Review: Deschutes Brewery Pinedrops, Foray 2015, Twilight 2015, and The Stoic 2015

By Christopher Null | June 25, 2015 |

We’ve been falling behind on Deschutes’ beer releases, so here’s a look at four new/seasonal/reissued bottlings hitting in time for summer sipping!

Deschutes Brewery Pinedrops IPA – Formerly an experimental brew served only on tap (and amde with Chinook, Centennial, and Equinox hops), this year Pinedrops goes into year-round rotation in bottles. A burly IPA with resin a plenty and ample, earthy undertones. More forest floor than canopy, there’s some mushroomy notes and a bit of stewed prune character to balance the gentler citrus peel and pine needle elements. A more brooding, less cleansing (but plenty bitter) expression of IPA. 6.5% abv. B+ / $10 (six-pack of 12 oz. bottles)

Deschutes Brewery Foray IPA (2015) – This newish addition to the Deschutes Bond Street series of seasonals takes classic IPA hops (Nugget, Amarillo, Mosiac, CTZ, and Galaxy), and pairs them up with a Belgian yeast strain for the fermentation. The results: A bitter beer with more fruit, including some tart apple notes, some lemon, and slightly sour apricots. It’s a fun little change of pace from the usual pine and citrus focus, though not necessarily “better.” 6.5% abv. A- / $6 (22 oz. bottle)

Deschutes Brewery Twilight Summer Ale (2015) – This season’s Twilight offers a nice balance of piney bitterness and some dried citrus peel notes along with a little baked apple character. On the finish, notes of clove and nutmeg. It’s never been an overwhelmingly complex beer, but it’s a nice distraction from other blonde ales that are often a bit more biscuity. 5% abv. B+ / $10 (six-pack of 12 oz. bottles)

Deschutes Brewery The Stoic (2015) – Deschutes launched the original Stoic in 2011, and it generated a surprising backlash because drinkers felt it “didn’t taste like a Belgian Quad” — which the bear is styled after. Deschutes basically said it didn’t care and released a darker version called Not The Stoic in 20114. Now The Stoic is back with the original’s recipe, which balances Pilsner malt with Hallertauer Mittelfruh, Czech Saaz, and Northern Brewer hops plus Belgian candi sugars and pomegranate molasses. Pinot noir and rye whiskey barrels are used to gently age the finished beer. I don’t get much barrel influence here; instead the malt and molasses do most of the talking, giving this a very sweet approach and a powerful, juicy impact on the palate. The alcohol level (significant) isn’t readily noticeable, as the fruitier elements — figs, apricots, peaches, and a lacing of molasses — tend to mask it. The finish is clean but sticky with caramel notes making for a decadent — but a bit gooey — finish. 10.9% abv. B+ / $16 (22 oz. bottle)

deschutesbrewery.com