Power!Power!Power!

Beer Snob
By Bob Gendron
118 TONE STYLE
Life is too short to drink
mediocre beer.
TONE AUDIO NO.53
March
Deschutes Brewery
Marches Eastward
Throughout U.S. history, inhabitants
and employers have traditionally
moved from the east to the west.
Even as the South has recently
emerged as the strongest migration
magnet, population and jobs continue
to relocate east of the Mississippi.
Founded in 1988 in Bend, Oregon,
and having long ago established
itself as a major player in the
Pacific Northwest’s burgeoning craft
beer market, Deschutes Brewery is
going against the grain due to the
very nature of its home base. With
each year that passes, it seems the
independent enterprise covers more
territory further removed from Oregon.
With its January expansion into
Illinois and fiercely competitive Chicagoland
area, at least one variety
of Deschutes is now available in 20
states and two Canadian provinces.
Reflecting the modest, earthy
style inherent to Portland and its
surrounding region, Deschutes opts
for a low-key identity akin to peers
such as Rogue and Hopworks Urban
Beer (HUB). Flashy historical
rhetoric and ultra-witty descriptions
are left to their California neighbors.
Deschutes keeps to a minimum
the informative narratives and persuasive
messages on the label. Its
Web site (deschutesbrewery.com)
prizes functionality over showiness.
The same can be said for its staple
beers—always a good sign.
While it’s a mistake to judge a
beer entirely by its label, the latter
conveys plenty about the brewer’s
approach and aims. Distinguished
by a simple oval design—in which
hand-drawn images depicting nature
scenes and organic colors
combine to yield artwork along
the lines of a serene painting—Deschutes’
iconography speaks to
what drinkers can expect. Namely,
consistency and, above all else,
balance. Save for its Reserve and
Conflux Series beverages, made in
limited quantities and produced for
bold palettes, Deschutes isn’t out
to wow patrons with outrageous
ingredient pairings or trendy flavors.
This is a brewery that wins converts
via subtle complexity and astounding
drinkability. (continued)
2013 119