Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA

I got the official word today that Deschutes is finally in Pennsylvania to stay, after teasing us with touch-and-go supply during the last four Philly Beer Weeks, and let me tell you...I'm a huge supporter of drinking your local breweries (easy for me to say, since my local brewers are incredible), and get annoyed by people who always want to drink beers "from away," but...damn me, I am so stoked about this! The idea of being able to buy a CASE of Twilight or Black Butte or Red Chair or Mirror Pond and just drink it without having to wonder when I might see the next one is just delirious-making. I love these guys forever, and have never ever regretted going way out of my way to visit them back in the 90s. So good.

So when I opened up a sample of their new Fresh Squeezed IPA, it was with no trepidation whatsoever...other than the usual "oh damn, only one bottle" kind. And I was right: blossoming citrus aroma came pouring out of the glass to greet me (odd how aromatic it was, considering I was using one of those horrible sleeve pint glasses...), followed by a sip of deliciously citrusy/pithy hop-flavored beer that didn't crush my palate with bitterness, but just tasted awesome, and went on and on. Heh. Had a Twitter follower note to me that there have been complaints about this beer's "sweetness." As he said, "That's called 'balance.'" Right! It wasn't heavy, or cloying; it wasn't hop-tea astringent; it wasn't hugely alcoholic: it was a beer that I found very easy to drink the entire 22 oz. bottle of in one sitting, boom boom.

Okay, Deschutes. You're in Pennsylvania, and welcome! Start sending more of the Good Stuff!