Everyone knows that long distance hiking and craft beer are an incredible duo. They pair together like bacon and eggs. Or Han Solo and Chewbacca. Sure, you can have one without the other. But do you really want to??
So as I ended my thru-hike of the North Umpqua Trail, I landed in Roseburg, Oregon in search of a local microbrewery where I could celebrate my achievement. Given the town’s growing craft beer scene, I had my pick of several new breweries. Yet, by sheer happenstance, my feet led me to Two Shy Brewing.
I bellied up to the bar to get a good look at their massive chalkboard listing their standard and seasonal beers on tap. It took a few moments of deliberating to decide which ones were going to make it into my 4-beer flight. Let’s be honest, we know it was going to mostly be IPAs. Then suddenly, one beer jumped out at me – and I knew had to order it.
That’s right, they had a beer called the Umpqua Trail ISA (India Session Ale).
Was this kismet? I found the absolute perfect beer to celebrate completing 79 challenging miles of North Umpqua Trail. How could I possibly go wrong?
This session IPA is one of Two Shy’s seasonal taps and was brewed to celebrate the local North Umpqua experience. Billed as “a hike in a glass” tasting like pine, honey, earthy and hoppy – it seemed an ideal way to quench my thirst on this hot July afternoon. I quickly added two other IPAs and a hard cranberry cider from Bandon Rain (a local craft cidery out on the south Oregon coast) to my flight, then took them out to the covered patio to relax and enjoy.
Only later, while writing this post, did I discover Two Shy wasn’t the only local brewery in Roseburg paying homage to the trail. The Old 99 Brewing Company also produces a Tioga Pale Ale, which is named after the 15.7-mile Tioga Segment of the North Umpqua Trail that rests closest to town.
Well, what do you know? I guess those brewmasters must like their local trails too!
