Last Year

Grand Craft Bend is thrilled to announce the 2nd annual Bend Brews & Beyond which will again feature more than 50 Oregon breweries and cideries with every locally-owned Central Oregon hopped, appled, and honeyed beverage producer invited, as well as over a dozen non-alcoholic beverage makers, allowing everyone to celebrate together whether they feel like drinking alcohol moderately or not at all.

The festival takes place in downtown Bend’s Drake Park (777 NW Riverside Dr.) on Saturday, May 23 from noon to 9 p.m. The event is still 21+ only and tickets are required for all attendees. Early bird tickets are just $26 and now on sale through March 16. From March 17 through May 22, tickets are lower—yes cheaper not more expensive—than last year and include admission, souvenir mug and 5 drink tokens. Online price is $35 for alcohol and $25 for non-alcohol passes. Tickets are limited and the event may sell out. If available, tickets will be $45 alc./$35 non-alc. at the gates. Early bird tickets are now available at BendBrewsAndBeyond.com.

Bend Brews & Beyond encompasses the tremendous state of Oregon-made beers with over 100 beers available including specialty beers in the Next-Tap biergarten helmed by the Central Oregon Homebrewers Organization (COHO). Of course, there will be plenty of ciders, non-alcoholic beers, hop waters, kombuchas, cold brew and beyond. New this year is the addition of a dedicated Hempgarten for all hemp-derived CBD and/or Delta 9 infused beverages. The event is also small enough to be thoroughly enjoyable and not overcrowded. Attendance will be limited to 5,000 people.

Also new for 2026 is the Bend Bands & Brewers Bash. This festival within a festival—included with admission–features bands collaborating with breweries to create beers “that taste like their music sounds” and those beers will be available at the main stage. What’s more, these beers will be available by the full mug instead of simply as samples so as to thoroughly enjoy the suds throughout the sets.

Because local craft breweries and producers are far from faceless corporations, most of the brewers will be pouring during the Meet the Makers session from 3-5 p.m. And attendees are encouraged to don their funkiest pants to strut their stuff at the return of the Bend Drinking Pants Pageant. Winners will be judged both by what they wear and how they wear it. It’s “the most fun you’ll have with your pants on.”

Several of Bend’s most beloved food trucks will be on site. Everyone is encouraged to drink responsibly and make plans to arrive and depart safely with transportation options being announced soon. In addition to bike parking, there will again be SUP, tube, and kayak parking for those wishing to float to the fest and as a reward for not driving riders, floaters, and paddlers will receive a bonus drink token from the valet.

The festival benefits the Oregon Brewers Guild, a nonprofit organization promoting and protecting Oregon Craft Beer since 1992, making it one of the nation’s oldest craft brewers associations.

Pertinent links:

Ticketing: BendBrewsAndBeyond.com

Social media handles: Facebook @BendBrewsAndBeyond, Instagram: @BendBrewsAndBeyond, Youtube @BendBrewsAndBeyond

Now is the time to buy tickets, before they have a chance to sell out, which you can do directly at the website.

Tropical Substance is amped up with a pineapple-forward blend of hops as well as pineapple flavoring from Abstrax Hops. It’s limited, so make sure to get some before it taps out; you’ll be able to find it both on draft and in cans.

Press release:

Throughout 2026, there will be three Volatile Varietals with the first release, Tropical Substance IPA dropping this week.

[The first week of March], Von Ebert Brewing releases Tropical Substance IPA, the first in a series of three spin-off recipes of its signature, award-winning Volatile Substance NW IPA.

“Tropical Substance IPA mirrors our motto, ‘Where Tradition Meets Evolution’ with a reimaging of our flagship Volatile Substance NW IPA that shakes things up while staying true to the bold hop flavors and aromas that define it,” said Sam Pecoraro, brewmaster of Von Ebert Brewing. “Last year, Tropical Substance IPA sold out in mere days so we’re hoping to continue the success and demand for this first release, and the next two varietals.”

Tropical Substance IPA is 6.9% ABV with notes of pineapple, utilizing Citra, Krush and Strata hops, as well as a touch of Abstrax’s Pineapple Skyfarm to boost the tropical twist. It’ll be available at all three Von Ebert Brewing locations, as well as in northwest bars, bottle shops, grocery and convenience stores. The next two, Triple Dry Hopped (TDH) Volatile Substance NW IPA will be released in July and Saturated Substance NW IPA in November.

Von Ebert Brewing’s recently opened N. Mississippi location (825 N. Cook St., Portland) is now home to food truck Tehuana Mexican Cuisine every day of the week, in addition to critically acclaimed, HarBQ on weekends. Beer drinking visitors at all three Von Ebert Brewing locations can purchase 20-ounce steins of gold medal winning Clubhaus Lager for $3 all day, every day. And at the N. Mississippi location, Volatile Substance NW IPA is available for just $5 between noon to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. And Von Ebert Brewing also now offers non-alcohol hop sparkling waters, hard seltzers with plans for hard teas and hard punches later this year for those who don’t drink beer.

