Deschutes Big Red

Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
Style: American Strong Ale
Bend, Oregon USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

On tap at Portland taphouse early 2009. Dark, reddish brown with thin head. Smooth caramel malts and big citrus hops. A little oak and dark fruit. No alcohol bite...very smooth for 9.8%.

Delicious Full Bodied beer. Brought home in a growler and kept for a month, still carbonated and delicious

Tap @ their Portland Public House... This was their winter 08/09 version which said it was aged in Oregon Pinot Noir oak barrels for two months --- Poured dark ruby/amber with an off-white head. Aroma of sweet barley and spices. Thick, syrupy palate and a chewy bitter, sourness to the brew. You can taste the oak from the aging, but it wasn’t dominant at all. Other ginger-like flavors and sweet caramel to complement the dark malts in the finish.

On tap at the Moon and Sixpence. Pours red/amber with a small white head. I’m not sure of the abv of this beer, but I know it was up around 10%. Fruity hops in the nose. Aloohol was well hidden, a touch comes through in the finish, but mostly the fruity caramel malts dominate the flavor. Hops in the finish were floral but not overly bitter but strong enough to balace this out.