| By Full Sail
Columbia Gorge Breweries Form Breweries in the Gorge (BIG) Alliance
HOOD RIVER, OR—February 12, 2015 – Breweries In The Gorge (BIG) is excited to announce the formation of a new craft beer alliance combining the breweries located in the Columbia River Gorge in both Oregon and Washington. Ten member breweries spanning from Cascade Locks, Oregon to White Salmon, Washington will debut a map and passport program on Saturday, February 14th coinciding with Zwickelmania, the free Oregon Craft Beerevent that offers visitors a chance to tour breweries, meet the brewers and sample amazing beers. Visitors with completed passports receive a free, limited-edition beer glass and can enter a raffle for shirts, hats, and other prizes.
Over the course of the past year, the 10 breweries on both sides of the Gorge convened monthly to form this new association, resulting in the election of an executive committee, the development of a map, a passport program, and website. Members of Breweries In The Gorge include Backwoods, Carson, WA; Big Horse Brewery, Hood River, OR; Double Mountain, Hood River, OR; Everybody’s, White Salmon, WA; Full Sail Brewing, Hood River, OR; Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, Hood River, OR; pFriem, Hood River, OR; Solera, Parkdale, OR; Thunder Island, Cascade Locks, OR; Walking Man, Stevenson, WA.
Christine Ellenberger of Everybody’s Brewing and the first President of Breweries In The Gorge, is leading the executive committee’s efforts to promote the region’s award winning breweries, host joint beer events, and highlight the Gorge region as a top beer destination. Ellenberger sees Breweries In The Gorge as “an opportunity to collaborate with other breweries, expose beer enthusiasts to our region, and to combine our voices. The Gorge is a unique beer region that combines the beauty and activities available here with one of the highest concentrations of award winning breweries in the Northwest.”
According to Ken Whiteman, co-owner of pFreim Family Brewing and Marketing Committee Chair of Breweries in the Gorge, “Zwickelmania will be our first opportunity to showcase what we’re doing as Breweries in the Gorge,” Whiteman said. “We are looking forward to expanding our efforts in the coming year by organizing events that highlight the quality, diversity, and excitement of our beer culture and region.”
About Breweries in the Gorge. Breweries in the Gorge is a group of 10 local breweries in the Columbia River Gorge region of Washington and Oregon, with more than 200 fun loving, beer drinking, dedicated individuals, lured by the nature and beauty that surrounds us, joined by our passion and love for life, bonded by respect and our mutual commitments to producing exceptional beer! We’re united in promotion and progressing our craft, and in helping you discover some of the Nation’s finest beer, in one of the most beautiful places on earth! For more information and details of specific Zwickelmania events, visit www.breweriesinthegorge.com.
Contacts:
Christine Ellenberger, President of Breweries in the Gorge, christine@everybodysbrewing.com
Ken Whiteman, Marketing Chair of Breweries in the Gorge, ken@pfriembeer.com