Deschutes Inversion IPA

The Deschutes Brewery is in Bend, Oregon on the banks of the Deschutes River which provides pristine water from the Cascade Mountains for brewing, or at least so the bottle says.  They have been brewing since 1988.

The beer pours a deep copper and amber with an orange glow. There is a short head of off-white to light tan. The aroma is passion fruit, pine, with some underlying fruit, almost strawberry. The taste follows the aromas, the pine, dark caramel malt and bitterness merge into a potent mix. The malt base is strong enough to hold its own with the hops, although it stays below. The finish is bitter and tangy. This is moderately carbonated and with a medium body. For me, this could use a little more tropical and citrus fruit flavors to go with all that piney bitterness. I wish this bottle had been a bit fresher, last time I had it there was a lot more citrus going on.

This is what I thought of it in 2010:  This beer pours a dark copper color with a hint of ruby.  The aroma is very hop forward with loads of citrus and floral hops.  The taste is massive floral and citrus hops with a hint of pine in the finish, bitter, but with a nice malt background to work against.  An excellent American IPA.  6.8% ABV.  The bottle explains the origin of the name Inversion: "Here in Oregon's high desert, seasonal changes often bring about a peculiar weather phenomenon - an inversion. The higher up the mountain you go, the sunnier it gets. So even when Bend is covered in clouds, the faithful know where to find clarity."