Great Beer: Deschutes Fresh-Squeezed IPA

By John Antolos

I could sit here sniffing my glass of Fresh-Squeezed IPA all day, just taking in the heady, hoppy goodness. In fact, I just closed my eyes and kept my nose in the glass for a good five minutes, letting the citrusy essence, and the piney and floral aromas transport me to my happy place. Fortunately, I didn’t just sit there sniffing the beer, but it was a great prelude to the first sip. 

This beer from DESCHUTES BREWERY out in Bend, Oregon, pours a coppery amber color and, true to the label, did taste fresh, with the quintessential hoppy bite expected of the style. However the hops were delightfully mild and perfectly balanced with the malts. The initial sip was just a mouthful of crispy, refreshing goodness. The flavor profile was what you would expect from the Citra and Mosaic hops—the Citra imparting the dominating citrus and grapefruit flavors, while the Mosaic adding the fruit and tropical flavors. This would be an IPA to introduce IPAs to your reluctant friend who says “I don’t really like bitter beers…” The mild hops won’t shock the taste buds, and the citrus and tropical tones will appeal to most drinkers. 

I usually like to nurse an IPA and let it warm up just a little bit to allow the more subtle flavors to shine through, but cool beer on a warm summer evening… well, this beer went too fast to appreciate the evolving flavor profile. Pleasant, crisp and simply delicious… Deschutes makes really good beers, but this one just became one of my favorites.  —J.A.

 

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August 10, 2017