Remember 1999? The dot com bubble was at its peak and ready to burst, the Denver Broncos, lead by John Elway, repeated as Super Bowl champions, and Monica Lewinsky jokes were still topical enough to be funny. The world was also gripped with excitement, wonder, and fear as we approached the dawning of the new millennia. Would the sky come crashing down? Would pigs fly? Would our computers rise up in revolt and become our cruel overlords?
Remember this thing?
It was an uncertain time, and just in case it was to be the last batch of beer they would ever brew, Deschutes Brewery wanted to make sure they went out with a bang. In 2000 the Bend, Oregon brewery created the first iteration of their Once A Decade Ale known as Jubel. Tens years later the brew was back on the shelves.
Appearance
Pours a mahogany brownish red. A single finger of tan head has a medium retention and leaves a thin layer of lacing. The beer is slightly hazy.
Aroma
Lots of sweet smelling aromas include caramel, brown sugar, and plum. A distinct oakiness is also present as are hints of vanilla and a slight tartness that speak to the beer’s time in pinot noir barrels.
Taste
Notes of sweet malt upfront mirror the nose of this brew. The middle reveals the complexities of a barrel aged beer with earthy notes, vanilla, oak, and raisins. The beer finishes with the alcohol notes of bourbon and a slight hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel
Medium bodied beer with a medium level of carbonation. Smooth on the tongue, but the 10% ABV is warming on the throat.
Drinkability
This one is going to be difficult to find which is unfortunate because it’s a great beer. Complex in the nose and in the mouth and silky smooth. Deschutes does not disappoint with their special releases, but we’re going to have to wait until the next decade before this one passes through our lips. Overall grade for Deschutes Brewery’s Jubel: B+
Deschutes Brewery’s Jubel
Up next on Tuesday Tasting: The Lost Abbey’s Ten Commandments