Deschutes Brewery - Jubelale 2011

Tonight I'm drinking Jubelale from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon.  This is their "Festive Winter Ale", a strong ale that contradicts itself with only 6.7% alcohol (some of you may disagree with this assessment, but in my mind, a beer isn't truly 'strong' until it gets above 8%).  The winter seasonals are finally starting to pop up on the shelves, and with them is the sense that the holidays are upon us.

By the way, side note - how do you guys feel about the smell of christmas trees?  Because....I think that's the best smell in the world.  Some people disagree with this fact.  Some claim that a wood-burning fire smells better.  Others say fresh cinnamon sticks and dried fruits smell better.  The ocean.  Spring rain.  All wrong!  Nothing smells better than a fresh-cut Christmas tree.

Now, back on point, this strong ale from Deschutes has earned a devout following in the world of winter brews.  It's about 35 degrees outside and MN winter is fast approaching, so this is the optimal environment to put it to the test.  The presentation is great - the label depicts a person in winter garb, holding a glass of Jubelale in one hand and a snowball in the other.  The beer is dark reddish brown with a dense, frothy 2 inches of beige foam.  Aroma is full of sweet, burnt caramel, candied dark fruits, fresh-cut apples/pears, and stiff mineral water.  Taste is smooth and rich, with a sweeping malt character, lots going on here.  Starts with bitter-sweet dark chocolate, hints of coffee and toffee.  Dark fruits come through next, playing nicely with coffee grinds all the way through the middle.  The alcohol is hardly noticeable.  The finish is robust, but washes away with a burnt, crisp chocolate finish, and a slightly bitter hop sensation that is delayed yet perfectly timed at the end.

Overall Rating:  This is a complex, warming, awesome winter brew from Deschutes that definitely puts you in the holiday mood, without overdoing it on the spices and other additions.  And at 6.7%, you can enjoy a couple of them without getting overly sauced.  Put this beer at the top of your list for this winter!  A

Deschutes - Fresh Hop Mirror Pond Pale Ale

Tonight I'm drinking a fresh hopped version of Deschutes well known pale ale.  Mirror Pond is one of the first pale ales I had the pleasure of enjoying.  It's also one beer in a veritable ocean of examples of the style.  Although, it has definitely made it's presence known over the years.  Mirror Pond has won a number of awards since 2006 including a gold medal for the Classic English-Style Pale Ale at the Great American Beer Festival in 2010.  So how do you make an already perfect beer better?  The hop heads out there already know the answer... ADD MORE HOPS!!!

This freshly hopped version of Mirror Pond owes its namesake to a heirloom plot of Cascade hops.  These hops were reinvigorated by Deschutes brewers from the original rootstock developed at Oregon State University.  The hop plot is maintained at Goshie Farms in Oregon.

Best before 12/11/11.  The pour on this freshly hopped ale just looks juicy.  The appearance is very vibrant.  Sunburst orange and brilliantly clear with a solid finger of bright white foam.  Whiffs of fruit-filled hops and lemongrass overlay a subtle, but noticeable matly sweetness.  The flavors are very similar to the aromas.  Although, the lemongrass is much more prominent.  A solid level of bitterness accentuates the light fruity characteristics of white grapes, lemon zest, pear and spicy pine.  The entire experience is full and smooth.  Little to no alcohol present and a medium level of carbonation helps to keep the finish crisp and dry.

Overall - Deschutes Fresh Hop ale provides a refreshing slate of flavors that is more akin to a summer ale.  You wont find piles of grapefruit and pine in this brew.  It almost tastes like a fruit salad, but not like the prepackaged crap you get in those cups.  Bleh.  This is much, much better.  If you like Mirror Pond and piles of fruity fresh hops then Deshutes just made your favorite beer.

Deschutes Brewery - The Stoic

Does anyone out there play Words with Friends?  I'm dangerously addicted to this scrabble-esque game, it's like a bad crack habit.  Why?  First of all, it's free, my favorite price.  Secondly, I'm damn good at it.  If you're up for a challenge - start a game with me - my name is 'Duny22'.  Disclaimer:  If you challenge me, you will lose, probably many times over, and I'm not liable for your disappointment or frustration.  You've been warned!

Tonight, while I kick your asses in Words with Friends, I'll be drinking The Stoic from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon.  The Stoic is a Belgian-style Quadrupel Ale loaded with 11% alcohol.  This brew is fermented in 4 different stages, and aged in rye whiskey and wine casks.  There are some other, well-known Quads that Steve and I have had in the past, like the Trappistes Rochefort 10 and Ommegang Three Philosophers - brews in this style tend to be malty, fruity, and on the higher end of the alcohol spectrum.  Let's see how The Stoic stacks up against the rest of the pack.

