We breakdown Deschutes Brewery's 2021 calendar including more canned beers and state-exclusives.
A week into 2021, it's probably safe to say some of you have given up your “Dry January” ambitions. If you haven’t quite abandoned the comfort of an alcohol-free lifestyle, then keep it up. But for those who never started the commitment or have given it up, Deschutes Brewery has some news that you might appreciate.
image courtesy Deschutes Brewery
Announced for 2021, it pleases the brewery to announce this year’s release calendar.
Make room for more Fresh Family
Back in 2020 the brewery released three unique ales bearing the Fresh name. With names like Fresh Haze, a Hazy india pale ale, Fresh Squeezed, a refreshing india pale ale, and Lil’ Squeezy their 5% juicy india pale ale, each beer represented the brewery’s commitment to crushable india pale ales.
This year, the brewery has elected to promote Royal Fresh, an imperial india pale ale and Squeezy Rider, a tropical-inspired india pale ale with a back flip of dankness to boot.
More on Squeezy Rider, a 7% West Coast IPA.
A March release in select markets in 12-ounce, 6 pack cans and draft. This brand-new addition to the Fresh Family was born in the pilot brewery and raised as a local’s favorite at the Deschutes pubs. It’s bright and hoppy with big tropical flavor from Strata hops but with laidback bitterness. Integrating hop processes of a traditional hazy IPA into a bright beer, brewers agree that Squeezy Rider makes the IBU’s less of a big deal and more approachable to every craft drinker.
Looks like the Lifestyle Brand is gaining some weight.
Originally released as the Active Lifestyle series, Deschutes sought to release beers for the active or calorie conscious types. Back in 2020, the brewery promotes two year-round beers in Wowza! And Da Shootz!. Both of these beers have received praise from various segments of the drinking community.
A year later, the brewery is pleased to promote Handup IPA, a previous limited-edition light india pale ale, Pacific Wonderland, a German-inspired lager, and Rip City Lager, the brewery’s collaboration with Oregon’s Portland Trail Blazers. If the names Handup and Pacific Wonderland sound familiar, that’s because they were originally a part of the “Core Offerings” series of year-round beers.
Deschutes looks back at their roots.
Back in 2020, the brewery kept things simple by ensuring their two most popular, dark beers, Obsidian Stout and Black Butte Porter, would be around all year. Available year-round in bottles, the brewery extended their support by offering year-round nitro Obsidian stout and Nitro Black Butte till September, when Jubelale emerged as a Nitro offering.
Recognizing the importance of keeping it simple, the brewery has merged 2019’s Core Offerings and Dark Beers serieses, and created the Heritage series of year-round beers.
New for 2021, Inversion IPA will join bottle-editions of Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte. And like 2020, Mirror Pond returns to cans as well, with 2021 heralding the year-round availability of Black Butte Porter in cans.
Variety Packs
Straight from the mouths of the brewery, here is what they have to say about 2021’s variety packs.
Variety Pack – Cans! A March release in 12-ounce, 12 pack cans. Deschutes' first variety pack in cans features something for everyone; Fresh Squeezed IPA, Brand New Squeezy Rider West Coast IPA, Lil’ Squeezy Gluten Removed Juicy Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter (in cans for the first time ever!)
IPA Variety Pack An April release in 12-ounce, 12 pack bottles. Featuring some of Deschutes’ all-time favorite IPAs together at last, this pack includes all the classics like Fresh Squeezed, Fresh Haze, Inversion and latest innovation, Symphonic Chronic.
Changing seasons mean Seasonal releases
Besides their Canned Variety Pack #1 and bottled IPA Variety Pack, here is the complete breakdown of variety packs throughout the year.
All Time Favorites Pack. January thru March
IPA Variety Pack (Bottles). April thru September.
Bottle Variety Pack #2. October thru December.
Can Variety Pack #1. March thru September.
Can Variety Pack #2. October thru December.
Coming to soon (to Oregon)
Announced this year, King Crispy is Deschutes ongoing commitment to lighter ales and lagers. Winner of the 2019 Bitburger® Challenge,
“... this fine pilsner beer took two Deschutes brewers to Germany to meet with the style’s founders. Out of our minds excited by this accomplishment, King Crispy was launched to commemorate the event. Thusly, this beer was named to honor the win and establish its lineage over famed and favorited domestic lagers, aka ‘crispy boys.’ All hail King Crispy!”
At 4.8% abv (alcohol by volume) this pilsner arrives just in time and will be available in 12oz cans.
The seasonal cans are coming!
