The Ale Apothecary

Microbrewery in Bend, Oregon, United States 🇺🇸
Associated Venue: The Ale Apothecary Tasting Room

Established in 2011

Contact
61517 River Road, Bend, OR, 97703, United States
Description
Origin beer, connected to nearby farms, artisans and the land surrounding the brewery. 100% made by us on our own equipment with our creative brains and hearts. Children welcome in our tasting room.

The Ale Apothecary is a very small artisanal brewery, located 10 miles west of Bend, Oregon in the middle of the Deschutes National Forest. Paul & Staci Arney built the brewery on their property in 2011 after Paul had decided that his career in industrial beer-brewing was officially over. Taking cues from historical breweries, Paul decided that he would take the very basic concepts of making beer and build a totally unique brewery out of them, relying on locally grown or foraged ingredients and using the most natural approach possible.

Before there were beer styles, there were just breweries making the best beer they could out of the raw materials nearby, the water from the ground, and the yeast in the air. Paul believes that the Process in making beer can be used as a primary ingredient, so The Ale Apothecary has its very own methodology that gives us our house character that cannot be reproduced anywhere.

We get our grain from Mecca Grade Estate Malt in Madras, Oregon. Our hops primarily come from Goschie Farms in Silverton. We naturally carbonate our beer in the bottle with Oregon wildflower honey and try to avoid any and all industrial processing aids or commodity ingredients. Instead of using exotic ingredients, we experiment with the process of making beer to find unique and inimitable flavors and experiences.

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7.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

A golden sour ale with a thin white head. In aroma, nice fruity malt, banana cloves, with nice Brett, pepper notes, very nice. In mouth, a superb sweet fruity malt with orange pulp, Brett, very nice. Xmas Ottawa gathering Dec 13 2013.

Tried on 13 Dec 2013 at 20:19


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Bottle shared by Marcus. Pours hazy lemon with a creamy, fizzy white head. Aroma is sort of citrusy berlinner weiss. Near med body. Flavor is more funky than citrus. Moderately sour. Oak is apparent with time. Tasty ale.

Tried from Bottle on 02 Dec 2013 at 12:58


7.9
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 7.5

Alright, the second time I’ve had a beer from this genius out in the woods of Oregon. Seriously, a lifestyle I’m envious of regardless of the beer quality. Paid $28 for this in Vermont at Winooski Bev Warehouse. Having had the last beer from him in Portland, it’s nice to enjoy this slowly at home (and split 2 ways). Enjoyed at 50F in a wine goblet (HFS Glass)

A - I would call this a mix between gold and orange. The second glass had some dregs so that one is a bit more cloudy but the first pour was crystal clear and looks like chardonnay. A 2 finger head fades to a thin line pretty fast.

S - The nose is loaded with grape skin and a mild cantaloupe. Sweet and a hint of barnyard funk. Not as complex as the Sahti but certainly a sweet microflora esque nose that isn’t too tart or too sweet. It’s very similar to HFS Art in the nose but a lot less lactobacillus and oak.

T - It’s hard not to talk about taste and not talk about the mouthfeel first. Okay, well back to taste. Loads of sweet pinot grapes, sweet muscadine and juicy pears. Lactobacillus and Brett Trois and tannic tastes as well. It’s dry but not insanely dry. The finish is grassy with just a touch of tart.

M - Loving bottle conditioned bursting carbonation mouthfeel. Loaded with dry and peach acidity.

O - I loved Sahati. I like La Tache. It lacks that complexity but is still very good. If this was $10 cheaper, I’d drink it often. Needs a bit more tartness and it feels high abv for 6%. Certainly a beer to be shared.

Tried from Can on 26 Oct 2013 at 16:24


8.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 10 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8

Bottle at Bailey’s Taproom in Portland for $24. Enjoyed at 65F in a snifter.

A - The appearance is straight apple juice with a minor head that fades very fast and remains thin.

S - Nose is pretty complex. There’s a mix of brett and this acidic fruity grapefruit punch. I get oak and melons. Very much a funky tropical treat that smells pretty damn fantastic.

T - Damn, this is special. It is sort of in a class of its own. Well, I’m having a hard time describing taste and am thus filling this section out last. honey, rye, sweet caramel, candied apples, cantaloupe and other melons, pineapple and a big woodiness that I only get from Hill Farmstead saisons. The sweetness is persistent but not overbearing, the woodiness is like chewing on tree bark but I don’t feel like I’m a fucking woodchuck. Spruce tip ONLY hits you at the end of the beer. You get it for a second and then it flees away quickly. I get a very yeasty bread taste that pairs so well with herbal funky brett. There seems like a bit of lactobacillus but it never overpowers you with tartness, just sort of chills out in the back ground. What in the Hell am I drinking?

M - Moutfeel from the bottle conditioning is velvety yet explosive. It has a champagne like mouthfeel with the complexity of the best belgian saisons. The most persistently sticky bubble situation on a mouth swish I’ve ever achieved. like the bubbles in my mouth last for days and never stop. This is going to be a burping beer for sure.

O - The total complexity of this beer is mind-blowing. I must have more of it. MUST RIGHT NOW! I hope more of this makes its way into Vermont. The price is high but it’s an impressive beer. EDIT: I did give this a 4.7, bumping it down to a 4.3. sadly, it’s a lot of beer and more than a glass is insane on the palate, the burps and the drunkenness. If this came in at 5%, I’d be all over a perfect 5 rating.

Tried from Bottle on 14 Oct 2013 at 23:10


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

750ml bottle shared by Doug, thanks
Cloudy golden with a small white head and good lacing. Aroma is tart, fruity and dusty. Flavors of fruit juice, dusty and straw
Nice

Tried from Bottle on 24 Sep 2013 at 16:38


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Big bottle picked up in Corvallis. Pours a mostly clear copper color with a large white head. Deep funky flavors with toast, leaves, lemon. Light tartness, some funk, white wine, vinous at times, fluffy palate, earthy. Caramel and more citrus zest. Really good. Mellow and drinkable but complex. Impressive.

Tried from Bottle on 20 Sep 2013 at 11:14


7.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

750 shared by writerljberg . Thanks! Pours a copper color with a large white head, a bit of gushing. A interesting nose of wood, bubblegum fruit, white wine. The flavor is complex and yet easygoing: white wine, spruce, tropical fruit, apricot especially, highly carbonated, a bit of berry. Finishes dry and drinkable. Great brew.

Tried on 01 Sep 2013 at 22:56


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

Bottle courtesynof GT2, thanks! Cloudy yellow color, white head. Aroma of feet and lemons. Tastenis softly sour citrus with a sweet start.

Tried from Bottle on 26 Aug 2013 at 10:55


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

31st July 2013
Tasting at Bruce’s pad. Thanks to Colin Theydon for this one. Pretty hazy gold - amber beer. Little pale cream coloured head. Softish palate, semi dry. Light carbonation. Light seltzer minerals. Nice mango syrup, as if poured from a can of tinned mango. A little fresh orange. Very light sourness and white wine. Whisper of vanilla. Light dry finish. An approachable sour which drinks well below it’s abv.

Tried from Can on 24 Aug 2013 at 11:16


7.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

6th August 2013Tasting at Bruce’s pad. Thanks to Mr Bois for this one. Very hazy gold beer with agood size pale cream coloured head. Palate is light, airy and fluffy. Interesting beer - big sherbet candy fruits. Never cloying because of a touch of lemony acid and gueuze like sourness. Back end has a sweetish piney spice. Finishes semi dry. Tasty!

Tried from Can on 23 Aug 2013 at 01:25