The new brewing facility allows Von Ebert Brewing production and distribution to go from 4,000 barrels per year to as much as 20,000 barrels per year and it’s more than halfway there adding new offerings. Von Ebert Brewing now sells more of its products in 12-ounce and 16-ounce cans and expanded its distribution throughout Oregon, Washington, Colorado, California and Japan.

Easy Jack IPA

Easy Jack is the brewery’s session IPA, with 4.2% ABV and brewed with Mandarina, Mosaic, and Citra hops. The description says:

A full-flavored IPA you can enjoy without tapping out early. Easy Jack packs vibrant citrus and tropical hop notes into a crisp, 4.2% ABV package, perfect for keeping your edge and getting stuff done.

Appearance: Golden color with a touch of copper, and a slight haze to it. It pours with a white head but it didn’t last terribly long before collapsing to a thin ring.

Smell: Sweaty-dank hop aroma, with some light fruit evoking melon and gooseberry. Some grassiness, some wheat, a touch of diesel/cannabis.

Taste: There’s a grassy, herbal bitterness right up front which coats the mouth and seems a bit overkill for the lower alcohol, lighter body, if not a bit harsh. In this vein it’s almost minty with the hops, while the malts have a grainy character, with some notes of raw wheat and perhaps rye.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body, with mouth-coating bitterness that’s borderline astringent in the aftertaste. The lighter body and a dry finish accentuates this near-astringency, and it’s perhaps slightly over carbonated as well (a touch gassy).

Overall: Not quite balanced with too much bitterness for the style/strength, in my opinion. Not the usual finesse and drinkability I expect from Firestone Walker.

DBA Double Barrel Ale

This is the original, the first beer Firestone Walker brewed 30 years ago, and it’s still the flagship from the brewery. For the anniversary, FW updated the packaging to tighten it up and give it a more current look, while retaining the essential DBA identity.

It’s 5% ABV with 30 IBUs, and the website description says:

The beer that started it all—DBA is our original barrel-fermented ale, rooted in English tradition and crafted since 1996 with unwavering respect for heritage.

Appearance: Beautiful deep copper color, nice and clear and bright, with a ring of off-white head that leaves nice lacing.

Smell: Good toasty and rich maltiness, with a light but balanced hop aroma that’s a bit earthy, a bit herbal. There’s a light fruitness and a bit of golden syrup. It’s appealing and appetizing.

Taste: Nicely malt-forward with a toasted grain flavor (quinoa, buckwheat) along with dark-toasted bread crust that could perhaps be a little over toasted, a light caramelization, bread crumbs. A balanced hop bitterness that tastes to me like an English or noble variety, with a bit of earth, a slight spice, and herbal in a sage or peppery direction. The malt character has a luscious quality to it.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, nicely dry with a clean finish, a grainy note that makes it feel a bit fuller in body than it is.

Overall: A really nice, really balanced English-y ale that has a respectable level of bitterness but revels in the malts. Super drinkable.

Diesel Thunder Double IPA

The big beer in the Mixed Pack, Diesel Thunder is a limited-edition DIPA that is exclusive to the pack (along with Easy Jack). It clocks in at 8% ABV, and is brewed with Nelson, Citra, and Columbus Cryo hops. The description says:

Born at our Venice Propagator, this limited-edition Double IPA is big, bold, and brimming with resinous pine and diesel-like hop intensity. Diesel Thunder is a rare taste of our small-batch innovation at full throttle.

Appearance: Lighter orange color with a touch of haziness and a richly lacy off-white head. The haze was a chill haze—it dissipated at is warmed to a nice clear appearance.

Smell: A mix of dank, yes, diesel character with a deep caramelized tropical fruit—I think of “pineapple upside down cake” because there’s a rich sweetness but it could also be grilled papaya or pineapple, perhaps with a bit of caramelized grapefruit. A hint of cattiness toward the back and some puffed barley cereal malt character.

Taste: A big up front hop character that’s got some Swiss chard bitterness, green papaya, and melon skin flavors, with a bit of herbal cannabis and some black tea. There’s a toasty malt base that’s well attenuated and fairly dry, and a bit of floral alcohol giving hints to its 8% strength. Hops and malt balance really well here, it feels “big” but drinkable.

Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body, with a smooth and clean finish and just a bit of alcohol but nothing hot or boozy here.

Overall: It’s a good DIPA with balanced flavors and satisfying to drink especially if you like big IPAs.