Deschutes started in 1998 as a small brewpub in Bend, Oregon. During that first year of brewing, Deschutes turned out 398 barrels.  To give you a reference point, that’s less than Alexandria’s own Port City does in a month. Fast forward to present day to find Deschutes now brewing over 200,000 barrels a year as the eleventh largest brewery in America. Deschutes brews a vast variety of well crafted beer that has earned many acclaim over the years. This is the second consecutive year Deschutes has poured at SAVOR and I expect more great stuff from the crew from Bend.

Location: Bend, Oregon

Type: Production

Available in DC Market: No

Beer #1: Red Chair NWPA( Pale Ale, 6.4 % ABV)

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Beer Advocate: A- (205 Reviews)
Rate Beer: 95 Overall, 98 Style

Notes: Packed with Centennial and Cascade hops, this is one of the best pale ales in America. This fresh pale should pair nicely with roasted mushrooms in the paired Herb Roasted Mushrooms on Toast.

Beer #2: The Dissident (Flanders Oud Bruin, 10.5% ABV)

Beer Advocate: A- (312 Reviews)
Rate Beer: 99 Overall, 92 Style

Notes: The Flanders style is a bit challenging to describe, but can be  introduced as a slightly sour red to brown ale. You’ll find low amounts of bitterness with a slight amount of citrus ,but more than anything, plenty of sour cherries on the nose as well as throughout the taste. Don’t let the sourness dissuade you from enjoying this complex style of beer.

I’m most familiar with their reserve series, including The Abyss and Black Butte, so getting a chance to try other Deschutes beer will be great. Clearly, Deschutes knows the SAVOR crowd well and chose to bring a nice balance of seasonal and limited quantity release. It’s great to have these guys back at SAVOR again. Hopefully the new expansion will allow Deschutes to expand further east and hopefully enter our market soon.

This profile is a part of the DCBEER.COM SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2011 SAVOR participants.

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