Deschutes Cinder Cone Red is First Sign of Spring
Ah! The First Sign of Spring: Deschutes Brewery’s “Cinder Cone Red”
While some look for crocuses and daffodils, fans of Deschutes Brewery look for their own first sign of Spring: “Cinder Cone Red.” The arrival of this seasonal ale from Deschutes Brewery is one cheery note for Bend, Oregon locals, whose days of cutting tracks in fresh powder down local Cinder Cone Butte are sadly nearing their end. Cinder Cone Red, available only in the spring, was named for Cinder Cone Butte, whose red cinders start to peek through the snow as spring begins.
Initially available only from the tap at the Deschutes Brewery and Public House in downtown Bend, Oregon, Cinder Cone Red’s local fans demanded that it be bottled. In 2003, the brewery complied, making it available from March to May in 6-packs and 12-packs. The beer is still available on draft at Deschutes’ Bend and Portland brew pubs, as well as at pubs and restaurants throughout the Western U.S. Locals are now asking that it be sold year-round, although Deschutes currently has no plans to expand the availability beyond the spring season.
Deschutes Brewery’s Principal Brewer, Jimmy Seifrit, attributes the beer’s addictive nature to several factors. “Tettnang and Amarillo hops give this beer an earthy and spicy characteristic with bitter orange, citral and tanic flavors that play off the caramel notes from the malt. A combination of crystal malts and blackened barley give it the distinctive red hue.”
According to David Gadd in Patterson’s Beverage Journal, Cinder Cone Red “…is gorgeous to look at, with constantly-shifting coloration ranging from ripe apricot to molten magma… The complex, never-ending hops notes are the icing on the cake. Killer beer.”
Beer Geek Information:
5.4% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
55 International Bitterness Unites (IBU)
Cooking With Beer:
The brewery team recommends incorporating Cinder Cone Red into the main course with Cinder Cone Red and Onion Braised Carbonade.
Best Setting for Consumption:
Front porch, side lawn or hammock with view of Mt. Bachelor’s Cinder Cone. If you don’t live in Central Oregon, a view of your neighbor’s crushed gravel driveway will suffice.
About Deschutes Brewery
Located in beautiful Bend, Oregon, Deschutes Brewery overlooks the wild and scenic Deschutes River. It also brews an impressive collection of award-winning craft beers. Starting as a local brew pub, Deschutes Brewery and Public House, in downtown Bend in 1998, the company now sells beer across the western US and recently opened a second community pub in Portland, Oregon’s Pearl District. Deschutes Brewery’s craft beers range from community favorites such as Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter to adventurous brews such as Hop Trip and The Abyss. For more information about Deschutes Brewery and its award-winning craft beers, please visit www.DeschutesBrewery.com.
