Beer # 129 Deschutes Hop in the Dark C.D.A.

It has been a few weeks since I last posted to my blog.  I was away on vacation with visits to Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey and to England.  Even though I did not set out to do a lot of beer hunting, I did get a chance to drink some local brews in each country and will share some of the unique beers I’ve had in a future blog including some very good “Real” Craft Beer in Greece.  

 

Deschutes Hop in the Dark C.D.A.

Name:  Hop in the Dark C.D.A. (Cascadian Dark Ale)

Style:  Black IPA  (Cascadian Dark Ale)

Brewery: Deschutes Brewery website 

Country:  USA

Region:  Bend, Oregon

ABV: 6.50% Abv

How served: 22oz bomber poured into a La Chouffe tulip.         

My Overall Opinion: Very Good.

I paired this beer with: A homemade Greek salad sans lettuce and broiled chicken. This is a strange pairing as the roasted malts and the feta cheese did clash a bit.  Next time I’ll make it an IPA.

Tasted on:  Monday July 12th, 2010. 

Note:  The beer poured with a fluffy 2 finger dark tan head.  The smell was a mixture of smoke and chocolate from the roasted malt and spicy citrus from the hops, with the nose from the hops winning out.   The initial taste of this beer was of roasted coffee and chocolate with a hint of a smoked flavor, then mid way through to the finish it is all hops.  The hops where both piney and grapefruity.   The mouthfeel was of a medium texture and had a nice level of carbonation. This is a very drinkable and refreshing brew.

On the Label:  From the nothing’s sacred Pacific Northwest comes a whole new beer style: Cascadian Dark Ale.  Welcome to the curious place where the velvet dark of roasted malt meets the hop snap of IPA. Cheers.

Best After: 05/29/10

On their Website:  Inspired by the original Deschutes Brewery & Public House on Bond Street in downtown Bend, the Bond Street Series highlights a handful of our hop-forward beers that began at “the pub.” These local favorites, both old & new, truly display Deschutes Brewery’s diversity and creativity.  Available in 22 oz bottles and draft only. 

Can an IPA be black?  Semantics aside, this noir version adds deep roasted malts to alter the hue and slightly smooth the edges.  What emerges is something deeper, less orthodox, and all its own.
“We’ve brewed 22 batches of this beer at both our Bend and Portland pubs, experimenting on our customers as we perfected the recipe,” said Brewmaster Larry Sidor. “This beer has subtle coffee undertones born from a blend of oats with dark, Munich and crystal malts. Classic IPA flavors and aromas are due to courageous additions of Cascade, Citra and Centennial hops.”

Take the plunge – a hop, if you will – into this new Cascadian Dark Ale. Many may never even try to swim for shore.

200 calories per 12 oz serving

Available: May to September

IBU’s: 75

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