Let’s catch up on some more pandemic beer reviews! Today’s beer is Deschutes Brewery’s first seasonal of the year, Luna Jo Cold Brew Coffee Lager. The brewery sent me three bottles of Luna Jo back before the coronavirus lockdown, which I have of course since drank.

Deschutes partnered with Riff Cold Brewed Coffee in crafting this easy drinking dark lager. From the press release:

The Deschutes and Riff experimental brewing teams collaboratively explored the space of beer and coffee combinations utilizing cold brew, a fast-growing sector in the ready-to-drink beverage category and arrived at an unexpected pairing of a light-bodied, dark Mexican style lager that matched beautifully with vibrant coffee aromas and flavors of Riff’s Off The Cuff cold-brewed coffee.

It’s nicely sessionable at 5% ABV and 25 IBUs, and I will say I didn’t expect a coffee lager to be as good as this one turned out to be.

Appearance: Deep amber to a garnet color, with great clarity. It’s a nice chestnut brown at the edges. The head is tan, creamy, and fluffy, with good lacing. It’s a pretty textbook appearance for a dark lager.

Smell: There’s a nice and rich coffee aroma that’s like light-roasted beans without being overpowering. There’s some nutty, toasted malt aromas coming through which are appetizing. No hop aroma to speak of.

Taste: Coffee in the flavor, it’s mellow and a light roast, blending with dark bread crust malt. The coffee is prevalent yet complements the malts which causes everything to go in a bit of a pumpernickel direction. There’s a touch of fruitiness here reminiscent of what you’d get from a cup of light roast coffee. Moreish and quite drinkable.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a nice toastiness and a long coffee finish, leaving your lips smacking.

Overall: This is quite good, especially considering how the collaborators have pulled off a non-intuitive (to me) pairing in a lager. Lots of coffee going on, a big punch evoking lightly-roasted whole beans, which is definitely the light, fruity Riff Cold Brew character coming through.