PORTLAND, Ore. — Vinyl junkies and beer collectors have cause to celebrate–Portland Brewing and Portland’s legendary music retailer and owner of Music Millennium, Terry Currier, has announced the upcoming release of In The Groove Black Vinyl Lager. This collaborative beer is brewed in honor of Currier’s substantial contribution to keeping Portland weird and beautiful. Proceeds from In The Groove benefit the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, which Currier co-founded. The beer releases in seasonal on draft throughout the Pacific Northwest beginning August 10, and in 12 oz. 6-pack cans later in the month.
In The Groove is the second beer in Portland Brewing’s “Keep Portland Weird” rotating series, which aims to highlight each collaborator’s unique contributions to keeping Portland weird. Not only is Currier the coiner of the phrase “Keep Portland Weird,” for forty years he has contributed to Portland’s vibrant music culture by promoting countless musicians in every imaginable musical genre. He is the owner of Music Millennium, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and is one of the most cherished record stores in the country. Currier also co-founded Burnside Distribution, which has brought thousands of musicians of all types to the broader public. He co-founded the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and has served on local and regional music council boards.
He solidified his claim to weirdness in the 1990’s when he organized a West Coast campaign to BBQ Garth Brooks’ cds, posters, and cassettes after Brooks announced that his album would not be available in record stores that sold used cds. Since then, Music Millennium has been named one of the top record stores in the country by Paste Magazine, Spin Magazine, and the Album Network.
“After decades of tireless work supporting regional and local musicians we thought it was time for Terry to have a beer!” said Ryan Pappe, Head Brewer at Portland Brewing. “It has been a true honor to work this closely with a person whom I respect on a strong, personal level. Creating a beer for a legend is no easy feat, but I knew I had to stick with vinyl records for inspiration. Records are smooth and vibrant black, and the sounds that come from my favorite albums are textured, warm, and always familiar. With In The Groove, we tried to capture the experience of playing our favorite records.”
“The first time we sampled this beer we were actually upstairs in the record shop, surrounded by the blues and jazz vinyl collection,” said Terry Currier. “After just a sip, I knew that Portland Brewing had put a lot of great effort into making this beer. It’s easy drinking and also has a lot of subtlety to it. I’m looking forward to evenings where I can start up a record, sit back, and enjoy a great album with a glass of In The Groove.”
Dubbed a Black Vinyl Lager, Pappe wanted a beer inspired by the thousands of vinyl records at Music Millennium. From the outset of the collaborative process, Currier asked that the beer be easy drinking, and not overly bitter or hoppy. The result is a dark lager, which presents soft roasty flavors of chocolate and caramel, but still cleary comes across as a lager. The beer is refreshingly light, finishes dry and crisp, and drinks as smooth as one would expect from any summer thirst quencher.
The can artwork features an image of Terry Currier that was drawn from a photo in 2000 by an Atlantic Records receptionist. Atlantic Records sponsored a music store convention in Portland and this image was emblazoned on the back side of the conference’s tote bag, to the surprise of Currier. The drawing has long been a favorite of Currier because “they nailed the hair.”
Portland Brewing will donate $4,500 of In The Groove’s proceeds to the Oregon Music Hall of Fame (OMHF), an organization that honors Oregonians who have made outstanding national, regional, or local contributions to the evolution and perpetuation of the music industry. OMHF also provides scholarships to college-bound highschool seniors studying music, awards an Oregon-based artist of the year and album of the year, and annually selects bands, artists, and players for induction into the Hall of Fame.
In The Groove Release Information
In The Groove releases to the public on August 10 from 11:00am-6:00pm at Music Millennium’s 27th annual Customer Appreciation BBQ. Guests can enjoy complimentary beverages and food while enjoying live music from seven artists and bands. All attendees receive a spin on the Wacky Wheel of Wonder, and everyone that spins wins a prize plus a coupon for 10% off regularly priced items in the shop. In The Groove will pour at the outdoor BBQ and music space, and on tap inside the record store.