Chasin' Freshies - Deschutes Brewery

smakawhat

Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass. Good till Dec 27th 2012.

A real pale lager like brass yellow, slow rising carbonation, and an extremely pale IPA. Great creamy and pin head white sized head. Four fingers and with a large cap. Head is so creamy looking with some good lacing, looks like white icing.

Very nice perfumy nose, borderline soapy smelling for a hop angle. Nice sweet powdered sugar sensing malt backbone on this, a bit of white bread hiding in there.

Superb mouthfeel, on this. Creamy palate matching the sense of the head appearance. Light palate feel with an interesting fruit angle hop, hits of citrus then goes tropical. The perfume nose brings a nice taste to the finish with this tropical/citrus fruit bent. With cream rich, also some good juicy feel, no gaseous or fizzy quality. Full of body. A nice lingering fruit bitterness, it tastes actually "exotic", like some sort of tropical fruit I've never had before.

Overall I am looking at that white peaked picture on the bottle, and that white mountain in my glass. Boy Deschutes just keeps getting it right, nice job guys.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 18:15:12 | More by smakawhat

DocJitsu

California

4.4/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a light, crystal clear yellow-golden color with a foamy, nearly pure white head. Head retention is about average with sudsy residue remaining on the edge of the glass as the head dissipates. A bouquet of grass and lemon with a few notes of pine. I'm not familiar with heirloom cascade, but I don't get the grapefruit that is usually associated with cascade hops. Mouthfeel is very good for this style. Wet, slick, and not too much carbonation or hop hotness. The color, mouthfeel, and cleanness in the flavor compliment very well. This beer drinks a lot like a pilsener. A lot of nice balance. A pilsener bitterness appears at the finish. Some tangy citrus in the middle. No alcohol heat or taste at all, even though the ABV is pretty high. I really like this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 20:30:42 | More by DocJitsu

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.4/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared with RoninTK3. Poured from a 22oz bottle into a Smuttynose pint glass.

Appearance- Very hazy golden straw color. No head.

Smell- Fruity. Sauvignon Blanc. Tart. Crisp. Light herbal hoppiness.

Taste- Tart grapey flavors like much seen in a typical Sauvignon blanc. Light hop bitterness. Crisp and fresh.

Mouthfeel- Light and smooth. Nice carbonation.

Overall- This is my first Deschutes beer and It was a great way to start.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 17:47:54 | More by Seanniek91

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap @ the Deschutes Brewery & Public House (Bend, OR) on 9/1/11. Served in a 10 oz footed Pilsner glass. This is an APA that has been wet-hopped with fresh Centennial hops.

Pours a clear copper, with a ½ finger of foamy eggshell-white head. This retains with some robust edges, leaving back lace that hangs down the sides of the glass in foamy swathes. The aroma is fresh and floral in the nose, with grapefruit character that is layered on top of juicy smelling tropical fruit (pineapple is really coming out). Malts add an extra buffer of sweetness underneath to help balance some of that bitter grapefruit out, while some more herbal textures start to emerge and envelop the bouquet as this warms.

The taste is as fresh as can be, with beautiful bright citric fruit that is set against a balancing sweet graininess. Herbal textures and tropical fruit creeps out across the back and settles in the finish, with a danky ripeness that gives way to more of a moderate feeling dryness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and firm up front, which then spreads out into more of a crisp creaminess. This has a really nice feel here that moves quite easily across the palate.

Well if like your hops ultra fresh, bright, and herbal feeling, then you’re going to like this one. The ultra dank finish on this might not be for everyone but I didn’t mind it and I absolutely loved the amount of sticky ripe fruit that started to emerge as this warmed. This is definitely one of the better fresh-hopped beers that I’ve had in a while and was a great example of the type of unique offerings that I was hoping to find here at the brewpub.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2011 18:25:03 | More by Kegatron

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Within the best by date by over one month. One of only a few fresh hop beers I've purchased this year.
Mmmm, that's a nice aroma. Sweet, citrus, fresh a little herbal. Not strong or powerful, just really fresh and really pleasant.
Pours a much lighter color than I expected. Almost a lager like pour - a little darker in the glass, but still a yellow/gold with a slight haze and lots of bubbles. White head with decent stamina.
NIce hop flavors and pointed bitterness, again without excess. Long lasting lingering that is somewhat drying, but also renewing the memories of the exceptional taste. The pale malting allows the hops to shine forth and enough balancing to prevent (here's that word again) excess. A little tartness grows with time, but so does some of the malt character with a touch of sweetness.
KInda' bubbly, but otherwise enjoyable mouthfeel. Moderately light body.
Very easy to drink this and really no indication of the abv in the experience.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 03:08:15 | More by garymuchow

ccrida

Oregon

4.28/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber poured into my large Gulden Draak tulip, Chasin' Freshies is yellow with a white head leaving detailed lace.

