Nutty coffee emphasis worthily upends musty mocha redolence, sweet chocolate richness, and roasted barleymalt base of opaque brown body, but dry fruited finish lacks anticipatory hazelnut assertiveness.
All posts by John Fortunato
DESCHUTES MIRROR POND PALE ALE
Subdued Cascade hop bittering welcomes tangy citric-spiced spree above crystalline water. Fruited tartness never disrupts dry-roasted nut-grained caramel finish.
DESCHUTES INVERSION INDIA PALE ALE
Honeyed cereal grains underlie sharp-fruited hop plain to bitter floral-spiced orange-grapefruit-peeled finish of penny-hued dry body. Caramelized biscuit-y wheat bottom brings out peach, pear, and quince ripeness.
DESCHUTES HOP TRIP PALE ALE
Dry woody hops and earthen grains fortify dehydrated fruited souring. Ruby red grapefruit tang, puckered lemon peel tartness, and yellow apple continuance form moderate frontage as chamomile tea, basil, and cannabis illusions fill recess.
DESCHUTES 18TH ANNIVERSARY PILSNER
Palest straw-hued pearly-headed medium-bodied German-styled pilsner closer to dank Czech beer with its harsh graining, corn malt sugaring, and audible hop fizz. Despite baked breaded yeast caress and rice-like pleasantry, astringently soapy finish seems detrimental.
DESCHUTES CINDER CONE RED ALE
Medium-bodied amber juxtaposes caramel malt sweetness and toasted barley singe against earthen hop spicing and autumnal fruit esters. Minor yeast particles thicken busybody.
DESCHUTES CASCADE GOLDEN ALE
Herbal hop mildness and desolate malt musk fade quickly for foamy bronze-hued beige-headed washout. Bleached wheat sulk represses dry nut roast, sunny lemon lightness, and unripe peach tinge.
(DESCHUTES) BOND STREET BROWN ALE
Scruffy ruby amber English-styled dry body hides unripe berry-cherry acridity beneath desolate chocolate malt souring and cragged toffee-hazelnut illusions. Searching for a dominant character.
DESCHUTES BLACK BUTTE PORTER
Dry black coffee theme allows musty floral fruit nose, toasted malt mouthfeel, doughy yeast sinew, and deep berry seepage to influence chewy molasses-like dark chocolate finish. Inviting as crossover for matured pilsner-lager fans yet timid, watery, and less creamy than full-bodied porters.
DESCHUTES BACHELOR EXTRA SPECIAL BITTER ALE
Creamy malt-draped toffee sweetness overtakes pleasant wheat-barley combo and coffee-tinged edge as bubbly carbonation tickles tongue. Chocolate raisin drapes refreshing soda pop fizz by resinous hop embittered finish.
(DER HIRSCH) NEUSCHWANSTEINER BAVARIAN LAGER
Clear pale-bodied soft-toned lager allows astringent barleycorn dankness and austere honey malt complacency to ruin economical sour wheat dryness. Moderate herbal hop bitterness falls short by shallow nut finish.
(DER HIRSCH) HOLZAR-BIER BAVARIAN
Silky amber-paled, medium-bodied “dunkel” (dark) lager retains moderate caramel creaminess and gentle barley-roasted candi-sugared malt sweetness, but hindered fruit blandness, stifled earthiness, and faint smokiness lost in midst.