Deschutes Street Pub

By: Harrison Reilly

For the second year in a row, Bend, Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery took over the 1800 block of Capitol Avenue for their traveling Street Pub.  With 100% of the proceeds going to Runnin’ for Rhet, the event was an opportunity for Sacramento beer lovers to try unique brews, enjoy live music, eat great food and support a worthy and local cause.

The Deschutes Street Pub has been visiting cities across the United States, offering fans the chance to try their wide ranging beer selection, including some rare releases. While I didn’t get to try the food, Deschutes’ head chef Jeff Usinowicz was creating custom dishes with help from local chefs Wesley Nilson from De Vere’s Irish Pub and Ryan Rose from Zocalo.

As for the beer, it didn’t disappoint. If I had attended during the evening hours, I would have given their porters and stouts a try. I’m a big fan of their aged stout, The Abyss, but the late afternoon heat called for some lighter beers.

Here’s what I had:

• Sagefight Imperial IPA: This double IPA was very smooth for having an 8% ABV. The sage was a great touch without it being overpowering.
• The Dissident: Only poured in a 30 minute window, this limited production sour was a thrill to taste for die hard Deschutes fans in attendance. Although I’m not a big fan of sours, I really enjoyed this one and its wine-like qualities.
• Armory XPA: Described to me as an “experimental pale ale”, this beer was the most refreshing of the three I tried on a surprisingly hot afternoon.

This was a fantastic event and a great addition to Sacramento’s fall events calendar. We hope Deschutes makes their third trip to Sacramento next October.