Red Chair NWPA - Deschutes Brewery

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.78/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Abel for this one. Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a Sam Adams perfect pint.

A: Standard pour creates a 1.5 finger fluffy creamsicle colored head with good retention. Beer is a semi-clear reddish orange. A real pretty looking beer. Lacing is very spotty.

S: Big bouquet of citrus and orange rinds. Also, subtle piney hops in the background. Abundant nose and very fresh.

T: Surprisingly creamy upfront with a gentle reminder of hops in the background. Pine and bark along with orange rind bitterness. Cane sugar is present as is a nice bit of spiciness. Astringent hops kick up at the finish, linger a bit, and then disappear. Relatively clean aftertaste. Nothing too worth noting here. Solid but not out of the ordinary in a good or bad way.

M: Light to medium bodied, coarse and carbonated. Watery in the mouth but uniquely smooth going down. Finish is clean with a nice sudden aggressiveness.

D: This is your slightly above average pale ale that shows excellent craftsmanship and care. However, like I said before, not much in the way of innovation or uniqueness here. Very enjoyable nonetheless though and I wouldn't hesitate to reach for it if it were more available in the area.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 00:30:02 | More by SpeedwayJim

flagmantho

Washington

4.08/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: rich orange-amber hue with just the tiniest touch of haze. Head is a thin film of ivory foam, but the color is just magnificent. A nice thin lace is left upon the glass as I drink.

Smell: citrusy and piney hops over a simple malt base. This is a very fresh-smelling, nicely balanced though hoppy beer. I like it quite well.

Taste: nice caramelly malt flavor with a very nice balance of citrusy and earthy hops. Flavor is not as hoppy as the aroma; I think this achieves a very nice balance.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a nice level of carbonation. Pretty good.

Drinkability: this is a very tasty beer which I find quite drinkable indeed. I would definitely not mind having a few of these, especially out grilling or somesuch.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 17:33:59 | More by flagmantho

coastiefish

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz poured into pint glass

Pours a very clear red copper. One inch head dwindles down after a minute. Light bubbles floating to the head.

Smell is very mild--a bit of citrus, rounded out with a very appealing sweet caramel.

Pretty simple taste, I'm finding a citrusy caramel pine with a bit of solvent throughout. All the flavors are represented evenly, making for a pretty balanced brew. The malt does come forward a bit more prominently, which is good here for those who like to taste the malt but not in a big way.

I find creaminess in this brew, with light carbonation. Overall it has a pretty desirable mouth feel.

This beer is a friendly one, like many of Deschutes. It does have a bit more weight on the malt, but it is not overdone. Its light enough to be an warm weather beer, but robust enough to make its way into the cooler months. I do enjoy this option from Deschutes, can be considered a solid go to beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2010 03:23:46 | More by coastiefish

callmescraps

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Needed a steady drinker. Thought I'd give this a bid. Couldn't remember if I'd had it before.

Appearance- A nice, clear, very rich copper color. Darker than a lot of "pale" ales. An inch of creamy tan head. It dissipates quickly and doesn't lace terribly well. It's nice.

Smell- Definitely some grapefruit. However, there is a rich crystal-like malt. That burnt sugar smell you get sometimes.

Taste- Follows the nose. There is a lot of rich crystal. The burnt sugar is pronounced. There is a slight soapiness. The hops fall a little flat for me. The bitter, burnt aftertaste lingers. Cedar? Sure. There is a woodiness here. Also, some bitter orange peel.

Mouthfeel- Nice and rich. Good depth.

Drinkability- Goes down well. That bitter/burnt finish is off-putting.

Huh, if I did have this before it makes sense why I forgot it. Not a bed beer by any measure, but certainly nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2010 01:28:50 | More by callmescraps

largadeer

California

4.03/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle with a freshness date of 07/08/10, poured into a snifter. The beer appears a clear copper color in the glass with a dense, frothy two finger head that sustains exceptionally well. Each sip leaves another ring of lacing around the glass.

The nose is mildly hoppy, mildly malty. Citrus and pine, a bit herbal, a touch of caramel and orange marmalade. Signature Deschutes aroma.