This beer comes in a bomber bottle with a wax-sealed cap and a label that explains this is "A prized, potent Belgian-Styled Quad of stirring depth and complexity".  Below that it states "The Stoic: Malt Beverage brewed with pomegranate with 16.5% being aged in oak wine barrels and 16.5% being aged in oak rye whiskey barrels".  The beer is a clear, golden orange color, a lot lighter than I expected.  While this first glass is clear, I can see plenty of sediment stirred up in the bottom of the bottle.  The pour leaves an inch of fluffy white foam.  The aroma accentuates the Belgian yeast-funk up front, plenty of bananas, candied apples, cinnamon sugar, and tart, spicy alcohol fumes.  The fumes really waft out of the glass.  First sip, starts off with a wave of tart, sugary sweetness.  Then the yeast comes into play with a sour farmhouse flavor - grassy, herbal, earthy.  Towards the end, the fruits finally come through - hints of pomegranate, and some warm, woody oak is also there.  The alcohol finishes things off with some heat. 

Overall Rating:  This was a tough beer to rate.  Positives - pleasant quad flavors, the base beer is obviously very good.  Negatives - the pomegranate and barrel aging create too much of a diversion, and take away from what must be a great Quad at the foundation.  A good beer, but not quite great.  B 

Deschutes - Jubel 2010

Tonight I'm reviewing a brew that I'm very excited about.  I purchased this beer close to 18 months ago when it was originally released by Deschutes in late 2009.  They call it their "Once a Decade Ale".  And its felt like a decade since I purchased it!  Its nice to have a place in my house where I can just hide bottles like these.  If I didn't, they would have been too much of a temptation in my fridge to be able to resist.  And yes, I said they, because I have two!  Hopefully I can resist for another year on my other bottle and see if its changed at all from this review.

Deschutes classifies this as a strong ale.  And the stats back it up - 10% ABV, bold malt profile, and a best after date of January 29th, 2011.  When you have a best after date, you know you are in for a big, bold experience.

This strong ale starts out darker than I had originally anticipated.  A deep, ruby color shines through when I hold my glass up to the light.  Without the incandescent assistance you are unable to peer through to the other side.  A frothy tan head builds up nicely as well.  An impressive trait considering the amount of alcohol and age this brew has accumulated.  The aromas are potent with candied dark fruits and caramelized malt immediately noticeable.  Undertones of bourbon and vanilla blend in nicely to dispel and presumption of sweetness.  My first sip yields more bourbon characteristics than anticipated.  I like it!  Hints of vanilla, figs, spiced plum all come together to create a very complex flavor profile.  A welcomed alcohol warmth and low level of carbonation help to accentuate this strong ales bold repertoire.

Overall - I'm blown away by this strong ale.  Hands down, my favorite within this style, period.  I love the bourbon and vanilla characteristics that blend together with the dark fruits.  Its not so overly thick or viscous that you don't want to go back for another sip.  Although the alcohol will easily sneak up on you if you get a little carried away.  At this time, I'd be surprised if you can find this at your local store.  But if you still have a bottle of it aging somewhere I'd highly recommend cracking it open.  I know Ill have a difficult time keeping my hands off of my other bottle!

Deschutes Brewery - Hop in the Dark Cascadian Ale

Tonight I'm pulling out this 22oz bottle of Hop in the Dark from Deschutes Brewery.  This brew is a member of the (relatively) new style of beer called Cascadian Dark Ale, of which I am a HUGE fan.  It's no surprise Deschutes loves their local Northwest hops, and this is essentially a Northwest-hopped black IPA.  A part of their Bond Street Series, this brew is available from May-September.  It sports 6.5%ABV, 70 IBUs.

The beer is a dark brown-black, drowns out all the light.  Impressive light tan head billows up during the pour, and recedes fairly quickly leaving some 'tree-ring' lacing.  The aroma is equally impressive, with citrus and spice sitting on a throne of bittersweet roasted malts.  The drink brings a wallop of roast chocolate malts, smooth and rich coffee, and some toasted rye bread.  Citrus and pine hops weave their way into the mix, grapefruits being the major player.  The alcohol is just an subtle afterthought in the finish.  The body is medium, with an oily sensation in the middle and a dryness at the finish.

Overall Rating:  This Cascadian Dark Ale was awesome.  The style seems to be gaining a lot of momentum in the craft world, and Deschutes hit the nail on the head with this brew.  Great balance between hop and malt - sufficiently hoppy to satisfy the hop-fiends out there, but with a really nice malt backdrop.  Go find this brew!  A-

Deschutes Red Chair NWPA

So a friend pointed out to me that I've been on a Deschutes bender the last couple weeks.  Well, it's true.  I keep running across new Deschutes brews that I've never tried before, and I just can't help myself.  So I apologize for my narrow-mindedness and utter lack of variety lately, because it's going to continue today as I drink this Red Chair NWPA!

Just a quick side note - the Packers looked great against the Falcons.....they held a smack-down clinic and completely destroyed them, in Atlanta, very impressive.  I'm looking forward to next week's Packers/Bears game.  I think from here on out I'll be rooting for Rodgers and the Pack to win it all. 

