Bend is like that one house in college you could always count on to be having a party. Rain or shine, winter or summer, beer and other beverages seem to be running rampant at fests almost every other weekend in Central Oregon’s Beertown, USA. Next up is a summer classic: Bend Brewfest, happening Thursday, August 15through Saturday, August 17. It’s an annual all-ages fandango celebrating “brewtality at its best” and held in Bend’s quirky, historical Old Mill District.
The focus on “brewtality” (that’s hospitality, craft beer style) means there’s going to be a tent where you can come over and meet a number of the brewers whose creations will be on tap over the course of the weekend. Thursday you’ll find people from Phat Matt’s Brewing Company and Shade Tree Brewing; Friday from Oakshire Brewing Company and Fort George, and Saturday from Gilgamesh Brewing, 21st Amendment and Everybody’s Brewing. That’s just to name a few: here’s the full schedule, featuring new representatives every hour. The fest also features what they call The X-Tap, a dispenser of the lowest-production and most experimental beers at the festival. Think things called Bourbon Barrel Diablo Rojo, and Dos Jalapeños, and Torrent Pale Beet Bock. Are you interested yet? We are.
Admission is free; tasting is $12, and gets you a souvenir mug and four tasting tokens. Proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon. If you’d rather be thrifty and involved, volunteer to work a shift: in addition to the mug and tokens you get a Brewfest shirt and the chance to make a whole horde of new friends.
Thursday, August 15—Saturday, August 17 || Thursday & Friday 3-11pm, Saturday noon-11pm || Les Schwab Amphitheater, Bend, Ore. || Cost: $12 for tasting mug and four tokens. Additional tokens available for $1 apiece (sold in sets of five)
