A first for the brewery, Deschutes releases a non-alcoholic Irish Stout.

image courtesy Deschutes Brewery

Let’s face it, non-alcoholic beer isn’t technically beer anymore than meatless hamburgers are, well, hamburgers. But, for those of you who like the sensation of almost drinking beer, non-alcoholic beers are as close as you will or should get. This hasn’t stopped breweries like Deschutes from releasing one either. Which is why they are pleased to announce the release of a Irish Stout. 

Bend, Oregon – Last month, Deschutes celebrated 32 years as a trusted craft brewery. Black Butte Porter, the beer that put the small town brewery on the map in the 80’s, remains the #1 selling porter in the US, even though it only resides in two thirds of the country. Through three decades of innovation and experimentation, Deschutes has remained committed to extending their pursuit of quality to nontraditional craft beer styles that offer a unique value to their customers. Recently, Deschutes embarked on a new quest where the goal was simple, but lofty; to create a high-quality non-alcoholic beer that rivals the experience of a full-strength craft beer.

So, with this said, the brewery is happy to introduce non-alcoholic Irish Stout. 

With sensory notes of roasted malt, light chocolate, and yes, that familiar dry character - Irish Stout is a “light-bodied” drinking experience. 

When reviewing the palate of styles associated with non-alcoholic, the most prominent is lager. Which makes Deschutes’ foray into non-alcoholic beer so, them, given the countless pints, bottles, and cans of Black Butte porter consumed throughout the decades. 

“This has been a passion project for me,” said Veronica Vega, new product development director for Deschutes. “It is a way for us to connect with a growing population of people, including young people, who are looking to reap the health benefits of an alcohol reduced or alcohol-free lifestyle and still enjoy the act of drinking beer.” 

For Deschutes, producing a non-alcoholic, Irish Stout, is more about adapting to today’s drinkers and less about conquering another market. Researching today’s imbiber, the brewery has found that approximately 22% of the Millennial Generation is drinking less, owing to education associated with consumption. 

With help from Sustainable Beverage Technologies, Deschutes Brewery brewed a beer that keeps the alcohol in check while retaining the flavor and aroma. Still fermented, the proprietary process also maintains mouthfeel.

“The process we selected was based on producing the best flavor, enough to surprise our customers that the beer indeed is non-alc.” Said Vega.

Known as the BrewVo® process, this technique is the brainchild of Sustainable Business Technologies Founder, Patrick Tatera. A passionate homebrewer himself, Patrick used his love of homebrewing and his skills as an engineer to devise this unfamiliar brewing process that’s both sustainable and environmentally friendly. 

“While working with a consortium of breweries on various development projects, we discovered that the BrewVo® technology, while developed for production of full-strength beer, was capable of producing the best tasting NA beers on earth,” said Tatera. “Peter Bouckaert and Grady Hull, formerly of New Belgium Brewing, helped us prove our NA beer capabilities for matching the full-flavor spectrum of a full-strength beer.” Sustainable Beverage Technologies later developed a non-alcoholic beer that took home a gold medal in the national craft beer competition, Best of Craft Beer Awards, where they competed against full strength beers in the session beer category.

Released earlier this  week, Deschutes Brewery’s non-alcoholic Irish Stout is available directly to consumers on the brewery’s website, with a request to provide feedback. After tallying the responses, the brewery plans to expand distribution later this year. For those that live near one of the taprooms, the brewery encourages you stop in today “while it lasts”. 

For more information on non-alcoholic Irish Stout, visit https://www.deschutesbrewery.com/beer/non-alcoholic-stout/

About Deschutes Brewery:

Deschutes Brewery, family and employee owned since 1988, is one of the quintessential beers of the Pacific Northwest. Founded on the guiding principles of true craftsmanship, ultimate quality, and extraordinary consumer experience, Deschutes Brewery is recognized for defining beers such as Black Butte Porter, Mirror Pond Pale Ale,  Fresh Squeezed IPA and the non-stop release of pioneering small batch experimental and barrel-aged beers. Deschutes can be found at its brewpubs in Bend and Portland, Oregon, Tasting Rooms in Bend, and Roanoke, Virginia and at accounts in 31 states across the country. Visit Deschutes Brewery’s beer finder at https://www.deschutesbrewery.com/beer-finder/ to find a Deschutes beer near you. www.deschutesbrewery.com