Review: Deschutes Brewery Swivelhead Red (2017) and Hop Slice (2017)
A new duo from our buddies in Bend.
Deschutes Brewery Swivelhead Red India Style Red Ale (2017) – Swivelhead Red is a beer designed to keep you guessing. The amber body looks like any classic, brownish-red lager, but one whiff and you know something’s up. India style? That’s right, it’s an IPA with eight different hop varieties in it, which find a foil in a significant amount of burly malt underneath. What percolates through is a greatest hits of two different styles. There are plenty of piney and citrus-forward hops, which attack the palate with ample bitterness before letting the sweet and nutty malt wash it away. The finish is a bit funky with mushroom notes as well as some chewy molasses character. 6.5% abv. B+ / $10 per six-pack
Deschutes Brewery Hop Slice Summer Ale (2017) – A semi-sessionable pale ale infused with lemondrop hops (among others). Quite piney, but not particularly lemony, as some smoldering, earthier elements tend to dominate. Nonetheless it’s a refresher with a surprisingly bold body and a slightly spicy finish — that goes down real easy. 5% abv. A- / $10 per six-pack
Deschutes Brewery Swivelhead Red (2017)
$10
