I have stated in the past (and will state again) that they have the best "stable" of basic beers. On top of that, they are constantly experimenting with styles and ingredients, all the while maintaining the quality of what they produce.
Therefore, I try to visit their Public House every time I am in Portland, Oregon.
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Black Butte XXVIII, a Porter by Deschutes Brewery.
2 ounce sample, served in a Deschutes taster glass.
11.5% abv.
The nose is "powdery" cream and dark chocolate.
The tongue is dark chocolate and vanilla and orange peel, with hints of licorice and dark fruits, all followed by a cocoa powder finish.
The mouthfeel is thick and oily and pleasant upon the tongue.
+
The Descendant, a Flanders Oud Bruin by Deschutes Brewery.
1/3 liter, served in a Deschutes snifter glass.
11.6% abv.
The pour delivers a beautiful to behold reddish-orange body topped with a thin white ring.
The nose is tart (cranberry) + yeasty + lightly lemony.
The tongue follows the nose.
The mouthfeel is medium.
This is a beer that even The Wife could drink. I know this because I had her try it. The Wife doesn't like "beer," but she can drink lambics and other fruit-style beers. I think she could handle this "sour" beer because the tartness, while still present in The Descendant is not quite as sour as that found in its bigger brother The Dissident.
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Both of these beers paired well with my entree, which was "smoked Carleton Farms pork shoulder, Armory XPA BBQ sauce, corn salad, and white cheddar cornbread with honey butter." Setting aside the pork for a moment, the corn salad nearly stole the plate! And the honey-buttered cornbread was likewise excellent.
The pork was just right. Not too dry. Not too juicy. Just right. And the flavor was perfect as well: a light tanginess that pulled particular notes forward in each beer.
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After dinner, it was time for dessert (shared with The Wife and The Child) and enjoying another beer not available in a bottle.
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Sagefight IPA, an American IPA by Deschutes Brewery.
1/4 liter, served in a Deschutes "mini" pint glass.
7.3% abv.
The pour is deep orange with 1/8" of bright white head.
The nose is sage and pine* and citrus galore. (*What I'm calling pine was listed as juniper in the menu.)
The tongue is Deschutes Pinedrops IPA on steroids. The sage is at the forefront, with pine backing it up, and a "buzzy bite" beneath all of that.
I find this to be spectacular. If you don't like sage, pine, or the bitterness of some IPAs, I would recommend that you avoid this. But if you like all of those (or even just 2 of the 3, and are adventurous), then I highly recommend a glass or two.
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Thank you, Deschutes Brewery, for being one of the highlights of another trip to Portland!
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