*My face when I'm in a town saturated with incredible craft beer*
Bend, Oregon is one of my favorite towns to visit. It's one of the top cities in the US for number of breweries per capita. Not only are there a ton of breweries, there are a ton of great breweries.
The Bend Ale Trail:
Drink beer, win prizes. Need I say more? After hitting Bend's endless amount of stunning hiking trails, gear up for the ultimate beer challenge: The Bend Ale Trail. Stop by the Visitor Center in town, or download the app to obtain your Bend Ale Trail Passport. Collect stamps as you visit breweries. Once you have all of your stamps for a territory, you can turn your passport in for a prize back at the Visitor Center. Complete all seven territories and win the grand prize. Designated Drivers are also able to participate and win! Are you up for the challenge? Please always remeber to drink responsibly (:
My Favorite Breweries on the Bend Ale Trail:
(And the reasons I love them beyond their wonderful beer)
- Crux Fermentation Project: Their location is in an old service station with an incredible view of the mountains. Grab a discounted beer during "Sundowner Hour" and gather 'round the fire pit, or hang inside and drool over their copper brewhouse.
- The Ale Apothecary: Bend's only sour brewery. I love that you can find something unique here beer-wise. They offer wild and spontaneous beers brewed with local ingredients. They either forage the ingredients themselves or find them nearby in Oregon. They also are very dedicated to DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) in beer.
- Boss Rambler Beer Club: "Good Times Cold Beers". Boss Rambler shares a space with a coffee shop, and together they are cute AF. A vintage fireplace, brightly painted murals, plants, and fun can art. Also, I'll take one of each of their merch items please! (I actually bought three hats here).
- Bevel Craft Beer: This spot has a fun disc golf theme, and some nice murals as well. We were lucky enough to meet one of the owners who was kind enough to show us around and answer all of our nerdy beer questions. They also have a whole back patio with several food trucks so you have your pick of cuisines to pair with your beer.
- Monkless Belgian Ales: Beautiful location. There are so many lovely details in this space--the bar, the Edison lighting, their "barrel room", and the outside view is nice too. I was a big fan of
their housemade NA option on tap.
- Sunriver Brewing Company: Sunriver has a variety of styles on tap with several award winning (GABF, WBC, etc) beers. Their food is great too--I recommend ordering their cauliflower dish.
- Bend Brewing: A Bend classic. I highly recommend sitting outside by the water to enjoy a beer! We really enjoyed sipping on some of their Fall style beers surrounded by all the colorful trees.
- Boneyard Beer: I recommend stopping by the pub location. I was a big fan of their motorcycles, the outdoor fire, and the cool vibes.
Looking for more things to do around Bend? Visit the Visit Bend website for amazing recommendations on food, activities, where to stay, and all the events happening in town. Visit Bend was incredibly helpful when planning our trip! Who better to ask than the locals?