Smell is pungent, resinous and tropical fruits, very robust for a fresh hop.

Taste is also big hops, with basically no malt flavor, which I like - hop showcase. Not really grassy like most fresh hops, but definitely very herbal, earthy, and dank.

Mouthfeel is sticky ikcy, light bodied.

Drinkability is high, a killer fresh hop, and just IPA period. Gulp gulp gulp!

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 03:35:27 | More by ccrida

xmorgan

California

4.28/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Had a 22 oz bomber,
I love Fresh hopped beers and I salute Deschutes for the effort.

Overall I give it a 4.5 but must admit the appearance was the weakest point on this beer.

It looks so light I thought it too similar to a Bud, it is a very light looking beer.

The smell is a straw or hay with a slight funk, this did not take away from this beer.

The taste hits home, the hops are quite pronounced and if the brewer sacrificed appearance and body for hops it almost works, this is tasty but perhaps low on body and appearance then other fresh hoped IPAs.

Overall I could drink it all day long. It is a good fresh hopped IPA, just a little light on color and body for me. It is VERY pale IMHO.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 05:05:23 | More by xmorgan

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.28/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

BBD of 12/27/12

Pours light gold with 3 fingers of pearl colored head. Stays effervescent throughout, great head retention & lacing

S: Lemony & grassy notes , not a ton though

T: Lemony, bready & some grass & piney notes up front. Some grapefruit, tangerines, lemons & a hint of lime with a little honey lurking in the back ground & some breadyness. Finishes with ruby red grapefruit, lemons, a bit of lime & a whisper of malty sweetness & just a bit of golden delicious apples

Light/medium bodied, some carbonation, but fairly light, nicely balanced & juicy

I liked this, wish I could've found some of this a few weeks ago, but still very hoppy/refreshing. I do not like this a much as hop trip, but still very nice

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 04:06:33 | More by russpowell

Hoptometrist

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap into a shaker glass at Laughing Planet

A- Poured a very clear light straw color with high streaming carbonation, frothy head, and some light glass coating lace

S- Big pungent grapefruit and citrus notes, floral and grassy notes. Pretty astringent, strong, and fresh aroma

T- Dominant pungent grapefruit hops, grassy and floral hop flavor, sweet breadiness. Not as astringent as the aroma, but moderate astringency and bitterness

M- Very dry, highly carbonated, effervescent, very smooth

O- One of the best fresh hop beers I have had this season out of many. Deschutes is easily in my top five breweries after all the great beers I have had from them in the past three months.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2012 04:20:10 | More by Hoptometrist

tenthumbs

California

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Perhaps it was my lack of interest in trying this beer that made it more of a surprise? Regardless, it's been added to my long list of favorites. The smell, mouth feel and overall freshness made this beer a joy to drink. Very floral and not too bitter. The lighter color belies it's full character. Too bad it's seasonal, I would love to have this on a warm day.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 21:20:30 | More by tenthumbs

elNopalero

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear golden-blonde color with a big layer of foam that takes its time dying down. Not the appearance that I expected this to have but it looks good nonetheless.

There’s a light, slightly dank aroma with some grassy spice on it. It’s lightly hopped, and delicately so—again, unlike expectations. There’s a pleasing carbonation and a light finish. A real easy drinker. This makes me think of a hoppy, vibrant Czech pils almost, in aroma and flavor. While it doesn’t scratch my wet hop itch I’d have another.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 08:26:11 | More by elNopalero

Jason

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz brown bomber with a freshness date.

LOOK: Clear pale golden yellow hue, epic lacing

SMELL: Fresh smashed oranges, pith, rind, zest, pulp, hemp, fresh grass, mildly grainy, stone fruit, very hoppy

TASTE: So juicy, smooth, nice crispness, moderate sized body, tangerines, mint, peppery, blonde tobacco, pungent, mild bitterness, leafy, faintly vegtal, bready, malty, peppery, drying grassy finish

This is perhaps one of the biggest fresh hopped ales to come my way, threw some people for a loop. LOL. Thankfully my palate can handle this massive attack of hops. If you are not seeking this brew out you will regret it.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 04:05:51 | More by Jason

scottfrie

California

4.05/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into Duvel tulip. Best by 12/27/12. $5.49 at Bottle Barn.

