Eugene's new-found fame for local beer to be celebrated during Beer Week
EUGENE, Ore. - Lane County is celebrating Beer Week.
There's several breweries here celebrating Beer Week and the kick-off of the Eugene Ale Trail.
We spoke with Travel Lane County, who is hosting the event and one of Eugene's oldest breweries, talking about how the beer industry has grown over the years and become one of the things our area is known for.
Ted Fagan has been brewing beer at the McKenzie Brewing Company for 14 years. It's one of the first breweries in Eugene opening in 1991. Since then, the industry has taken off.
Travel Lane County spokesperson, Stephen Hoshaw, is recognizing that craft brewing is become tourist attraction a for the area.
“We're very proud of our beer here in Oregon obviously,” said Hoshaw. “Eugene has become quite the brewery scene over the last couple of years."
Travel Lane County is celebrating Beer Week with their 6th annual Eugene Ale Trail.
It's a week long pub crawl encouraging folks to visit 24 local breweries and cideries in the area.
“It gives you a good kind of excuse to learn a little more about each brewery, discover one you might not have s even before,” said Hoshaw.
And this year the ale trail has gone electronic - there's an app to help you track your progress. Then all you've gotta do is enjoy a cold one. You can even win prizes as you progress through the trail.
Fagan says the availability of fresh local ingredients makes Oregon beer first-rate.
And with so many breweries to choose from, he says the friendly competition produces high quality brews.
