For a large chunk of you, there is no need for me to introduce the wonders of Deschutes Brewery. Not only are they the 5th largest craft brewer in the country, they have a well-deserved reputation for making high quality beer. Alberta has recently been blessed by their arrival into the province, initially with two beer and now with a couple of more.

But while Deschutes is well-known among beer aficionados, to the average beer fan exploring craft beer, they may have less idea of this craft mainstay. So, I realized buying some of the beer, drinking it and writing about it for my Vue Weekly column would be great idea. (I really do have one of the best jobs in the world!). You can read the review here.

For the review I picked Black Butte Porter, both because it is their flagship and I prefer it to the Mirror Pond Pale Ale (which is not a slight against that beer in any way, shape or size). When I wrote the article (I often work a few weeks ahead to manage life scheduling) they were the only two in the province on an ongoing basis. I know there are now some other Deschutes offerings available, including Red Chair and a fantastic White IPA, but I am still unclear how many are one-offs and how many are ongoing listings.

At any rate, you can’t go wrong with the porter. Dark, chocolatey and lightly roast-y, it offers a wonderful mix of burnt caramel, nuttiness, dark chocolate and hints of light roast. I think what I appreciate most about this beer is its ability to be full and complex yet very, very easy to get to the bottom of the glass.

I also find it comforting to know that in a world where things can be over-hyped, Deschutes does seem to live up to its reputation as a leading craft brewer in the U.S.