Young homebrewers all grown up, Ty Barnett and Curt Plants founded Goodlife Brewing Company in Bend, Ore. in 2011, as number nine on the growing list of breweries in the city limits. Operating on a 30-barrel, four-vessel brew system built in their home state, Goodlife aims for balance and freshness, comparing their methods to “the balance it takes to gracefully zip down a tight tree run on Mt. Bachelor.” One of their more widely-distributed and popular brews is the Descender IPA, a hoppy ale that isn’t necessarily aimed at the hophead fanatics many Northwestern beer drinkers claim to be. The balance they shoot for is achieved with structured hops and supporting malts for a beer with serious foundation and flavor.
