BONE-A-FIDE
The bad boys of the Bend brewing scene
by Elliot Martínez
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Tony Lawrence
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Photos courtesy of boneyard beer
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Just a hop, skip and a two-and-a-half hour drive east of Eugene is another jewel in the Oregon beer crown: Bend. The Bend/Sisters area now plays host to eight breweries, of which Boneyard Beer is the latest addition.
Boneyard may be the new brew on the block, but brewmaster Tony Lawrence is a seasoned veteran of the industry. Lawrence began brewing in Bend in 1988 at Deschutes Brewery under legendary brewer John Harris. Since then, Lawrence has worked on recipe design at Three Floyds Brewing and quality control at Firestone Walker and assisted in brewery expansions and installations the world over, including a few in Eugene. Having worked as a consultant for as long as he has, Lawrence has acquired a hodgepodge of equipment from the “boneyards” of the breweries he’s worked with. Refurbished and reconfigured to meet the needs of the new Boneyard Beer brewery, the upcycled equipment itself inspired brewery’s name.
Lawrence’s knowledge of beers outside the Northwest sets his beer apart from those predominately comprising the Bend beer scene. “We don’t do what everybody else is doing. We do what we want to do,” he says. This sentiment clearly manifests itself in Boneyard’s unique lineup of offerings.
Bone-A-Fide Pale Ale: Heavily influenced by Three Floyds, this pale is hoppy like an IPA but without the bitterness. This is one of my favorite pales since Full Sail of the mid ’90s.
Black 13: This dry stout is a voodoo mathematician’s wet dream. Thirteens show up everywhere, from the number of ingredients, IBUs and degrees Plato to number of “samples” it took me to figure out what the heck style of beer Black 13 most resembled.
Girl Beer: A little sour, a little fruity and a little fun, this cherry wheat employs Oregon cherry puree in conjunction with Sauermalz malt to create a tart and subtly sweet beer that’s full of sass.
Dirty Girl: What you get when you blend the Black 13 with the Girl Beer. The tartness of the Girl really brings out the roasts in the Black.
If you’re looking for Boneyard Beer in Eugene, you can find it on the rotating tap lists of Sam Bond’s Garage and the Bier Stein, and Diablo’s Downtown Lounge has the Black 13 on tap. With an IPA on the way and 16-ounce cans scheduled to hit shelves Halloween, I’m sure you’ll see more of Boneyard’s beers in the Emerald City. Should you find yourself in Bend this summer, be sure to stop by the Boneyard Beer brewery and fill up your growler. If it’s a Wednesday, you’re in for a six dollar treat!
Boneyard Beer, 37 NW Lake, Bend. (541) 323-2325. www.boneyardbeer.com
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