Holy shit, this virtual reality video from Deschutes Brewery is rad

I don’t even have an Oculus Rift, and this 360-degree virtual reality experience from Deschutes Brewery is a thousand shades of awesome. The Bend, Ore.-based brewhouse has just released its first 3D VR film, created by local creative agency Impossible Engine. The onus of the mini film is to envelop the viewer in the places that inspired Deschutes’ most famous beer, Black Butte Porter, and its label and marketing. Using VR tech, viewers can enjoy famous central Oregon locales from any angle — mountain streams, evergreen forests, vast valleys and snowcapped mountains.

While its best viewed with commercially available, high-end VR headsets such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive (um, who has those lying around?), you actually don’t need anything but YouTube to enjoy the virtual reality aspects of the flick. Just click on the white arrows in the upper left corner of the video above to spin the camera. It’s wild. From the press release:

“Most people outside of Oregon don’t even realize that many of our beers are named after actual places right here in our backyard, so we are excited to bring these brands to life,” said Jason Randles, digital marketing manager for the brewery. “These places, and the beers that were inspired by them, are the heart and soul of Deschutes and speak to our roots in this special place we call home.”

A film based on the Mirror Pond brand will be available for viewing by the end of July. Each film is about three minutes long, and viewers can immerse themselves in a hike up Black Butte (a stratovolcano in Deschutes National Forest). Grab a Black Butte Porter yourself and toast at the summit with the folks who actually make the beer.

These videos are a great way for fans to experience the culture of a brewery’s brand. Deschutes’ marketing embodies the natural wonders of Oregon, and now it’s bringing customers closer by letting them experience the natural inspirations behind its brands. Watching this video, it’s little wonder why Deschutes was named one of OUTSIDE’s Best Places to Work for the last three years in a row. Cheers to a clever concept successfully executed.