Finally, two breweries are on the verge of opening, both from top-ranking Deshutes alumni. Former brewmaster Larry Sidor will be unveiling his as-yet-unnamed project this summer’ and former assistant brewmaster Paul Arney is getting The Ale Apothecary off the ground from his abode near Tumalo Falls. He vowed that his flagship Sahalie Ale will never be the same beer twice. To check out his operation, schedule an appointment in advance at [email protected].
If there’s only so many breweries you can visit, there are several great beer bars in town where you can let the Ale Trail come to you. Perhaps the most convenient, all-in-one is the Brew Shop–both a homebrew supply store and bottle shop with more than 500 chillers–that recently added The Platypus Pub (1203 NE 3rd St.). This new location began as a church, so it’s no wonder the selection is divine. Abernathy calls the new restaurant, “a welcoming, fairly family-friendly pub with 15 taps and a couple of dartboards. “They also plan to brew their own pub-only beers at some point.”
Perhaps more popular with the mountain bike crowd because it’s on the Westside and just that much closer to the trails is Brother Jon’s Public House (www.BrotherJonsPublicHouse.com, 1227 NW Galveston Ave.). Directly across the street from 10 Barrel’s pub, Brother Jon’s slings tasty morsels from morning until night, so it’s a great place to fuel up before starting your climb up Mount Bachelor. The fact that they tap rare beers found nowhere else in town doesn’t hurt.
When exhausted from tackling the riding and beer trails, crash out in historic comfort. Across Oregon, the McMenamin brothers made a habit out of renovating and converting historic buildings into ornate brewpubs. Sometimes that entails adding lodging, as is the case with the Old St. Francis School (www.mcmenamins.com/421-old-st-francis-school-home, 700 NW Bond St.) in the heart of downtown. Established as a Catholic school in 1936, it now houses a rustic lodge replete with its own brewpub, bakery, and movie theater. Rooms start around $150.
McMenamin's Old St. Francis School
