http://bendwild.com An Insiders Guide to the Good Life in Central Oregon Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:32:56 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en For those of you who haven't been by to see the remarkable renovations in Bend's Pioneer Park, it is a must see as the Bend Park and Recreation District and the contractors involved have done a great job of making a good park great. [caption id="attachment_494" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Paver walkway in ... http://bendwild.com/2010/08/pioneer-park-renovation-in-downtown-bend-oregon/ Stone's 14th Anniversary ale is a huge 8.9% British-styled ale categorized as an Emperial IPA (as in a beer from the English "Empire").  Despite its English-heritage, this beer is distinctively "Stone" in nature.  It includes two hop varieties; Target, East Kent Goldings and Boadicea (which we're presuming must be old ... http://bendwild.com/2010/08/stone-14th-anniversary-emperial-ipa/ This pub-exclusive from the masterminds at Deschutes Brewery is a direct descendent of Red Chair Northwest Pale.  For a previous review of Red Chair  Northwest Pale Ale and all of its elegant virtues, visit the following link.  Red Chair Northwest Pale.  Mother Lode chimes in at 5.6% alcohol and a ... http://bendwild.com/2010/08/mother-lode-nw-pale-from-deschutes-brewery/ This excellent pale ale is a standout brewed by the people with a "passion for the pale", Firestone Walker Brewing company in Paso Robles, California.  This hoppy and balanced yet light beer is a summer blessing.  At 4.8% ABV, this "California Pale Ale" is very worthy of a 6 pack ... http://bendwild.com/2010/07/firestone-walker-pale-31-a-hoppy-refreshing-california-pale-ale/ One of the most accessible alpine hikes in the Bend, Oregon area is the Canyon Creek Meadow Trail to the base of Central Oregon's Three Fingered Jack.  While Canyon Creek Meadow may not always look as beautiful the one below provided by the lovable guys at Pacific Crest Stock, it is ... http://bendwild.com/2010/07/three-fingered-jack-a-central-oregon-backcountry-gem/ Hoo Doo Voo Doo IPA has been a favorite of the Bend Wild staff since its genesis at the hands of then brewer, Dave Fleming.  The Three Creeks Website doesn't currently have any information about Voo Doo IPA  but you'll have to trust us that it is part of their ... http://bendwild.com/2010/06/hoo-doo-voo-doo-ipa-from-three-creeks-brewery-in-sisters-oregon/ The newest addition to Deschutes Brewery's seasonal bottling line up is worthy of its own style classification, which is exactly what Deschutes has given Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale.  This 6.4% ABV "Northwest Pale" is one of several strong pales that Deschutes has been experimenting with in the past year. ... http://bendwild.com/2010/04/deschutes-brewerys-red-chair-northwest-pale-ale/ This tap-only Deschutes beer has been in the back of my mind for quite some time.  A couple of friends of Bend Wild tipped us off on this hoppy, but approachable IPA  crafted by Cam O,Connor Of Deschutes' PDX pub.  The friends of Bend Wild know that we are suckers ... http://bendwild.com/2010/04/fresh-squeezed-ipa-from-deschutes-pdx/ Any beer bold enough to put "Dry Hopped" in big capital letters on its label better come through on that promise, and Saint Rogue Red does not disappoint. [caption id="attachment_385" align="aligncenter" width="375" caption="Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red"][/caption] Bend Wild - Beer Scoring Scale Maximum Nose/Appearance 35 34 Body/Flavor 40 35 Finish/Mouthfeel 15 13 Overall Drinkability 10 9 Total Score 100 91 Nose/Appearance: A dark auburn ale that pours with ... http://bendwild.com/2010/03/dry-hopped-saint-rogue-red-ale-by-rogue-ales/ One of the classic hiking areas in Central Oregon lies high on the flanks of Central Oregon's Broken Top Mountain.  This gorgeous area is largely composed of high dry alpine basins peppered with mountain streams, waterfalls and wildflowers.  It is a stunning place with easy access to high alpine getaways ... http://bendwild.com/2010/03/broken-top-trail-central-oregon%e2%80%99s-hiking-nirvana/