I noticed this article a couple of days ago: "Bottoms up for Bend’s microbrew industry," about the state of the microbrew climate here in Bend, Oregon.

When McMenamins’ Old St. Francis School opened recently in Bend, microbrew drinkers rejoiced, but some also wondered how five microbrew pubs can survive in a town of about 60,000 people.

Microbrew-industry experts say that no one should fear. Bend’s growing craft-beer scene is expected to continue to thrive.

The friendly competition among the microbreweries produces wonderful, widely renowned beer, they say, and each of the breweries has a niche that allows them all to succeed.

"Not every town of 60,000 has five brew pubs, but Bend is not the only one in the world," said Paul Gatza, director of the Association of Brewers, a trade association in Boulder, Colo. "It’s not unusual in Oregon to get these clusters."

Nice roundup of our local breweries, and how they interrelate in the area.