Deschutes description was too eloquent not to use…”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.”
Just reading that makes me want to scramble up an Oregon mount and gaze into the summer’s sun. Oh, and drink Inversion. This nice little number from Deschutes pours almost like an amber ale, a nice copper, clear and clean. There is a great off white head that, by the time I started to sip, streaked down in a splotchy lace. The surprising piece upon my first taste was just how malty this brew was for an IPA. There is an accentuated sweetness layered with the citrus and piney hops. While the lingering finish is definitely bitter, the incredible maltiness gives it a sweet note that both coats initially and stays on the back of my tongue, even past the last bite of bitter.
Deschutes has been solid for me, I’ve loved every beer I have tried. They typically have seemed a bit more on the traditional side, which I can appreciate, but with this IPA, it seems as though they’ve gone as far away from the typical as you can. From what I tasted, Inversion is a sweetened, malt-loaded IPA, more reminiscent of a hoppy amber than an IPA. Surprising, but still good. For style, I would have rated it lower, but since I liked it, I’ll happily give it a B+.