The much anticipated release of Deschutes Brewery’s Black Butte XXII is being canceled this year. The Imperial version of the brewery’s popular Black Butte Porter, this year made with chilies, dark chocolate and orange peel, has been a favorite since it was first produced in 2008 for the brewery’s anniversary on June 27th.

The experimental chocolate that was used in this year’s formulation never fully dissolved in the beer. While most of it dissolved, a portion formed a layer on the surface of the beer. While the beer tastes fantastic, the visual presentation in the bottle is not up to Deschutes Brewery’s long held commitment to quality and the customer experience.

So, it is with great sadness that we make this announcement. We are not happy with this years Anniversary beer and we don’t think most of our consumers would be happy with it either. Therefore we are refusing to ship the beer recently packaged.

However, take this as Deschutes Brewery’s firm commitment to quality and to our customers. When you push boundaries like we do, something like this is bound to happen. We have been fortunate in the past that none of our experiments have resulted in this kind of drastic action. I hope all our friends and customers will forgive this year’s lack of an anniversary beer while recognizing our commitment to them.

We promise to never back away from the line, even when the risk is great.

There will be very limited amounts of draft Black Butte XXII available at the Deschutes Bend Pub, Portland Pub and the Tasting Room where Deschutes staff can monitor it closely and take appropriate action if the beer becomes visually unacceptable.

Cheers,

Gary Fish, CEO and Founder

Yes, it’s true.  Deschutes Brewery will start selling beer in Minnesota starting the week of March 29th. Partnering with J.J. Taylor Distributing Company of Minnesota, the largest beer distributor in the state, Deschutes Brewery will be focusing on the greater Twin Cities region for its initial launch.

Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale, along with a limited amount of select Reserve Series beers, will be available to Minnesotans in 22-ounce bottles and on draft.

“Minnesota is a place where people are passionate about their beer”, said Gary Fish, Deschutes Brewery’s Founder & President. “Getting our beer to more people who want it and are passionate about it has been part of our plan for quite a while, and we are looking forward to developing that relationship in Minnesota, starting with our two most popular beers. The response so far has been outstanding.”

Deschutes Brewery beers are now available in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in most major liquor stores and in bars that support craft beer.  If you can’t find our beer at your favorite watering hole, please ask them to carry it!  Cheers.

Twilight Ale 6-packs are now on the shelves, as well!

“As far as ingredients and recipes go, we can try pretty much anything we want,” says Paul Arney, head brewer at the Bend Public House.  “Thanks to Gary Fish (owner) and Larry Sidor (brewmaster), and their commitment to quality, we are able to try unconventional methods, which often result in a delicious beer we never could have discovered.”

Access to four brewhouses doesn’t hurt either.  The Bend pub, with its 12-barrel English style system, is better suited for developing more traditional ales, such as Bachelor Bitter, Rooster Cream Ale, and test batches of the reserve series like Black Butte XXII.  Cam O’Conner, head brewer at our Portland Public House, works with a 20-barrel German brewhouse and can create incredible lagers and more traditional German beers such as Miss Spelt Hefeweizen.  Using these smaller brewhouses to test materials and develop recipes gives Deschutes an advantage in churning out creative new beers to satisfy our thirsty customers.  Once a recipe has been dialed in, it can move onto the 50-barrel JV brewhouse or 150-barrel Huppmann system, both located at our production facility.

Keeping with our unconventional methods, Deschutes Brewery uses some innovative ingredients to keep taste buds intrigued.  “We have been working with Theo Chocolate in Seattle for Black Butte XXII test batches.  They are the only organic, fair-trade, cocoa nib to chocolate bar factory in the country, extremely high quality,” says Arney.  “The addition of fresh Seville orange with the chocolate in a beer, we may be the only brewery around to try that.  We’re also doing chili pepper experiments, to see what kind of spicy flavor attributes we can get from that.”  Other chili beers have been experimented with at Deschutes, such as Ancho Oh Be Joyful, which was a huge hit in the summer of 2009.

Other beers brewed with unconventional ingredients have been found at the pub, such as Phil’s Trail Ale which has the surprising addition of Meadowsweet.  “This herb smells just like snowbrush, which grows wild here in Central Oregon.  On an early morning out mountain biking on Phil’s Trail, you can just smell the snowbrush in the air.  We wanted this beer to have that quality,” says Arney.

Bold and hoppy brews such as Hop Henge, an 8.75% experimental IPA uses cane sugar instead of more malt to create balance but allow the five pounds of hops per barrel to power through.  Doc Holliday, a Belgian brown was fermented with huckleberries for a mild tartness, and the Plum Bob uses traditional English Pale Ale ingredients, other than the addition of plum extract which adds a funky zing to the flavor.

