(Bend, OR) Those who are frequent patrons to their local grocer in either Oregon, Idaho, or Washington have noticed some returning faces to the shelves. In a couple of days you will be able to purchase six packs of Deschutes' Jubelale and twenty-two ounce bottles of Hop Trip either unwittingly or with much familiarity.

     However as someone who both loves these beers (and the rest of the catalog too) I received a press release from the brewery which furthers the reason you should go and stock up on these two beers.

Here is what they say regarding the Hop Trip

“Standing on a platform at the top of a massive hop kiln,
brewmaster Larry Sidor says he has identified the world’s best aroma: freshly harvested hops.

He says, “These are the aromas I want to capture and get into the beer. It just makes me want to jump in and roll around in there!”

From that love of hops comes “Hop Trip,” the ultimate beer lover’s road trip, culminating in the brewing of Hop Trip, a fresh hop pale ale, to celebrate Oregon’s Fall hop harvest.

Each Labor Day, when the Crystal hops mature in Oregon’s
Willamette Valley, Deschutes brewers drive trucks over the pass from Bend, Oregon. Bright and early the next morning, they’re in Doug Weather’s hop fields in Salem for the harvest.

“We couldn’t do this without Doug,” says Jimmy Seifrit, a Deschutes brewer who joins the hop trip most years. “We work with him to pick the right day for harvest so we can get there before the hops go into the kiln and lose their intoxicating nectar.”

Sidor says, “We don’t event let them go near the kiln. We have a secret door that diverts them into our bags prior to the kiln.”

After collecting 5,000 pounds of fresh hops in 250-pound bags, Seifrit and crew call the brewery, alerting them to start the kettle. When they arrive, they immediately add roughly 680 pounds of Crystal hops per 120-barrel batch. The crew also adds heaps of dry-kilned flower hops.

“In order to achieve the bittering potential of kiln hops, we would have to use five times as much wet hops. That’s more vegetative material than we could extract in a 60-minute boil. Plus, that much exposure in the kettle would drive off all the flavor and aroma of the wet hops,” explains Seifrit.

Hop Trip contains approximately six pounds of fresh and dry-kilned hops per barrel brewed. For comparison, Mirror Pond Pale Ale contains one pound of hops per barrel brewed.

The result? “I would describe the flavor as a bright but pungent citrus intertwined with Fall spice,” Seifrit says.

Hop Trip will be available in 22-ounce bottles across the Western US only from October through December. Like other ales in the Deschutes’ Bond Street series, this fresh hop pale ale originated in the flagship pub on Bond Street in downtown Bend, Oregon. Suggested retail price is $5.00 per 22-ounce bottle.

Beer Geek Information:
5.2% Alcohol by Volume (ABV) 30 International Bittering Units (IBUs)

Beer-Food Pairing:
The brewery team recommends pairing Hop Trip with a classic cheeseburger, BBQ chicken pizza, or chicken almond salad.

Best Setting for Consumption:
With friends, anywhere you can see the sunset.”

Wondering why the art is not the same as it was the year before?

“In the throes of August heat, winter seems like a faraway dream. But local artist Tracy Leagjeld had fresh snow in mind when she designed the label for this year’s Jubelale, the festive holiday brew from Deschutes Brewery.

“One of my favorite things about Central Oregon winters is how often we wake up to blue skies after a winter storm,” said Leagjeld. “In this painting, I was trying to convey the feeling of a crisp snowy morning being warmed by the sun’s rays, and how lucky we are to have the Deschutes National Forest as our backyard playground.”

Leagjeld’s art is the latest in a long tradition of made-in-Bend labels for the beloved beer, which was the first ever bottled by Deschutes Brewery. The intricate and unique art on the label enhances the Jubelale experience much like beautiful wrapping paper enhances a gift; it also pays homage to local artists.

Brewer John “Abe” Abraham says this year’s Jubelale has a spiced nose, with hints of citrus, brown sugar and pine. Flavors of chocolate, molasses, dates, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves can be found amongst the caramel malt backbone and seven varieties of hops. A proper pour will give up about two fingers of firm, almond biscotti-colored head.

Deschutes’ brewers strive to give Jubelale drinkers the same kind of intrigue they experience when looking at a beautiful painting.

“The ingredients in Jubelale combine in a way that lets the beer take on a life of its own,” Abe says. “The flavor is more than the sum of its parts. Complexity and nuance are the things that painters and brewers alike strive for. The brewing gods smile on us when we make Jubelale.”

The annual Bend countdown to Jubelale will begin in mid-September, with local reader boards counting down the days until the October 1 release. Both the Portland and Bend Pubs will host Jubelale release parties on October 1. The Portland Pub’s celebration will feature Jubelale art through the years, as part of Portland’s monthly “First Thursday” Gallery Walk.

Beer Geek Information:
6.7% Alcohol by Volume (ABV) 60 International Bitterness Unites (IBU)

Celebrating With Beer:
The brewery team recommends bringing Jubelale as a gift for the hosts of fall feasts and holiday parties.

Best Setting for Consumption:
Standing around an open fire, bundled up in puffy down jackets and knit beanies, catching up with friends.

About Deschutes Brewery

Deschutes Brewery is in the business of daring people to expect more from their beer. That's why we started off in 1988, on the banks of the Deschutes River here in Bend, Oregon, by selling Black Butte Porter at a time when others were sure a dark beer would never catch on. Our brewers love to push the envelope, especially if it makes someone
nervous. But for us, the highest praise is a raised glass and a toast of "Bravely Done!"

Discover more at http://www.DeschutesBrewery.com or follow us on Twitter: @deschutesbeer”

Cheers