Three classic seasonal releases from Deschutes — all highly anticipated fall/winter offerings — are here. Let’s dive in!

Deschutes Brewery Hop Trip Pale Ale (2015) – Juicy and quaffable, a nicely hoppy nuber with ample citrus backing it up. Piney notes here are more evocative of the forest rather than dense and resinous, with a light lemon/orange character growing stronger as the finish develops. Ends clean and crisp. One of the best Hop Trips in recent years — though watch that alcohol now creeping up over 6 percent. 6.1% abv. A- / $8 per six-pack

Deschutes Brewery Chasin’ Freshies IPA (2015) – Each year this beer features a different hop variety, and for 2015 its lemondrop hops from Washington, a strain I’m not really familiar with. While the beer doesn’t offer a distinctly lemon character, it does pack lots of citrus into an IPA adding some candied notes — think fruity Chuckles? — to the mix. The bitterness is dialed back at first while the sugary stuff has its way with your palate. Only then, after you’re just about sick of it, do the bitter hops finally take over. Sweet relief. No pun intended. 7.4% abv. B / $6 per 22 oz. bottle

Deschutes Brewery Black Butte XXVII 27th Birthday Reserve – This always-experimental celebration beer, honoring 27 years in business, includes some real oddball ingredients: rosewater, apricot puree, pomegranate molasses, Chinese five spice, and cocoa nibs from Theo Chocolate. 50% is aged in barrels. Lots of this you can taste — the cinnamon/nutmeg-heavy spices, sweet molasses, and the cocoa nibs, but it’s all blended into this typically dark and unctuous core of a porter. Massive in its mouthfeel and loaded with tangy, syrupy malt overtones, it’s a powderkeg of figs and coffee. Super fun for a half a glass, then too much to keep pushing on. The finish lasts essentially forever, give or take. 11.6% abv. B / $17 per 22 oz. bottle

deschutesbrewery.com

Deschutes Brewery Black Butte XXVII 27th Birthday Reserve

$17

8

Rating

8.0/10

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Christopher Null

Christopher Null is the founder and editor in chief of Drinkhacker. A veteran writer and journalist, he also operates Null Media, a bespoke content creation company.

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