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Red Chair

Deschutes Brewery
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🌍 United States · Pale Ale · One of 196 Pale Ales in hopIQ

Red Chair takes its name from a chairlift on Mount Bachelor, the ski mountain west of Bend, and returns every winter as a seasonal. The amber pale ale rests on seven malts, among them two crystal malts, Munich and wheat, which bring caramel, toffee and a light bready sweetness. Nugget, Cascade, Centennial and Mosaic add grapefruit, orange peel, pine and a hint of rose. The body is medium, and a firm, dry bitterness keeps the finish clean.

ABV
6.2%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter60 IBU
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
See all Pale Ale alternatives →

AWARDS

World's Best Pale Ale · 2010
World Beer Awards
World's Best Pale Beer · 2012
World Beer Awards
World's Best Beer · 2012
World Beer Awards
★World's Best Pale Ale — World Beer Awards
★World's Best Pale Beer — World Beer Awards
★World's Best Beer — World Beer Awards
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Medium body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Sharp bitter finish.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Assertively bitter and dry.

The grain stays in the background so every note the beer offers can come from the hops.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Pale Ale.
Hop character
citrusy
hoppy
orange
piney
floral
Malt character
caramel
bready
Fermentation & yeast
clean

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Red Chair

◎ Appearance

Red Chair presents a warm amber hue with bright clarity and lively carbonation. The head forms with moderate density and clings to the glass with good retention, leaving fine traces of lacing down the bowl.

warm amberbright clarityfine lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with citrus notes of grapefruit and orange peel, supported by a subtle piney undertone. Beneath the hop character, caramel and toffee from the crystal malts emerge, layered with a light bready sweetness and a delicate floral hint suggesting rose.

grapefruit, orange peelcaramel, toffeepiney, floral

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and medium-bodied, with malt sweetness balancing citrus and pine from the Cascade, Centennial, and Mosaic hops. The mid-palate maintains this equilibrium before a firm, dry bitterness takes hold, keeping the finish clean and well-defined without harshness.

medium bodycitrus, pinedry bitterness

◑ Finish

The aftertaste is crisp and lingering, with the bitterness gradually fading to reveal a subtle caramel note. The overall impression is refreshing and balanced, leaving the palate clean.

crisp finishlingering bitterness
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
83
Appearance
80
Finish
81
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Red Chair

Serve at 7–10°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Cold enough to sharpen the hop aroma without numbing the palate. Around 7–9°C keeps the citrus and pine vivid without losing bitterness definition.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Drink fresh — hop aroma fades fast. Best within 3 months of canning or bottling.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Red Chair

About Pale Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Pale Ale?

India Pale Ales are hop-forward ales with ABV typically 5.5–7.5% and IBU 40–70+. Bold citrus, pine or tropical aromas alongside firm bitterness and a clean dry finish.

Finding a similar Pale Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same caramel, bitter, dry character as Red Chair will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Pale Ales in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Pale Ale beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →