Visiting Bend/Sunriver (Late 2018)

This will sound weird..but i actually really enjoyed my visits to Riverbend..more locals.guys and gals just finished work etc than most of the other brewpubs except maybe Silver Moon..always had a great time.

 

well...let's see if I can start on the positive side:

on balance, McMenamins.....as a whole presence, is a good thing here in the PNW. Would you rather have Applebee's or Chili's instead? many medium-size towns would kill to have something like a McMenamins. And the locations outside or on the outer edges of Portland...a godsend. If I'm stuck in Wilsonville, for whatever reason...and my choice is eating from the hot deli at Fred Meyer and pounding a sixer in my hotel room or going to the Mcmenamins in the same parking lot and having a decent meal and a decent beer...yeah, I'll go to McMenamins...

and if I were to be critical?...well, as far as our very own Old St. Francis Pub here in Bend...it's the height of mediocrity. Food quality and service is up and down. And beers are mostly unremarkable, although I'm happy when they are pouring an ESB and I"m pretty okay with their nut brown.

Like many of Bend's pubs nowadays...kind of a tourist trap. It used to be a fun place for the young, hip and outdoorsy to get a cheap happy hour meal and beer...and maybe see a cheap movie. But now you're more likely to see a parade of out-of-towners who want a taste of being edgy and hip....(gee honey isn't this neat? sitting on old uncomfortable furniture and watching a movie and having a beer at the same time! and surrounded by bricabrac from Indonesia...they don't do this in Iowa!)

but then again...on back to a positive note. I used to live two blocks from Old St. Francis Pub. And when there was some snowstorm, sub-zero temps, etc...and downtown was dead, it was really nice to just walk over and have a beer or two and enjoy the fireplace. The place has it's moments.

 

McMenamins is very much a part of the PNW culture. As @I_h8_clowns and @sharpski have mentioned, they have a core lineup of beers that are dated and aren't going to turn any heads. There are a ton of breweries within their properties, and I know a lot of them have freedom to develop whatever they feel like as one-offs, but they don't always get good distribution throughout their properties. Some of them only carry the core lineup. They also make their own wine and spirits.

McMenamins is part of the PNW culture because they're more than just a forefather of the modern brewing scene. Most of their properties are housed in locations that would have been torn down otherwise. Old houses, schools, churches, etc. Historic preservation is part of their very foundation. They also pioneered the concept of combining breweries with other venues - hotels, theaters, swimming pools, and created entire hotel campuses of multiple bars with themes designed to explore. They're quirky, they're fun, but they're not a place you're going to experience the best IPA of your life or the hottest new BA pastry stout.

McMenamins is a chain, although no two are alike, they are all very clearly McMenamins. I don't think anyone is going to tell you McMenamins is great, but I think we all spend enough time in them that it seems odd not to include them in a mention somewhere.

 

Nothing much to add, but it seems like a good spot to say I'm pretty excited to check out what McMenamin's is doing with the old elk's lodge in Tacoma. The building looks like it'll be amazing and I'm glad that someone interested in preserving the building got a hold of it. I'll definitely be checking it out next year, even if I'll likely only stop in for a beer from time to time.

 

passports

 

John_M said: it's really difficult to come up with a justification to stop by McM's

Bend Ale Trail!

 

I visit bend for work about once every 4-6 months. I always stay at the St. Francis pub. The room rates are reasonable and the soaking pool is freaking awesome, especially on cold nights. They also have a whisky lounge thing that is open late. Being centrally located is also awesome. about 10 breweries within walking distance or 5 min drive.

I really like their Black Widow porter they release every halloween. Their core lineup is unremarkable, but different locations do one-offs that can sometimes be very good. I played golf at the Edgefield chip and put this summer and they had an IPA on that was fantastic (cant remember the name).

Food quality and service can be hit and miss depending on the day or the location. But given the NW roots, and how many historical sites they have renovated or preserved, i would take them 100/100 times over some national chain TGI mcscratchys.

 

In general I eschew 10 Barrel because of the AB InBev thing, but they have a dock sale going on right now, $10/case for the Hop Project mixed packs. That's too good a price to turn my nose up at (especially since I need cheap bottles for homebrew). Tomorrow's the last day, 10am-4pm. Might want to get over there (east side) early if you want to grab some.

 

mcmenamins is also a good option for breeders. Not everyone has an area that is family friendly.

 

What's everyone's favorite local shelfie stout/porter? Looking to pick up a 6er this evening. Been eyeing Silver Moon's, but open to input.