Glenwood Springs Area Breweries

1.  Carbondale Beer Works

In the heart of the impossibly adorable town of Carbondale, right next to the Post Office, is this little gem of a brewery.  The beer was good and our appetizer of pretzels with beer cheese was really really good.  The bartender was a little surly, but we had a great conversation with a furloughed Forest Service employee, who was begrudgingly (??) passing her free time at the bar.   

2.  Glenwood Canyon Brewing

This one barely gets a "meh".  The beer was just ok, and the food was good only because we were really hungry.  It was one of those big restaurant types of breweries (think: Rock Bottom or Yard House) that has put the craft of making good beer and food on the back burner while it focuses on having the biggest menu (of crap) in town.  Definitely won't return here.

Ouray Area Breweries

1.  Ouray Brewery, Ouray

This one is kind of a no-brainer.  It's walking distance from the RV.  It has good beer.  The bar seats are swings.  There's a rooftop deck.  And even though we've only been there 3 times, the staff already knows our name (cue Cheers theme song here).   The only downside is that they don't allow dogs.

That's right, kids, we're swingers!

Rooftop deck with amazing views ..... that's now closed for the winter.  😕

Why yes, yes in fact I did wear my Garmin the last time we went.  2.7 miles round trip and we (allegedly) burned 395 calories along the way.  That's like 2 beers, right??

2.  Ourayle House Brewery (a/k/a Mr. Grumpy Pants Brewing), Ouray

This is kinda like going to a Dick's Last Resort, but in a tiny town with hand-painted signs and a woodstove.  The beer is OK, and they have all the usual suspects on tap.  The owner, Mr. Grumpy Pants, can be viewed through a window, mixing up his latest brew.  The bartender - at least for the winter months - is a Scot who also owns a mobile axe-throwing business.  (Yes, axe throwing).  

Apparently if you dare to ask for a taster, its served in a plastic sippy cup.  They charge $.50 extra for IPA (because, you know, hops).  The insults and dry wit are free flowing.  The hand-painted signs hanging on the walls are entertaining.  There's no schedule of open or closed - you just get lucky or you don't.  While we've only been once, I do foresee a few winter trips if not for the beer, then for the rocking chairs around the woodstove. 

Considering that my pet name for Doug is "Mr. Grumpy Pants", this place has promise. 

Reminds me of the "closed on powdah days" signs in North Conway. 
And yes, that is Mr. Grumpy Pants on the other side of the window.

This one definitely spoke to me.

3.  Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery, Ridgway

On the very first day when we checked in to our RV Park, the owner told us the best pizza and beer -- where the locals go -- was at Colorado Boy.  She was right.  

The Ridgway location is just 10 miles to the north of us, and conveniently located on the way home from a lot of the good trails in the Sneffles Wilderness.  There is also a location in Montrose, but we haven't tried that one yet.

We've eaten there once and  ..... Oh.  My.  Gawd.   The pizza was amazing.   Also, how do you not love a place that gets all of its electricity from wind generators, all of its hot water from solar panels, and feeds all of its spent brewing grain to local cattle? I mean, really. 

Sharing a table outside after a motorcycle ride to Telluride. 

Picking up freshly canned beer is my assigned task after hikes!

4.  Red Mountain Brewing, Ouray

Red Mountain is in downtown Ouray, and has only been open for a year or so.  The day we went, they only had 2 of their own beers on tap, and the rest were just big commercial beers.  The menu didn't do anything for us, and the seats were wicked uncomfortable, so we didn't stay.  Maybe we were just tired and cranky, but with so many other better options, we haven't been back. Maybe in the spring, we'll take the pups to their patio. 

  

 

5.  Avalanche Brewing, Silverton

Loved this place!  We stopped in Silverton on the way back from riding the motorcycle over Red Mountain Pass down to Purgatory Ski Area to take in the scenery.  Although it was tough to find, that was part of what made it awesome.  When we couldn't find it at first (and had no cell signal to Google Map it), we settled for the Golden Block Brewery, on the main street of Silverton.  But, it was filled with tourists and children, and we just couldn't get a server's attention.  So we left and walked around the tiny little town, and finally saw a sign for Avalanche Brewing.  The beer was fantastic and there was a tiny little deck that looked out on a snowy mountain.  The pizza looked amazing, but we settled for just our beers and got back on the MC.  This is definitely a go-again, the next time we're in Silverton (which probably won't be until spring unless I can convince Doug to take me to the Silverton Skijoring event in February).

