Deschutes Brewing Co’s Red Chair IPA

This one is and example of an An example of an American IPA , or India Pale Ale.  Color can range from pale golden to red and often are cloudy. The American IPA is typically big on hops and often a little herbal or citrus flavor. If you get a good one, bitterness will be present. They tend to be medium in body with a mild malt character.

This one comes to us from the Deschutes Brewing Co in Bend, Oregon. Opening in 1988 in downtown Bend, OR, the brewery later moved to its current location along the Deschutes River in Bend. Their facility in Ben includes a “50-barrel traditional gravity brew house and a new one-of-a-kind 131-barrel Huppmann brew system from Germany, Deschutes now creates and experiments with specialty batches of limited beers”.

Pours a medium, but almost deep, copper color into a standard pint glass, which almost reminds you of an evening sunset. Nice carbonation, as you watch the bubble trickle up to the top of the glass producing a medium head that dissipates into a thin, but sustainable heat. Lacing on the glass is is thick and stays around for the duration of your experience.

Aroma is all hops baby. Just the way it should be for a decent IPA. Caramel and malt undertones help to balance this one out. A second whiff gets you some citrus and spice undertones that make you want to sniff again. But do not let your nose linger to long, as you are going to want to taste this one too, for the sweet scent of an unusual malt hits my nose.

Upon first taste, the bitter taste of hops come crashing into your mouth as a good IPA should. Contrary to Deschutes own description, I do taste the citrus they describe, but get more bitterness in the taste than they state.  balancing the hops out is a nice malt flavor. One difficult to place. Looking at Deschutes website, they mention the use of seven different types of malt in the brewing process. That explains the unusual malt flavor.

Mouthfeel is a nice crisp bite. It is creamy, smooth and the bubble from the still ongoing head are quite nice.

Overall a great representation of this style. When given the chance, I will definately have another. Weighs in around 6.5% ABV, allowing you to have a few i you want. Pairs nicely with spicey food, such as a well done Tandoori Chicken and rice.