Thursday, September 19, 2013

Summer 2013 -- Bend, OR -- Part Two (Silver Moon Brewing) / オレゴン州 ベンド (シルバー·ムーン醸造)


Silver Moon Brewing is set along one of the busier streets in town and really appears somewhat uninviting from the outside. 


And inside, to a certain extent. It sort of blends brewpub and roadhouse music bar, and is a touch grimy.

Not that I felt entirely out of place, but perhaps some dreadlocks, tats, or piercings would have let me blend in better than my khaki shorts and a polo shirt did. A fairly loud two-man music group was onstage, and we were asked a couple of times to pay a cover charge (which we ignored).

The food menu was good, if limited: sandwiches, several good appetizers, and salads. Samplers of Silver Moon brews were available: five 4oz. glasses for $8. I had not heard much about this brewery, and my expectations were not so high -- but I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of the beer.

Silver Moon Bridge Creek Pilsner
Smooth, light grassy sweet nose. Clear, brilliant straw color. Tart initial / sweet and grassy mid palate / tropical fruit and lingering hop traces in the finish. Has more body than a typical pils. Very good hopping. Nice grass and floral notes.

Silver Moon Libation Pale Ale
Piney and medium malt aroma. The initial taste is a twisting game of pine resin and caramel. A smooth and pleasant mid palate. It balances out nicely in finish. The flavors develop and blend well. Seems like a mature brew.

Silver Moon Hounds Tooth Amber
Nice citrusy aroma. Light copper color, with good lace. A restrained grapefruit initial taste. Graded bitterness and some decent maltiness in mid palate. Really more like an IPA than an amber ale.


These lighter, commonplace styles were the best on offer. I left with the feeling that Silver Moon is a rather underrated brewery.

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