Gigantic Brewing’s Santa Clones Winter Warmer Celebrates a Weird Portland Holiday Tradition
Gigantic Brewing will host a release event for their new winter warmer with Portland’s 400 famous light-up Santa Clones and their creator Chris Willis, and Weird Portland’s the Unipiper.
One of Portland, Oregon’s favorite weird holiday traditions is making the leap to craft beer with Gigantic Brewing Company’s “Santa Clones Winter Warmer.” The beer is brewed in collaboration with Weird Portland United, and artist Chris Willis’ quirky tradition of displaying 400 vintage 1960s blow-mold Santa figurines at a mysteriously secret pop up location each year.
The Santa Clones Winter Warmer—a deliciously malty, rich brew layered with caramel and a hint of dark fruit—is crafted for cozy, festive vibes. And here's the best part: you get to sip it first at the launch party at Gigantic Brewing's Hawthorne location (4343 SE Hawthorne Blvd) on Friday, November 8. The revelry kicks off at 3 p.m. and continues until 10 p.m., featuring a dazzling Santa Clones display in the Portrait Room, a chance to meet Portland's own Santa Clones artist Chris Willis, and, of course, an appearance by the one-and-only Unipiper. If you can't make it Friday, don't worry—the Santa Clones exhibit will stay up all weekend for maximum holiday cheer.
"Our goal with this beer was to craft the ultimate holiday sipper—one we're sure Santa would reach for on cold winter nights at the North Pole," says Ben Love, Gigantic Brewmaster. "This winter warmer is rich and toasty, with layers of caramel sweetness and just the right touch of warming alcohol to keep spirits bright."
Enjoy Gigantic at the Gigantic Brewery (5224 SE 26th Ave), Gigantic Robot Room (6935 NE Glisan), on tap or in bottle at your favorite grocer, bottle shop, bar or restaurant in Oregon.
Meet the Legend Behind the Santas
Chris Willis, Portland's jolliest secret-keeper, is the artist behind Santa Clones, a display that has grown from a handful of retro figurines into a spectacular, city-loved attraction. Each winter, Willis assembles his collection of blow-mold Santas in a top-secret Portland location, bringing an extra dose of festive weirdness to the city. This year, the Santas are stopping by Gigantic's Hawthorne Portrait Room for a special in-bar display you won't want to miss.
What is Weird Portland United?
Founded in 2019 by Portland's Unipiper in an effort to curb the growing homogenization and sanitization of the city's image, Weird Portland United exists to discover, promote, and nurture the dreamers, creators, and risk-takers that keep Portland weird. In 2020, WPU awarded over $5000 in grants to Portland creatives through the #KeepWeirdAlive campaign. This September, WPU launched the 'Portland Weird Fest' at Oaks Amusement Park to coincide with the establishment of 'Keep Portland Weird Day', as formally recognized by Portland City Council. The event drew close to 1000 attendees in a celebration of the city's weirdest achievements.
What:
Gigantic Brewing and Weird Portland United are releasing the Santa Clones Winter Warmer, a festive holiday beer inspired by Portland's iconic Santa Clones display. Over 400 vintage blow-mold Santa figurines magically appear in Portland each year, creating a quirky holiday scene. The event will showcase a smaller Santa Clones display, and you'll get to meet the artist Chris Willis and enjoy the Unipiper's holiday spirit.
Where:
Gigantic Brewing Hawthorne, 4343 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR. The Santas will be set up in the Portrait Room.
When:
Friday, November 8, 2024, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Santa Clones display will stay up all weekend at Gigantic Hawthorne.
Why:
Celebrate Portland's holiday weirdness and support local creatives through Weird Portland United. A portion of proceeds will fund Weird Portland United's work to keep Portland fun, unique, and wonderfully weird