Tone Red: A band, and now a beer at BBC

For a few years, local eclectic Americana band Tone Red has provided a fine soundtrack for drinkin’ beers at its various gigs around Central Oregon.

Now, they’re taking it a step further.

On Wednesday, Bend Brewing Co. will host a party to celebrate the release of Tone Red IRA, a beer specially crafted for the band.

The brew came about in July when Tone Red guitarist Joe Schulte mentioned the idea of a Tone Red-branded drink on Facebook.

BBC brewer Ian Larkin responded within minutes and invited Schulte to the brewery the next week.

“I showed up, and he had a recipe. We sat there and watched him brew it,” Schulte said. “I was hoping to help out, but he’s such a genius brewer, I didn’t want to touch anything.

“When we left there, there was Tone Red fermenting in a tank,” he said.

BBC put the beer on tap and it sold well, Schulte said. Some was sent out for bottling and some was held back for next week’s party.

After several weeks of label design and red tape, Larkin brought Schulte a case of bottled Tone Red last weekend. The label — which features the band’s singer (and Schulte’s fiancee) Crystal Pizzola — describes the beer as an India Red Ale whose “medium body and malt sweetness is perfectly balanced with a crisp, hop bitterness and floral aroma.”

So now you can drink Tone Red while listening to Tone Red.

“It’s cool, for sure. And it’s a great beer,” Schulte said. “We’re stoked about it.”

Tone Red release party; 7-10 p.m. Wednesday; free; Bend Brewing Co., 1019 N.W. Brooks St., Bend; www.bendbrewingco.com or 541-383-1599.

— Ben Salmon