8th Annual Brews for New Avenues Features New Cap & Cork Crew

Over the course of 8 years, Brews for New Avenues (BFNA) – a fundraiser created to benefit the mission of New Avenues for Youth, has effectively become the world’s largest rare beer auction. This annual series of beer focused events includes an Oysters & Gueuze social, Brewers Dinner, and the Main Event at the Left Bank Annex, featuring a VIP session, plus silent and live auctions. All told, the program has raised over $750,000 in support of preventing and ending youth homelessness in Portland, Oregon.

This year’s event highlights yet another way to donate in the newly created Cap & Cork Crew. BFNA’s goal is to enlist 100 new members, with each donating a minimum of one case of rare, vintage, or limited edition beers between now and August 1st, although cases can be donated year-round. They will be auctioned off or be added to the “Wall of Beer,” featured during the sessions on August 10th. Benefits of Cap & Cork include the following:

• Helping make a difference in New Avenues efforts to prevent and end youth homelessness.
• Joining a community of beer enthusiasts in turning a passion into a purpose.
• Members receive a special gift at the 2019 Brews for New Avenues event.
• Recognition on the Wall of Beer.
• A special invitation to a Cap & Cork Crew event in December 2019 with rare beers and food.
• Invitations to special bottle share events and Brews for New Avenues-related events year-round.

To sign-up for the Cap & Cork Crew, or make a donation of any kind including kegs, live and silent auction items, click here.

Although the special events (Oysters & Gueuze, Brewers Dinner, and VIP Session) running from August 8th-10th have already sold out, General Admission tickets for the August 10th Main Event are still available, but going fast! You can still purchase them here.

While much is made about the highly coveted VIP session, which begins the day, many of the taps from the VIP session will still be flowing during the Main Event. Those rotating taps will feature special beers from over 50 of the best breweries in the world. The VIP session will feature guest brewer pours from Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, a collaboration beer from Tioga-Sequoia and Altbrau, plus Nat from Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider serving some of the best cider in Portland (VIP and Main Event).

As always there will be a great variety of top-shelf mystery beers to chose from off the Wall of Beer and Wall of Lambic (VIP). The latter of the two is sponsored by Lambic.info, who’s again holding their Lambic Against Youth Homelessness Raffle. Last year’s raffle raised over 30,000, donated by over 5,000 members from 11 countries.

This year’s International Guest is Raf Souvereyns of Bokke, one of Belgium’s most acclaimed young Lambic brewers. He’ll be in the house, along with more of his large format bottles than ever before up for auction, as well special pours during the VIP session.

When it comes to food, there will be a wide variety of delicious charcuterie from Olympia Provisions and only the tastiest pairings from Cheese Bar during the VIP session. During the Main Event, there will be food carts available and live music flowing in the parking lot.

And once again de Garde Brewing will be offering two different limited releases, done in collaboration with New Jersey’s own The Referend Bier Blendery: Avenue 5 (“a composition of spontaneous wild ale aged in oak barrels with Peaches & Nectarines”) and Avenue 6 (“a composition of spontaneous wild ale aged in oak barrels”).

Last, but not least, there will be 9 to 10 different special items up for bid during the Live Auction. Thus far only 5 have been revealed and they’re as follows:

• The 3 Fonteinen Experience: a trip for two, including round-trip airfare to Brussels, hotel, special tastings, dinners with the 3F team, and some gifts to take home.
• The Ultimate Oregon Six Pack: six 3L Double Magnums from Block 15 Brewing, Breakside Brewery, Gigantic Brewing, Great Notion Brewing, Modern Times PDX, and Upright Brewing.
• A 6L Methuselah of Toots Tribute Geuze: a special blend created by Het Geuzegenootschap (The Geuze Society) and In de Verzekering tegen de Grote Dorst.
• A four magnum set of Bokke bottles: Dalton Cuvee 2015, Pinot Cognac 2016, Barrique Akevitt 2017, Barrique Macvin 2017.
• 12 bottle set of Gueuzerie Tilquin’s experimental fruit series: This one-of-a-kind package includes Mûre Rullquin, Groseille à Maquereau Verte, Groseille Rouge, Mirabelle, Cassis, Mangue, Framboise, Myrtille Sauvage, Abricot, Groseille Blanche, Pêche, and Groseille à Maquereau Rouge.

While this all sounds like a full slate for the event, there’s always a number of surprises, including additional collaboration beers, unexpected breweries in attendance, and more silent auction packages than can be listed here.

Each year that I’ve attended Brews for New Avenues, it’s always outdone the previous year, and this year’s event is primed to continue the trend. I look forward to seeing you there!

Further Information:

Donate kegs, bottles, and/or cases – Join the Cap & Cork Crew

Tickets to the Main Event

New Avenues For Youth – Brews For New Avenues – BFNA Facebook Page – BFNA Instagram