This Beer of the Week is doing double duty this week. Not only are we highlighting a beer’s arrival, but also wishing on beer a farewell. Since I have to choose one, I will spend most of the time looking foreward to the beer that will be with us here on out, Deschutes’ Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale.
Red Chair NWPA (Northwest Pale Ale)
When: January- May
What: Spring Seasonal (6-packs, 12-packs and draft)Not up for a full–on hop assault? Red Chair NWPA is a smoother ride. Seven select European and domestic malts take a surprisingly plush, satin turn on the way to a citrusy hop kick. Edges out, layers in. Witness the subtle, aromatic seduction of the debut Northwest Pale Ale. Red Chair NWPA is named for the oldest operating chairlift at Mt. Bachelor: a classic, old-school lift that locals seek out on fresh powder mornings.
Where: Available everywhere except Oregon and Washington in January; Oregon and Washington will receive Red Chair NWPA when Cinder Cone Red runs out (see below)
Beer Geek Information:
6.4% Alcohol by Volume (ABV) / 55 International Bittering Units (IBUs)Cinder Cone Red
When: January- while supplies last
What: Spring Seasonal (6-packs and 12-packs)That’s right, we are toasting a fond farewell to Cinder Cone Red this year, and making way for the Red Chair NWPA. Are you clutching your hair and screaming “WHY!?” Well, we’d love to bottle and distribute every beer we come up with, but if we tried that our team would be the ones screaming.
Where: Available only in Oregon and Washington while supplies last.
Beer Geek Information:
6.4% Alcohol by Volume (ABV) / 55 International Bittering Units (IBUs)
Now, you might be thinking that Red Chair from Deschutes sounds familiar. That’s because last May Red Chair made an appearance as an IPA as part of Deschutes Bond Street Series. After checking with the Deschutes website, the IBu and strength haven’t changed, so they only thing that may be different is the label and change in style designation. Either way, I felt it was a good time to revisit this beer.
Red Chair starts with a light citrus hop aroma with a floral tinge. The malt flavor is rich and fulfilling and gives way to a refreshing hop finish that seems to emerge on your tongue as the carbonation fizzles. The hop flavor builds as you finish the beer, getting more striking with each sip, but never overpowering. Chocolate hints mingle with the building hop flavor leading to a pale ale that continues to evolve and urges you to continue drinking.
Here is where I would like to wish a fond farewell to Cinder Cone Red. The Red/Amber style is one that I feel is misunderstood. It’s an easy style to drink, my first craft beer was an amber. Maybe that’s why some breweries dumb down their recipes, remove the hops and create a style defined by color more than flavor. Cinder Cone Red is one of the beers that doesn’t do that. Rich malt flavors are balanced by a substantial hop finish, Cinder Cone Red will be missed.
Share your Cinder Cone memories, or your plans for Red Chair here. Don’t think of it as losing a Red, think of it as gaining a Pale Ale.
