(Graphic courtesy of Diff’rent Smokes)
Diff’rent Smokes returns for the third time with a wide range of beers made with smoked malts or other smoked ingredients. Before modern (as in the last 200 years) techniques allowed for malts to be kilned, all beers had an element of smoke since malts were dried over fire resulting in what the Germans call “rauchbier.” The festival takes place in Bend’s axe-throwing bar, Unofficial Logging Co. (910 NW Harriman St.) on Saturday, October 26 from 1-5pm. Tickets are now available online for $20 and will be $25 at the gate. Everyone is welcome, but the smoke beers will only be available to ticket holders. More info online at Bendticket.com/events/DiffrentSmokes.
Admission includes a souvenir glass and five (5) drink tickets for sample pours, while full-glass pours will require three tickets. Additional drink tickets will be available for $1 each.
From Bend breweries, attendees can look forward to Spider City’s Cherrywood Smoked Ale that won People’s Choice in 2023, an oyster stout aged in a peaty Laphroaig Scotch Whiskey barrel from The Ale Apothecary, Bamberger-style smoked Märzens from Deschutes and McMenamins Old St. Francis, a smoked American Premium Lager from Cascade Lakes, as well as tasty beers from Boss Rambler, Boneyard, and Bridge 99. From around Oregon, rauchbiers include a smoked Helles (light beer) from Germanic lager specialists Heater Allen (in McMinnville), a beer made with smoked chilies from Xicha in Salem, and a smoked porter from Tiger Town (in tiny Mitchell).
Diff’rent Smokes is a celebration of the end of our extreme wildfire season as well as a show of gratitude to our firefighters. A portion of proceeds will go to benefit the Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Assoc., established in 1957, to train volunteers.
Ticketing: BendTicket.com/events/DiffrentSmokes ($20 online, $25 at the door if available)
UnofficialLogging.com • Facebook.com/DiffrentSmokes • @DiffrentSmokes
