Oregon Public Broadcasting

Independence Day has come and gone. But Oregonians don’t have to stop celebrating. July is Oregon’s Craft Beer Month.

Central Oregon correspondent Ethan Lindsey reports that’s good news for Bend’s brewers – so far, 2009 has been rough.

Bend’s annual August brewfest was cancelled. A dispute between organizers and the liquor control board.

And Deschutes Brewery just announced it would scale back expansion plans.

Chris Justema is co-owner of Cascade Lake Brewing. His company owns five brewpubs and a microbrewery.

He says the marketing push behind Craft Beer Month typically helps his company in July.

Barbeques and festivals are going on around the state – and drinkers use the month as an excuse to sample new suds.

Chris Justema: “This month, we hear them talking about all our other competitors and friends. ‘I was at this place yesterday, the other one the day before, and tomorrow I am going here. What do you recommend?’ They are kind of on a beer adventure when they are here.”

He says the three months of July, August, and September typically bring the best sales of the year for brewers.