Deschutes Brewery Limited Reserve Series Pinot Suave

When I was much younger some friends and I got together to make beer look like wine buy drinking a 40oz of OE (Olde English 800) down to the top of the label and adding vodka back to the top of the bottle and added package of unsweetened cherry Kool-Aid – it looked like bad wine and tasted like hell, we all got sick and I do not advise anyone try this.

How about a beer that tastes a little like wine? Deschutes Brewery did just that with their recent release of Pinot Suave in limited 22 oz. bottles and draft. According to the menu, this is a strong Belgian ale that was aged in Oregon Pinot barrels that were filled with Pinot grape must.

Pinot Suave pours a beautiful dark ruby red with minimal head – this beer looks great with direct sunlight hitting the glass. The carbonation is appropriately high.

I haven’t tasted anything like this beer; it is very unique, very drinkable and a fantastic beer that keeps suggesting wine. I imagine one would do a double take of the label should this be your very late night tipple.

There are a myriad of berry flavors, dried cherry and raspberry shine through. Lingering further back on the palate is a hint of pipe tobacco. The light maltyness is a perfect complement to the dry tart finish.

While I did not pair this with food I certainly want to. I realize this is not the first beer brewed with grape must, but it is the first I have tried and highly recommend this to all adventurous beer AND wine drinkers.