Oregon Public Broadcasting

Last month, a list named Bend’s Deschutes Brewery as one of the 50 biggest breweries in the country.

And this week, the 20-year old, privately-owned beer maker got a little bigger.

Central Oregon correspondent Ethan Lindsey reports you can now buy Mirror Pond Pale Ale, in Utah.

Utah is the 14th state where you can buy Deschutes beer, in a bottle.

And, marketing manager Jason Randles says it represented a donut hole in the company’s distribution map.

Still, because of Utah's liquor laws,  drinkers there won’t be able to buy any beer on draft.

Jason Randles: “There’s other laws as well that make selling beer a little different game than it is in every other state. Strategically, now was the right time to go in there.”

The laws also mean beer sales are relatively small in Utah.

Jason Randles: “We are going to start selling beer in British Columbia before the year is over, so we will be international! It’s funny to say international, because British Columbia just seems like the next state north of Washington.”

The Brewers Association of craft microbreweries says the industry is growing right now, and  economic problems don't seem to be hurting their beer sales.