Deschutes Brewery

During my 10 years with Deschutes Brewery's marketing team, I played a pivotal role in transforming the brand from a Bend, OR, hometown favorite into the 5th largest craft brewer in the nation. In various key management roles, I aided in launching distribution into Midwest and Eastern states, developed and led the “Street Pub” traveling festival program, and served as a key market manager for the Pacific Northwest—representing 25% of the company’s national sales volume. Below are highlights of the key programs I spearheaded that established Deschutes as one of the most respected craft beverage brands in the U.S.

The Street Pub Program:

In 2015, Deschutes Brewery faced growing competition from local craft brewers, which began to erode its market share outside Oregon. To address this, we developed a field marketing program to establish a stronger local presence in key markets. Drawing inspiration from the Deschutes Bend Public House—the heart of the brewery’s community and identity—we created the “World’s Biggest Pop-Up Pub,” a traveling festival that brought the pub experience directly to the people.

At each stop, we partnered with local brewers, chefs, makers, and musicians to celebrate and collaborate the unique character of each community. While the festival’s centerpiece was its 50+ brews, live music, and world-class food, the program’s core mission was to give back. By collaborating with local nonprofits in each city, we raised $1.1 MILLION for deserving causes, and hosted over 400,000 attendees across the 20 stops, cementing Deschutes as an integral part of these communities and fostering lasting connections with our audience.

Find more information on the program and my contributions below.

MY CONTRIBUTIONS:
The creation of the program and the Street Pub structure was a Herculean effort to bring to life. From the handcrafted construction of over 400 feet of reclaimed oak bars to coordinating hundreds of volunteers for each event, recruiting and managing vendors, bands, and performers, and hosting crowds of over 30,000 in just eight hours, this program became a true case study in determination and execution.

Asset Development & Management: Led the design and construction of the Street Pub structure, aptly named “The World’s Biggest Pop-Up Pub.” The impressive structure featured 400 feet of reclaimed oak bars, 48 taps, and 30,000 pounds of reclaimed steel and wood, creating service stations, a live demo kitchen, and a brewers’ lounge—all transported in two 50-foot semi-trucks. Collaborated closely with local builders and brewery stakeholders to ensure the aesthetic and craftsmanship reflected the quality and character of the original Bend pub. Oversaw logistics of all transport, compliance and maintenance of vehicles and event assets.

Community Involvement: Collaborated with local nonprofits and county/state officials in each city to secure street closures, event permits, insurance, licenses, emergency compliance measures, and community approvals.

Staff & Volunteer Management: Curated training resources and protocols for 25+ operational roles. Managed and trained a rotating team of 20+ employees and aided in recruitment 250+ volunteers per event.

Media Partnerships: Oversaw ad spend, collateral and media mix across print, digital, OOH, and TV for each cities campaigns.

Partnership Development: Secured $250k in funding from likeminded sponsors such as Hydro Flask, Keen Footwear, Humm Kombucha, Orvis and more.

Retail Sales Programs: Collaborated cross-departmentally with the sales team, distributors, and key retail chains to execute a regional retail sweepstakes program. Leveraged the initiative to secure in-store displays, increase brand awareness, and drive sales growth.

PR & Communication: Served as a spokesperson for numerous media appearances, earning national recognition in outlets like Forbes, Men’s Health, Food & Wine, Men’s Fitness, Travel & Leisure, and Outside. Honored with Brewbound’s “Cause of the Year” award.

COVERAGE