6.  Steamworks Brewing, Durango

Durango totally can't be considered the "Ouray Area", but we went there from Ouray on the motorcycle so it gets blog recognition.  Durango was supposed to be the next stop after Ouray, back before we fell in love with Ouray and decided to stay.  We had some hiking boots that we had ordered and had shipped to the Durango RV park before we knew we wouldn't be going there, so we had to go pick them up.  Since we hit all the local breweries on our 2014 trip to Durango, we knew which ones were worth revisiting.  Steamworks was one of them, mostly because of the awesome deck out back, overlooking the mountains.  Unfortunately, on this visit, the deck was closed for the season already, so we had to settle for a table in the bar.  The beer was good, the food was pretty good, and we were nourished enough for the long MC ride back to Ouray that afternoon.

Side note:  although we loved Durango in 2014, we both agreed that it is way too crowded for us now.  And this visit was during the off-season.  Clearly, we're getting old.  

      

Grand Junction & Fruita Breweries

1.  Copper Club Brewing Co., Fruita

We hit this one after our Pollock Bench hike, so we were very very thirsty and had the pups with us.  Although they didn't serve food, they had a stack of local menus and allowed food to be brought in.  We settled for the little buckets of (free) pretzels, and sat outside on the sunny patio.  The beer was really good.  This one definitely warrants a return trip!

Little buckets of pretzels complemented the yummy beer.

The patio gave Finn plenty of room to do his silly brewery dance.

Although you can't see the detail in this photo, all the tap handles were MTB parts!

2.  Suds Brothers, Fruita

Meh.  Beer was drinkable.  We didn't order food.  Inside felt more like a sports bar than a brewery.  Most memorable thing was the sign in the women's bathroom.  Wouldn't go back unless we were really thirsty and everything else was closed.

It was beer.  The end.  

This made me want to spend all of my money here.  Even if the beer wasn't that good.

3.  Kannah Creek Brewing Company, Grand Junction

Good beer.  Great service.  It was in the college part of town, so the tables and floor were kind of sticky, but that also meant the prices were reasonable.  Doug got the pizza and said it was really good.  We also hit it on Firkin' night, which meant they had just tapped a limited run keg - much to Doug's delight, it was an ESB!

4.  Edgewater Brewery, Grand Junction

This was a more upscale version of the college-vibe Kannah Creek, and its actually made by the same brewery.  There were more beer choices here, though.  We went on a Saturday afternoon, so it was pretty busy, but the service was great.  We ordered the Fried Cheese Curds appetizer, which was super yummy.  The beer was really good.  There was a large dog-friendly lawn area, although we didn't have the pups with us.  This is a go-again next time we're in town.

Moab Brewing, Moab UT

Meh. 

Just meh.

We had been here before - back in 2008, before we were so skilled at hunting out breweries.  It's still the only brewery in town, and I guess its got that going for it.  But we were underwhelmed.

The beer is average.  So average that we didn't even consider getting any to go. 

The food was below average.  They had a decent vegetarian selection, but it wasn't very good (at least the hummus wrap wasn't).

If you're in Moab, I'd say you should skip the Brewery and head straight to Eddie McStiffs.  It isn't a brewery, but they have lots of Utah and Colorado beers on tap and the food was really good.  Doug got a BLT that had a "schmear" of egg salad.  I know, it sounds gross, but it was really pretty awesome. 

Rogue Valley Wineries

So, we usually don't go to wineries.  Lots of reasons.  Doug isn't a big wine fan, and I would rather open a bottle at home or with friends when I can kick back and relax. I also hate the tacky commercialism that has taken over most wineries.  But this region felt different.  Oh, and, Groupon had a great deal on the Priority Wine Pass, which essentially gave us free tasting flights at lots of wineries. 

1.  Longsword Vineyard, Jacksonville, OR

We initially came here because they are a part of the Harvest Hosts program, in which vineyards and farms allow RVers to boondock (camp without electric/water/sewer hookups) for free.  We didn't stay there on this trip, but wanted to scope it out for next time.   I enjoyed the red wines and Doug liked the gewurztraminer.  The owner/winemaker sat and talked with us for awhile, and we got some quality time with the two ranch dogs - a cattle dog and a very very fluffy aussie.  We also watched paragliders take off from the mountains, and the owner explained that his ranch was one of their LZs.  I ended up buying a bottle of their Reprise Red Blend - something about fermenting the grapes in the skins of other grapes - whatever, it was really good.

2.  Plaisance Ranch, Williams, OR

My favorite, by far.  First, we were greeted by Weezie, a 7-month old little rat dog before we even got off the motorcycles.  Then, Weezie followed us around and gave us lots of kisses the entire time we were there (except when someone else arrived, then she'd have to go greet them, but she came right back to us).  If you have any interest in french wines, read their story on their website - this place is steeped in history.  The owner gave me a personal tour of the ranch - from where she hand-dips every bottle in wax, to the barrel room, and out to the livestock fields.  I felt like she was a long lost friend - we chatted for a long time while Doug sat in the shade getting Weezie kisses.  The wine was good, but nothing that made me want to buy a bottle. I did buy some of their organic, grass-fed, free range, steak from happy cows for Doug's birthday dinner, though.  I wish I had taken more pictures of the grounds, because they were beautiful in a very natural, working ranch kind of way!

