Silver Moon Brewing: Big changes underway

In the ever-evolving beer industry in Bend, Silver Moon Brewing announced some big changes on Tuesday: two new owners, a new brewmaster and a total remodel.

After 13 years, Silver Moon’s founder and owner, Tyler Reichert, is passing the torch.

“There’s a point where you sit back and look at it and say, ‘I’ve done all that I can do with it,'” Reichert said. “And to keep it’s growth and prosperity, sometimes change is going to happen. And I think it’s the right change for it.”

Bend’s third brewery was bought out last week by Snap Fitness owner Matt Barrett and Cyclepub founder James Watts.

The two new owners of the business say there’s a lot of work to be done.

“Preserving some of the history, but also updating the look and giving it a modern look,” said Watts. “We want to give it a public house feel, where groups can gather and charity events and fundraisers can take place.”

The new owners have plans to remodel the tap room. at 24 NW Greenwood Avenue They want to keep an industrial, funky feel and add in a nod to Bend’s sporting lifestyle.

They also hired a new brewmaster, Stuart Long, who says it’s all about staying ahead of the trends in the craft brewing world.

“Everyone is getting into barrel aged stuff and hoppy stuff,” Long said. “We’re reinventing the wheel. A lot of this has been done before, but it’s being rediscovered by the world. And that’s the coolest part.”

On top of remodeling the pub, the men say they also want to double distribution. They say they have a good market in Portland, but they want to reach out to the Valley and the coast.

While changes are on the way, the new crew says it’s preserving the old while bringing in the new that’s going to be a big game-changer.

“The locals have taken ownership of it, and we don’t want to lose that,” Barrett said. “We want to maintain the local vibe and feel. But the people who are coming to visit and check out all the breweries will see, ‘Wow, this is where all the locals go.'”

The owners say they want input from the public about the changes they want to see. The brewery will soon have comment cards for people to leave suggestions.