Best brewpubs in Bend?

[Alan Rath]

Heading to Bend for a few days, any recs on where to go?

[Scott Tallman]

Depends on what beer types you prefer, but here are a few personal favs:

- Monkless Belgian Ales - a rare brewery that focuses on Belgian Trappist beers plus a few other Belgian styles

- Boneyard - covers many styles, but best known for well balanced, but higher ABV, hoppy beers

- Ale Apothecary - a brewer with a unique perspective on wild and oak aged beers. Cool little tasting room too

- Crux Fermentation Project - a wide range of styles with a large tasting room with fun outdoor area

- Boss Rambler - newer brewery that I tried this summer, but solid group of hoppy beers and stouts

- Deschutes - admittedly don’t drink much of their beer anymore, but worth visiting this pioneer of NW beer

[Alan Rath]

Thanks Scott, and a fellow Fremont'er! (that guy got around). Monkless sounds like my style, I'm not an IPA/hop drinker, or a new age fizzy/funky drinker. Belgians and stouts are my style. Oak and me don't mix, lol. How about mixing in food, how do you rate those places (if they have food)?

[Scott Tallman]

Thanks Scott, and a fellow Fremont'er! (that guy got around). Monkless sounds like my style, I'm not an IPA/hop drinker, or a new age fizzy/funky drinker. Belgians and stouts are my style. Oak and me don't mix, lol. How about mixing in food, how do you rate those places (if they have food)?

Monkless has a rotating food truck. There was a falafel truck there when I last visited that was solid.

Crux had solid food when I last ate there a few years back - and they typically have a few good stouts on draft.

Boneyard and Deschutes both have food, but I have not tried either. Boss Rambler is sans food, but there are a few restaurants within walking distance (pizza, Mexican and falafel for sure, probably a few others).

[Chuck Miller]

Crux has a charcuterie board that is killer. Also, while not a brew pub, check out a place called Primal Cuts. It’s a butcher shop on one side, and the other side has maybe 30 taps from all over the PNW, including when I was there last, a tab pouring a Heater-Allen beer. But the highlight is a sandwich they make called a Porkstrami. You won’t be disapointed.

[Alan Rath]

Well, we didn't get to many on the list (only had one night by ourselves, and went to Desuchutes just because it was easy to get in). Another night we went with friends to 10 Barrel, which is great. Plenty of good food and lots of interesting beer choices.

Not a beer pub, but if you're in Bend and want fine dining, Ariana is as good as anything you will find in the Bay Area, excellent food, ambience, service, very fair pricing.

[Rick Allen]

Glad that you enjoyed Budweiser's Tap Room.

Will second Ariana.

[Scott Tallman]

Glad that you enjoyed Budweiser's Tap Room.

Will second Ariana.

[Brandon R]

10 Barrel!!!!

[Alan Rath]

Glad that you enjoyed Budweiser's Tap Room.

Well, you'd never know it. Food was great, staff terrific, lots of interesting beers on tap. Yeah, it's nice when a small outfit can stay independent, but I'll never blame someone for cashing in if they can - especially if they're able (as seems here, at least so far) to maintain relative independence, and keep something of the vibe. Much rather see that than have a small business go under because they don't have the cash, get in over their heads, sell to other less capable buyers who run it into the ground, etc. If I didn't know about the Budweiser connection, I would never have guessed a link.

[Scott Tallman]

Glad that you enjoyed Budweiser's Tap Room.

Well, you'd never know it. Food was great, staff terrific, lots of interesting beers on tap. Yeah, it's nice when a small outfit can stay independent, but I'll never blame someone for cashing in if they can - especially if they're able (as seems here, at least so far) to maintain relative independence, and keep something of the vibe. Much rather see that than have a small business go under because they don't have the cash, get in over their heads, sell to other less capable buyers who run it into the ground, etc. If I didn't know about the Budweiser connection, I would never have guessed a link.

I went to 10 Barrel Bend a few times pre-AB INBEV acquisition. That was in the nascent days of the craft beer scene in Bend and nationally really exploded - both qualitatively and quantitatively. Thought the food was solid and the beers were fine. With their pre-acquisition trajectory, I think they would have continued to do very well regionally with the brewpub model, but IIRC they had national distribution ambitions, hence the sale. So it wasn’t something they needed to do to stay viable or successful, but I do not begrudge them for selling.

I have zero interest in supporting ABI if I can help it, hence I have not been to 10 Barrel Bend since the acquisition. Nor would I recommend it it to anyone who is looking for the best brewpubs in Bend (or Portland). There are so many better breweries in those locations.

Only caveat to the above is I stopped in the Boise location when visiting a friend in May as it was the only place nearby that had a decent vegan food option for me and I was starving. Tried a few samplers of their beers and was not impressed or interested by any of them. But based on my few other Boise brewery visits, you may want to keep them on your list for best Boise brewpubs.

[Brandon R]

Didn't know that 10 Barrel sold.

[Rick Allen]

That was a number of years ago.

[Brandon R]

Yeah, well, I guess I'm just behind the times, then.

[Kris Patten]

Have always like Deschutes there as the tap room team brews some cool beers, especially in winter as I like dark beers if I have to drink beer.

When I was bartending I used to buy Deschutes Cask Conditioned Porter, Stout, and Jubelale kegs, and pour them on nitro, they were killer. Always have a spot for Deschutes.