“With that beer, we wanted to try and get sourness without oak aging,” Arney says between sips of the tart concoction.

Barrel aging is another tool which is becoming more common to create new dimensions of flavor and also evoke a sour aspect in beer.  Deschutes now has hundreds of oak barrels in their library, some stained with bourbon and pinot noir.  Wild yeast, such as lactobacillus or brettanomyces, resides in these barrels and over a year or two’s time will transform a beer into a mouth puckering treat.  Additions of fruit, such as cherries in The Dissident, create a balanced beer that is flavorful and satisfying.

Deschutes continues to lead the industry in high quality, inspired beers. Check the pubs and the website for release parties and to find out what’s pouring near you.

- Laurel Bennett
Deschutes Brewery Bend Pub Server

Let us sculpt a figure, worthy of the ancients. We begin with an idea and a commitment. We employ new materials and exotic tools. We add passion and experience. Inevitably we fashion something that destiny will declare a heroic journey. It comes as no surprise then as we begin our discussion-the Brewmaster’s first words are, “As always, hopping is an adventure with Deschutes Brewery.”

What is this guy talking about? Hop Henge Experimental IPA has a one-track mind. It is obsessed with its’ role as a heavyweight hop personality. But not just regular, old heavyweight hops. We are talking about a fresh hop heavyweight. The question is how to achieve this without the harvest’s richest bounty-fresh picked hops. With a patent pending for the process, Brewmaster Larry Sidor reveals much about little. He details a new method for extracting everyone’s favorite gland, lupulin, from whole hop flowers. Approximately 3.2 seconds after he says “the measure of the efficiency of concentration”, my head begins to swim towards the dark recesses where I buried high school chemistry. Intriguing….but not my strong suit. The translation is simply this: fresh hop flavor and aroma available all year round. Heroic. Hop Henge brings an undeniably bright hop character to the table. Nothing dull or musty here. The citrus grabs hold of you like a snake charmer with a magic flute. This is the wonder of fresh hops. Have you ever walked through a hop field just before harvest? You want to…trust me.

“Just a minute,” you interrupt. “This is a big beer at 8.75% ABV. The IBUs at 95. This is nothing like the fresh hop beer you make!” True. Hop Henge is properly considered within the imperial realm. Traditional approaches to Imperial IPAs advise adding copious amounts of the highest alpha hops at every opportunity in the beer-making process. However, the resulting “IBU-vehicle” concoction, requiring a huge malt presence and unavoidable alcohol level for a quaffable balance, sometimes misses the mark. Sidor and his merry band of genies never settle for anything less than a bullseye. Armed with an unquenchable curiosity and a full house of hops, they asked “why not?”

Why not add Amarillo and Centennial hops to the malt in the grist mill? Why not utilize some Herkules hops (Germany’s answer to high alpha American hops, but with great aroma) in concert with the Millenniums and Northern Brewers in the kettle? Why not add the hottest hop variety in the country right now, Citra hops (since the Brewery has been tinkering with them for four years), into the hop back with the Northern Brewers and Brewers Gold? Who says you can’t add Cascades and Amarillos into the whirlpool? And maybe some pellets of Centennials, Cascades, and Amarillos into the fermentation tank (very unusual for Deschutes Brewery)? Or how about a seven-day dry-hopping with whole hop Citras just to round it all out? Whew! That was heavyweight….5.01 pounds per barrel, to be exact!

Additions. Extractions. Combinations. And fascination. Certainly a journey. A heroic journey. Examining Hop Henge like a tea leaf, in search of my muse, I smell this fantasy turned reality long before it glides over my palette. Orange zest and pink grapefruit serve as olfactory intoxicants. The carbonation not only tickles my nose, but makes my tongue feel like it is coated in bubble wrap gone mad. It deftly accents the bitter citrus I crave. Piney bitterness swells intensely. A clean, malty sweetness rescues me in the middle of the wave, just as I reach bitter overload. Only to be plunged deeply back into a complete, satisfying, hop immersion. I arrive suddenly back on shore, magically standing on two legs, with only the echo of a vibration on my tongue.

I am a hophead. And I am in love.

By Amos A. Amarillo

We only get to brew this beauty once a year. Due to the nature of fresh hops, we only have one chance to get it right. As one might imagine, a year’s worth of anticipation can cause a high level of excitement and agitation. So when everyone came back Thursday to the news that the brewing had gone through the night without a hitch, the party was on. There is even a legend building around this year’s batch. When head brewer Brett Porter’s wife Amy heard how good the Crystals were, she went ahead and had a baby boy. According to the burgeoning legend, this happened at almost precisely the same moment we were mashing in the first brew. We brewers lobbied hard for the name Crystal Tripp, but it looks like they went with something a tad more traditional. Oh well, can’t win em all, I guess. Congrats to the Porter family, and cheers to all.

