On February 21st, Zwickelmania returns to Oregon, with two of Montavilla’s breweries joining more than 55 other craft beer makers from across the state. Host businesses offer attendees Zwickel tasting pours from the fermentation tanks and guided brewery tours. Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street and Threshold Brewing & Blending at 403 SE 79th Avenue will again participate in this annual celebration of local beer makers. Event organizers will offer free sober transportation between sites via a network of shuttle buses, which should broaden participants’ exposure to Portland’s selection of independent brewers.
Zwickelmania is an annual celebration of Oregon craft beer during Oregon Craft Beer Month, organized by the Oregon Brewers Guild. Member breweries open their production facility to the public for a behind-the-scenes view of their operation and to offer unique sampling opportunities. The event’s name stems from the industry term Zwickel, describing the valve or sample port mounted outside a cask or tank. Brewers use those ports to test the product during fermentation, and this annual event allows people 21 years or older to taste beer from a producer’s perspective.
The 2026 beer-centric program offers a safe way for event attendees to visit more breweries through a free shuttle service that transports them to 16 participating Portland establishments. Attendees can catch one of six vehicles driving on two routes throughout the Eastside. This service allows drinkers to experience the event in several neighborhoods without getting behind the wheel or losing time taking indirect public transit. The participating businesses want people to enjoy the experience without overindulging while learning about the region’s craft beer producers. “We have bags of pretzels we’ll probably put on the tables to keep people eating and keep them hydrated,” said Michael Kora of Montavilla Brew Works. “Because if you get on the bus and even hit half of one of these routes, that’s a party.” During the event hours of 11 a.m. through 5 p.m., buses will depart from each location approximately every 30 minutes. The two shuttle routes overlap at Migration Brewing on NE Glisan Street for riders to transfer. However, there are too many participating locations to reach them all via the bus service during the event timeline, so people must plan to visit their favorite locations first or decide to explore some new beer makers.
Kora explained that Montavilla Brew Works has always made beer production front and center in its tap room, with the fermentation tanks only protected by a table-height wall and a roped-off entrance. “I think you can go to a lot of breweries and there’s a pub out front and there’s some stainless [tanks in the back]. I guess there’s a brewery back there, but we’ve always liked to have it showcased,” Kora said. “So on a day like[Zwickelmania], it’s even more fun because people can cross the line and go into our workspace and hang out with us.” The brewery will be open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday, with the last tour starting around 4:30 p.m. People on the tour can have free samples at the brewer’s discretion, but patrons must pay for anything ordered at the bar or from the Oi! The Sausage food vender working the event. Kora said he will release a new Scottish Porter at the event, adding to a line of brews he has created that honors his heritage. “My mom came here when she was eight years old with her family. Cruised into Ellis Island, signed papers, and moved to Michigan. My grandparents started a family and started a new life. So I get to be a first-generation American,” recalled Kora. “Scottish beers often are thought of as very heavy, big alcohol, dark, which is true in some of them. But the Scots drink a lot of lager, they drink IPAs, they drink porters. So we’re starting to look into more historical styles and bring them out. It’s a cool story to tell, and they’re really good beers.”
Threshold will open for brewery tours every hour starting at 11 a.m. People can also find special beer tappings, unique food menu items, a prize raffle, and a live DJ. The Threshold team also created an “Ultimate Zwickelmania Survival Kit” consisting of wearable snacks, hydration, energy boosts, Underberg digestif bitter, a shuttle map, and a glossary of brewhouse terms. These are offered on a first-come, first-served basis to Threshold visitors while supplies last.
Zwickelmania’s organizers gear the event toward craft beer enthusiasts who can sample directly from the Zwickel port, find unique beer releases, take tours, and meet brewers who provide educational talks. Kora also stressed how important it is to reach a wider audience that may not know about the breweries in Montavilla. “Zwickelmania sometimes brings out people that are not as familiar with us, or the brand, or the neighborhood. And so that’s where I get really excited.” Some host locations will offer food and beer pairings or specials. This non-ticketed event will only cost the price of beer and food at each location. Designated drivers can also find non-alcoholic drinks at the event. Oi! The Sausage will start selling grilled single sausages on a bun at Montavilla Brew Works in the afternoon. People interested in attending should visit the Zwickelmania website for more information and an up-to-date list of participating brewers.
