This post may contain affiliate links wherein I earn a small commission if you purchase or subscribe to a product from one of my links (at no extra cost to you!). Read my full Privacy Policy here.
Once upon a time (way back in 2015) we took a road trip driving from the San Francisco Bay Area in California up through Oregon and Washington! Our first destination was originally Spokane (to visit some friends), but we figured it would be nice to break up the drive and stop in Bend, Oregon for one night. This turned out to be a great decision as Bend became one of my favorite cities to visit in Oregon!
Since it was our first time in Bend, I wanted to experience a little of the beer scene and booked a free tour at the Deschutes Brewery. Deschutes made some of the very first craft beer that I started drinking when beer became a part of my life, so I felt I owed it to the brand to get a glimpse on how everything is made.
Most of you have probably heard of Deschutes – you can find their beer in major grocery retailers throughout the country. Their beer is generally okay, but with all the other craft breweries out there in the world, its hard to compete. They do make some really good special seasonal beers (like a bourbon barrel aged stout, for example) that you can try in their taproom or public houses.
The Tour
We took the free tour of the brewery that lasted about 45 minutes, and showcases the beer making process from start to finish.
On the tour, they gave us the rundown on the history of the company and took us on a tour of the facility, explaining the brewing process and which big containers held what, and described the bottling process.
It’s always super interesting to learn how some of your favorite things are made!
The brewery was actually shut down for the Fourth of July holiday when we visited, so there was not a lot of beer action going on that day.
We also got to taste a few different flavored malts and smell and feel a dried hop. That was something new to us as far as what you get on brewery tours, so that was neat!
Near the end of the tour, there was a hallway dedicated to Deschutes beer art. My favorite was a piece that was made completely from pieces of beer bottle labels!
At the end of the tour, we got to sample four of their flagship beers, most of which are beers they sell in stores. There was unfortunately no seasonal beers available to try and it was super crowded in their little tasting room. Not fun when its hot and uncomfortable summer weather!
If you’re not interested in the brewing process and want to try more of their seasonal beers, I would recommend visiting their public house in Downtown Bend. We visited their public house in Portland once and they definitely had a large variety of beers to offer!
By far, my favorite brewery tour remains New Belgium which we did when we visited Fort Collins, CO. Any readers out there have a favorite brewery tour they’ve taken?
Leave a Reply