On the palate it's an even mix of hop and malt flavors; toast, orange peel, a touch of pine and caramel sweetness. Medium in body but rather crisp, this is somewhere between a pale ale and a Pacific NW-style IPA. The finish reveals a faint metallic twang and a light, smooth bitterness. The body seems a touch heavy to me for this to be a session ale, though the overall mildness makes it very easy to drink. Solid and enjoyable stuff with a distinct Deschutes quality.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 03:14:44 | More by largadeer

jacobseyb

Alabama

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter from the bottle a nice copper color with a slightly off white head that sticks around somewhat before dissipating to a white cap and crown on the beer. Laces minimally. Smell is very much along the lines of pine with some faint citrus notes. Taste is bitter pine notes with a nice crisp feel and a slight aftertaste of the pine. Overall extremely drinkable with great aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2010 00:31:06 | More by jacobseyb

Bfarr

Washington

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

3/14/10:
NWPA pours with light amber color with just a hint of orange and a light tan foam. It has a fine citrus hop aroma. The initial taste is of the citrus hops but it is not overbearing and quickly gives way to a slightly sweet malty backbone. There is a nice smooth transition between the two with the hop bitterness clinging in the end.

This beer is claimed on the bottle to be the bear for when you don't won't a "full on hop-assault". In the beginning, it doesn't disappoint. However, by the end the hops overpower the malt and it drinks more like an IPA. Still a fine drinking beer, it just doesn't quite deliver on its claims.

2/2/12 Edit:
I beg to differ. The preceding review was written by an ignorant philistine. It does not drink like an IPA it is a great pale ale with great malt notes of biscuit and caramel sweetness and a citrus hop balance with a light bite and linger yet a long malty finish. The former review should be stricken from the archives and the author reprimanded severely. Luckily, he scored it incongruously high Iand mostly agreed with the score.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2010 15:01:14 | More by Bfarr

Rayek

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into an over sized wine glass.

A: Bright amber with mild carbonation. A fluffy eggshell head has nice retention and leaves good lacing.

S: Mostly grapefruit with a bit of red grapes thrown into the mix. A little caramel sweetness rounds things out.

T: Despite the hop dominated nose, the bitterness is actually rather mild. It's made up of grapefruit, plus a little lemon. Malts are there with a caramel sweetness. Finishes with a lingering grapefruit bite.

M: The medium body has very soft carbonation.

D: This beer was too one dimensional for my tastes. It's an easy drinker, but the grapefruit flavors and aromas make up too much of the picture for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2010 04:17:26 | More by Rayek

northaustin

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

pours a clear dark amber/red with a skinny finger of even white head. no lacing.

smell: bigtime citrus hops. fairly average for the style but is still a hopheads delight.

taste: excellent mix of crystal malt flavor and citrus hoppiness. classic.

mouthfeel: the beer is pretty silky and has a nice body. in the beginning it slides in the throat like water then leaves behind an excellent coating of dry hop oilyness. me likey.

my new favorite go to for a sessionable hop bomb.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2010 21:55:24 | More by northaustin

flexabull

California

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Red Chair IPA is now Red Chair "Northwest Pale Ale"? Ok...

Pours a bright orange/reddish color with a decent head.

Light citrus aromas, kind of bready, sweet, and with some spices as well.

Taste is crisp and clean. Some caramel malt flavors, semi sweet, with a light brewed tea note. Finish has a hard candy like taste and a mild citrusy hop bite.

Mouthfeel is on the light side. But it is very smooth.

Drinkability is quite good. This one grew on me the more I sipped it. Nice sessionable ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2010 01:04:18 | More by flexabull

mudbug

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice clear orange with just a thin cap of white, some lacing sticks to the edge.
Has a delicate floral hop aroma, not overpowering at all, just clean crisp hops.
Taste is all about the balance on this one, mild bready backbone with a very pleasant hop bitterness, creamy mouthfeel. Dry with little aftertaste.
A very well done brew, tasty and refreshing
I'll have another please!

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2010 22:52:33 | More by mudbug

gthornton

California

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A sweet/malty mouthfeel with a subtle rush of hops that attacks the nose more than it does the tongue.

Pours an amber red with a hue of orange. Mild head, good lacing.

The nose and the taste are well balanced between the malts and the hops.

There goal was to make a well balanced hop adventure, and it seems they did that pretty well, being that the malt bill shines through pretty powerfully here.

A good medium to heavy creamy mouthfeel. A little more malty than I would prefer, but I am glad to see brewers take on more complex malt bills with their hoppier beers.

I highly recommend... a good accompaniment to any chicken/beef dish... even some spicy ones.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2010 02:42:01 | More by gthornton

mjaseattle

Washington

4.88/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Rich amber color. Fluffy foam that fades away nicely.

