Bend, Oregon —Deschutes Brewery’s newest beer is an energetic and passionate synergy of the culinary and craft brewing worlds; created through a unique collaboration between renowned Chef José Andrés and Deschutes Brewery brewers. Over the past three years, Deschutes brewers have applied their expertise and enthusiasm for experimentation to create Zarabanda, a spiced saison reflecting Andrés’ innovative style and authentic, distinct flavors.
Gary Fish, founder of Deschutes Brewery, said, “Jose and I began discussing the idea of collaborating on a beer many years ago when he first came to Oregon to participate in our Sagebrush Classic Feast charity event. We’re all very excited with how the final beer turned out, and are looking forward to sharing it with craft beer fans and foodies around the country.”
Its name inspired by the Spanish Sarband dance (which, loosely translated, means popular fun or enjoyment; hubbub; racket; row; party), Zarabanda was brewed with lemon verbena, pink peppercorn, sumac and dried lime. With a complex malt body formed from generous amounts of Vienna and Spelt malts, this saison uses a classic yeast strain that emphasizes the spicy notes true to this farmhouse style and contributes to light fruit esters. 6.7% ABV | 18 IBUs
Chef José Andrés said, “One of the first times I ever went away from the DC area was to go to a beautiful place called Bend in the heart of Oregon, and that’s when I met Gary [Fish] and his family. Here we are after almost 20 years, and Deschutes Brewery has helped to bring my spirit into this beer and allowed me to become part of their family.”
Spurred by the creation of this beer, Deschutes Brewery recently announced plans to start distributing many of its beers in the greater Washington DC area. Launch events are planned in the region for November 18-20 to both celebrate the creation of Zarabanda and Deschutes’ expansion to the region.
About Chef José Andrés:
Named to Time’s “100” Most Influential list and awarded “Outstanding Chef” by the James Beard Foundation, José Andrés is an internationally-recognized culinary innovator, passionate advocate for food and hunger issues, author, educator, television personality and chef/owner of ThinkFoodGroup. TFG is the team responsible for renowned dining concepts in Washington, DC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, and Puerto Rico. He is Dean of Spanish Studies at the International Culinary Center and has recently launched his own line of artisanal products, José Andrés Foods. He is host and executive producer of the culinary series Made in Spain. His cookbooks include Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen and Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America. He is the founder of the non-profit World Central Kitchen and Culinary Ambassador to the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. Andrés is also Board Chair of L.A. Kitchen and Chairman Emeritus of DC Central Kitchen. To find out more, visit www.joseandres.com
About Deschutes Brewery:
Named as OUTSIDE’s Best Places to Work in 2013 and 2014, Deschutes Brewery was founded in 1988 as a brew pub in Bend, Oregon. The brewery is known for brewing a diverse line-up of award winning beers including the popular Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale. From the beginning, the focus has been on crafting the best beer and food using only the finest ingredients. In 2008, the brewery opened a second pub in Portland’s Pearl District. Deschutes Brewery now ships beer to 28 states, the District of Columbia, and around the world from its main brewing facility located on the banks of the Deschutes River. To find out more, visit www.DeschutesBrewery.com or follow on Facebook (https://d5skk4sh8vefq.cloudfront.net/Deschutes.Brewery) and Twitter (@DeschutesBeer).