New for 2021, Deschutes has started to release canned-editions of their seasonal favorites including Red Chair Northwest india pale ale, Neon Dream Hazy Ale, Twilight Ale, and Jubelale. Besides the new packaging scheme, the brewery is pleased to announce 2021’s Jubelale artist in Eric Nyffeler’s. If the name sounds familiar that’s because he was 2020’s selected artist. Keep an eye on the following months for each seasonal release, to claim you 12-pack of canned-seasonals.
Red Chair NWIPA. January - March.
Red Chair NWPA (6.2% ABV | 60 IBUs) Hitting shelves now through February. A citrus forward Northwest Pale Ale with a bold hop aroma and clean finish. A fan favorite seasonal, Red Chair was awarded World’s Best Beer, twice!
Neon Dream Hazy Ale. April - June.
Neon Daydream Hazy Ale (4.8% ABV | 35 IBUs) May-July Now in 12 pack cans, too! A hazy summer ale that radiates like the glow of light behind closed eyes on a long summer day. Brewer’s experimentation with new yeast strains, new hop combinations and brewing methods led to this amalgamation of wheat, white, and hazy pale styles with aromas of orange, lemon, and fruity esters and a zesty, citrus hop flavor.
Twilight Ale. July - September.
Twilight Ale (6% ABV | 50 IBUs) August-October. Twilight's back and now in 12 pack cans, too! This fan favorite is back for the dusk of summer sunsets featuring a lighter, yet full-flavored aromatic ale featuring Amarillo hops.
Jubelale. October - December.
Jubelale (6.7% ABV | 65 IBUs) November-December A Winter Warmer full of spice notes and a robust malt character of toffee and dusted cocoa. The 2021 Jubelale packaging yet to be revealed will feature artwork designed by a local Oregon artist.
More limited releases
New in 2021, Deschutes is pleased to announce a micro-sessionable india pale ale, two one-off version of Black Butte Porter one with raspberries and another from whiskey barrels, a (near) non-alcoholic Dark, a beer for Pride Month, and . In their own words, here are the two new, limited-edition releases.
Teensy Micro IPA (3% ABV) January release in 12-ounce, 6 pack cans. Teensy is a Micro Hazy Ale. Dry January?! Nah, just gear down a bit with this low alcohol hazy that has a strong hop and fruit forward flavor with a light body for ultimate drinkability.
Raspberry Black Butte Porter (6.8% ABV | 30 IBUs) March release in 12-ouce, 4 pack bottles. A signature variant inspired by dessert using our traditional Black Butte Porter recipe boosted in alcohol and silkiness with additions of oats and wheat to softly offset the vivid tartness of naturally sweet red raspberries from Stalbush Island Farms in Oregon.
Non-Alcoholic Dark (0.5% ABV) March release in 12-ounce, 6 pack cans. The brewery is gearing up to support year-round production of Deschutes' NA Irish Stout this spring. A traditional Irish-style stout with coffee-like roasted malt character, light chocolate and a dry, light bodied drinking experience.
Pride Beer (in development) June release in 12-ounce, 6 pack cans.
Whiskey Butte (7% ABV|35 IBUs) August release in 12-ounce, 4 pack bottles. Another signature variant that provides a very approachable barrel-aged drinking experience through expert blending of Black Butte Porter with Deschutes’ whiskey aged Imperial Porter. A new beer that brings light brushes of the barrel-aged character of vanilla, bourbon and oak to Black Butte Porter.
Reserve Series isn’t just about Black Butte XX, The Abyss, and The Dissident.
Back for more the brewery is happy to announce this year’s Black Butte XX series release. Dubbed XXXIII, this 12% blended behemoth, will be available in June featuring maple, vanilla and aged in bourbon barrels.
Following XXXIII, Deschutes Brewery announces the return of The Abyss.
Like 2020, the beer hasn’t been finalized yet but the brewery is committed to releasing a beer with “... molasses, licorice, cherry bark and vanilla”. 50% derived from bourbon, wine and new American Oak barrels, look for the latest edition to come in around 11% abv.
Like 2020, look for BB XXXIII and The Abyss to be available in 12-ounce 4packs.
Mixing things up a little, the brewery has replaced their mainstay sour, The Dissident, with a variant of sorts. Here to talk about, The Dissident Peach, is the brewery.
Adding more diversity to the Dissident family by featuring a new fruit addition, this Flanders style brown ale is 100% barrel-aged with Oregon peaches.
Backing up this release, are several Deschutes Brewery Pubs & Tasting Room releases. In order they are.
