Bomber of the Month: August
Deschutes Cinder Cone Red Ale
By: André DiMattia
Published: 8/14/2014
Regular Price:
$4.99
Sale Price:
$3.99
Sale End:
8/31/2014
ABV:
5.3
Rate Beer:
95
The Deschutes Brewery is one of a few businesses that makeup the ‘second wave’ of American Mico-breweries. Breweries of this status are varied and those that begun in the mid-eighties into the early-nineties are representative of a different era given the long climb that was needed to cross into the 2000’s when ‘craft’ beer really began to be understood. Originating from Bend, Oregon in 1988, their bottled beers are just now barely making distribution across the Mississippi river. Deschutes took their time to expand and grow while allowing their beer to slowly creep across the country in a natural progression. With their successful track record and the confidence of the previous decades worth of trials, Deschutes is steadily moving forward into the future without wavering from what defines them.
While the brewery is known for making a splash with barrel aged, heavily hopped and wild beers, a different direction was taken to expand into the market with added bottled offerings. A new lineup was conceived for a 2014 summer release some were new, others were only had at pub locations and one was an old favorite that finally makes a long awaited return. Cinder Cone is back and thankfully so given that it can easily be the defining example of what the American Red Ale style should be.
On to the Tasting Notes:
The beer offers a deep copper color and a crisp white head as it is poured from the bottle. Slightly sweetened orange marmalade and pine resin aromas invite the senses and create an immediate sensation for the first desirable sip. Hops are quite prevalent adding lemon verbena, lime zest and pine focused aromatics, all of which, work off of the semi-sweetened baked biscuit and roasted barley side of the beer. Highly malt driven but tame on the perceivable sweetness with just the right amount of hop freshness allows Cinder Cone to create a sense of thirst from the aromatics alone.
Roasted malt flavors fill the palate upon first sip; honey and almond skins are envisioned just as the herbal qualities of the hops kick in. Somewhat woody but not at all astringent, the hops lend a nice bitterness that holds into the boldly dry finish. The flavor is direct but so fully integrated that a full pint’s worth goes down with ease. Somewhat peppery from the Amarillo and floral from Tettnang varieites, Cinder Cone isn’t overdone with hop attributes. The biscuit and fresh bread flavors are smooth on the tongue giving a pleasant rounded edge to the rest of the beer. Red Ales are made for all to enjoy, a little something for everyone.
Food Pairing:
Highly savory foods would be the initial thought for a beer like Cinder Cone to play off of. Those that incorporate bread, in its various forms would drive the composition even further. Salty pretzels and spicy mustard, seed studded bagel sandwiches, buttery brioche and a small slice of pâté, classic César salad with crunchy croutons and even French onion soup coming with the molten cheese that conceals the drowned baguette slice would all bring that slight umami flavor to the forefront. Grains would be another direction to take a beer such as this; one-pot rice dishes, hearty farro salads, bulgur wheat with lamb or creamy grits with just a touch of heat should all find a pleasant earthy note to unify with a beer such as Cinder Cone.