OK, back to the important stuff.  According to Deschutes' website, Red Chair NWPA is named after the oldest operating lift at Mt Bachelor in Oregon.  Not sure exactly what that is supposed to mean in the context of beer...that it is extremely old and dangerous?  Weird name.  This beer is designed to be hop-forward and full of malty goodness with a wide variety of different malts (7 total), and registers at 6.2%ABV, 60 IBUs.  It won the "World's Best Beer" award for 2010.

Pouring this into a pint glass (not pictured, my iPhone was dead while I drank this, iPhone battery life is a joke).  The beer pours a light copper orange color, nice and clear, with foamy and persistent white head.  The aroma is a full of earthy pine and citrus hops, along with a muted caramel maltyness.  There is some sweetness in the nose also, hard to describe but reminds me of honey. 

The beer definitely brings the hops to the forefront - pine cones and grassy undertones, also a lot of citrus.  The malts come through in a bready, lightly sweet note.  The taste of this beer reminds me of hiking in the mountains in Colorado.  It's a general earthiness that is present from the hops through the malt backbone and even in the crisp, dry finish.  Relatively light body, and the mouthfeel is very sharp - I think the beer may be a little over-carbonated.

Overall Rating:  (5.1 out of 6.0)  I absolutely burned through this 12oz bottle of beer.  It is a phenomenal American Pale Ale - it really takes the style to the next level in terms of hoppiness and the flavor profile, while not quite reaching the IBU insanity of an American IPA.  Great drinkability, not overbearing in the alcohol department...the only negative I encountered was the carbonation, which seemed a little too high.  Other than that, great brew.

Deschutes Hop Henge Experimental IPA

One of my friends at work who knows that I am a proud, unapologetic hop-head, mentioned to me the other day that Hop Henge is coming out in January.  I'd never heard of the beer before, so I frollicked over to Lee's shop that same day after work and picked up this bottle of supposedly super hoppy joy.  At 9% ABV and 95 IBUs, it sounds like this is a big-time american IPA.  According to their website, Deschutes loads up pounds of Cascade and Centennial, along with a big dose of dry-hopping per barrell. 

This beer is going into my goblet - pours out a beautifully clear, very dark amber that I could almost call brown.  About an inch of head forms without much lacing.  The aromas are clearly dominated by pine, although there is also some citrus and a bit of resin fumes in there, not pungent but definitely fresh.

The beer tastes very much how I expected after smelling it - hop forward with the pine and grapefruit, but not intensely bitter.  It's got a great balance, the malt profile has some muscle - light caramel malts, bready taste and biscuity texture.  The flavors work very well together and the balance is complimented by the texture of the beer, being smooth (almost creamy) with carbonation on the lower end. 

Overall Rating:  (5.3 out of 6.0)  I really enjoyed this beer - it was dangerously drinkable (look out for that 9%.....this one is a booze ninja!) and had a lot of well-balanced complexity.  It doesn't fall into the 'hop your socks off' category, but the hop profile is full of flavor and it really hit the spot. 

Deschutes - The Abyss 2010

Deschutes Brewery is located out in Oregon right along the bank of the Deschutes River.  The brewery started out in 1988 as a small brewpub with their flagship beers, the Black Butte Porter, Bachelor Bitter and Cascade Golden Ale.  I've tried Black Butte Porter and a couple other beers from these guys, and most of them have been pretty tasty, so I have high hopes for this bottle of The Abyss.

The Abyss is an Imperial Stout that registers at 11% ABV and 65 IBUs.  The bottle says "The Abyss:  Stout brewed with Licorice and Molasses with 33% aged in oak and oak bourbon barrels".  Uh oh.  Licorice is vile, disgusting, reminiscent of sewage.....I can't believe they actually make candy out of that garbage.  I'm a little worried they brewed with that stuff, but I'll try to reserve judgement. 

I'm pouring this beer into a pint glass - it pours out a thick, heavy very dark brown/black.  The head billows out thick and chunky, I had to cut my pour short because the foam wanted to bust out all over my counter.  Lots of lace holds onto the glass.  The aroma is roasty malts early on, along with chocolate, wood, and alcohol.  This looks and smells fantastic.

And looks are definitely not deceiving.... Wow!  first sip is rich and smooth roasted malts, with a little bit of smokey wood and coffee flavors dancing around.  Also some dark chocolate bitterness.  Despite the rich texture, I can't say there's any sweetness, just 100% roasty oaky goodness with a slight bitterness.  I'm struggling to find a good way to describe it....the best I can come up with is 'sharp'.  The alcohol is only present in warmth - doesn't make an appearance in the flavor profile. It has a smooth, silky feel to it from start to finish.  It's thick, but not syrupy. 

Overall Rating:  (5.8 out of 6.00)  Ladies and Gentlemen, this beer is delicious.  This is one of those bottles of beer that you never want to run out.  Hands down one of the best Imperial Stouts I've tasted.....ever.  Pick one up if you haven't tried it yet - I'm heading to Lee's shop to pick up another 2010 and put it in the cellar for a year.  There isn't much room for it to get any better, but I'd like to give it the opportunity.