Bend’s Monkless Belgian Ales is bucking the craft beer sales slump and has expansion plans that will distribute its product as far east as Kansas.

The brewery, which began with small, 10-gallon batches in a home, is now taking over the former Avid Cider production facility on Ninth Street and Wilson Avenue. The 8,500-square-foot facility is twice the size of the brewery’s current facility on High Desert Lane.

The move will be complete April 1, said Robin Clement, who owns the brewery with her husband, Todd Clement.

“There are not many Belgian-style breweries in the state, or for that matter in the nation,” Robin Clement said. “Overall, I think the combination of Belgium’s brewing heritage, the unique flavor profiles of the beers and the fact that they are not hop-forward, as so many other beers in the Pacific Northwest, adds to the appeal and strength of the market.”

Avid Cider, also founded in Bend and acquired by Michigan-based Blake’s Hard Cider, took over the lease of Silver Moon’s SW Badger Avenue space last year, and Silver Moon consolidated its production at its Greenwood Avenue pub and production facility in Bend.

In a crowded market, Central Oregon craf brewers innovate, revamp

In a crowded market, Central Oregon craft brewers innovate, revamp

Competition for shelf space, health conscious consumers and a maturing craft beer industry, are contributing to declining sales and consolidation for brewers nationwide. With more than 300 craft brewers, Oregon ranked 12th in 2022, the year data are most current, according to the Brewer’s Association. Bend has 22 craft breweries.

FEATURED Central Oregon brewers say they can survive slumping sales of craft beer

Central Oregon brewers say they can survive slumping sales of craft beer

Ben Edmunds, Oregon Brewers Guild president, said that Belgian-style brewers are not common and few are dedicated solely to this style of brewing.

“I do think there are plenty of success stories out there, but I think it’s more individualized,” Edmunds said. “They are doing something from a marketing, strategy, quality and business side that is working, rather than this being a larger trend.”

Typically, Belgian-style beers aren’t wildly popular, compared to double India Pale Ales or lower-alcohol-by-volume beers and lighter flavor styles, said Bart Watson, Brewers Association economist.

“Most of the smaller, local breweries that succeed will be the ones that find their niche and successfully execute, not necessarily because they are hitting the hot style trends,” Watson said.

Almost since it began in 2017, Monkless has received recognition. First it was being included in the Bend Ale Trail. Later, it won recognition from the Oregon Beer Awards in Portland. Todd Clement, a former organic chemist who worked for a pharmaceutical company, began developing his own recipes for the Belgian style of beer and had a tasting room at Monkless’ production facility.

In late 2019, the Clements opened their pub at the former Country Kitchen restaurant overlooking the Deschutes River and then the pandemic hit. Now, they’re expanding again and hope to add a tasting room by late summer at their new production facility.

Monkless is distributed fairly broadly in Washington and Oregon. It does well on the shelves at Newport Avenue Market, said Lauren Johnson, CEO of Rudy’s Markets, which owns Newport Avenue Market and Oliver Lemons in Central Oregon.

“Due to the changes in the industry and local environment, it’s our understanding that they have growth opportunities,” Johnson said. “It’s wonderful for them and exciting for our customers that they will have more of their great beer to buy.”

The Executive File: Monkless Belgian

The Executive File: Monkless Belgian

Moving to larger facilities will enable more efficiencies, Robin Clement said. At the current facility, on canning days they set up and strike the canning equipment when not in use. Monkless also will be increasing its capacity by going to a 15-barrel system from a 10-barrel system. In the second quarter of the year, the brewer plans to add distribution partners that will put Monkless on shelves in Colorado and Kansas.

“We had already maxed out at our High Desert facility,” she said. “Our hope is to increase our barrel-age. We needed more production space.”