A: Pours a rather light golden yellow, clear, with about three fingers of fluffy and greasy bright white head. Head stuck around for some time before collapsing into
S: Complex hoppy notes of peach, apricot, slight citrus rind (grapefruit), flowers, and mint, with hints of crackery malt and bread crust. I get hints of herbal spices as well. Smells delicious.
T: Follows the nose with notes of pale pilsner malts, stone fruits, mint, and green herbal hops. The finish has that touch of citrus rind, and the aftertaste is bready, herbal and spicy. Good flavor combination.
M: Medium- full body, creamy flaked oat mouthfeel, drying finish, and soft carbonation. Drinks very well.
O: A well done ipa. Great balance between hops and malt, with a unique hop profile and tons of flavor. Smooth and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 22:11:25 | More by scottfrie

yamar68

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bright gold body, rather still, two fingers of sticky white head. Nice to look at, but far from "fresh hop" by appearance.

Loads of bready citrus and toasted grains, mellow tangerine notes, simple syrup, faint toffee notes, some mango shows itself but gets overwhelmed by citric and earthy notes. Still very appealing I think.

Incredibly smooth... no discernible bitter bite or hop sting, pleasantly tame fruit character, mild caramel qualities, quite balanced. Maybe my palate is fried but this one is easy to slurp.

Nice.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 03:47:23 | More by yamar68

GilGarp

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber served cold in a goblet.

Chasin Freshies is a pale golden yellow color with good clarity. The head is thick and long-lasting with good lacing left behind.

Aroma is hoppy but not overly strong. The character is more subtle and complex which comes from the use of fresh hops instead of dry.

Flavor is similar in that it doesn't overwhelm with big hop bitterness but instead shows the delicate nuances of the hops. The malt serves just as a fairly neutral backdrop on which the hops are left to shine.

Mouthfeel is medium-light in body and nicely carbonated.

Overall a really nice fresh hop beer and very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 03:05:47 | More by GilGarp

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bomber bottle into pint. Pours a straw goldenn color with foamy white head. Very fresh and crisp hop aroma. Taste is crisp fresh hop and good malty backbone. It easy to drink, mild, but flavorful. Its a nice brew. Not amazing but all around good.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 13:23:20 | More by DrinkSlurm

katan

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz into a pint

A - A golden color, lots of pearly white head formation that quickly breaks down to a bubbly film. Lacing is strong. Very clear.

S - Strong hop character, a combination of citrus and a fairly dank resinous flavor.

T - Starts off lightly citrusy, showing its hops immediately. Its flavors are mid-stream become much more bitter, almost balanced as the resins start taking hold. Finishes bitter with just hints of grapefruit.

M- Moderate body, moderate carbonation - perhaps more carbonation to give it a more bubbly background. Alcohol warmth is well hidden. A bit oily.

O/D - A very solid fresh hop IPA. The hops are front and center, but it doesn't overcome its IPA base. The alcohol is high but workable, and the body isn't too filling. A good beer if you are in search of a fresh hopper.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 02:12:09 | More by katan

TheSixthRing

California

4.03/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a clear, pale straw yellow with a white head that sits just under 2 fingers thick. Average retention. Fair amount of lacing with good stick.

Smell - The aroma hits on hop notes that range from floral to mild lemon, while the malts hit on sweet bread and a subtle caramel. If I had to compare it to something, I'd say it smells somewhat like the lemon fruit loops.

Taste - Starts with sweet caramel and bready notes, then quickly shifts to hops that hit on floral and mild lemon citrus character. Slightly sour, and slightly bitter, like biting into a lemon seed. Fair balance, but leans more toward the hoppy side. Finishes with citrus pith and a faint grass bitterness.

Mouthfeel - Medium in body with fair carbonation. Tingly. Touches on creamy smoothness. Coats the mouth nicely.

Overall - Certainly a unique fresh hop ale, on doubt about that. Relies more so on balance than a relentless hop attack, and I can respect that. It's not to say the beer isn't hoppy, but it doesn't hit on that grapefruit and pine oil hop character that many of it's West Coast FHA counterparts do. I have no doubt it's due to their exclusive use of the heirloom cascade hops. Love the beer, but I'm not sure I'd buy it again... not this year anyway. Budgets are a bitch.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 01:47:24 | More by TheSixthRing

bsp77

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Imperial Pint.

Appearance: Surprisingly pale yellow-gold with massive stark white head, leaving some lacing.

Smell: Definitely Cascade, with lots of orange and grapefruit, but this is the juiciest smelling Cascade ever. Also, notes of lemon and spice.

Taste: Exceedingly juicy taste as well. The orange, grapefruit and lemon are all at the forefront. The malt backing is very Pilsner like - more crackery and grassy than toasted. Different, but good. Finish is spicy and only moderately bitter. The lemon carries through on the finish but manages to stay on the positive side of refreshing vs. solvent-like (just barely).

Feel: Smooth, creamy body with moderate carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: Ultimately,this is more of a fresh hop Pilsner/IPA hydrid than a true IPA. Deschutes Hop Trip still reigns supreme for their hoppy beers.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 21:10:09 | More by bsp77

snaotheus

Washington

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a large mug

Pours clear pale golden with a big fluffy white head and lots of slow, active carbonation. Smell is clean and light, grassy, flowery, a little hint of spice. Hoppy, but not overwhelmingly.

