Breweries of Eugene: Sam Bond's

Another beautiful Sunday in the Willamette Valley. After helping a friend with some yardwork, it was time to relax over a beer or two.

I'd heard that Sam Bond's had soft-opened their new brewery's tasting space earlier in the week, so it seemed like the perfect time to check it out. Sam Bond's has been making their own beer since last year, and I've seen kegs on sporadically at various bars. I've seen that the Whiteaker bar also has a number of their beers on draft. But I wanted to be in a position to see the full range of their offerings, straight from the source, so visiting the brewery seemed like the best course of action.

Located at the corner of 8th and Ferry, adjacent to the courthouse, the brewery is set in what used to be a foundry specializing in gears, fire hydrants, and other such complex metallurgic creations. The space itself is an exercise in contrast - the tasting space and the bar are fashioned from attractive dark wood and clean, simple tile. Evidence of the facility's origins are everywhere - the bar's got clear insets which feature rusty tools and other mechanical components, and large rusted gears adorn the windows and walls. The ceilings are high, with unfinished beams supporting the roof. The roped-off brewery proper is set in a much rougher space. Worn walls, scuffed tile, and old bay doors house the shiny 10-barrel system, with a series of small fermenters lining one of the walls. Overall, it still feels very much like a warehouse - it's open, spacey, and a bit scuffed around the edges.

So, how does Sam Bond's beer fare?

From left to right: Alt, New IPA, Huakina IPA, Kolsch

The brewery had 11 beers on tap - a good number for an opening! A flight of four 4oz pours runs $5.

Here are my notes:

Pre-Klassic Kolsch: Light, effervescent, but heavily marred by an unfortunate flavor on the finish that reminds me of the aftereffects of Novocaine.

Dana's Alt: Roasty malt with a hint of chocolate. Finishes with a sharp astringent punch.

New (name will change) IPA: Good hop/malt balance, but the finish is rough where it should be smooth. Mediocre compared to other local IPAs.

Huakina NZ IPA: Extremely malty, with a good British biscuit-y flavor, but minimal hop presence.


I found the beer disappointing on the whole. I was planning on sampling 8 beers, but the first flight was so disheartening that I simply couldn't continue. From my homebrewing experience, I recognize some of the off-flavors and flaws as things that professional brewing systems should be able to control for. Maybe it's the recipes that need some tuning? Some breweries improve with time and experience, and I truly hope Sam Bond's is one of them. Still, even with beer like this, I have no doubt they'll do well with the students. The location is great for biking - right off the river path - and there's ample bike parking.

I can't in good conscience recommend Sam Bond's, at least not for now. I hear they're planning on adding a kitchen in the space and turning the brewery into a pub in the coming months. I'll watch their further developments with interest, and I'll check back in a couple months to see if things have improved.