Deschutes Brewery 20th Anniversary Wit

As eluded to yesterday, I didn’t have Mexican beer on Mexican Cul-De-Sac Fiesta Day, I had this instead… Deschutes Brewery 20th Anniversary Wit.  We first came across this beer at the 2008 Seattle International Beerfest (SIB) and liked it a lot then.  Little did we know that we would run into each other so soon… but thank goodness.

This beer has it made… it is different, not like the other wit beers, filtered to show its wild side.  It has a good body… light yet curvy with a good head.  It has a wonderful aroma about it, teasing the nostrils with its scent.  And the taste… heaven… a light and clean bit of heaven that just opens its arms to you and brings you in close for snuggle or two, especially on a hot sweaty day.

Yes, 20th Anniversary Wit is good… so good, in fact that we may have to have a blind taste-off with Avery’s White Rascal… anyone up for it?  I know I am.

JBB6 Rating: For the Win

Deschutes Brewery Twilight Ale

Noticed a new seasonal at Fred Meyer the other day and couldn’t resist picking it up.  I already have too much beer in the beer fridge (more on that in a minutes), but I actually had room on the shelf for another 6 pack, so I figured what the hell.

Deschutes Brewery Twilight Ale is a fine seasonal.  As the website notes, this is best consumed cold and outdoors and that is exactly how it went down tonight.  I poured a little out in the grass to see if it lived up to its “straw color” and yes, yes it does.  So, I happened to be pleasantly surprised when I noticed that the initial hit was calm and smooth, but by about the time it reaches the back of your throat, it has a very hoppy flavor.  It gave me a little wake up call and I quickly finished this and a few others.  Smooth and easy with just the right aftertaste, this beer is hopped just right.

JBB6 Rating: Will Buy Again

Ok… so… Shea from just-grapes.blogspot.com just happens to have posted a picture at the end of the Seattle International Beerfest post with a great picture of their beer fridge.  Many good beers in there, I might add.  I thought I would do the same and back up the comment I made at the beginning of the thread.

Below you see the fridge… almost every crack and crevice has a brew in it… the only reason you see some gaps is from the 4th of july.  I figure there are about 75 beers in it right now.

Due to the sharing that goes on in the cul-de-sac, I had to make sure folks understood what was off limits.  Behold the sign:

And finally… some of what the sign hides… although there is actually more in the door… and I couldn’t get a great angle to show everything, but trust me… there is plenty of new beer to taste in there… I am not worried.

Hop Henge Imperial IPA

So… I really shouldn’t have gone with a third new beer today, but I really wanted to try this one… and I needed something to drink when I came home from work today, so here we are. 

Hop Henge Imperial IPA

When I was at Malt & Vine, this was noted as one of the new releases they had received.  It was also from Deschutes Brewery which I happen to really enjoy, for the most part, and for which has done pretty good on the blog.  Another of their Bond Street Series, Hop Trip, was reviewed by Po a while ago and he really enjoyed it, so there you go.

I had a chance to share this with a couple of neighbors and both raved about it… in fact, one neighbor finished off the rest of the bottle for me. :) 

Taste wise, you absolutely can *feel* the hops hit you as you take a drink.  Very hoppy.  That might be a bad thing if the finish on this beer wasn’t super-solid.  I mean, usually that much hops will leave a really bitter aftertaste… while bitter is there, this one finishes it off really nice at the end… very graceful, in fact.  Color was perfect… golden amber with a good head on it.  Overall an outstanding beer that I will buy again… mark my words…

8.75% ABV - 95 IBU’s

Text on bottle:

“Who knows what inspired the ancients to build Stonehenge - or what inspired us to build Hop Henge in its likeness.  But build it we did, out of wrapped bales of whole-flower hops out on the brewery lawn.”

“Like the rest of the Bond street Series, Hop Henge highlights the creativity and curiosity of our brewers.  Bolder than its English ancestors, with huge hops and a bitter finish, this IPA is no wallflower.”

JBB6 Rating: For the Win

Deschutes Brewery Cinder Cone Red

Deschutes Brewery Cinder Cone Red.  Tonights beer of choice to be had with a dinner consisting of a pastrami turkey sandwich with Valentina-mayo, 4 dino chicken nuggets, and some apple slices.  Still making it through some sickness with the kids, so formal meals have been pretty inconsistent the last few days. 

So… had a great beer from Deschutes the other day in their Green Lakes Organic Ale.  Was expecting some good stuff tonight and they delivered again for the most part.  Taking into consideration the $1.17 price tag on this little bottle, it is probably a pretty good taste-value ration, actually, but taking money out of the equation this is just an ok beer.  Minimal head, good dark amber color, and one hell of a kick from the hops.  Really a lot of flavor, but I was looking for the smoothness of the Green Lakes, to be honest.  A good beer, but wouldn’t be a top choice when browsing the beer section.

JBB6 Rating: Middle of the Road

Deschutes Brewery Green Lakes Organic Ale

A rough day requires a pretty darn good beer to be impressive… Deschutes Brewery Green Lakes Organic Ale hits the mark and takes it a step further.  Green Lakes Organic Ale joins some of the greats at the top of my list: New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale and Widmer Brothers Drop Top Amber Ale.  Bot of those were added to the blog before the JBB6 Rating System, but they are both likely contenders for the JustBeer Blog Hall of Fame.

Anyhow, back to the beer.  Besides the fact that it at least sounds like one of the “green”est beers I have heard of yet (something about Salmon-Safe),  it is simply just an outstanding beer.  About the only thing that holds it back, quite honestly, is the price tag of $4.69 for the 22 oz. bottle.  The beer comes in at 5.0% ABV which appears just about right to give it the balance of kick and smooth.  I put this one in a frosty mug tonight and had some milk chocolate just before… both of which had very positive impacts on the brew, but as I am sitting typing this with a clean palate, the beer tastes just as good as the first drop.

Deschutes was 2 for 3 on this blog, but we easily take them to 3 for 4 great beers tonight.  Very much recommended if you can get your hands on it.

JBB6 Rating: For the Win

   

Deschutes Brewery Buzzsaw Brown Seasonal Ale

Been a long day.  No mug.  No long and drawn out explanation.  Just one beer and my thoughts…

Deschutes Brewery Buzzsaw Brown Seasonal Ale is hard to put a finger on.  While it tastes pretty good, it has something about it that seems just a little off.  Another drink… yep… something not quite right.

It tastes fine in the mouth, but there is a bit of an aftertaste that throws me off.  Hard to describe, but something almost chemical… maybe I should have had it out of the mug after all.

I am generally a big fan of Deschutes but this one won’t be purchased again.

Hop Trip

Encouraged by my friend and co-conspirator to dabble with a little drinking in the afternoon, I looked deep into my soul, had a quiet word with my conscience, checked that the kids weren’t in imminent danger, and - after a bit of a wrestle with the easily-defeated spirit of goodness - lifted a lightly-chilled bottle of the Deschutes Brewery’s retro-looking Hop Trip from the door of my refrigerator.  

And let me say right now - what a great move that was. “Hop Trip” is a fine mouthful of a Pale Ale, clearly brewed with way more than a sprinkling of nature’s finest ingredient and a healthy helping of beer-love from the brewmaster. Everso slightly cloudy amber looks complement a slap on the nose from those flowers, and taste that leaves you refreshed but wanting more. Highly highly recommended.

Inversion IPA

3rd beer of the night… as I am working on this blog, actually, just happens to be an Inversion IPA that I had left in the fridge from several months ago.  It has aged well and is tasting great… you wish you had one, believe me.