Deschutes Chasin' Freshies Fresh Hop IPA (2015)

Beer Name: Chasin' Freshies IPA
Brewery: Deschutes Brewing Co. (Bend, OR)
ABV: 6.5%
How sold: 22 oz (650 mL) bottles
Where bought: Belmont Station (Portland, OR)
Price: $6.54 for 22 oz. bottle

Date Purchased: October 18, 2015
Date Opened/Drank: October 24, 2015
"Best By" Date: January 3, 2016
IBUs: 65

When brewed? Limited-time/seasonal beer. Comes out in October. This is at least the third year of this series. The 2013 version used Amarillo hops, and the 2014 version had Mosaic hops.

Where distributed: Deschutes is making its way into the majority of U.S. states! Click here for their beer finder!

What's on the Website: "Available October until it's gone. Like fresh powder, it's a seize-the-moment thing. This year we've chased down Lemondrop hops from the Yakima valley in Washington. At harvest, we rush the hops from the vine to our kettles to ensure we capture the purest, juiciest essence of the hop flower in every beer. Enjoy the bright, bold aroma and flavor that comes but once a year." Read more here!

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured a clear golden color into a pint glass. A few millimeters of white head. Good lacing on the glass. 4/5

Smell (25%): Pilsner-like in smell, light malt qualities. Citrus and pine detected. 3.5/5

Taste (40%): Light pilsner-like malt qualities, with bright citrus and piney notes. A bit bitter on the finish. Brings a lovely freshness. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Medium-light malty body. Feels like a session beer. Good carbonation on the tongue. 4/5

Overall (20%): An average IPA. Much like a couple of other IPAs I have tried from Deschutes, the ones I have picked are almost too light and pilsner-like for my tastes. To be fair, it drinks extremely easy and dangerous for 7.4%. Still, I have a feeling the previous two years of Chasin' Freshies (especially last year) were much better. 3.5/5

Final Weighted Rating: 3.575/5