I think we can all agree that 2020 has been a once-in-a-decade kind of year (if not once in a lifetime), so it’s fitting to end it with a once in a decade beer. Super Jubel from Deschutes Brewery is one such beer that “only comes around once a decade (sort of),” according to the company’s marketing. Super Jubel is an imperial version of its Jubelale winter warmer aged in wine barrels and is inspired by a bit of brewery history that has become near-mythic in its retelling.

“Super Jubel was born as Ice Jubel, through a crime of opportunity. A keg of Jubelale was stolen and left outside at a time when Bend was in the midst of a very cold spell where temps dropped to below -30 degrees,” said founder Gary Fish. “When the keg was found the liquid was partially frozen, and when decanted, the legend of Ice Jubel was born. It was delicious, and Super Jubel is our talented brewer’s recreation of this delicious elixir without the freezing.”

When I interviewed Deschutes’ original brewmaster, John Harris, in 2014, he recounted the story behind the breakin and the brew. “They busted in, stole my stereo, stole a keg of Jubel, and stole a tri-tip out of the kitchen,” said Harris. The thieves discovered that full kegs are heavy — too heavy to make it far on foot.

The thieves stashed the keg in the snow under an old loading dock, presumably with the intent to retrieve it later. Fish and Harris were walking to the pub when they discovered it. Harris realized that it hadn’t yet been tapped, and that they could get to the beer inside. He recalled saying, “Gary! I think it’s the missing keg! This could be awesome!”

The sub-freezing temperature had frozen the water in the beer and effectively ice-distilled it, concentrating the flavor and alcoholic strength. The team loved the resulting brew, so much so that brewer Tim Gossack (now production manager at Bell’s Brewery in Michigan) hauled another keg of Jubelale to the roof a few days later, in the hopes of freezing it to produce more.

It wasn’t cold enough to reproduce, but a decade later the brewery released Jubel 2000, a barrel-aged strong ale that reimagined the legendary beer. Additional editions were released in 2010 and 2015 in the brewery’s special Reserve Series.

For this year’s edition, the imperial ale was aged and blended in a variety of barrels.

“This year’s version of Super Jubel was a fun exercise in blending,” said barrel master Ben Kehs. “We took our imperial winter warmer base and laid it to rest in a mix of wine, brandy and port barrels. The end result marries the rich malt notes of fig and brown sugar with berry and jam flavors, supported by a complement of oak.”

Deschutes provided me with samples of the brew for review. I found it to be rich and complex, with a taste profile clearly inspired by Jubelale. The aroma is full of dark fruit notes with raisins, prunes and dried cherries the most prominent, followed by caramelized sugar, toasted oak, vanilla and some hints of red wine pointing toward the barrel aging.

The barrel and wine character is more prominent in the flavor, along with charred wood, spicy cherries and leather. There’s a gently boozy maltiness that evokes Jubelale, enhanced with flavors of dark caramel, toasted Grape Nuts cereal, and a rummy, candied raisin flourish finished with a splash of brandy.

It’s relatively light bodied and nicely warming with a finishing touch of barreled spirits. For me there is a tangible port wine quality to the beer in its complexity that would make Super Jubel a fine choice for an after dinner drink, to pair with dessert.

It’s a fine beer with which to end 2020 as well, the likes of which we may not see again for another decade — we hope.

Top 5 Beers of the Week

Shiver Me Timbers! Caribbean Stout — Sunriver Brewing

Big Gulp Triple IPA — GoodLife Brewing

Orange Giant Barleywine — Ecliptic Brewing

Lava Sea Salt Baltic Porter — Spider City Brewing

Celebration Fresh Hop IPA — Sierra Nevada Brewing