Boneyard Collaborates with Brewmaster John Harris

News broke in March of this year that John Harris, a fixture in the Oregon craft brewing community, would be stepping down from his post as brewmaster at Full Sail Brewing to began his own craft brewery. Living the dream of almost every craft brewer, Harris looks to open his new venture in Southeast Portland near where he resides. Known for the many beer recipes he helped to develop at Full Sail – most notably those from their Brewmasters Reserve Series, Harris, began his professional career in brewing with McMenamins before brewing for Deschutes Brewery of Bend, where he helped to develop their very popular and widely available Mirror Pond Pale Ale.

Now in between brewing gigs, Harris is doing as many in his brewing boots have done, he is collaborating with another brewery. Boneyard Beer of Bend has come out of the gate strong in the few years since they have been open, with some of the most critically acclaimed India Pale Ales Oregon has ever tasted. Harris is joining them today to brew a new beer, an India Wheat Ale. Much like an IPA but with wheat constituting a portion of the grain bill. Boneyard co-founder and brewer Tony Lawrence is known for his work with 3 Floyds Brewing of Munster, Indiana, a brewery who, like many Midwestern outfits, has produced varieties of hoppy wheaten brews such as their year-round hit, Gumball Head. Boneyard acknowledges that Harris has been a mentor to Lawrence, referring to the man as “OG (Original Gangsta) Deschutes Brewery Brewer.”

With these two generations of hoppy brewing pioneers joining forces, the result will be unveiled later this month. Boneyard says “Prepare to salivate.” We already are!