Central Oregon brewers hope statewide guild can help build scene amid challenges

Central Oregon Brewers Guild dissolved late last year

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Late last year, the Central Oregon Brewers Guild disbanded after 10 years of working together.

Robin Johnson, the guild's last president, works at Deschutes Brewery as an assistant brewmaster.

“I think the pandemic did push it a little bit," Johnson said Tuesday. "The Central Oregon Brewers Guild brought the brewing community together for discussions. We think this move was the right thing at the right time.” 

Johnson told NewsChannel 21 one of the reasons the guild disbanded was because of the pandemic, but also because Oregon Brewers Guild Executive Director Christina LaRue is based in Central Oregon, which helps give Central Oregon breweries more exposure.

The pandemic not only stopped events from happening, but also closed down a few Central Oregon breweries, like Geist Beerworks in Redmond, Ochoco Brewing in Prineville and Platypus Pub in Bend. 

“I think we are all seeing draft sales down," Johnson said. "There’s been a lot of small breweries looking to shift from only serving on site to getting their beer into packaging and trying to get that out to customers, so that’s been a major shift in the industry.” 

The Central Oregon Winter Beer Festival that will be happening March 5, which used to benefit the Central Oregon Brewers Guild, will now benefit the state guild.