Bend Ale Trail best breweries

Boneyard

 

Bend Challenge: Hit them all.

 

Skip Deschutes.

Bend Brewing, 10 Barrel, Boneyard, Crux and Silver Moon.

Try to get a tour/visit at Ale Apothecary.

 

While I generally prefer the food at 10 Barrel to Deschutes, I would say the beer at Deschutes is consistently better. I mean a lot better. The only thing that 10 Barrel does well is Berliners (finally allowing Tonya to shine!)...for everything else, you can do better elsewhere. Deschutes' Pub offerings can be pretty awesome. I've been to 10 Barrel at least 30 times since they opened and I've been going to Deschutes since 1989 (before I could drink!). The space at 10 Barrel is solid, but they seem to care a lot less about nailing styles or brewing exciting beer.

Worthy is meh. I expected more since I like Laurelwood. I'd rather go to GoodLife.

Must visits: Crux, Boneyard, Deschutes Brewery for the tour or Brewpub just for beers, Ale Apothecary if you can go.

Solid alternatives: Silver Moon, 10 Barrel, GoodLife

I'd Pass: Worthy, Three Creeks, Cascade Lakes

 

Would also add Bend Brewing Co if Ching Ching is pouring

 

Other Bend stuff is good too.

For bars, Broken Top Bottle Shop and Crows Feet Commons are musts.

Not all in Bend, but I've also heard good / promising things about Sun River Brewing, Rat Hole, Wild Ride, and Oblivion. Not sure any of these would go on a "must" list but maybe good to have them on the radar in case they're convenient? Would also love to hear from anyone that's visited them. Oblivion, I believe, was started by someone from Firestone Walker?

 

I like Platypus/Brew Shop more than Broken Top Bottle Shop simply due to selection and price. Go downstairs for a couple beers, then head up and grab some bottles before you leave.

Coincidentally Ching Ching was the creation of Tonya Cornett (now at 10 Barrel) - @MattyPrize knows her. That's why the Berliners at 10 Barrel are solid (and award-winning).

I really like Bend Brewing. Been going there since they opened too. Definitely more of a local's joint historically (and not as trendy as Deschutes). I haven't been there in a long time though, so I can't say how their beer program is doing these days.

 

My take on Brew Shop vs. BTBS is that Brew Shop has a wider selection and is the place to go for singles of bottles and cans for low-grade tickers like me, and definitely gets some exclusive stuff you don't see elsewhere in town, they just don't take good care of the beer compared to others. Their shelf of newest/rarest beers is unrefrigerated and in a spot where the bottles get direct sunlight for a portion of each day. BTBS has a smaller selection but with less "filler" of shelf beers available at local grocery stores. Both shops are great places to grab bottles/cans and have consistently good taplists, but the layout of the places means you can have a pint at BTBS while you shop for bottles but the upstairs/downstairs setup of Brew Shop/Platypus makes that more awkward.

 

Just as an FYI, the shelf displaying the new bottles mirrors what's in the coolers. It's a display to advertise their beers - it's not where they keep their inventory. Everything on the shelf can also be found in the fridges.

I mean, it's worth going to both if you can since one often carries beer that the other doesn't have. BTBS often has beer The Brew Shop doesn't have because their prices are quite a bit higher (~10-20%).

 

BTBS also mules in beer that Bend doesn't normally get.

 

Want prizes? Sure you do! http://www.visitbend.com/Bend_Oregon_Activities_Recreation/Bend-Ale-Trail/

 

My favorites were Crux, Good Life and 10-Barrel. As someone else mentioned, pass on Cascade Lakes.

Beware that you can't get a pint at Boneyard, only teeny little tasters.

I borrowed a bike and rode to most of the breweries on the trail for a pint or two at each. It was a fun way to see Bend, drink some tasty beverages and not have to worry about driving.

 

Sorry, confusing choice of words, I'm talking about some endcap shelves where they stock the BCBS, Grassroots, Anchorage, etc. which is a few feet away from the recent arrivals line on the countertop. Almost in the middle of the room, its in the sun path of a couple of windows.

Additionally, BTBS appears higher priced because the labels reflect the corkage/crackage for in-house consumption, but they take off 10% at the register for bottles to go. I don't mind the corking fee being included upfront then removed, but its not immediately obvious that's what's going on.

All of this sounds like I'm nitpicky (which I am) and a BTBS apologist (which I'm not), but if I can't fully geek out here, where else?

 

Is there a spot in bend that rents bikes?

 

My husband and I did this last month on a visit to Bend. We hit all 14 listed on the map. It took us 2 days. Most places, we we started by sharing a flight of tasters. Only the places where we liked the beer, did we bother with more than a taster.

Those we enjoyed: Boneyard, Deschutes (tour at the brewery), Crux, 10 Barrel, Silver Moon, Bend (Ching Ching!), Rat Hole.
The others were okay. None were so bad that we couldn't drink the beer at them.

 

google "Bend Oregon bike rentals".

 

For bikes, I've always rented from Hutch's. I haven't tried anyplace else, so i can't knock their competition, but Hutch's has always treated me amazingly well, and they're conveniently located relative to the Phil's trailhead.

As for the OP's question, I haven't been disappointed with a single brewery in Bend-they're all worth a visit if you can find the time. Having said that, if you go to Bend without visiting Boneyard and Crux, you f'ed up. Deschutes is great, but try to go during off hours. Like on a weekday at open. It still might be a madhouse.

 

Thank your the reply, instead of the generic "google it BRUH" i looked it up and there were a ton of options, wanted some actual testimonial instead of blindly picking for myself.

 

You've gotta stop by GoodLife & 10 Barrel.