The Badass Beer Advent Calendar: December 7th

Deschutes commissions a different local artist each year to design the label for Jubelale, a tradition they began 16 years ago. I think this year’s has a kind Vincent van Gogh, Starry Starry Night feel about it. Here’s a look at some previous labels.

Jubelale is a somewhat toned down version of a beer that Deschutes serves at its pubs in Oregon around this time of the year, called Super Jubel. Super Jubel is, reportedly, the same beer they bottled for the millennium as Jubel 2000, and again 10 years later as Jubel 2010, aka the “Once a Decade Ale”, although I believe they give it a few extra tweaks for the 10-yearly release. They claim it has an interesting origin:

“The internally dubbed “Super Jubel” was discovered by accident two decades ago when a clumsy burglar didn’t realize the weight of his stolen keg of Jubelale.  He dropped it outside to freeze in the season’s sub-zero temperatures - only to be discovered the next morning by Gary Fish, Deschutes Brewery’s owner.  More than half the liquid in the keg had frozen and the remaining beer was a very cold, highly concentrated “Jubelale on steroids.” It was so good that the brewers set about recreating it (minus the freezing part) coming up with an annual “Super Jubel” that is aged in Oregon oak pinot barrels.”

Incidentally, if you want to get a feel for the Central Oregon region, local station KLCC broadcasts a weekly five-minute radio short called The Natural World with John Cooney.

Jim Hughes, Head Beer Nerd, Alamo South Lamar
“If I had all the money I’ve spent on drink… I’d spend it on drink.” ~            Sir Henry Rawlinson