Taste is much fiercer than the aroma would suggest -- but not super fierce. There is more malty backbone than I've had lately in an American IPA. But I think it just has a lot of malt flavor, not a shortage of hops.

Mouthfeel is nice and dry. Light and refreshing. This is a nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 00:34:40 | More by snaotheus

Chaney

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew was part of a fantastic box sent by Harrymel. Thanks Harry!

Best by 12/27/12. Served in a Port City snifter.

A: Deschutes always has this kinda glistening,/crystal clear/apricot to their hoppy entries, and this one is no exception. The slight head clung to the glass and then some.

S: Lots of clean linen and honey. The citrus was in the deep background. This kinda reminded me of SN Pale Ale.

T: From the get-go, the bitterness attacked! This wasn't an intense hop bomb, and that may be the reason why people haven't responded as favorably to it as expected. Personally, I dug the flavor and respect the subtleties here. Definitely more like an intense pale ale as opposed to a West Coast IPA.

M: Like I said, this was bitter, but it was of the erotic variety. Nice prickle on the carbonation front.... Nice and low! the lacing was ridiculous.

O: Unfair criticisms abound on this one. I got what Deschutes was after here.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 23:42:23 | More by Chaney

ngeunit1

California

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a clear golden-orange with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of grapefruit, pine, earthy, and spicy hops with pilsner malts and a bit of biscuit.

T - Starts off with a mix of grapefruit and citrus hops, some bitterness, and some pilsner malts. Through the middle, floral, pine, and spicy hops come through with some more bitterness and some light biscuit malts. The finish is a mix of pilsner malts, some honey, grapefruit, floral, and grassy hops, and some resiny bitterness.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry, bitter, and lightly sweet finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice fresh hop beer. There is just enough malt for balance and it really lets the hops shine.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 03:31:40 | More by ngeunit1

MattyG85

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 22 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass. Bottle says best by 12/27/12

Appearance: Pours a bright pale golden orange with a lot of fast rising bubbles. Big four finger white head with pretty good retention. Leaves a good amount of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A nice citrus forward aroma that is actually fairly subtle considering the style. Upfront is a burst of citrus orange and peel along with some hints of pineapple, lemon zest, and grapefruit. Some grassy hops with a light hint of pine. Some soft pale malts and grains with hints of cracker and biscuit. Oranges are the stand out smell here. The other scents are kind of light.

Taste: Like the aroma indicates, a primarily citrus orange driven taste. Big taste of oranges, peel, and pulp up front with some notes of pineapple, tangerine, lemon zest, and a little grapefruit. A taste of grass and pine gives a little spice. Bready pale malts along with wheat grains give a taste of cracker and biscuit behind the citrus. Taste is kind of tame for the style but the orange is very good.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a medium to high level of carbonation. Creamy, juicy and pretty smooth. Has a pretty drying finish.

Overall: This is far from what you would expect from a typical big fresh hop IPA. That said, its a pretty nice beer for what it is. Has a very nice citrus orange taste with a nice dry feel.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 05:53:04 | More by MattyG85

DeanMoriarty

California

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a 22oz bomber from Baron's Market in PL for $5.99 and poured it into a Hess branded 0,5L glass.

A: Slightly hazed straw-like hue, fluffy white head that hangs out for a wile, giving way to massive amounts of lacing.

S: Pine, dried grass, orange zest crackery malt - well balanced.

T: Nice hop up front - bitter citrus rind, fresh cut grass, dried hay. Light maltiness, black tea and mellow tropical fruit.

M: Light bodied, crisp and dry, well carbonated, finishes bitter and oily from the good amount of hops in this one - very nice.

On the lighter side (all around) compared to a lot of the California fresh-hop IPA's but not bummed on that at all. The quality and flavor are there, just mellowed a bit - great all night drinking IPA and one that will get you feelin good too at 7.5%.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 00:48:33 | More by DeanMoriarty

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

another fresh hop gem new to shelves this year (i think). it pours a surprisingly pale yellow color, lighter than any other fresh hop beer ive seen. its perfectly clear with a solid two inch white head. the nose is certainly fresh hops, really potent, but not particularly bitter. really light malt, gives it just a crackery body. the flavor is delicious. the light malt profile lets the hops take center stage in a beer that is still supremely drinkable. im shocked its 7.4% abv, it tastes and feels like a much smaller beer. the hop flavor is great, sprucey and zesty citrus. a touch of sweetness in the finish, but nothing offensive. it reflects the freshness of the hops. light feel, light body, plenty of bubbles, this is an affordable winner this year.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 18:47:14 | More by StonedTrippin