| Brewery | What They Offer |
|---|---|
| 1188 Brewing Company | Food and beer pairings, specials, vote for your favorite beer |
| Allgood Brewing Company | Tours, meet the brewer, $5 pint specials all day |
| Arch Rock Brewing | Brewery tours, zwickel and/or other free samples |
| Away Days Brewing | Pin of cask ale for free samples and education about cask conditioned beers |
| Baerlic Brewing Company | Brewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, pizza from Ranch Pizza |
| Barsideous Brewing | Ghost stories, guided theater and brewery tours, special beer releases, zwickel samples |
| Bevel Craft Brewing | Brewery tours, zwickel samples, meet the brewer, special beer release |
| Binary Brewing Co. | Brewery tours, special beer release, brewing education, zwickel samples |
| Boneyard Beer | New beer release, self-guided tours, zwickel samples, free pickles, food truck |
| Breakside Brewery – Slabtown | Special beer release, brewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples |
| Buoy Beer Co | State of Excitement beer for 25 cents from 5:00-5:15pm (1 per customer) |
| Claim 52 Brewing | Final Zwickelmania at original location, zwickel samples with brewers |
| Conversion Brewing | Brewing and ingredient education, guided tasting, brewery tours |
| Cooper Mountain Ale Works | Food and beer pairing flights, brewery tours, meet the brewer, special release |
| Crooked Creek Brewery | Brewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, food specials, free coozies |
| Crux Fermentation Project | Samples off barrels, special beer release, beer pairings |
| Deschutes Brewery – Bend | Self-guided tours, samples of beers, NA brews, flavored malt beverages |
| Deschutes Brewery – Portland | Brewery tours (first come, first served), meet brewers, special releases, food specials |
| Double Mountain Brewing | Short tours all day with small bites and zwickel samples, complimentary glass |
| Falling Sky Brewing | Brewery tours and zwickel samples all day |
| Ferment Brewing Company | Brewing process tours, zwickel samples, special beer release |
| Fort George Brewery | Full production facility tour, meet the brewer, multiple zwickel samples |
| Gigantic Brewing Company | Brewery tours, zwickel tastings, live music in Barrel Room, Flying Fish oysters and seafood |
| Grand Fir Brewing | Brewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, food specials |
| Ground Breaker Brewing | Gluten-free brewery tour with educational points, zwickel samples, food specials with Salvi PDX |
| Golden Valley Brewery | Guided educational tours and samples at 12pm and 2pm |
| Heater Allen/Gold Dot Beer | Brewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, beer & pretzel pairings |
| Hopworks Urban Brewery | Brewery tours, pizza and beer pairings |
| Krauski’s Brewski’s | Nano brewery tours, samples from the source, meet the brewer, live music 6-9pm |
| Lazy Days Brewing | Brewer tours, special beer release, pizza & food specials, zwickel samples |
| Leikam Brewing | Records with Tasha from Second Chance records, brewery tours, zwickel samples |
| Level Beer | Brewer led tours, tank samples, free hop water for designated drivers |
| Living Haus Beer Co | Brewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples |
| Lucky Lab Brewing | Brewery tours and guided tastings |
| Migration Brewing Co. | 16th Anniversary celebration, collaborations with Upright and Threshold, tours, zwickel samples |
| ***Montavilla Brew Works*** | Oi! The Sausage food cart, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, raffles, cask beer release, live music |
| Ninkasi Brewing | Special beer release |
| Oakshire Brewing | Food & beer specials, special flight, Hellshire XV barrel-aged blend release |
| Old Town Brewing | Brewery tours, zwickel samples, guided tastings, pizza and beer pairings with Baby Doll Pizza |
| pFriem Family Brewers – Hood River | Exclusive brewery tours, complimentary beer tastings, small bites |
| pFriem Family Brewers – Milwaukie | Complimentary beer tastings, small bites |
| Public Coast | Brewery tours, guided tasting, zwickel samples |
| Root and Rye Hop Farm & Brewery | First pint for $5, meet the brewery, tours and zwickel samples |
| Side A Brewing | Brewery tours and samplings, Dead of Winter party |
| Sisu Brewing Co. | Brewery tours and samples at 12pm and 1pm on historic theater stage |
| Spider City Brewing | Time slots with head brewer Melanie Betti, brewery tour/history, guided tasting, food specials |
| Steeplejack Brewing Co. | Brewery tours, special pin tapping, food and beer pairings |
| StormBreaker Brewing | Brewery tours, guided tastings, zwickel samples, barrel-aged bottle ring toss, prize wheel, 12th anniversary |
| Sunriver Brewing | Burlington Hazy IPA release, maple sugar primed cask, Vermont-themed food, ice cream float shots |
| Terranaut Beer | Brewery tours, special beer release, meet the brewer, zwickel samples |
| ***Threshold Brewery and Blending*** | Hourly tours, free shuttle every 30 min, Ultimate Zwickelmania Survival Pack™, food specials |
| Thunder Island Brewing Co | Brewery tours, meet the brewer, guided tastings with small bites, zwickel samples |
| UPP Liquids | Meet the brewers, beer samples with Bavarian pretzel pairings, tours |
| Von Ebert Brewing | Brewer led tours, zwickel samples, guided tastings, free bottle openers |
| Wayfinder Beer | Brewery tours, guided tastings, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, food specials |
| Wild Ride Brewing | Guided tours, meet the brewers, zwickel samples, complimentary beer & cookie pairings |
| Worthy Brewing | Meet the brewer, brewer-led tours, zwickel samples, swag raffle, $5 pints, $3 fries, $6 pizza bites |
| Zoiglhaus Brewing | Brewer lead tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples |
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