Deschutes Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale

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

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker

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Best by August 2009; Sampled May 2009,br> Served barely chilled into my 25cl tulip glass. A solid pour easily produces a four-finger thick, light tan colored head. The beer is a clear, deep red color that shows a brilliantly clear, deep copper color when held up to the light. The aroma smells quite hoppy with a mix of pine and herbal notes up front followed by a solid citrus / fruit component that becomes the dominant notes. Aromas of peach, tangerine, caramelized grapefruit zest and a touch of kumquat peel. The finish has a biscuit like grain component as well as a mix of herbal hop and malt notes.

Because the beer is on the warm side it has a fuller mouthfeel to it, but this is in competition with a spritzy carbonation. The hop notes provide a biting, but well balanced bitterness in the finish and there is a lingering, herbal (sort of basil, menthol and perhaps a hint of hemp) note that sticks to the tongue and palate. This has a nice hop fruitiness to it (the most prominent flavor component of this beer) that adds notes of tangelo, lots of lychee, sweet kumquat peel, . My second pour of this is a bit cooler which actually mutes much of the bright hop flavors and makes this more herbal leaning in its hoppiness. It was better balanced above 60ºF / 16ºC, now the bitterness is a bit more present as well. This beer is nicely quaffable, light enough to be drinkable, but with just enough heft to carry the ample hops. The malt plays a nicely supporting role with an underlying touch of cracker like malt and a touch of caramel support.

This is a nicely hoppy beer, I have found that it needs to actually be served on the warm side to bring out it full breadth of flavors and it remains surprisingly balanced in to the mid 60ºF / around 18ºC range. This is not one of those over the top hopped IPAs, though it certainly isn’t shy with the hop character either.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip. My pour is very slightly hazy, with a full amber color in the middle of the glass and a lighter caramel color around the edges. The aroma has a fairly mild and subtle character to it. Bready malt sets the base, with some light caramel notes. With a swirl of the glass, a dash of honey and floral hops come into my nose as well. Each sip starts off with a bit of honey sweetness and a touch of lavender. The pale malt is the dominant flavor, providing a smooth, bready character. A slight citrus hoppiness that tastes mostly of grapefruit brings a bitterness that feels quite natural toward the finish. Red Chair has a smooth body, with the flavors combining nicely into a mellow flavor overall. There is a slightly grainy, unfiltered feel to the beer, which I like. The carbonation is smooth and creamy, which adds to the mouthfeel as well. A little bit of hop residue lingers after each sip. Overall I found this to be a smooth, enjoyable drinking brew; one that I could enjoy without worrying about any noticeable defects. On the other hand, the lack of a big hop presence or intense flavors leaves it behind some of my favorite pale ales.

Notice the cascade hops during the pour and the bronze color. A bit dark for a pale but nice and clear. There is a small bit of head retention nice white bubbles. The taste is sweet at first but quikly fades to the bitter and you can taste a bit of hops as well. The maltiness and the hops are well balanced and the after taste is bitter at first then the maltiness comes through. Wonderful on the palate a smooth leight/medium body brew. Worth a buy and rebuy

Smell is grass, pine, toasted bread. Rather light body and low carbonation, but together with the the mild flavor this brew is somehow surprisingly pleasant.

thin lasting head. Crisp citrusy. Light but flavorful. Almost cidery. Pleasant but dank aroma. Almost slimey mouthfeel.

Hazy amber,small lasting beige head.Light citrus/carmel nose.Malt start,citrus malt mid,light citrusy bitter finish

Smooth pale ale with unusual but pleasantly sweet aftertaste. Deep orange color, surprisingly light mouthfeel. -- Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone.

Very hard to fault this great beer. Pours amber with creamy off white head. Smells like oranges, intense honey, bitterness. More honey, citrus and bitterness in the mouth. Nice medium bodies mouth feel. Awesome stuff.

Pours to immense, yellowish head with copper orange underneath. Some faint toasty malts and bananas in the smell. Flavor is banana chips, toasty malt, crisp and refreshing. Very nice pale ale. Deschutes’s ales are always a bit lighter-bodied and mild for the style, but have enough flavor going on to keep things interesting.

Pours a nice reddish copper color with a one finger off white tan head that lingers with some nice lacing. Aroma is aromatic for a pale with a lot of pine, citrus, sweet malts graass, and some caramel. Taste is of pine, citrus, sweet malts, freshy baked bread, grass, caramel, and some toffee. Has a medium body with a creamy mouthfeel a slighty dry, sweet finish. Overall, a very complex and tasty APA.

Citrus, light pine and fruit in aroma. The flavor is sweet caramel malts, balanced by pine/citrus hops and a bitter finish.