Deschutes Announces Lineup of 2010 Specialty Brews
Today Deschutes Brewing announced the release of three specialty beers from their Reserve Series and Bond Street Series. These beers, in addition to being available on draught, will also be on shelves in handsomely packaged 22-ounce bombers.
Hop in the Dark Cascadian Dark Ale: Released this month, this dark and citrusy black IPA (that’s what a CDA is if you still aren’t aware) will be the latest in Deschutes’ Bond Street Series. The complex flavors of boisterous aromatic and bitter hops coupled with a mild almost minty roast makes this beer suitable for any season. But it won’t be around for ever. Available in bottles in all 15 states where Deschutes is sold, Hop in the Dark was also flowing on tap at the Portland pub a few days ago when we stopped in for lunch.
Black Butte XXII: What started as a wonderful experiment for Deschutes’ 20th anniversary two years ago has turned into a perennial favorite within the brewery’s Reserve Series. Releasing on June 27, you will find this notably bold dark and robust chocolate and coffee brew on select draught and in waxed dipped 22-ounce bottles. This year’s beefed-up rendition of Black Butte offers a unique twist from the first two years’ releases. Generation XXII melds cocoa nibs, dark chocolate, and orange peel, and chilies all aged in bourbon barrels to create what they call a “masterpiece of creative brewer whimsy.” Look for specials and fun festivities at Deschutes’ anniversary events in both Bend and Portland.
The Dissident: We know it is still early yet, but we can’t stop thinking about this out of this world wild ale due out in September. Spending eighteen months in isolation to assure its favorable funkiness doesn’t infect the rest of the brewhouse, The Dissident, a Flanders-style brown ale, will surely have the craft beer world buzzing. Deschutes’ only wild yeast beer so far, brettanomyces and lactobacillus impart its characteristic sour taste. Lavished with whole western Washington cherries picked out personally by brewmaster Larry Sidor, The Dissident is, according to Deschutes, “the brewery’s wildest, most expensively pampered beer.” From our perspective, the last release of this special brew was one of the best ever, and the label art was equally a artful.
Well, those are just a few beers at Deschutes to keep your your eyes peeled for down the road. The great thing about their two taprooms is you can usually find something new and interesting to sate your wondering palate. On our last visit we enjoyed a special N2 Theo Stout, a nitro pour of made with organic cocoa nibs used added to the brew kettle. From the Theo chocolaters, Deschutes brewers also melted Theo’s 74% chocolate directly into the finished beer. We also enjoyed a cask pint of their summer seasonally released Twilight Ale. A light, crisp, floral quaffer perfect for the warmer days ahead.
About The Author
Angelo
Angelo grew up in Maine and is proud to call New England his original home. Cascadia is now his home. He fell in love with great beer in Oregon, Washington, and Northern California. He has been a correspondent for the Portland Tribune's Guest on Tap column, LivePDX.com, and has been featured in publications such as Beer Northwest and PDX Magazine. Angelo also has a great interest in independent music, and has been a booker and organizer for shows around the Portland under the name Pop Tomorrow! Angelo garnered much knowledge regarding beer from his experiences homebrewing, working at Belmont Station, Pyramid Brewing, Upright Brewing, By the Bottle, Beer Revolution, Olde Depot Public House, Falling Sky Brewing, Cascade Brewing, and from many many knowledgeable, passionate, and loving people along the way. It is Angelo's mission to bring "infotainment" and "edumation" to the readers of this website. If you have any questions or comments, or would like to contribute, please contact me at angelo@brewpublic.com
Since you called Dissident deschutes’ only wild yeast beer, maybe you could clear up some confusion I’ve had over lil buddha: I was under the impression that it was a separate sour beer, but I’ve also heard that it came out of the original dissident project. Was it a weird barrel of dissident, unblended, or what?
Jeff: From a description I read on their tap menu for Streaking The Lil Buddha (a blend of Streaking the Quad and Lil Buddha), it stated that Lil Buddha is a derivative of the Dissident. I’ve reached out to the brewer for some further details. I’ll let you know more when I know more…Thanks, man.
Cool, thanks for doing the digging!
Okay, so here’s the word from Brewmaster Larry Sidor:
Angelo,
I’ve been busted! No Lil Buddha was not a Dissident gone bad (is that a double negative or a double good???). We do many sour beers here at Deschutes. We’re always experimenting to uncover the mysteries of “bioflavoring”. Many of the experiments are just single wood barrels. Lil Buddha was one of these projects. From time to time kegs of these beers find their way to our pubs or special events. I’m guessing that’s how you came to know Lil Buddha. The sour beers that we will be releasing in bottles in the near future are Dissident on 9/15/11 (bugs willing) and a sour amber on 9/15/11 (aka Green Monster).
Best regards,
Larry
wow, so dissident this year (assuming that “11” was a typo) and a new sour next year?!?
Sounds like some fantastic breaking news (to me at least).
Yeah, we’re stoked to get a taste of those.
Can’t wait, I have never had it. I also read somewhere that they were souring their Green Lakes Organic… and that THAT was the Green Monster. To me that sounds really good as well. Will have to do a side by side with Cascades the Vine.