In recent days, craft beer-bar patrons across the Northwest have been surprised and bemused by a “new” British stout on tap that not only isn’t new at all, but in fact predates the birth of the United States. Samuel Smith Brewery was founded in 1758 under the name “The Old Brewery” in the town of […]
Beer & Drink
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Irish Death from Above
The mysterious dark ale that took over Washington
Beer from the Pacific Northwest has a certain reputation, and that reputation involves hops. The plants are grown in droves in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Washington’s Yakima Valley, their flowers used copiously in ales brewed across the entire region. There’s not just one fresh-hop beer festival, but several across the whole of the state. IPA […]
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Piloting New Beer
Looking into Deschutes’ new test brew system
I n the brewing industry, a “pilot system” usually refers to a small brew setup, run separately from the company’s main system, used to create smaller batches of beer. This can be used for research purposes, or—in the case of setups like the five-barrel system situated behind the glass at Worthy Brewing—they produce one-off brews […]
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Joining the Club
In local beer, membership has its privileges
I t’s Saturday afternoon and the largest craft-beer bottle share event in Bend is underway off Century Drive. The attendees number in the three-figures, and it seems like they’ve all brought their big guns—heavy stouts, delicate sours and selections from beer-nerd favorites such as Tired Hands, Monkish and Scratch. It’s enough good fermentation to make […]
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A Trip to the Cider Farm
Washington’s Finnriver is a delightful excursion
T he concept of a farmhouse or estate brewery isn’t new—places such as Logsdon in Hood River, Wolves and People in Newberg and Agrarian Ales in Eugene are local examples. In this region of the U.S., however, Finnriver—whose ciders and fruit wines have been available in Bend for several years—takes the cake in sheer atmosphere. […]
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Rainy Skies, Hoppy Glasses
Bellingham, Wash., follows in Bend’s path
I t’s a typically rainy fall afternoon at Structures Brewing in Bellingham, Wash., and a native of Vancouver, B.C. is there, berating his city’s brewing scene. “It’s huge in size,” Michael Oughtred says, “but the quality’s really hit-and-miss, and I feel like it’s just trying to copy what works in Washington and Oregon. That’s why […]
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Silvermoon Reopens
A nyone who expects the end of “the season” in Central Oregon to trigger a slowdown in brew activities around the region obviously hasn’t been living here long enough—or hasn’t heard the news from both downtown Bend’s Silver Moon and the rising beer star just a ways down Highway 97. The Moon has remained busy […]
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Sunriver Brewing Company: Local winners at the Great American Beer Festival
T he big headlines for Oregon beer, however, were made in Denver last weekend. That’s the site of the Great American Beer Festival, the U.S.’ largest and most prestigious craft-beer celebration, and it’s fair to say that Sunriver Brewing had a nice weekend over there. Head brewer Brett Thomas and the rest of the Sunriver […]
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Beer and Hardware by the Beach
Cannon Beach Hardware is where craft meets craftsmen
I t’s not news, perhaps, that the coast of Oregon is worth visiting for the beer as much as the pretty views. From 7 Devils in Coos Bay to Buoy and all their friends up in Astoria, nobody’s ever very far from some locally-made refreshment. What can be a problem, however, is finding all the […]
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Fresh Hop Mania
Breweries local and region-wide offer the goods
I n a way, it’s a blessing that the Hood River Hops Fest wound up being delayed. Not a blessing for Gorge residents, given that the delay’s caused by the lingering Eagle Creek fire and the continued dicey situation along I-84 between Portland and points east. But certainly a blessing for fans of fresh-hop beer, […]