S - Sweet, hoppy, with a dash of malt. Inviting.

T - Also sweet, with a piney bitterness that sinks into your tongue, then disappears. Subtle aftertaste. Some citrus in there somewhere, I'm sure.

M - Ever so crisp and refreshing. It almost feels out of place in winter, as I could easily imagine putting a few of these back on a hot summer day.

D - I repeat, I could easily imagine putting a few of these back on a hot summer day.

Overall - Yum. One of the best new(ish) beers I've had in a while.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2010 06:01:27 | More by mjaseattle

Japerrault

Idaho

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear copper color, a thick white head, nice lacing left behind.

S: Clove and pine aromas dominate.

T: Lightly sweet up front. Hops in the spotlight, bring flavors of cloves and piney resin. Light bready flavors in the finish with light bitterness.

M: Light body, moderately carbonated

D: Well balanced, light sweetness goes well to even out all of the hops. Not too bitter. Nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2010 11:43:21 | More by Japerrault

bcm119

California

4.05/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Amber/copper in color with a fine, eggshell-colored lace. Aroma is malty with ripe red fruit notes. Clean pithy bitterness delivered on the Deschutes signature brassy, fruity malt profile. Malt flavors are complex, with red fruit dominating, but not sweet or cloying at all. Hops are well integrated-- green and fresh, but not overpowering. Dryish, a bit minerally, with fine carbonation. Balanced and composed-- the definition of finesse. Very well done, one of my favorites from Deschutes.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2010 04:11:25 | More by bcm119

bret27

California

4.22/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I see they changed things up a bit to relabel this in a 12oz and appropriately call it a pale ale.

S: Tangerine, spice, pine (very similar to Hop Henge actually.)

A: Amber/brown, good light fluffy head

T: Honey, malt, piney bitter American hops. Definite sweet malt presence, but works since niether are overbearing.

M/D: Just bitter enough to be refreshing. Med. and slick mouth.

Overall: Good, very similar to other Deschutes IPA/PA's.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2010 07:42:31 | More by bret27

Bricelyn

Idaho

4.95/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12 oz bottle with a beautiful scene , was poured into a pint glass Foamed very little then dissipated quite quickly and is leaving no lace on the glass, the beer itself is a wonderfully rust orange with beautiful canary highlights.

I smell a grape-fruity hop with a little grain behind it.

Taste is Juniper at first mellowing into some malt but snaps back to a more grapefruit bitterness towards the end of your first few sips.

Good crisp mouth feel with just the right amount of carbination. leaves the palate a little sticky but that's nothing a few more brews wont help out!

This is a very drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2010 00:18:38 | More by Bricelyn

jimbodude

California

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Amber with a very thin layer of head.

S - You can definitely smell the fruitiness hop out of the bottle.

T - The bitterness is so crisp. You taste bitter, fruity, then it just hops away; taste doesn't linger for that long. You wont' be able to taste that its a beer on the stronger side.

M - Not a heavy beer. Just enough carbination.

D - I can enjoy these all night long. This would probably go good for a summer bbq. Just need to remember to drink in moderation since its a stronger beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2010 06:03:08 | More by jimbodude

JEdmund

Kansas

4.47/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance
Orange-tinged copper color; half inch head

Smell
Citrussy and floral hops mingle with bready sweet notes.

Taste & Body
Seven European and American malts comprise this smooth-yet-complex, full-bodied pale ale. It has a delicious malt profile--a good mix of sweet dough and toasted grains and oats. The hops are there a bit in the beginning but really make their presence known in the finish. The finish is slightly sweet, then comes a big bitter and citrussy hop kick. Body is on the full side for the style, but it's not excessively heavy.

Overall
Love this! Definitely recommended as it's a nice change of pace for pale ales. A good malty, full-flavored APA. Kind of like Torpedo, though not as hoppy.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2010 01:58:17 | More by JEdmund

popery

California

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle, home. Red Chair seems like a cross between an APA, IPA and Amber Ale. The color is somewhere between pumpkin and amber. Tight, dense, off-white cap of bubbles. The aroma has a clean caramel malt note with a fair bit of piney-floral hops. Flavor has a touch of sweetness from the bready, caramel malt, but hops provide a bitter finish and a mildly bitter sense of resin throughout. The feel is round and chewy with some hop oiliness. It's an easy beer to drink with good balance for a West Coast style Pale and a tame but flavorful profile. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2010 03:19:39 | More by popery

