Crux Fermentation Project

Microbrewery in Bend, Oregon, United States 🇺🇸
Associated Venue: Crux Fermentation Project

Established in 2012

Contact
50 SW Division St, Bend, OR, 97702, United States
Description
Crux is a crossroads, an intersection, the heart of something. In brewing it's that pivotal point where fermentation happens and anticipation mounts.

We’re Crux Fermentation Project— housed in a former AAMCO Transmission Plant and inspired by our location right in the heart of Bend, Oregon. Our brewery is a one-of-a-kind, built for non-traditional brewing methods like decoction mashing, open fermentation and barrel aging, and for leveraging the limitless possibilities that wild yeast strains and experimental hops present.

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8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Pours a bright golden color. Mildly cloudy, which could be my fault but I don’t see any sediment on the bottom of the bottle. Small to medium white head. Fine bubbles. It doesn’t stick around all that long. Little bit of lacing. At first, the aroma seemed to be just a big, juicy dose of peaches and floral hop flavor, but after a minute, I’m also getting a sweaty note. It definitely doesn’t ruin the aroma for me - maybe, I’ve just discovered something about myself - but it’s not quite as clean and juicy as I thought at first blush. Still, I’m impressed by the peachiness, as other mosaic (D)IPAs generally haven’t lived up to the hype in that department. I’m also picking up grapes, raspberries and a little tangerine. A little bit of pale, sweet malt in the background. The taste is much the same territory, but there’s a bit more citrus in the bitterness. The beer really isn’t all that bitter, though. Lots of peach, grape, floral hop flavor. Pale malt in the background. It’s not quite as juicy and interesting as the aroma, but I’m still quite happy. Also, the beer is much lighter than I’d expect from the abv. I’ll call that "well made". Mouthfeel has some weight, but again, it’s lighter than you’d expect from a 10% abv DIPA. Significant hop oiliness. This is a very good DIPA. I didn’t come in with high expectations for whatever reason, but Crux did fine work, here. It’s particularly nice to come across a Mosaic DIPA that shows off the varietal effectively.

Tried from Bottle on 27 Jan 2014 at 20:45


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle. Pours hazy butterscotch, small white head that dissipates quickly and leaves decent lacing. Big aroma dank, pine, citrus, Passionfruit. Flavor follows, dank and hop forward delicious. Some sweetness, but not crazy or out of bed with the style. Light plus bitterness, not harsh on the finish, which is a plus. Somethinga bit medicinal mid body.medium body, oily finish. great compliments here, not quite jelling yet, but not bad at all.

Tried from Bottle on 20 Jan 2014 at 21:54


7.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5

Small bottle, cork, wax and a cap! Pours a deep black color with a small white head. A sweet nose of roast, cocoa and barrel. The flavor is oak, light smoke, some dark fruit, huge licorice, molasses, bitter metallic roast and hops. Quite nice.

Tried from Bottle on 28 Dec 2013 at 22:14


5.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

On tap at Belmont Station's Bier Cafe, pours a mostly clear dark amber with a small beige head. Aroma brings out a mix of candied sugar, licorice, Belgian spices, and wine barrels - not sure it's all cohesive. Flavour brings out candied sugar upfront, along with raisins, followed by red wine barrels. Weird stuff. It's definitely not very cohesive, but at least there are no harsh elements. Decent, but haphazard.

Tried from Draft on 28 Dec 2013 at 18:06


7.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

On tap at Apex, pours a hazy golden orange with a small white head. Aroma is very dank, with notes of earthy hops and some slight tropical fruit. Flavour brings out loads of tropical fruits, such as mango and pineapple, earthy dank hops, and just enough malt to back. Very juicy and highly thirst-quenching. Excellent stuff.

Tried from Draft on 20 Dec 2013 at 18:14


7.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5

On tap at the Holiday Ale Festival. An usual brew. Pours a deep brown color with a large white head. The aroma is deep Belgian spices, some sour fruit, wood. The flavor is mostly sour fruit, a bit of dust, some tartness, oranges, some heat, a bit of dry barrel. Gin? Heat and sourness. Pretty nice.

Tried from Draft on 07 Dec 2013 at 22:40


5.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

On tap at Apex. A really odd brew. Pours a clear golden color with a medium white head. A big sweet nose of oranges, melons, almost buttery sweet. Sweet flavors of cat piss, cannabis, light low bitterness, super almost shocking unbalanced sweetness. Not good. Drinkable of course, but seemingly devoid of early boil bittering additions. Unbalanced and not my thing.

Tried from Draft on 27 Nov 2013 at 13:25


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle split at Craft Clerko, big thanks to Eric for sharing, 22/10/13. I actually saw these guys getting waxed at the brewery back in May ! Mid black with a good sized dirty tan covering. Nose is dark roast, bourbon punch, chocolate biscuits, molasses, dark toffee. Taste comprises chocolate cookies, well pitched bourbon woodyness, spice, dark chocoalte, dark toffee. Full bodied, fine carbonation, dry roasted finale. The bourbon is well pitched on this one and doesn’t take over. Decent.

Tried from Bottle on 11 Nov 2013 at 13:55


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle thanks to Eric shared at CBC. Opaque black pour with a thin dark tan head. Aroma is liquorice, cake light choc and some soy. Falvour is more soy, light salt, big roast and choc. Some boozyness. Milky mouthfeel. Full body and average carb.

Tried from Bottle on 05 Nov 2013 at 14:25


7.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

Bottle shared at CBC Clerkenwell - London. Big thanks to Eric for bringing this one. Pours oily black with a thick, mocha head. The nose holds dried, dark berries, chocolate and burnt wood. Medium sweet flavor with light bitter cocoa, dried fruits and burnt marshmallows. Medium to full in body with fine, creamy carbonation. Lightly warming to finish with faint tangy dark fruits, a bit of chocolate and mellow earthy bitterness. Nice beer.

Tried from Bottle on 24 Oct 2013 at 02:20


Brewery Stats
Score 6.80
Beers171
Ticks716