Review: Patagonia x Deschutes Non-Alcoholic Kernza Golden Brew and Kernza Lager
Review: Patagonia x Deschutes Non-Alcoholic Kernza Golden Brew and Kernza Lager
First off: Yes, Patagonia is a clothing company. And yes, it is partnering (via Patagonia Provisions, its food & beverage division) with Deschutes Brewery to produce two organic beers — Kernza Lager and Non-Alcoholic Kernza Golden Brew, the latter being the first certified organic non-alcoholic craft beer brewed in the U.S. And in another first, it’s also the first time Kernza Lager has been made available nationwide.
The Kernza Lager collaboration is particularly unusual, involving not just one brewery but over a dozen of them, all making their own rendition of the same beer out of something called Kernza — “a wheatlike perennial grain with a nutty flavor and a hint of sweet spices.” Those beers are on draft, with a handful also in cans, but only available locally at each respective brewery’s taproom(s).
Kernza is a unique little beast, per Patagonia:
Its massive root system penetrates up to 12 feet into the earth, at least twice the depth of conventional wheat. These remarkable roots build soil health and volume; they also draw down and store more carbon than annual grains typically used in beer. Also, because it’s a perennial, Kernza stays rooted in place for several years, minimizing machine tilling and replanting—which means less fossil-fuel–intensive equipment. Not only does this grain make great beer—it’s also helping spark a global movement to fight the environmental crisis through agriculture.
The samples we received of both beers were made by Deschutes in Bend, Oregon. They’re sold in 6-packs across the U.S. (see Deschutes’ beer finder page here). To support your local brewery, check the map on Patagonia Provisions’ website here for current Kernza Lager taproom partners. Each brewery’s version of Kernza Lager will be slightly different in flavor since they all create their own recipe, but each one uses Kernza and all organic ingredients.
Let’s dig in!
Patagonia x Deschutes Non-Alcoholic Kernza Golden Brew – While relatively thin in body, the gentle sweetness of this beer elevates it nicely, allowing it to temper some of the underlying grain, which can come across as a little corny at times, particularly as it warms up. Other than this, it’s very straightforward lager, with virtually no bitterness and a refreshing finish that evokes thoughts of clean sheets hanging on the clothesline. A- / $12 per six-pack
Patagonia x Deschutes Kernza Lager – The standard version of this beer amps up the sweetness, but also the body, giving the brew a chewy quality that approximates nougat at times. Honey-like and gently spiced with notes of nutmeg and orange peel. At times the beer drinks closer to a wheat beer than a traditional lager, straddling the line between the two styles. Sweetness clings to the palate well into the finish, though it’s cleansing, not cloying, with just a hint of grassiness lingering. 4.7% abv. B+ / $12 per six-pack
Patagonia x Deschutes Kernza Lager
$12
