I love beer and cider. After now having visited over 425 different breweries and cideries, it’s fair to say I have sampled a lot (follow me on Untappd). From post-race pints and run club meeting locations, to beer miles and relays, running and the kegged nectar seem to go hand-in-hand in Oregon. Our Kegs and Legs feature is where beer drinking runners like me can go to find some new favorite beverages.
I have appreciated 10 Barrel beer for quite some time. In fact, my graphic designer cousin-in-law (is that a thing?) is actually responsible for the creation of their iconic barrel logo and, as a result, I recall our trips to Bend almost always featured a stop there. Since I first came across their stuff, they have grown exponentially and now have a much larger spot in east Bend, as well as Portland, Boise, Denver, and San Diego. Their MO is promoting outdoor culture, and this includes the running community as well. In fact, their east side Bend location was the first exchange location at this past year’s Bend Beer Chase.
As of yesterday, we are officially out of summer and into fall. However, looking at my iPhone weather app, I am noticing we still may have a bit more sunny and warm weather in at least the week ahead. While fall in Oregon can be fantastic, I know most Oregonian runners are ready for the weather to flip over to milder temperatures. I, for one, am not ready quite as eager and plan on holding on to summer as long as I can. So the Cucumber Crush from 10 Barrel Brewing is a fitting feature for this week’s K&L.
If you haven’t had that before, I think it’s pretty common to think, “beer…and cucumbers?” I admit I had the same question running through my head when I first gave it try. When you break it down, essentially the original 10B brewer made a special kettle sour beer to best complement the vegetable taste profile. There is a bit of tartness to it, and the subtle cucumber flavor is a welcome post-sip profile on the back-end. Clearly it’s not just a niche beer as it won a gold medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival.
Though this beer is available year-round, I generally find that I most enjoy this on sunny and warm days. It just tastes light and refreshing and I literally feel it’s just the best for crushing. That’s why this is a perfect summer and early autumn beer here in the PNW (and beyond). I recommend you check this out while the weather still is shining favorably upon us.
In addition to the Cucumber version, 10B has expanded into other “crush” varieties like Raspberry and Apricot. Pretty much all of them can be found at your local taphouse and bottle shop.
Beer:
- Cucumber Crush
- ABV: 5%
- IBU: 4
Brewery:
