As always, the breweries we visit and share with you are more often than not, more about the people than the beer. Don’t get us wrong, the beer has to be good for us to want to share it with you, but the people are always the selling point.
And it was no different when we met Jason Randles, Branding and Marketing Manager at Crux Fermentation Project in Bend, Oregon. From the moment he said hi to when we were packing up the equipment at the end of the interview, he, the brewers, the beertenders, and even the patrons at Crux were nothing but in the best of moods with smiles, laughter, and love. I swear, if it wasn’t for COVID, we might have hugged more strangers here than anywhere. And we like strangers. Damn COVID!
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The entire town of Bend is no different. From the many breweries, trails, people, coffee shops, neighborhoods, and more, Bend is the epitome of a community, and Crux is right in the middle of it…Literally!
We hope you enjoy your taste of Bend and Crux as much as we did. We know you weren’t really there, but with sunset happy hours, its Banished series of intense beers, mixed fermentation done beautifully and its staple beers such as the Crux Pilz, you’ll just have to do your best living vicariously through us.
Oh, the places we went!
- Crux Fermentation Project – unique beers with an inviting beer park and indoor space – Bend, OR
- Crosscut Warming Hut No. 5 – beer bar with apes ski atmosphere – Bend, OR
- Looney Bean of Bend – coffee shop along the river – Bend, OR
- The Lot – food carts and taproom – Bend, OR
- Old Mill District – shops, restaurants, breweries, riverside trail – Bend, OR
Oh, the beer we drank.
On Site at Crux Fermentation Project:
- Boundless Enthusiasm – Fruited Kettle Sour
- Crux Pilz – New-Old-World Pilsner
- Bubble Wrap – Hazy IPA
- [Banished] Tough Love ’19 – Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
- [Banished] In the Pocket ’18 – Barrel-Aged Rustic Saison
From Lead Dog Brewing in Reno, NV
- Churro Please – American Brown Ale
Want More?
We’ve got a lot more to share here that goes along with Crux Fermentation Project and Bend, including video footage of Crux and all its beauty. Check it out!
So many trails in Bend – Check out our Bikin’ Bits bonus podcast episodes.
Don’t know where to start on your very own brewery tour? Start here!
PRO TIP: When possible, please check ahead anywhere you go. Many places are re-opening, but some may not be. Due to the C-word, you need to be prepared for restrictions and closures. Be flexible.
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Let us know you did just that, and we’ll put together a virtual happy hour with you. We’d love to see your smiling faces.
“Ken and April do a fantastic job of mixing the culture of beer and adventure into something akin to a fine barrel-aged sour. They are wise beyond their years. Loving this podcast and it will be on our weekly playlist for SURE!”
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Shout Outs:
Jason from Crux Fermentation Project – thanks for taking time out of your busy day to chat and show us around your beautiful work place. Crux will forever hold a warm place in our hearts, especially after enjoying a few of those Banished series beers. Mmmmm!
Our crazy friend, August, from FlexFixx who drive 12 hours out of the way, meeting us at Crux and hangin’ with us to ride some trails and drink some beer. Check out his cool new workout system. It’s probably why he’s so cool!
This makes me miss running our brewery. I had no idea about the meaning of Crux. That’s rad.