Derecho
Port City Brewing

DerechoDerecho
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From:
Port City Brewing
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
California Common / Steam Beer
Ranked #11
ABV:
4.8%
Score:
83
Ranked #23,349
Avg:
3.68 | pDev: 11.14%
Reviews:
29
Ratings:
107
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 21, 2023
Added:
Aug 05, 2012
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  19
Mid-Summer 2012, a violent derecho windstorm barreled through DC, leaving one million people without power. Our brewery was out of power for five days, which left us unable to control the fermentation temperature of a tank of lager. We were determined to save our beer, the tank fermented at a higher temperature than intended. As a result, the beer changed from a lager into a California Common beer.

The storm’s gift was this DERECHO COMMON™.

DERECHO COMMON™ is deep golden in color, and has toasty, biscuity malt flavors. It is medium bodied with an assertive hop profile. It is hopped with Centennial hops, which give it a spicy, citrusy hop kick on the finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of VABA
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear golden color with a nice head and lacing
Aroma has citrus and hop hints
Taste has a citrus and hop flavor
A light bodied decently carbonated beer
A good Steam beer
Jul 21, 2023
 
Rated: 3.5 by robebo44 from Virginia

Jan 05, 2021
Photo of Urtravel
Reviewed by Urtravel from Pennsylvania

3.42/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
L: cloudy yellow high carbonation and light lace and head
S: toasty citrusy hoppy smell
T: follows smell but with stinger hop finish
F: light bodied all the way through
O: Refreshing and spicy
Nov 13, 2020
Photo of Hophead
Reviewed by Hophead from New York

3.59/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I agree with Hophugger's assessment. There's something about this that's reminiscent of a Michelob but on an elevated level. It was just a simple lager that tasted like beer with none of that weird bubble gum'ish finish that allot of craft lagers have.
First off, I"m a hop head that typically drinks 7.5-8.5 abv high abu IPAs but have been looking for a change from all the heaviness. Haven't had much luck but I saw this and had to try it as I loved the metro city red that port city puts out so figured I'd give it a go.

Poured it from a 16 ounce can (drank the second out of the can- you can drink 32 ounces when the abv is so low).
Looked great, sort of like a brooklyn lager. Nice change form the cloudy IPAs I'm been downing lately.

Had a nice biscuity aroma with a hint of citrus.

Tasted like an old fashion beer. Enough of a bready malt taste with a pronounced hop bitterness for this type of beer. I was rather surprised. Decent malt without the cloying unfinished texture of an amber, with a crisp clean finish. My only complaint is there was a bit of a metallic aftertaste that lingered on the palate for a while. I could do with it being a bit smoother, but all things considered this is the only lager I've found to have a respectable hop presence and bitterness to balance the malt.

I didn't note anything worthy of speaking about regarding the mouthfeel, but I'll focus on that the next time I carck one open.
All in all a very good lager that I guess falls into that "crushable" category.
Jul 28, 2020
Photo of grover37
Rated by grover37 from District of Columbia

4.18/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Really good
Jul 19, 2020
Photo of akaizer
Reviewed by akaizer from Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From a pint can. First off, the labeling this year is top notch, absolutely sets a great tone of what is to come. Pour had a great, fluffy white foam head with a hazy blonde body. Scent is bright, crisp/clean, and citrusy. Some bready notes are present, but not too pronounced. Taste is a great fight between the malts and hops, verging between bready-biscuity-caramel to citrus-hop spice flavors. No one flavor ever wins out, although the hops definitely shine a bit more. Feel is clean and aftertaste has a nice citric hop, but a bit more on the hop side. A fun brew all around commemerating a less fun weather event.
Jul 11, 2020
Photo of Tripel_Threat
Reviewed by Tripel_Threat from Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Served on tap at Hank's Oyster Bar in Alexandria. Shaker pint. Clear golden ale with a finger of foam. Aromas of biscuit malt and floral and citrus hops. Nice malty flavor with a fruity finish. Deeper malt flavor than the color let on. Decent.
Aug 23, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by 88caprice from Virginia

Aug 09, 2019
 
Rated: 3.85 by bluehende from Delaware

Sep 28, 2018
Photo of obywan59
Reviewed by obywan59 from Virginia

3.74/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Hazy and golden in color with a 2 1/4 finger off white head and plenty of carbonation and light lacing,

Aroma is lemony with spice and biscuity malt.

Taste of lemony citrus and light sweet malts.

Medium bodied and rather sticky. Great retention.

Another good beer from Port City. I knocked the taste up a notch from my initial rating. It gets better as it goes. I'd definitely try this again.
Aug 06, 2018
Photo of argock
Rated by argock from Virginia

3.67/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Centennial
Oct 21, 2017
Photo of VoxRationis
Reviewed by VoxRationis from New York

3.79/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Decanted from a 12 oz (355 ml) bottle into a conical pint glass; bottled on 6/26/14.
A: Cloudy amber color with a peach hue. Brief quarter inch head with no retention or lacing. Yeast remnant evident in the beer and glass bottom.
S: Very floral bouquet with a distinctive rose aroma with a clearly peach note. Biscuit becomes increasingly evident as it warms.
T: Definitely pitted fruit, nectarine especially, and citrus flavors. Spicy, with fresh bread/toast flavor in the background and bitterness becoming evident late but lingering (perhaps too long).
M: Medium bodied with lower carbonation. Feels gritty.
O: I really like the back story behind this beer, having been stuck without power for 10 days myself after Hurricane Sandy. That said, after a very exciting nose, and up front solid flavors, the aftertaste was a bit too bitter and lasted to long. I will not say I did not enjoy it, but it's a far cry from, say, Anchor Steam.
Aug 27, 2017
Photo of UPMD_Bill
Reviewed by UPMD_Bill from Maryland

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours golden, mostly clear, lots of head and visible carbonation
Smell is strong floral and biscuit malt. Taste has a nice bitter kick to it, but balanced. Lots of flavor for 4.8%. Almost IPA-like.
Jul 29, 2017
 
Rated: 3.52 by MGibbons from Maryland

Jul 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.52 by VeganUndead from Virginia

Jul 20, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by razorsdescent from Pennsylvania

Jun 08, 2017
 
Rated: 3.53 by plaid75 from New York

Nov 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.6 by GFD400 from New York

Oct 13, 2016
Photo of oberon
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina

3.74/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Quite a story behind this beer.Pours into a becker a very light golden with a nice bone white one finger crown that sticks around for awhile.A decent shot of spicy and floral hops with a bit of toasted grain underneath,to me somewhat German in the nose.It's a bit light in the feel department but honestly was expecting that.Toasted malt flavors with a bit of lemon spritz and earthiness in the finish,quite dry.Almost a perfect late summer outdoor grilling beer.
Aug 31, 2016
Photo of IvoryFoxhole
Reviewed by IvoryFoxhole from Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Shorty review: Undated 12 oz bottle. Pale cloudy gold. 3F head with lacing and a ring. Nose is light biscuit malts and light citrus and floral scents. This isn't too old then. Taste is orange and grapefruit, light, with biscuit malts to balance. Light bodied, medium carbonation, good drying. Decent summer beer.
Jul 30, 2016
Derecho from Port City Brewing
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 107 ratings