Chasin' Freshies 2018 - Strata Hops
Deschutes Brewery

 

 

 

Picked up a single from the Craft Beer Hop Stop cooler 10-10-18 for $1.83. Best by 12-13-18 but it has been cold stored since purchase plus Deschutes makes beers that have endurance.

Beer poured golden with a beautiful billowy white head that has some good hang time.

Nose initially was tropical and grapefruit forward but has taken a dank aroma as it warms up.

Taste is citrus and pine forward with a light touch of melon with a medium bitter finish that leaves some pine tar on the palate.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and pretty refreshing.

Overall a nice old school IPA!

 

 

Taste: fresh hops, sharp, fruit, notes of caramel, pleasant finish. Fresh citrus floral, hop nose. Pale gold hue, semi clear, with white head and ringed lace. A bright easy drinking IPA. 65 IBUs

 

Pours a light golden color with head and lacing for days !!!!!..Aroma is both citrusy and malty and on the nose, blances quite well. Taste, once I can get through the massive, foamy head is full of citrus and a good hop bitterness. Unfortunately the head is deceiving and the beer is sort of flatter than I think it should be. Balance maintains well and the citrus, fresh and lemony remains throughout the process

Clear gold with three finger of cream color head. Rings and splotches of lace.
Smell is dank pungent citrus resins.
Taste is dank citrus pine resinous hops. Some mildly sweet malt support.
Mouthfeel is medium with strong carbonation. The finish is dry and medium bitter.
Overall an interesting and tasty beer.

 

 

Dang! I didn't realize that this was an annually-changing single-hop release when I recently picked it up at The Beer & Beverage Shoppe. I am a self-avowed, self-described hophead so this sort of thing definitely appeals to me, but I have now missed out on many years' worth of this series. 8=(

From the Bottle: "2018 Release Fresh Hop I.P.A. Featuring Strata Hops"; "Family & Employee Owned Since 1988"; "Profile - Tropical and citrusy, the enchanting aroma of the freshest possible hops."; "Bottle Conditioned for Quality [-] Live yeast added to the bottle allows this beer to age gracefully and stay fresher, longer. Keep bottles upright, and away from light & heat."; "IBUs 65".

Having Pop!ped the cap, I went with a slow, gentle pour into the awaiting glass so as not to rouse any lees that may have settled onto the punt/kick. Once it was sufficiently decanted, an in-glass swirl raised just under two fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, French Vanilla-colored head with decent retention, leaving some nice lacing in its wake. Color was odd - Yellow (SRM = 4), but with a greenish tint/cast to go along with the NE-quality clarity. Hmm. Nose smelled slightly dank with a hint of honeydew melon. Mmm. Mouthfeel was medium, about on par for the style. The taste really followed the nose in that it was mainly of honeydew with a light dankness. It was interesting, but the bitterness did not really match its measured IBUs, which was kind of a letdown. I found myself wondering if this hop might not do better if paired with another hop strain. Finish was dry, slightly bitter, but I just felt unfulfilled. YMMV.

Very clean and light ipa. I just don’t care for the pine herb bite.... although I applaud the originality!

Bright pine/citrus aroma, pours a clear straw with a dusting of white head. Bright citrus notes, with some bitter pith coming in as well. There's a touch of sweetness, but it's not there for long. Overall, this is a bright blast of hops, and a very solid IPA.

From a bottle, this beer is a light straw color with a soapy white head. Lots of lace. The aroma is a little pungent, wonderful fruity, flowery scent. Soft malt flavor...firm mid-taste bitterness. Fresh, pine and citrus hop flavor throughout the beer. Full body. This is a very enjoyable beer.

12 oz. bottle - Best by 12/13/18:

Pours golden with a creamy white fluffy head. Nice lacing sticks.

The smell is herbal/leafy, dank.

The taste is dank - leafy/floral/herbal. Some tropical/citric fruitiness comes through. Sweet caramel balances it. Some alcohol shows. Sharp, spicy finish.

Medium-to-full-bodied. Very good carbonation level.

Not familiar with the Strata hop. Not sure if it's the particular hop strand, but this isn't one of my favorite brews (preferred the other IPA's I've had) from this brewery. But, it's still a very good brew and a good example of an IPA! Glad I caught it in time (and bought two bottles off the singles shelf- They were the last two left - and no six-pack - or I would probably have bought that)! Grab it while it lasts!

 

 

Had on tap. The look was clean and clear and pale in color. The smell was fresh cut grass some tropical and a yeasty smells. The taste has some berries and some pine bitterness. Clean fresh mouthfeel a little light