John “Abe” Abraham, Brewer

Modern Brewery Age
(Five out of Five Mugs)
A beautiful hop forward beer, practically exploding with fresh hop aroma and flavor. The nose is a stunning bouquet of floral hops, and every sip fills the palate with citrusy fruit flavors. It’s a terrific and distinctive IPA, with 6.4% abv and a relatively modest 55 IBUs. Tasters were blown away by this one from the first scent.

“Holy shit!” said Greg Zannella.

“Unbelievable!” said Marty Juliano.

“Very floral up front, they really make phenomenol beer.” “Great hop nose,” agreed Robert Lachman.

“Wow!” “Aroma is nice big floral and citrus, well rounded, and very Pacific Northwest,” said Gregg Glaser.

“Floral right through to the taste, like lilacs,” Greg Zannella added.

“Floral up front, then grapefruit flavor and finish,” Marty said.

“Stops just short of too much grapefruit,” said Phil Simpson.

“Maybe a quarter rind short of too much grapefruit,” Gregg Glaser laughed. “And it sure tastes a lot bigger than 55 IBU.”

“Excellent beer, this should get a special 27 mug rating,” said Robert Lachman.

“I’ve never had a bad beer from Deschutes,” said Von Bair. “Now when the Hell will they start shipping to the East Coast?”

“Terrific fresh hop character,” said Tom Conti, “A beautiful thing.”

Now, we look forward to reading your comments about what you think of this juicy IPA.

The long, warm evenings in Central Oregon once again herald the return of Twilight Ale, Deschutes Brewery’s award winning summer seasonal. This hot weather quencher is available Memorial Day weekend through September in 6-packs, 12-packs, and on draft. Now your idea of summer fun might be matching the hatch, honing your short game, or flying down single-track on the edge of sanity. We believe Twilight Ale will make hanging out next to the Weber and reflecting on these pursuits that much more enjoyable.The use of Cara-Pils and Carastan malts lends Twilight Ale a subtle, wafer like body. This is at once offset and complemented by citrus and floral aromas. These are brought about with late additions of whole flower Cascade, Amarillo, and Tettnang hops. The overall result is a crisp, effervescent, highly drinkable ale that will pair beautifully with picnic classics like barbecued ribs, and salads with lemon and dill.

Twilight Ale was named for that magical time of day when shadows are long, laughter comes easily, and you really just want the moment to last forever. One more cast, one more putt, one more leg of the trail, just one more Twilight Ale. So keep on chasing down those low slung rays of summer light, and we’ll keep doing things the Deschutes way, deal?

Cheers,

John “Abe” Abraham, Brewer

Where:
Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub
210 NW 11th & Davis
Portland, OR   97209

When:
Monday, May 11th
6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Who:
Some of Portland’s Finest Chefs:
Cathy Whims, Nostrana
Pascal Sauton, Carafe Bistro
Scott Neuman, Oba! Restaurante
Pascal Chureau – Fenouil Brasserie
Jill Ramseier, Deschutes Brewery, Portland
Jeff Usinowicz, Deschutes Brewery, Portland
Philippe Boulot, The Heathman Restaurant & Multnomah Athletic Club

Entertainment:
Aaron Meyer, concert rock violinist

Beneficiary:
Morrison Child & Family Services

Dinner Tickets*:
$100 each. Call 503-332-5000 or stop by the Portland Pub to purchase tickets.

Given the wild reception and enthusiasm shown by the public for the likes of The Abyss, The Dissident, Hop Henge, and Hop Trip, we are confident that there is no shortage of folks out there who appreciate innovation. Clearly people understand and appreciate the importance, or dare we say, the absolute necessity of our continuing to be experimental and cutting edge.

Red Chair is a bright copper beauty (think freshly minted penny) with a solid head and perfect lacing that typifies Deschutes ales. It has a plush body with satiny caramel flavors derived from seven varieties of malt including British crystals, German pilsner, and domestic versions of cara-pils and Munich. Despite all of this, Red Chair is still a hop forward ale, but not in the way many have gotten used to. You will find no cloying, mouth puckering bitterness here. In its place a straight up succulent citrus punch to the nose. This is due to the experimental nature of some of the hops, as well as, how late in the process they were added.

To say that the seemingly contradictory elements of caramel maltiness and citrusy hops get along would be an understatement; they coexist in blissful harmony. Red Chair would pair exceptionally well with hot-n-sour soup, enchiladas with mole sauce, or thin crust margarita pizza. But don’t take our word for it, get a little experimental yourself and enjoy this wonderful beer with any food you see fit, or all by itself.

Cheers,

John “Abe” Abraham, Brewer