In the world of craft beer, like any activity where experience leads to deeper appreciation, I would argue that there is such a thing as starter beers. Craft beers that are easily accessible and often easy on the palate. Gateway craft beers if you will. While the styles of these starter beers can vary depending on taste and location I know without a doubt that when I started to drink craft beer Deschutes’ Mirror Pond Pale Ale was one of my starter beers. Originally released in 1988, Mirror Pond is one of Deschutes Brewery’s core brands which the brewery describes as “a delicious everyday ale whose straightforward single-hop character and smooth maltiness combine to deliver a timeless pale ale.” Here are a few reviews of Mirror Pond if you’d like some more specific tasting notes:
I would say that Mirror Pond Pale Ale, like Deschutes Brewery itself, is emblematic of craft beer in the same way that Mirror Pond, the physical location, is emblematic of the city of Bend, Oregon. Mirror Pond is located in downtown Bend and is really not a pond at all. It is an impoundment of the Deschutes River (the namesake of the brewery itself) where two small dams at either end of the pond in effect created a lake. Mirror Pond was created in 1910 by the Bend Water, Light and Power Company and is the only impoundment on the upper Deschutes River that is used for electricity. Fun facts to know and tell!
The pond is surrounded by Drake Park, a popular community gathering place in Bend and a great place for a walk after visiting some of the breweries downtown. Also, I just learned that some Great Horned Owls nest in the park which is pretty cool. If you’re a fan of Mirror Pond Pale Ale it is quite likely you will recognize Drake Park as soon as you see it: the artwork on the Mirror Pond label has always been the view from Drake Park across Mirror Pond, looking upon the Cascade Mountains beyond. And it’s a pretty damn good view in person (photographic evidence below).
So if you’re ever in Bend and want to see a legendary beer location for yourself, grab yourself a pint of Mirror Pond at the Deschutes Brewery downtown (I wouldn’t recommend taking your beer down to the park as it is illegal to drink in a public park without a permit from the city) and then wander over to Drake Park and take in the beauty. You won’t regret it.
