Deschutes Brewery Cinder Cone Red Amber Ale at 5.3% ABV (C$7.50 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, best before 10-Feb-2015)
Pours clear pale to medium amber with two fat fingers of loose off-white head, excellent retention and lacing. (4/5) Nose is mild pine, caramel malt, pithy citrus. (7/10) Taste is moderate sweet, mild to moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)
Not bad, but I’m a bit disappointed to have gotten snookered with yet another out of date bottle. I don’t think it’s too far gone, but I suspect the hops would have been a bit brighter had I gotten it before its best-by. However, the hop character that’s present still makes it an interesting red, instead of the same old malt-forward tediousness that tends to make reds so very bland. And I don’t think the hops were ever intended to be bold, given the use of Tettnanger. OK, fine, there’s Amarillo too, but still. And maybe the noble hop presence makes this a little more impervious to aging? (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
