A block east is Silver Moon (www.SilverMoonBrewing.com, 24 NW Greenwood Ave.), which garnered a pair of medals at the last Great American Beer Fest including gold for Dark Side Stout, so you know their lineup is solid. Abernathy said of the pub’s funky, slightly grungy space on the edge of downtown that, “I like to think of it as authentic Bend: slightly eclectic, possibly a little run-down, unpolished and completely comfortable.” In addition to being served award winning beers and upscale pub fare, the pub offers some of Bend’s best independent live music.
Silver Moon Brewing
A two-minute walk west of Deschutes Brewing is Bend Brewing Co. (www.BendBrewingCo.com, 1019 NW Brooks St.), where Abernathy said, “Tonya Cornett has been brewing some amazing beers as well as improving the house lineup.” Situated on the river, making the back patio the place to be in the summers, it’s great year-round. “I really love the ski lodge/après-ski atmosphere and decor that the brewpub is decked out in. It’s a locals’ favorite,” Cornett said.
Shaking things up in town is 10 Barrel Brewing (www.10Barrel.com, 1135 NW Galveston Ave.), which is just under a mile from Bend Brewing on the west side of the river, an easy walk or ride for Tonya since she has started splitting her time by brewing there, too. Abernathy said that the pub is already so popular that there can be a line to get in. Though the brewery is expanding from its existing system to a 50-barrel system, there is no word on whether that will affect their name. From pub-only one-offs such as a PB&J beer to the paint-strippingly sour One in the Sun, Abernathy said10 Barrel is definitely having fun with their brews.
Over at Boneyard (www.BoneyardBeer.com, 37 NW Lake Pl, Ste B) in the industrial part of town, stop at this new production brewery’s tasting room thatAbernathy said is fast becoming a local favorite thanks in part to interesting beers that aren’t afraid of the dark. After sampling them, fill your growler with either Black 13 (a roasty shwarzbier), Shug Knite (14% imperial stout), or Armored Fist, an extra hoppy imperial Cascadian dark ale (as black IPAs are known in these parts). While only one year old, the Boneyard almost qualifies for middle-age in Bend.
Boneyard
Expanding the Bend Ale Trail, the newly-opened Good Life (www.GoodLifeBrewing.com, 1355 SW Commerce Ave.) has only a few beers under their belt, but impresses with a massive indoor bierhall and outdoor biergarten in which to enjoy them. While most of the menu is German-style, don’t overlook the hop-infused hummus or the bourbon-baked brie. Going in the opposite direction, Dean and Bridget Wise have launched Below Grade Brewing, which is below ground level in their basement. Soon, Below Grade won’t be the only one-barrel nanobrewery in Bend, as brewer Al Toepfer is building out Rat Hole Brewing, though the name doesn’t befit the attractive rural setting.
