The state of North Carolina is about to get a little bit better. We already have one of the most robust craft beer scenes in the country, not to mention Pisgah’s singletrack and the Outer Banks surf breaks, and now Deschutes is getting into the mix. Last year, the Bend-based brewery passed on building their East Coast facility in Asheville, opting to build it in Roanoke instead (kudos to our brothers to the north). The Roanoke brewery should be up and running in the early 2020’s. At that time, Deschutes beer will be readily available across the eastern seaboard. And it’ll be awesome. Luckily, North Carolinians won’t have to wait that long; Deschutes will start distributing their core beers on draft in North Cackalacky this month, and bottles will hit the shelves later in the summer.
Deschutes is already one of the 10 largest craft breweries in the country. While you can’t really do wrong with anything Deschutes makes, there are a few beers you should definitely seek out. The brewery is best known for its flagship, Black Butte Porter. If you’re gonna get excited about just one beer that you’ll be able to drink on the reg now, this is it. Black Butte is so good, it will ruin other porters for you. Seriously, after drinking Black Butte, I started to wonder why anyone else even bothers to dabble with the style anymore. As for seasonals, get your hands on Hop Slice Summer Ale, an easy-drinking 5% beer with all kinds of citrusy hop notes along with a bit of caramel for balance. And when winter comes, make plans to drink Jubelale, their spiced winter ale that will add another layer of awesome to any powder day.
Everything will get a little better from here on out. The sun will be a little bit brighter, the powder a little softer. Thanks Deschutes.
