Fresh Squeezed IPA, 6 %
An IPA that IPA doubters/haters will like. Why's that? For starters, because the hops aren't smothering the beer, nor are they covering anything else up. And, the hops that are there, are more citrus than pine, and not hops for the sake of more hops. (Is it clear I'm not an overly hoppy fan?) The Fresh Squeezed IPA weighs in at a scant 60 IBU, a veritable lightweight among other Northwest IPAs that often flirt with the 100-IBU mark. This is Deschutes' special summer IPA and, backloaded with taste and pleasant orange and lemon scents, it's sure to find a broad consensus. On tap and available at most local bottle shops in 22-ounce bottles. (JW)
Black Butte XXV, 11.3%
Black Butte diehards will love its 25th Anniversary Reserve incarnation (64 IBUs). Rainier drinkers, however, will not. We witnessed the back-and-forth between the two sides here in the office during a XXV tasting. "I'm burping like I ate liquefied chocolate chip cookies," said one staffer, who noted that the malt-forward beer was thick and syrupy and coffee-strong. "It's making me feel fat." On the other side of the fence: "Jesus, I love this beer..." Another chimed in with a broad grin (and a frothy porter mustache gracing his upper lip). "Aged in bourbon barrels?! Awesome! Do we have any more?" The XXV, with its classy wax seal and handsome label, makes a great gift, either for an out-of-town friend/relative or the Black Butte aficionado in your life (store it in the cellar and crack it on the first snowfall of winter). On tap and available at most local bottle shops in 22-ounce bottles. (JW)
