((L-R) Chef Jeff Kelly, Director of Culinary Operations and Ryan Schmiege, Director of Brewing Operations | Photo courtesy of Cascade Lakes Brewing Co.)
Cascade Lakes Brewing Declares Not-for-Profit Status
Cascade Lakes Brewing is a well-loved local classic. The original pub opened on Bend’s Westside in 1994, with the Redmond pub opening their doors in 1996. Since then, Cascade lakes has become a welcome addition to the Central Oregon craft brewing scene, garnering some local and national awards along the way.
In an unprecedented move among local breweries, Cascade Lakes has officially declared themselves, “Central Oregon’s first and only not-for-profit brewery.”
This does not mean that Cascade Lakes has filed themselves as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Instead, this declaration means that Cascade Lakes and their owners, the Rhine family, will donate the brewery’s net profits to an array of local charities.
Andy Rhine, the general manager of Bend’s pub and son of the company’s founders, said that the motivation for this move is simply “to do good for the community and avoid being a company that is exclusively profit-focused.”
The idea to move to a not-for-profit model has been sitting with Andy’s father, Bruce Rhine, since the inception of the first pub. “We’ve always been more focused on the community and had these goals to give back as much as we can,” Andy said. “This declaration just lets us keep doing that, even more effectively.”
As a not-for-profit, the Rhine family will continue to own and operate the brewery. Profits will go towards nonprofits that primarily focus on land stewardship, conservation and animal welfare efforts. While the Rhine family wants to help the community in many ways, they feel especially passionate about these issues.
The brewery’s history with nonprofits and charity efforts goes far back. The founders, Bruce and Martha Rhine, are co-founders of the Three Rivers Care For Kids nonprofit, and each of their adult children also serve on the board of directors for other local nonprofits, including the Central Oregon Running Klub and the Central Oregon Trail Alliance. On the brewery’s side of things, multiple special-release beers that give profit back to the community have been produced, including the Street Dog IPA, which supports local nonprofit Street Dog Hero, and the Elk Camp IPA, which supports the Oregon Hunters Association.
Aside from charities, Cascade Lakes plans on using their profits to give back to their family of employees; the two breweries currently employ about 80 people, and the opening of their new Eastside Bend location will bump that number up to about 120.
“We believe in treating our employees right,” said Andy. “This move will help us provide our employees above average industry wages, high-quality healthcare and other benefits.”
The Rhine family believes that happy workers make a big difference, and this move shows that they are committed to that belief.
Looking to the future, this declaration will help Cascade Lakes continue and increase their philanthropic efforts. “Our goals include holding more community fundraisers, more fundraising beer releases and overall just doing good in the community,” Andy said. “The simple goal is to do good, help out our neighbors and not be driven by profits. It’s as simple as that.”
Grab a craft brew and high-quality pup fare at either location, or the upcoming Eastside Bend location, and enjoy your meal knowing that your purchase is giving back to the community in more ways than one.
Cascade Lakes to Celebrate Not-for-Profit Status with Release of ‘Not-For-Profit Pale Ale’
Not-For-Profit Pale Ale is brewed with purpose, just like the brewery that made it — available on October 27, in limited release at Cascade Lakes Brewing Co.’s Bend brewpub — 100 percent of the proceeds from Not-For-Profit Pale sales will be donated to Bend-based nonprofit Street Dog Hero.
Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. will host a special release of its new Not-For-Profit Pale Ale on Thursday, October 27, to celebrate both National American Beer Day and Cascade Lakes’ transition to a not-for-profit company. The celebration will be held from 11am-8pm at Cascade Lakes’ Bend Brewpub, and include live music after 5pm.
In line with Cascade Lakes’ not-for-profit status, 100 percent of the proceeds from the limited release draft beer will be donated to Street Dog Hero, a Bend-based nonprofit that rescues dogs from around the world and finds loving homes for them in Bend and beyond. Not-For-Profit Pale Ale is the first beer Cascade Lakes has released since the company announced that the entirety of the brewery’s net profits will be donated to causes that will strengthen the community. Many of those causes will be focused on stewardship, conservation and animal welfare efforts, causes dear to the hearts of the Rhine family, which owns Cascade Lakes.
“When we decided to change to a not-for-profit company, we did it in part so we can focus on making great beer and support important causes dear to us. Our motto is ‘drink well, do good.’ Not-For-Profit Pale Ale reaches both those goals,” said Andy Rhine, general manager of Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. “We have a long relationship with Street Dog Hero, and we’re proud to make it the beneficiary of this special beer. This is a perfectly balanced pale that has a deeper purpose.”
Not-For-Profit Pale Ale Profile
Malts: 2-row, Munich, DextraPils
Hops: Centennial, Amarillo, Simcoe
Brewmaster: Ryan Schmiege
IBU: 35
ABV: 5.2%
Availability: Draft only
WHAT: Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. Not-For-Profit Pale Ale Release Party – to
benefit Street Dog Hero
WHO: Cascade Lakes Brewing, Street Dog Hero
WHEN: Thursday, October 27, 2022
11am-8pm. (FREE, family friendly and pet friendly — on leash)
WHERE: Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. Bend Brewpub
1441 SW Chandler Ave., Suite #100, Bend (map HERE)
The party will last all day and 100 percent of the proceeds from Not-For-Profit Pale Ale will benefit Street Dog Hero, a Bend-based nonprofit. In addition, singer-songwriter and cover artist Rob Gregerson will perform from 5-8pm.
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet some adoptable “street dogs” as well as purchase special dog-related and other merchandise. The event is family- and pet-friendly with live music by Olivia Harms, food, raffles and prizes.
Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. has forged a strong relationship with Street Dog Hero through the release of Street Dog IPA, which was released in August, and support of Street Dog’s 2022 Heroes on the Run 5k, which was run Sunday, September 25 in Bend. The support is a natural extension of Cascade Lakes’ mission as Central Oregon’s only not-for-profit brewery to balance community and commerce.
About Cascade Lakes Brewing Co.:
Founded in 1994, Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. is Central Oregon’s only not-for-profit brewery and among the region’s pioneering breweries. Locally owned and operated by the Rhine family, Cascade Lakes is a bold, genuine and innovative brewing and eatery company that remains true to its deep local roots. As a not-for-profit, Cascade Lakes donates its entire net profit to a wide range of causes, many focused on stewardship, conservation and animal welfare efforts. Cascade Lakes can be found in stores across six states (Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana and Nevada), on select bar and restaurant taps and at the brewery’s brick-and-mortar pubs in Redmond and Bend. A third Cascade Lakes pub is set to debut in Bend in early 2023.
About Street Dog Hero:
Street Dog Hero (SDH) serves dogs in need around the world and their communities through rescue, adoption, wellness, spay/neuter and education. Rescue efforts are in collaboration with partners across the globe. Rescued dogs are fostered in loving homes until adopted. Since its inception in 2017, SDH has rescued over 2,083 dogs from neglect, hunger and abuse locally and from around the world – providing them with wellness, sterilization, transportation, fostering and adoption. In the U.S., SDH has rescued and adopted dogs from Central Oregon, California, Texas, Ohio and Puerto Rico. And abroad from Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, British Virgin Islands, China, Guam, India, Mexico, Romania, South Korea, St. Thomas and Thailand. SDH envisions a world where all dogs are healthy, safe, cared for and wanted. Through this work, SDH makes a lasting impact on owned and street dogs and cats and the families that surround them.