Dark Cherry Home at Port (12% ABV | 28 IBUs) February release in 500ml bottles. A barrel aged Belgian Dark Strong Ale with Dark Cherries, 100% aged in bourbon and port barrels. A complex warming ale for sipping in the winter months.
The Ages - Family Tree Apple (~8% ABV | 14 IBUs) May release in 500ml bottles. Our rotating mixed culture foeder and barrel aged ale, this time with apples from EZ Orchard in Salem, OR.
Black Butte Cubed (~13 % ABV) July release in 500ml bottles. Our Imperial Black Butte Porter aged in Black Butte Porter Whiskey barrels.
Look for both the small batch (Pubs & Tasting Room) and The Dissident Peach, to be available in 500ml bottles.
Now you too can drink like a Deschutes Brewery employee too.
Called the shiftie series, these beers are an expression of what brewers every day are rewarded with, after hard labor. For more on this, here’s the brewery again.
When inspiration meets conviction, this series captures the adventurous culture of the PNW and the attitude behind our experimental brews. Shifties, the post-shift beers we enjoy together to celebrate a good day, are rotating beers showcasing experimental recipes from our state-of-the-art pilot brewery for beer enthusiasts looking for new and interesting beers and bold flavors packaged in 12 ounce, 6 pack cans.
Haze Tron Imperial Hazy (8% ABV | 55 IBUs) A March release. As if by magic, Simcoe Cryo and Experimental 630 enter this beer as seemingly ordinary hops, but the flavors and aromas that emerge are anything but. Biotransformation from active dry hopping delivers juicy tropical fruit character more impressive than artificial intelligence with hints of resin to balance out this deceptively smooth drinking Imperial Hazy IPA. With noes of fresh pineapple and candied orange, this is just the beginning of the tale of IPAs as fantasy becomes reality.
Catharina Sour (5% ABV | 5 IBUs) A May release. This beer style originated in Brazil and stemmed from the German brewing influences from colonial times. It’s a spin on Berlinerwiess, a tart wheat beer, with stronger alcohol and tropical fruit. Our brewers were inspired by the history of this style and from tasting beers at COPA Cerveza where many Mexican brewers utilized guava in their sour beers.
Grower Direct IPA Releasing in October, this is a beer to highlight our hop farmers!
What we lost from 2020 - Expressive Sour Series
Not included in their announcement the brewery (seemingly) won’t be continuing their Expressive Sour Series, which included dessert beers like Almond Oat, Guava Catharina Sour, and others.
What we lost from 2020 - Small Batch Reserves
If their announcement is to be believed, Tumalo Kriek, a “... Northwest version of a Belgian-style Kriek is a mixed culture sour ale aged with Oregon cherries”, will not be returning.
What we lost from 2020 - Some of the Reserve Series
Although not confirmed, the following Reserve series beers will probably not return. They are
The Dissident Boysenberry (still available from 2020).
The Ages - ‘OG’ (but still available from 2020). A gueze-inspired, multi-year blending shapes a wild brew brimming with fruity, spicy esters and savory, tangy pear and white pepper flavors.
Fresh Squeezed Old Fashioned. Inspired by our citrusy Fresh Squeezed, this hop-forward ale gets an Old Fashioned twist with sweet orange peel and bourbon barrel aging.
Planete Plum. Joining the journey across barrel ecosystems with Planete Bruin and Planete Rouge, Planate Plum is a complex American Sour Red Ale brewed with Oregon plums. Partially aged in brandy barrels, Planete Plum has notes of cherries and dried fruits that combine with farmhouse aromas balanced by the plums.
What we lost from 2020 - Limited Releases
Luna Jo Cold Brew Coffee Lager. Celebrating friendships and next level experimentation in coffee and beer, Deschutes partnered with local Bend, cold brewed coffee company, Riff, in a collaboration resulting in an unexpected pairing of a light bodied dark Mexican- style lager that matches beautifully with vibrant coffee aromas and flavors.
Slightly Exaggerated IPA. A collaboration with Travel Oregon that captures the magic of Oregon like a whimsical fairy tale in a bottle with a slightly exaggerated tropical hop profile from the extraordinary Sabro hops.
About Deschutes Brewery:
Family and employee-owned since 1988 with deep roots in Bend, Oregon, Deschutes Brewery defines quintessential Northwest craft beer. Founded on the guiding principles of true craftsmanship, ultimate quality, and extraordinary consumer experience, Deschutes is recognized for defining beers such asBlack 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
