Jubelale

Oh, yeah, it’s back. Deschutes Brewery’s Jubelale. In my mind this is the optimal winter brew. Strong, lightly spiced, aromatic, and not too heavy, and like Christmas it seems to begin earlier every year. A gentle smoked caramel flavor serves as a base to this medium-bodied ale, and the aftertaste lingers lightly, even pleasantly, reminding me to take another swig, tantalizing all the parts of my tongue, and on into my throat.

I was so pleased last Thursday when I walked down to TJ’s near 39th and Holgate to pick up some poker fuel, when after deciding on the Lagunitas IPA (fantastic), my eyes lit upon a gleaming column of orange and purple, and without breaking stride from my glee I placed two 5.99 six-packs into my overburdened basket. The cashier winked, “Only the essentials, eh?” as I’d unloaded 3 sixers, two bottles of wine, and one pack of 2 frozen chicken burritos. I hurried back to poker, jammed one of my jubels sixers into the freezer (I horded the other two and one bottle of $3 wine to warm the hearth of my own home), nuked up a burrito, and poured some wine. Poker went well, after rapidly losing my initial buy-in stakes ($5), I bought back in ($5) to win a hand and never looked back. Good times, especially after the accellerated Jubel-chill finished.