I’m not sure if you have had the opportunity to see the new show Northwest Wild on Comcast Sportsnet.   It airs on Wednesday’s at 7pm on Comcast Sportsnet and we are stoked  to take part and be a sponsor.  Each episode Steve Engman takes us on a journey to the great places and fun activities that the Northwest has to offer.  Now that I think about it, Northwest Wild shows us all the great things to do in this region and we make our Handcrafted Beers with the finest ingredients in the Northwest. To me that just seems like a match made in the Northwest!  Either way if  you need a place to watch the show come on down to the pub, have a pint, check out our cool ad during the show and who knows?  Steve and the crew might be sitting right next to you.

Cheers!

Chad and and the Laurelwood Brew Crew have been getting into the  fall season this week  and besides coming to work dressed as Harry Potter and Vampires, they decided to brew a special pumpkin beer. (No really they have been coming to work dressed as their favorite Harry Potter characters all week!) This beer (which is still un-named) will be heading up to Seattle for Eylisian Brewings 6th Annual Great Pumpkin Beer Festival.  No need to fear for those of us who wont be able to make it up there.  This great pumpkin patch of a beer will be avialable in Portland at the Laurelwood Public House and Brewery.

On Wednesday October 27th,  we will be hosting our 5th Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest at Laurelwood NW Public House (2327 NW Kearney st.) Bring your scariest idea’s and be ready to get a little messy. We provide the pumpkins and you provide the inspiration. We will have both adult and kids contest with prizes being handed out.   All Pumpkins will stay on display through the end of Halloween.  So come out for a night of gooey fun and great beer!

Here are a few fun facts to get you thinking!

-Pumpkins are fruits. A pumpkin is a type of squash and is a member of the gourd family (Cucurbitacae), which also includes squash, cucumbers, gherkins, and melons.

-Pumpkins have been grown in North America for five thousand years. They are indigenous to the western hemisphere.

-In 1584, after French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence region of North America, he reported finding “gros melons.” The name was translated into English as “pompions,” which has since evolved into the modern “pumpkin.”

-Pumpkins are low in calories, fat, and sodium and high in fiber. They are good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, potassium, protein, and iron.

-The official world record for the largest pumpkin ever grown, as recorded by the Guinness Book, was 1,385 pounds. It was grown by Steve Deletas of Pleasant Hill, Oregon, in 2003.

-The world’s largest Jack O’Lantern was carved by Scott Cully (USA) from the then world’s largest pumpkin on October 23, 2002, at the Topsfield Fair, Massachusetts, USA. The pumpkin was grown by Charles Houghton (USA) and weighed 606.72 kg (1,337 lb 9.5 oz) on October 5, 2002, during the fair’s pumpkin weigh-off.

-Pumpkin seeds should be planted between the last week of May and the middle of June. They take between 90 and 120 days to grow and are picked in October when they are bright orange in color. Their seeds can be saved to grow new pumpkins the next year.

-According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest pumpkin pie weighed 189.6 kg (418 lb) and was made by the Windsor Certified Farmers Market and the Windsor High School Culinary Arts Program, and served at the Farmers Market, Windsor, California, USA on 26 October 2003.

Portland, Ore. – September 22, 2010 – Laurelwood Brewing Company announced today that it has signed a three-year contract with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to support its Water Restoration Certificate program. The purchase will result in restoring one million gallons of water to Oregon’s Deschutes River. BEF’s Water Restoration Certificate (WRC) program is the first national-level, market-based solution that enables businesses to take responsibility for water consumption by helping restore water flow to critically de-watered creeks and rivers.

“As a brewery we obviously rely on the outstanding quality of Oregon water along with all our other ingredients. We believe that the Bonneville Environmental Foundation provides the most direct and effective program to put water back in local de-watered rivers and streams” explains Chad Kennedy, Laurelwood’s Brewmaster.

Laurelwood’s purchase will result in one million gallons of water restored to the Deschutes River in Central Oregon– a popular destination for fisherman, rafters and other outdoor enthusiasts – during the next three years. BEF is collaborating with the Deschutes River Conservancy, the organization that facilitates negotiations with local water rights holders and manages stream flow restoration projects in the Deschutes basin. The State of Oregon assures compliance.

BEF launched the WRC program in August 2009. The program provides economic incentives for water rights holders who historically have had to adhere to a policies that foster a “use it or lose it” model for water use. BEF, in partnership with water trust organizations, provides payment to water rights holders that allows them to use their water to restore flow in critically and chronically de-watered streams. Each WRC represents 1,000 gallons of water restored to these streams. Standards and criteria for the program have been certified by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to ensure water is returned in ways that provide the greatest environmental benefit to rivers, streams, and fish and wildlife populations.

“Whether it’s sourcing Organic ingredients for our beer, buying local produce for our kitchens or sending food waste to the compost pile and not the municipal dump, our company is committed to helping make a positive difference in the communities in which we do business,” says Mike DeKalb, Founder and Owner of Laurelwood Brewing Co.

“We are thrilled to be working with Laurelwood,” notes Rob Harmon, BEF’s Chief Innovation Officer. “Their support for a new standard of water stewardship demonstrates their deep commitment to the communities and culture of the Pacific Northwest.”

About BEF
An entrepreneurial nonprofit, Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) is creating a more sustainable future by investing now in clean energy and fresh water. Customers who buy independently certified BEF Carbon Offsets and Renewable Energy Certificates support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the development of new renewable energy facilities, while customers who buy BEF’s Water Restoration CertificatesTM support the return of water to critically dewatered streams and rivers. All BEF customers and donors support long-term watershed restoration and renewable energy education for students and communities nationwide because BEF reinvests its net revenues to fund its Model Watershed and Solar 4R Schools programs. Since it was established in Portland, Ore. in 1998, BEF has been a pioneer in helping people and companies become better stewards of the environment. Learn more at www.b-e-f.org.

