REVIEW: River Ale from Deschutes Brewery

I saw this one while perusing the beer selections at my local grocery store and found myself buying it just for the name. That might sound strange, it’s a simple enough, unassuming name, but it touched a chord. Deschutes was paying tribute the mighty river there brewery is named for with this ale, simply saying “the Deschutes River feeds both our beer and our souls, Meci.”

I have my own thanks to give a river. Here in my hometown the Gila River flows past. An arterial treasure, carrying with it whispers, wonders, and river voices gathered on its 650 mile journey out of the Black Range and across Arizona finally emptying into the Colorado River in Yuma.

I grew up with it and other smaller creeks always close. It’s given me good memories and a place to recharge a battery run by the Wild not the Modern. It is New Mexico’s last free flowing, wild river. And it’s now threatened.

So, I take comfort in those who may truly see a river as something greater than its economic worth, something worthy of reverence; an escape from the modern, a quiet balm for the soul. Or maybe I’m reading too much into it. But, that’s ok too. It’s my experience.

Likely you’ll have different thoughts and ideas when you see River Ale sitting on the shelf, and that’s part of the fun of experiencing beer. Maybe you’ll get it simply because it’s Deschutes Brewing and that’s reason enough… and I’d agree with you.

This is a session beer, a term that wouldn’t have been recognized by most craft beer drinkers just a short time ago. But, now with turning tides come a shift to the subtler, more nuanced offering. No longer does the extreme rain largely unopposed in the realm of craft beer. It now has to share its rule.

The very fact that no style is explicitly given on the River Ale bottle, instead naming it simply “session ale” speaks to the salability and truth of this slow-swinging tide.

The Pour and Aroma

River Ale falls into glass a burnished reddened gold. It is surprisingly and delightfully clear for a bottle conditioned ale. Active carbonation pushes a quick half-inch of loosely packed white head to the surface. Head retention is minimal with a clear surface coming only after one or two minutes.

The nose is nicely subtle in its offerings. Very floral; with lemon and noticeable orange building a second tier of delicate complexity. A little sweetness and some cereal give only an inkling of malt.

Mouthfeel and Taste

There is more body to this one then I’d expect, it being labeled a Blonde, but it’s actually very nice; a low-medium body in something with only 4% alcohol. Mouthfeel is slightly bittering and a little coating.

Flavor is agreeably mild. Malt shines bready mid-palate and then takes on a grainy character toward the back. Hoppiness is not overwhelming but, at 28 IBU’s (the upper limit for the style), there’s enough hop brassiness to let you know this isn’t your everyday Blonde. Nice floral notes, and some citrus, though not quite the citrus expected, somehow this is deeper, hints of pitted fruit and even some earthy undertones.

As it warms more grassy notes come through, reminding me of chewing on a straw of dry alfalfa hay. Minor light-honey sweetness rounds out the whole. Aftertaste shows hop bitterness along with some residual sweetness. This could be described as a pale ale’s little cousin.

Finishing The Impression

Compellingly complex and pleasant this beer puts on a show that’s hard to equal at only 4% alcohol. In my opinion they made careful work selecting this particular beer to represent the river.

Its intricacies are hidden and can be easily lost to those who are too quick to look only for their own fancy, not taking the time to search the unseen qualities within. When you sit with this beer (and any beer for that matter), drink with thought, find the nuances, the hidden almost-not-there flavors and aromas that work to make the balanced, rounded whole… and find a river to sit beside.

Cheers!

More Beer Reviews:

• Spring Blonde from New Belgium Brewing
• Black Butte Porter from Deschutes Brewery
• Dead Guy Ale from Rogue Ales & Spirits
• 90 Shilling Ale from Odell Brewing Company