Beers Made By Walking Treks to Central Oregon

Beers Made By Walking has their sites sent on Central Oregon and the tasty breweries of Bend. Eric Steen’s Beers Made By Walking is happy to announce a series of hikes in collaboration with the Oregon Natural Desert Association in Bend, Oregon. The hikes will be attended by the public, and brewers from Crux Fermentation Project, Deschutes Brewery, and Worthy Brewing Co.

Beers Made By Walking invites brewers to go on local nature hikes, and make new beer inspired by the plants identified on the trail. Each beer is a drinkable, landscape portrait of the trail. The hikes are a part of the educational programming for the Oregon Natural Desert Association. Hike-goers will learn about the natural history of the area we hike through, learn about the flora, and spend time hiking with the brewers.

The hikes are set for May 20th, May 22nd and June 9th. The hikes are free and open to the public, however there are a limited number of spots available on each hike. The May 20th hike will be attended by a brewer from Crux Fermentation Project, the May 22nd hike will see Veronica Vega, of Deschutes Brewery, and the third hike will be attended by a brewer from Worthy. Both hikes will take place in the area of the Oregon Natural Desert Association Whychus-Deschutes Wilderness Proposal.

Later in the summer the participating breweries will make beer inspired by the plants we identify on the hikes. The beers will be tapped at a special event in Bend where proceeds will be donated to the Oregon Natural Desert Association. The tapping event date and time are to be announced. You can receive updates about this event by following Beers Made By Walking on Facebook and signing up for our email updates.

The three hikes will take you through a few different terrains including Whychus Creek, Middle Deschutes River, and Oregon Badlands Wilderness.

Whychus Creek provides prime spawning habitat for bull trout, a threatened species under the endangered species act, as well as salmon and steelhead now returning to our watershed. Whychus Creek and the Middle Deschutes River to the east draw thousands of visitors for fishing, hiking and exploring the canyons each year. In spite of the importance of these places to our region, the place where these two waterways come together lacks permanent protection. ONDA and local partners seek a permanent designation such as wilderness for the Whychus-Deschutes area to ensure that this spectacular landscape remains wild for future generations.

The Oregon Badlands Wilderness was designated in 2009, after the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) and other local groups worked for more than 25 years to protect this desert gem. Located just 15 miles east of Bend, the Badlands is often referred to as Bend’s backyard wilderness, but the landscape is anything but tame. With fascinating lava formations, thousand year-old juniper trees, and bountiful spring wildflowers, the Badlands offers a wild refuge just minutes from civilization.

Listed below are more details on the dates and locations for the upcoming hikes.

Tuesday, May 20th Hike – with Crux Fermentation Project
Tickets are free: bmbwmay20.eventbrite.com
Location: Lower Whychus Creek

Thursday, May 22nd Hike – with Deschutes Brewery
Tickets are free: bmbwmay22.eventbrite.com
Location: Middle Deschutes River

Monday, June 09 Hike – with Worthy Brewing
Tickets are free: bmbwjune9.eventbrite.com
Location: Badlands

About the Oregon Natural Desert Association:
Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) exists to protect, defend and restore Oregon’s high desert. Our vision is to see millions of acres of beautiful and ecologically vital public land permanently protected, home to diverse populations of wildlife, and available for people to enjoy forever. Working in partnership with more than 4,000 members and supporters, ONDA is the only group dedicated exclusively to the conservation of Oregon’s high desert rivers and landscapes.

About Beers Made By Walking:
Beers Made By Walking is a program that invites brewers to take nature walks and then make beer inspired by the plants identified on the trail. We’ve worked with over 45 breweries in Oregon, Colorado, and Washington. Our events act as educational and fundraising programs for environmental organizations in the areas we serve.