He may not have had the wine, but he got everything he needed from Weezie.

Oh Weezie, you would have fit so well in one of the saddlebags!

3.  Schmidt Family Vineyards, Grants Pass, OR

This was much larger than the other two, and had a little air of commercialism, but it wasn't obnoxious.  The grounds were absolutely beautiful, with walking paths and gardens everywhere, a large pond with a dock, and plenty of Adirondack chairs in which to kick back and relax. The reds were very good - especially the Tempranillo.  They were all above my price-point, though, so I just immersed myself in the tasting flight and enjoyed the scenery.

A very generous 6-pour tasting flight - and FREE with the Priority Wine Pass (thanks, Groupon!)

What I looked like after that generous 6-pour tasting.  Good thing I was just a passenger that day!

Perennial and Rose Gardens

 4.  Troon Vineyard, Grants Pass, OR

This was probably the best wine I had in the region - and maybe ever.  My Priority Pass gave me a free standard tasting, which should have been just 4 pours, but the staff clearly loved their jobs and wanted me to try ALL THE WINES.  Doug was sitting in the garden, and I occasionally brought him something to try (including a sweet white that had been fermented with orange skins, and a red desert wine that was as good as any 20-year port I've had.  There was only one other person in the place, so I learned a lot about the vineyard and winemaking process they use.  They were also having a huge case sale - 75% off the wines they were trying to purge.  And guess what?  The one red that I absolutely loved was included.  Yep, I bought a case (and saved $360!!!) and then had to figure out how to distribute 12 bottles of wine among 2 MC saddlebags.  😏

Still lots of smoke in the air, but those mountains are beautiful!

The gardens out back

Walkway to the tasting room.

5.  Del Rio Vineyards, Gold Hill, OR

This was my least favorite.  I didn't like the wines or the vibe, and it wasn't included in the Priority Pass - a tasting flight was $10.  It was big and commercialized.  But, it was 2 miles from our RV park and it had a nice garden out back.  I wouldn't go back here. 

Garden out back

Gateway to the grapes

Rogue Valley Breweries

1.  Connor Fields Brewing, Grant's Pass, Oregon

This was tough to find because the "tasting room" is actually inside a restaurant called "The Haul" - with no signage for Connor Fields.  We trusted GoogleMaps, though, and went in to be pleasantly surprised by a bunch of taps.  The beer was really good - an IPA for me and a Cream Ale for Doug.  If we were beer snobs, we'd probably note that both beers were served in the entirely wrong kind of glass, but of course, we aren't beer snobs.  We didn't have time to try the food, but the wood-fired pizza looked really good.  

2.  Climate City Brewing, Grants Pass, OR

The patio here was one of my all-time favorites!  Its all in the shade, with a little creek running by, and little white lights overhead.  The beer was good, the service was spectacular.  We went twice - once on the motorcyle just for beer, and the second time for dinner after I went for a massage.  Doug loved his burger; I wasn't a big fan of the Brussels sprouts appetizer (and you know how much I love Brussels sprouts!). 

BTW - we learned here that the official motto of the city of Grants Pass is "It's the Climate", because the Rogue Valley has a Zone 7 climate, which is marked by hot, dry summers and mild winters.

I don't have a picture of this one because my phone had an unfortunate incident with a garden hose prior to backing up all of the pictures on it.  😩   

3.  Vice Brewing, Grants Pass, OR

This was a small little brewery around the corner from Climate City.  The bartender was also the brewer and the owner, and looked young enough to be my grandson.  We were the only ones in the whole place, despite as it being hot as hell outside and air conditioned inside.  The unique thing here was that there was a big leather couch in front of a big screen TV with Nintendo/PlayStation gaming consoles.  I guess that's what this generation wants while they drink beer.  (Wow, I sound like an old lady....)

4.  Wild River Brewing, Medford, OR

Wild River is a local chain - there are 5 of them in the area.  I typically don't expect much from a chain, but this one had great beer and pizza.  We actually went twice (but only because it's really hard to keep track of which ones we've been to!).  I thought their IPA was really good, and Doug was pretty darn excited about the ESB.  The pizza was thin crust, wood fired, and cut in neat little squares, all of which made me happy.

No pictures of beer here (they drowned with my cell phone).  But, Doug took a picture on his phone of the pizza (because - linguisa!). 

