Connor Currie, head brewer of Ale Apothecary in Bend, says the small brewery’s mixed-culture, barrel-aged beers are unique to their location, developed in the woods where the brewery is located.
The sour beers generally take one to two years to come to fruition, he says, because rather than using lab-grown yeast cultures “we use wild yeast from the air outside.”
It takes a long time to develop such flavors, Connor says, but that slow aging process is the cornerstone for this small brewery’s one-of-a-kind creations.
“We use local ingredients because we’re trying to make a beer that has a sense of place and time.”
Ale Apothecary, Bend’s only sour brewery, sources ingredients directly from Oregon growers, such as barley and wheat malts from Mecca Grade Estate Malt in Madras, hops from Goschie Farms in Silverton and raw honey from farms throughout Oregon. Several of Ale Apothecary’s sour ales are available at Market of Choice.
“Working with Market of Choice is great,” says Connor, who touts the expertise of the grocer’s beer staff. “They’ve been working with us since the beginning. It’s great to know that we are in a store with knowledgeable beer sellers that can inform consumers about our selection of delicious beers.”
Ask your Market of Choice Beer & Wine Steward about the unique flavors of Bend bottled in Ale Apothecary’s creations.
