Bend: The Beer

So I’ve already waxed poetically about the beer at Crux Fermentation Project, but I tried A LOT of beers when we were in Bend. Here are some of the highlights:

After purchasing a bike lock and rear flashers for our Bend Ale Trail bike tour at The Hub Cyclery, we rode over to 10 Barrel Brewing Company* for dinner and beer. Despite it being fairly early on a Wednesday, the place was packed! We headed for the bar to wait for our table, where I ordered the Apocalypse IPA (I ranked it 4/5) and Greyson got the India-Style Session Ale (3/5). We were seated at the long, bar-style community table where we got to eavesdrop on lots of interesting/awkward conversations. I also had a P2P American Stout (4.5/5).

*10 Barrel Brewing Company was recently bought by AB-InBev, so it’s technically no-longer a craft brewery, if that matters to you.

10 Barrell Brewing Co // tahoefabulous.com

We then biked over to McMenamins Old Saint Francis School, a converted Catholic schoolhouse from the 1930’s. There’s a bar, restaurant, hotel, movie theater, and even a soaking pool! I only found out about all of the other amenities after I was back home, but I definitely want to check out the pool on my next trip to Bend. I had the Star Trip IPA (which did not have an entry on Untappd! So, honestly I don’t remember how much I like the beer, other than it was not my favorite, but I enjoyed it.) and Greyson got the Hammerhead American Pale Ale (1.5/5 – did not like it!). We called it a night after McMenamins after the long drive and headed back to the condo we stayed in our first night there.

We spent Thursday afternoon at Crux Fermentation Project, and that was our only brewery that day.

On Friday, we had a leisurely morning around camp (I finally tried a Picky Bar and really liked it! Got to love that there are getting to be more and more soy-free bars out there!), and took on the Deschutes River Trail via mountain bike. It only seemed appropriate to visit the Deschutes Brewery after!

Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR // tahoefabulous.com

My favorite six pack that I can get fairly easily in California is Deschutes’ Fresh Squeezed IPA, and Greyson waits all year for Red Chair NWPA, so we were excited to try our favorites and more at the source. In addition to Fresh Squeezed and Red Chair, we had samplers of Bachelor Bitter (3.5), In Version Experimental Inversion IPA (3/5), Obsidian Nitro Stout (3.5/5) and Chasin’ Freshies. I’d never had Red Chair on draft, and I really liked it, it may have been my favorite out of the ones we tried there! We also split a pint of Deschutes Black Butte Porter (my favorite porter!) at Crow’s Feet Commons later – because who can resist getting a beer at a bar in a bike shop?

We grabbed dinner Friday night at a mediocre Mediterranean restaurant – nothing worth writing about, but there I was able to order a happy hour pint of Boneyard Beer Company RPM IPA (4/5). This brewery had come recommended by Emily and the bartender at Crux, so I was excited to try it out. I really enjoyed it, and I wish we could have made it to the actual brewery during our time there. Next time!

We decided to hit one more spot on the Bend Ale Trail before heading back to our campground out at Smith Rock. We walked over to Bend Brewing Company and ordered pints of Elk Lake IPA (4/5) and Metolius Golden Ale (3/5). I liked the Metolius Golden Ale way more than I usually like that style of beer.

After climbing in the cold on Saturday morning/early afternoon, we headed into town famished and ready for more beer. We had a late lunch at the most amazing Thai restaurant I’ve ever been to – Wild Rose (this place deserves its own post!), where I had a pint of 3 Sisters American Red Ale (4/5) from Wild Ride Brew, just down the road in Redmond, Oregon.

Our final stop on the Bend brewery tour was Silver Moon Brewing, my second favorite brewery of the trip. Also, the brewery was located across the street from a DONUT TRUCK which was, unfortunately, closed both times we drove by. Next time. We sat at the bar, and the friendly bartenders poured us samples of HopNob IPA (4.5/5 – the only beer in my Top 8 NOT from Crux!), Voodoo Dog American Amber (4/5), Get Sum American Pale Ale (4/5), IPA 97 (2.5/5) and Mango Daze ISA (3.5/5) which was surprisingly good for a fruity beer!

Bend is a perfect destination for the outdoorsy, the beer lover, and, especially, for those who fall in both categories. We honestly just scratched the surface of breweries in the Bend area. I can’t wait to go back and try all of the other beers from the breweries I didn’t get to visit. And (honestly), probably spend another day at Crux and Silver Moon!

Sierra Nevada Brewing, Chico, CA // tahoefabulous.com

P.S. We also stopped by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company on our way up north!