5.  Walkabout Brewing, Medford, OR

This is a small little brewery in an industrial area out by the mall.  There was a huge dog-friendly backyard with lots of green grass and lawn chairs (which you could only access by walking the pups through the middle of the bar).  They were setting up for live music while we were there, and by the time we left, it was hoppin.  I met Doug there with the pups after our Harts Trail hike, and we were all very very thirsty, so the beer was especially good.  Favorite thing:  the sign by the dog poo bag dispenser that said "only YOU can prevent poo piles!"  😆

6.  Opposition Brewing Co., Medford, OR

Another tiny brewery in an industrial park.  No patio, but the inside was dog friendly and we got lots of kisses from an adorable goldendoodle (we were on the MC, so no pups of our own).  The beer was good, and all made in-house.  They also had several local wines on tap, which was a nice touch.  There was sort of a military theme (gas masks, a beer named 'blast radius', their motto of 'embrace the chaos'), so I asked the bartender.  Turns out, its not military themed, but apocalypse themed.  They used to be named Apocalypse Brewing, until they were sued by another brewery and had to change their name.  Damn lawyers.

7. Common Block Brewing, Medford, OR

Right in the middle of downtown, in an old car dealership building, this one tries to be upscale, but falls a short.  There was a nice dog-friendly patio with picnic tables.  The first time we went, we were on the motorcycles, so no pups; we went back with the pups for Doug's birthday dinner, during which Finn alternated between being scared to death of the sound of cornhole being played in the parking lot to not being able to control his wiggly-but every time a server walked by. 

Beer was acceptable, but there wasn't much of a variety.  We both had the Pale Ale, which was similar to a Sierra Nevada - kind of down the middle for both of us.  I didn't think much of the food, but Doug enjoyed his burger, and the pups reported that their french fries were good. 

No pictures here either.  Damn phone.

8.   Rogue Creamery, Central Point, OR

OK, its not a brewery, but the only way I'll remember it is if I write about it here.  This was an amazing little cheese shop down the road from the Medford breweries.  The guys working there were actual cheesemongers who could rattle off the flavor profile of every cheese in the cave, and graciously provided samples.  I opted for hunks of smoked gouda,  "earthy blue", and hopped cheddar.  Really really good quality cheese (and a neat sampling experience).

Seattle Area Breweries

First of all, it is not humanly possible to visit every brewery in the greater Seattle area.  Don't get me wrong, we've made a valiant effort over the years, but we accept that we will die someday never having experienced every Seattle brewery.

For the purposes of this blog, the only breweries that count are the ones we hit on this trip.  This time, that was:  (1) Airways; (2) Odin; and (3) North Fork.


1.  Airways Brewing, Kent WA

Two ESBs, an IPA, and a bucket of potato salad!

This is from a previous visit to Airways, but that head is just so
damned impressive it deserves to be shared again!

Airways conveniently allows you to bring in your own food, which facilitates the Norvell Family tradition of feasting on Caveman BBQ.  They have two locations in Kent - one is the production facility with a taproom, and the other is a bistro with a full menu. We've been to both, but on this trip, it was taproom.  The beer is decent, and there's no doubt we'll go again the next time someone has a craving for Caveman.     

2. Odin Brewing, Tukwila, WA

Odin has been around Seattle for a long time, too, but their tap room is relatively new.  It would be a convenient stop on the way to/from the airport, or if you feel the need to patronize the ginormous shopping mall at Southcenter.  The beer was good enough to buy a six pack of the IPA for home.   The food -- a Cuban and a Brat -- wasn't anything to celebrate, but it wasn't terrible.  There are a lot of breweries in Seattle, and I'm not sure I'd revisit Odin instead trying something new next time.  But if we're nearby, I could easily be talked into stopping for a beer.  😏

3.  North Fork Brewing, Deming, WA

Will you just look at the beauty of that nitro ESB cascading down the glass?

A "beer shrine" is a thing?  I fully support that.

First of all, I'm sure I'm committing some crime by calling this the "Seattle Area" (is North Conway the "Boston Area"??).  But if you're anywhere near Mt. Baker you absolutely have to stop at North Fork.  In fact, its so good that its worth a trip from Bellingham/Arlington just for the beer.  Doug had an ESB on nitro, which he said was as good as any he'd had in England.  I, of course, went for the IPA and it was really good.  Their menu is limited to pizza and grinders, and we had a slice of pepperoni pizza.  It was SO good!!  New York style sweet red sauce and thin crispy foldable crust with air pockets.  This is a "go again" for sure.

Bend Area Breweries

*Updated September 2018 to include new breweries visited August 2018*


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. 

This dog knows a good beer garden when she sees it!

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. 

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.

2018

2007 - yeah, we haven't aged at all.