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had the Red Chair IPA that was discontinued from the Bond Street Ales. That brew had a ton of hop flavor with subtle hop bitterness and was labeled an IPA I guess it shook up the Pacific Northwest brewing scene a bit too much. This is the newly released Red Chair NWPA. Appears a bright copper with a bright white head forming thick and dwindling slow, leaves fine speckled lacing down the sides of my Otter Creek fluted pils glass. Aroma has bitter citrus peels with a fruity floral component. Complex hops very nice offering from Deschutes the flavor really explodes with a nice rolling hop bitterness and citrus zest. A mild fruity sweentess comes through but mainly citrus zest, floral hops, and earthy herbal hops. Hoppier than most IPAs, I don't get it they made an IPA that tasted like a pale and now a pale ale as hoppy as an IPA. Mouthfeel is nice with slick hop oils medium bodied not heavy, carbonation rolls on without a problem. Extremely drinkable a solid beer that I wouldn't mind more access to another fine session ale from the folks at Deschutes, thanks Geof.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2010 23:25:27 | More by WVbeergeek

portia99

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle (best by 4/01/10) poured into a Brooklyn snifter.

A - Pours a perfectly clear bright amber color with about a 1/2 finger of tan foam that dissipates quickly. Left behind is a thick collar and sparse islands on the surface of the beer.

S - Hops waft out of the bottle immediately after opening...pouring into a glass only enhances this experience. Fruity and citrusy hops can be smelled from several feet away. Orange blossoms, honeylike sweetness, a touch of grapefruit.

T - Fruity, citrusy - sweet grapefruit and some oranges. Bitterness is crisp, a hint of alcohol lingers behind. Solid malt backbone - a bit caramelly. Overall balance is to the hops. Good pale ale.

M - Light to medium bodied...carbonation medium too. Prickly and lively. Crisp and refreshing.

D - Very enjoyable pale ale. Hoppy, fruity, quite flavorful. A 6 pack of these would be a nice companion on a weekend afternoon. Another fine beer from the people at Deschutes.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 23:55:47 | More by portia99

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Just received a bottle of this from the very generous trader, RedBrewer83. Huge thanks! I got the box this morning, and since it had such a cold trip, this was perfectly chilled for my consumption at lunch. :)

Poured into a pint glass. Pours a dark gold at first, but it has a light reddish tint to it. A nice 2-finger beige head rests on top. Excellent retention on this one. Tons of sticky lace and sip rings all over the glass. Big piney scents burst out of this beer. I can smell this across the room. Lots of floral tones in there as well. Very nice.

The body on this is a bit of a disappointment. This is pretty thin and weak. Carbonation level is low-moderate. I like a bit more chew in my beer. This is like a tamed-down IPA in flavor. Nice crisp hops at the forefront that bitter this one up. Semi-sweet candy-like finish. Not as balanced as I'd like, as it leans a bit more towards the hoppy side, but this is a NWPA, so that's expected. Great beer. Glad I had the opportunity. Thanks again, Evan!

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 18:04:37 | More by Onenote81

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

4.45/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

extra from Nice Cans BIF. 12oz into Firestone Walker pint glass.

A- Bronze/amber, pretty colorful, nice creamy eggshell-white pancake head. Thick, sticky lacing.

S- Hops, bready malt. Hops are citrus, grapefruit, a bit piny. Some pretty bready malt, way more pronounced than I would expect. I like it, though.

T- Incredibly fruity. Pine hops are bitter, but it's like a fruit punch tidal wave at first. Honeydew, pineapple, mango, papaya. Pretty good malt base does a really solid job of tying this one together. Really, for the amount of hops, it's pretty balanced.

M- Full/rich for the style, good carbonation, Great lingering notes.

D- Pretty high... really a unique and flavorful beer. I'd be happy to drink this again. Really surprised me. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 02:01:56 | More by ShogoKawada

Zorro

California

3.9/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A clear red ale with a small tan colored head. Had no idea why it was called red chair before, probably because it is red.

Smell is light caramel and NW hops mainly pine and cedar scents. There is a fainter spicy scent here I can only describe as cinnamon. The aroma is very mild.

Starts out sweet and woody with a little bitterness detected. Carmel and woodiness are the strongest flavors here. Hops remind me of the taste of a cedar plank you cook salmon on.

Mouthfeel is good.

Nice pale ale here though not all that outstanding. Tastes like a watered down Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2010 04:00:07 | More by Zorro