For this month’s Savage in Bend, Santi R. asks, “How and why did beer become more popular in Bend than most other places?”
A very legit question considering beer’s popularity in Central Oregon. Two variables came to my mind when asked, both nature and nurture.
The natural part of the answer relates to our amazing water. Beer is mostly water, and our area has some of the cleanest in the country. As most readers know, it comes primarily from snowmelt in the Cascade Range (well, maybe not this past winter). The porous volcanic rock allows the water to seep underground, and as it travels through those rock layers, it is naturally filtered before reaching aquifers. This results in a clean, “soft” water with low levels of minerals. This gives brewers more flexibility and an almost blank slate to work with when they create the delicious concoctions we consume daily! Not me, of course, I keep it to 2-3 drinks per week (in case my doctor is reading this).
This leads us to the nurture part of the equation. Where there are people, there are spirits. The first mention of brewing in Central Oregon began all the way back in the late 1800s. Andrew Jackson Tetherow (not to be confused with the 7th president) built a home on the Deschutes River in 1878-79 near present day Redmond. His family resided there and also used the property as a waystation for travelers, among other things. Tetherow, quite the entrepreneur, had many side hustles, and apparently making beer was one of them. His house, though dilapidated, still stands as the oldest structure in Deschutes County. It’s actually quiet and fairly secluded, a nice spot to relax near the river. Future brewery site?
In 1880 Prineville became the first incorporated town in Central Oregon. Two years later, Ochoco Brewery opened in the tiny town as the first official brewery on record and lasted until 1888 when a fire destroyed it. Though rebuilt, it closed not too long afterward. Prineville Brewing came next in 1893 and lasted until 1906. By that time, Bend had become incorporated in 1905. In fact, what we now know as downtown had quite a reputation with a seedy red-light district boasting eight saloons. But no brewery.
Prohibition in Oregon began in 1916, followed by the nationally mandated one in 1920. While legal breweries and such disappeared, alcohol itself certainly didn’t. Moonshining became a popular (and often lucrative) pastime. With the area’s surrounding forests, distillers had plenty of hidden spots to brew spirits and even used local caves. The local Moonshine Cave derived its name because brewing equipment was found there. Prohibition was repealed in 1933, yet for the longest time locals seemed content to drink Olympia and Blitz-Weinard beers. Amazingly, it took over 50 years for Central Oregon to get another brewery!
Fast forward to 1985 when Oregon passed the “Brewpub Bill,” which allowed brewers to manufacture and sell their malt beverages on the same property. The McMenamin Brothers took immediate advantage and opened the first post-Prohibition brewpub in Portland, Oregon. This set the stage for others and led to what many people consider to be the modern day history of the beer craze in Bend.
Does the name Gary Fish ring a bell? The man, the myth, now a local legend, he dreamed to open a brewery. He scouted locations in California and Utah first, but like many of us who visit and become enamored with the area, Fish decided Bend was the ideal spot. In 1988 he opened Deschutes Brewery. The success was contagious, and other breweries soon followed — Cascade Lakes Brewing in Redmond, Bend Brewing Company, Silver Moon, and they just kept coming. The rest is history.
These days, by nearly any measure, Bend ranks among the top cities in the United States for breweries per capita. Our city consistently finds itself in the company of popular beer hubs like Asheville, North Carolina, and Portland, Maine. We all have our own preferences, and each brewery has its unique flavor, whether location, favorite beers, or just the natural vibe. And it seems every time we open up an issue of The Source, Brian Yaeger is writing about another award-winning brew or must-try new beverage.
The Bend Ale Trail has earned a reputation as a popular pastime for locals and tourists. At Visit Bend, eager participants can pick up a cool little passport that looks like the real deal. They collect passport stamps at breweries in town and claim prizes for each completed section. If nature provided the ingredients, Bend’s culture supplied the yeast. A community that valued local businesses, outdoor adventure, and gathering over a good pint helped transform one successful brewery into a craft beer destination. Beer appears to be en’grained’ in our city’s vibe, quite literally!
For a more detailed history and a super fun read, check out Bend Beer by Jon Abernathy or the recent episode of the radio show, “Secret Central Oregon” on community station KPOV.
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