August 2018
1. Iron Horse Brewery, Ellensburg WA
Yeah, I know, this isn't in Bend. But it doesn't fit with the "Seattle Area" breweries and it's not worth its own entry, so it goes here. Ellensburg is a cute little town north of Yakima, WA. There isn't much there, but its a great place to rest up between the Canadian border and Bend, Oregon. There was a nice little in-town patio with picnic tables. The beer was decent. The staff was friendly. Bottom line: don't go to Ellensburg just for this, but if you're in Ellensburg, definitely go to Iron Horse.
2. Smith Rock Brewing Co., Redmond, OR
The best thing about Smith Rock is the sign, which, if you spend any time in National Forests, it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling. The garden patio was nice, especially since this was right in town and it was hot. The beer was OK, but I wasn't feeling all that well, so it may have actually been better than I remember (Doug didn't complain, but that's not a very effective measuring stick when it comes to beer). The server was rude, so that kinda set a tone for me, and the owner was nasty in response to my mediocre Google Review about the place. Doug ordered the poutine, and he said it was typical American poutine with gravy from a can. Personally, I wouldn't go back - there are too many good breweries with fantastic food and friendly service in the area.
3. Kobold Brewing and the Vault Taphouse, Redmond, OR
Loved this little place! Right in the middle of Redmond's downtown, it was just a tiny taproom with about 6 Kobold taps and another 6ish local brewery taps. There was a cute little in-town patio, from which you could watch the world walk by, that was dog friendly and had both sun and shade options. There was a (permanent looking) food truck that served tacos that looked amazing. This was another day that I wasn't feeling well, so I didn't try the tacos and only tried one of the IPAs, which was good. Doug loved their Kolsch. Would definitely go back here.
July 2018
We hit five breweries in the Bend area: (1) Wild Ride; (2) Three Creeks; (3) Good Life; (4) Ochoco; and (5) Cascade Lakes. They all get "go again" ratings from both of us.
1. Wild Ride Brewing, Redmond
Great beer, huge pet-friendly patio, and food trucks. The staff was also pretty awesome, and made the line for beer more tolerable by bringing beer tasters out to the line. There was a food truck court adjacent to the patio with 4 different trucks there the day we went. We got a burger and a pizza, and both were (pricey but) awesome. This is definitely a "go again".
2. Three Creeks Brewing, Sisters
Great beer and decent food. We (uncharacteristically) sat inside in the (air-conditioned) pub area, although we heard people talking about an outdoor patio. The only drawback to this place is that you have to navigate through the tourist crowds of Sister to get there. It's definitely a go-again, though ... in the off-season.
3. Good Life Brewing, Bend
Some of the best beer ever. Seriously. The IPA was just the right amount of hop, and Doug said the Kolsch was as good as anything he ever had in Germany. And what's not to love about a huge grassy beer garden with plenty of shade, its own beer bar, and Adirondack chairs with cup holders? (Yes, you read that right ... the plastic Adirondack chairs had CUP HOLDERS!!!). This is off the beaten-path in Bend, but only a mile from the dog beach. Although we didn't partake, there was also an indoor pub that served food, a distillery, and a food truck dishing out pierogies. Definitely a go-again.
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| This dog knows a good beer garden when she sees it! |
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| Cupholders!! |
4. Ochoco Brewing Company, Prineville
I can't imagine going to Prineville as a destination, or even driving any distance just to visit this brewery, but if you're staying in Bend and venturing over to the Ochoco National Forest, then this is worth a stop on your way home. From the picnic tables out front, we watched small-town Oregon life pass by while we shared a basket of cooked-to-order tortilla chips and fresh tomato salsa. The beer was good, and if the chips & salsa are anything like the rest of the menu, the food is fresh and creative. Overall, this brewery makes the "go again" list if we are passing through Prineville again.
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5. Cascade Lakes Brewing - The Lodge, Bend
This location was a little too touristy for us, but we had to stop by because the last time we were in Bend (2007) we had lunch here after hiking in the Three Sisters Wilderness. The beer was good, but they are a huge production brewery, so they have plenty of chances to get it right. Personally, I'd rather go to a dog-friendly beer garden, or a small independent tap room, then an established place like this. Next time, we'll try their Redmond location.
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| 2018 |
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| 2007 - yeah, we haven't aged at all. |