Joe Kline / The Bulletin file photoA volunteer pours beer for thirsty attendees at the 2013 Bend Brewfest at Les Schwab Amphitheater.

Bend’s renowned bar-hopping scene takes a backseat this weekend while Bend Brewfest marks a dozen years at the Les Schwab Amphitheater.

Whether you’re a fan of lighter ales such as Ninkasi Brewing’s Maiden the Shade or the ominous Knockout Stout by Oblivion Brewing Company, there’s a lot of room between comfort and curiosity for all.

“The Central Oregon craft beer drinker is a very educated drinker,” said Deschutes Brewery marketing manager Jason Randles. “For a festival like this, we’re not going to bring something people have been drinking for years and years. We want to bring what’s new to us.”

Brew festivals have changed as beer has evolved from a market dominated by basic lagers to pints made using unusual ingredients and complex brewing techniques. While these events remain fun for all beer drinkers, more and more true craft-brew connoisseurs are showing up to taste for the latest flavor trends and decide on new beers to add to their repertoire.

More than 70 purveyors are spread throughout the Old Mill venue for the event, which started Thursday spills over to Sunday. This is the first time the festival has run through the entire weekend.

“Every year we see a roughly 15-20 percent growth in attendance,” Brewfest director Marney Smith said. “We added Sunday to give people more options to come, and we expect Sunday to be a more laid-back atmosphere.”

Local breweries are well represented as usual, with Crux Fermentation Project the only major player absent this year.

Many will have offerings on X-tap in the Brewtality Tent, a place for brewmasters to rotate special, low-production creations such as Sunriver Brewing Company’s mojito ale and Bend Brewing Company’s salmonberry sour ale.

“It’s not an IPA festival; we try to diversify what’s offered to people,” Smith said. “[The X-taps] are very unique beers not widely available. They might even be totally experimental for the brewers.”

The well-known offerings of Deschutes will surely be popular all weekend.

Hola! has contracted with Silver Moon Brewing to bring a previously unrepresented style of craft beer not being made locally. Tranquilo! is an award-winning Mexican ale that rounds out Bend’s beer scene.

Silver Moon Brewing began crafting Tranquilo!’s unique caramel and (corn) maize malt on a contract basis earlier this year. Damon Arredondo is a brewer at Silver Moon and was tasked with creating a unique beverage for one of Bend’s most well-known eateries.

“The lager version is pretty much the only version of a Mexican beer that’s really out there,” Arredondo said.

Arredondo also pointed out that word has quickly spread about Tranquilo! as more people come to Silver Moon to try it. “People love their Mexican beers, but there was never that local option. I think this gives them a way to get into a local, craft version of that.”

As the Bend’s national profile continues to grow, the city’s beer culture is trumpeted right alongside its copious amount of outdoor offerings.

When the New York Times included Bend on its list of 52 places to visit this year, it referenced the region’s more than 24 craft breweries and cideries before mentioning bike trails or Mt. Bachelor.

“Central Oregon is known for being a really beautiful place to visit, and for having really good beer,” said Smith. “We talk to a lot of people who plan their trip for next year while they’re at the Brewfest itself.”

With the area being so popular, it’s no surprise the Brewfest itself had to increase its footprint to meet rising demand.

Along with the addition of a Sunday schedule, this year’s festival features a “cider row” of eight regional cideries and two Oregon mead fermenters. The seating area adjacent to SW Shevlin Hixon Drive has been expanded and will be available to all who prefer to have runners bring food and drink to them.

Not all the changes will be as well received, however. Aside from service dogs, beer lovers will have to leave their furry friends at home. Dogs were previously allowed until 7 p.m., the same as kids. The latter can still attend until the same time.

The new policy stemmed from a combination of unruly dogs and inattentive owners, according to Smith, who cited a few “gross” situations as evidence the Brewfest could no longer guarantee the safety of dogs nor the venue itself.

“The majority (of dog owners) was responsible and took care of their pets,” Smith said, but we had more incidents of dogs going to the bathroom and not cleaning up, and fights [last year].”

The added day, space and lack of four-legged obstacles should allow for a less crowded feel and more space for first-time vendors to reach new consumers.

One of the more anticipated newcomers is Fremont Brewing out of Seattle. Its Interurban IPA is a popular six pack among Washingtonians, according to marketing coordinator Carrie Guest.

“Bend is just such an incredible community that it’s kind of a no-brainer for us to want to be there,” Guest said.

For West Coast breweries like Fremont looking to expand their distribution markets, a weekend spent in Bend can be a critical launch point to that end.

Guest is hopeful that people will recognize their label from trips to Washington and come sample more of what the Seattle brewery has to offer.

“We’ve been very interested in the Oregon scene and started attending festivals in Oregon over the last six months,” she said. “We’re excited to chat with folks; to tell them who we are and show them what we brew.”

For more information on the Bend Brewfest including a detailed schedule of events and a full list of featured breweries, visit bendbrewfest.com.

— Reporter: 541-382-1811, wrubin@bendbulletin.com