About Laurelwood Brewing Company
Laurelwood is a family owned brewery that creates one of the most recognized regional products of craft beer! Dedicated to sustainable and organic practices, Laurelwood first began producing certified organic beer in 2002. Laurelwood’s craft beer is recognized for its creativity and quality and the company has won many national and international awards. The company’s handcrafted beer can be found on draft and in bottles throughout Oregon and Washington. You can find out more about Laurelwood Brewing Company online at www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com.

Join us Tuesday September 21st and “Dine Out to Wipe Out Cancer. This will be an all day fundraiser with 20% of all pub sales going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. That day we will be also be re-releasing Prevail IPA as a dedication to all the hard work that is being done at the LLS. We encourage you all to join us for this most important cause.
For a little more information I have also included an article written in the Hollywood Star about the LLS and the efforts to raise awareness.
Cheers!

Two Hollywood Moms Team up to Fight Cancer, Again and again, and…

Northeast Portland mothers Tam Driscoll and Hilary Evart are at it again. Both moms have committed to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team In Training (TNT). Their commitment: to train for an endurance event and raise needed funds for the Society. The two have their sights on the October 17th Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco. Driscoll is training for the 13.1 mile half-marathon, Evart for the full 26.2 mile marathon. As a result of a strong partnership between Nike and the LLS, proceeds generated from this marathon directly benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This successful partnership has reaped an amazing milestone! Team In Training will break the $100 million mark this year, raised since the inception of the Nike Women’s Marathon just seven years ago! This will be the fifth year in a row that these two friends have made the journey together to San Francisco.

This year’s race will be both a celebration of success and a sober reminder of the toll cancer takes on families. Last June, Driscoll lost her sister Nancy to blood cancer. To date, Driscoll has raised over $140,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society since she first started volunteering in 2001. Losing Nancy was devastating, but has spurred Driscoll to even greater efforts. This year Driscoll has recruited five of her sisters from the east coast to race with her, forming Six Sisters Striding for a Cure, in memory of the seventh sister they lost. All six sisters (with Evart as an honorary sibling) will take to the streets of San Francisco together, joining a sea of 20,000 runners and walkers. Most are women but there are a few lucky men in the mix!

Evart is no stranger to cancer, either. She lost her father to blood cancer in 1999. Both Evart and Driscoll formed a friendship through this bond and their desire to make a difference. Being a part of Team In Training has given them a way to flip sadness and anger on its head and focus their energy in a positive direction.

Raising money for cancer research and patient services seems like a no-brainer, but it’s not easy; one needs to be creative. A method that has proven successful for the past eight years is the “Dine Out to Wipe Out Cancer” event, held every year at Laurelwood Public House and Brewery. Hollywood business owner Mike DeKalb of Laurelwood Brew Pub has been supportive of LLS since he was approached by Driscoll in 2003 to get involved. He’s hosted the annual “Dine Out to Wipe Out Cancer” on behalf of Driscoll and the Society, generously donating 20% of all sales for the entire day to the local chapter of LLS. This year the event will be held Tuesday, September 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Both Tam and Hilary will be there helping and hoping the event raises more money than ever before. Tam and Hilary also get helping hands from their children, ages 9, 11 and 12. “It’s important to involve our children,” says Evart. “They get it that cancer kills young and old. They want to be part of stopping it.”

This year, Laurelwood is bringing back a special seasonal beer: PREVALE Ale! Named by Evart, this delicious IPA is specially brewed to benefit LLS. The beer was so popular last year that it’s making an “on tap” repeat performance. “Asking people for money is hard but the support Mike DeKalb and Laurelwood have provided over the years is priceless. I couldn’t be as successful without his continued support. Plus, we have great fun doing this!” says Driscoll. Last year, Driscoll was awarded top honors for being the #1 fundraiser in the nation for the Nike Women’s Marathon by raising $58,000. Laurelwood’s Dine Out event, the PREVALE Ale release, and hundreds of supporters made that possible last year.

Another Hollywood feature of the event is live music. From 6-9 p.m. during the Dine Out event, local Hollywood resident Chris Santella (author of the “Fifty Places” Series and “Once in a Lifetime Trips”) and his band will support the cause. The band, Catch & Release, have donated their time and will be playing music described as original roots rock and classic roots rock cover tunes. It will be a great part of the family night; kids are encouraged to get their boogie on! Joe Mishkin (Not Your Average Joe) will be there with his boundless energy making wild and crazy balloon hats for all the children and children at heart. You’ve probably seen Joe at the Hollywood Farmers Market, Kennedy School and anywhere crowds of people are having fun!

So let’s look at this equation. Blood Cancer Fundraiser + Laurelwood Brew and Food + Live Music with Catch & Release + Joe Mishkin’s crazy balloon hats + supporting local business = Great Family Fun! You do the math too and once you have the answer, be sure to visit Laurelwood at NE 51st & Sandy and show Tam and Hilary your support. Need to eat, right? Why not have a good meal and help wipe out cancer all in one bite!

How can you help? Be a part of the Hollywood fundraiser for cancer research, support a local restaurant, and lend your support to Tam and Hilary and all those families fighting blood cancer all with one stop! Can’t make it to “Dine Out to Wipe Out Cancer”? Tam and Hilary have their own websites where you can donate directly and check out their progress at: www.tamdriscoll.com and www.runhilaryrun.info

Please come out to Laurelwood Public House and Brewery, 5115 NE Sandy Blvd on Tuesday, September 21 for lunch or dinner and lend your support to Tam and Hilary and the millions of Americans fighting these diseases!