Overview: Headquartered just outside of Bend, Oregon, Sunriver Brewing has established itself as a production brewery and multi-location brewpub powerhouse. Under the guidance of head brewer Patrick Raasch, the company has secured 19 Great American Beer Festival medals and one World Beer Cup medal while earning nine beers scored 95-plus by Craft Beer & Brewing.
The Full Story
While hop-forward offerings receive significant attention, Sunriver is equally adept at brewing beers with left-field culinary ingredients. This approach defines a throughline of palates constantly trained and challenged, alongside a sense for quality of flavor, refinement, and integration. The brewery has quietly grown into a powerhouse in a region that’s full of them, balancing bold flavors with a commitment to technical precision.
Specific releases include an Alpha King–winning double IPA and a rice lager featuring Japanese cucumber, yuzu, and basil. Additionally, the production includes barrel-aged American barleywine. The brewery maintains competition bottling standards for minimal oxygen ingress during these processes.
Production & Profile
Technical specifications highlight a focus on fermentation innovation and ingredient integration. For the Alpha King–winning double IPA, brewing utilizes 34/70 yeast. Bittering is achieved with Mosaic CO2 extract, followed by dry hopping under pressure at cooler temperatures. Blending pils and two-row malts occurs within the IPA process to ensure a clean foundation.
Brand & Industry History
Sunriver Brewing operates out of headquarters located just outside of Bend, Oregon. The facility functions as both a production brewery and a multi-location brewpub. This dual operation has allowed the brand to quietly grow into a powerhouse within a competitive region known for high concentration of breweries.
What This Means
The release of these beers signifies a broader industry trend toward integrating hops in barrel-aged American barleywine and utilizing lager yeast to lean into sulfur with more pungent hops. The focus remains on taking IPA from great to medal-winning status through specific techniques like blending malts and managing oxygen ingress.
Consumer Takeaway
Drinkers seeking this profile can expect bold flavors paired with a throughline of refinement. The selection offers options ranging from double IPAs to garden party rice lagers, all produced with an emphasis on quality of flavor and integration.
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