Soft hops sit gently on tongue, exposing chamomile tea frontage, ginger-spiced mint leaf backdrop, and tertiary banana linger for buttery light-bodied warmth. Lilting clove seasoning abruptly dissipated by delicate finish.
All posts by John Fortunato
ROGUE BUCKWHEAT ALE
Zesty citrus flow, dry malt follow-through, and lively hop infiltration overwhelm thin ‘roasted buckwheat’ presence. As prominent bittersweet flaked oatmeal pungency diminishes, pleasurable floral adjuncts consume piney finish. Despite unique herbal seasoning, somewhat predictable for a spicy pale ale.
ROGUE BRUTAL BITTER ALE
Pale Viennese malts and sinewy butterscotch yeast accentuated by dark berries for beautifully creamy moderate-bodied opening. Puffy beige-headed rust-hued Oregonian then gathers floral hop subtlety and delicate grain insistence for a ‘brutal’ bitter not restricted to hardcore drinkers.
(ROGUE) BROWN BEAR STOUT
Apparently Rogue Shakespeare Stout in brown-beared disguise. Heavy coffee richness, roasted hop thicket, and chocolate nuttiness outlast prickly carbonation as delightfully bitter Guinness Stout-related appeal ensures robust blackened mocha malting.
ROGUE BLACK BRUTAL ALE
Introduced at 2003 Oregon Brewers fest, unfiltered cola-hazed Schwarzbier-styled German black beer opens with spruced hop nose, pine malt musk and nutty dark chocolate-coffee variance. Smoked wood bitterness stays on tongue forever. Firm finish adds brusque black licorice swirl and ashy residual to the mocha mix.
ROGUE ARTISAN LAGER
Peculiar copper-toned Vienna lager boasts crystalline artisan-watered fruit musk, aromatic toasted malt dollop and sly rye slide. Yeast-thickened butterscotch-mocha conflux detectable at silky sweet finish. Robust, rich, yet unobtrusive.
ROGUE ANNIVERSARY IMPERIAL PORTER
Lusciously creamy charcoal-seared hop-roasted baltic porter (imbibed at Manhattan’s d.b.a. on tap). Coffee ground piquancy embitters lactic black chocolate rampage and dry espresso surge. Ripe prune-plum-cherry distention accrues teasing vanilla sweetness to rich, assertive mocha finish.
ROGUE ANNIVERSARY ALE
Interestingly, original label features friendly caricature of renowned beer critic Michael Jackson. Foamy head and cloudy amber hue welcome strong, heavily alcohol-fueled winner. Sweet Scotch aroma, thick resin-heavy malt palate, pronounced hop briskness, and caramelized mocha nuttiness broaden full-bodied essence.
ROGUE AMERICAN AMBER ALE
Perfect for cold winter’s eve, this marvelously complex Cascade hop-fused chestnut amber exerts dark chocolate bitterness underscored by roasted barleymalt simmer and caramelized yeast glimmer. Syrupy black cherry fruitiness lingers to superbly creamy dessert finish. Under Sea Otter pseudonym in ’07, chewy cookie dough tether, honey-glazed citric surfeit, and woody alcohol burn beckoned. Under Jazz Guy Ale nom de plume, biscuit-y cardboard-candied Pacman yeast influences honey-roasted caramel malting, blanched cocoa-chocolate nicety, and wattle-seeded caraway nuances.
RODENBACH RED BACH
Fantastic Kriek-like red ale retains perfect sweet ‘n’ sour cherry pie essence. Exquisite red-black cherry juiciness informs secondary sharp-tongued green apple tartness and strawberry-papaya-kiwi-melon tropicalia topping syrupy candi-sugared malting usurped by soda-like hop spritz. Though peculiar to behold translucent garnet-hued pink-headed ale pouring from green bottle, stylistically it’s second only to New Glarus Raspberry Tart and Lindeman’s Framboise.
RODENBACH FLEMISH SOUR ALE
Healthy dry wine influence and stronger alcohol pungency dominate brettanomyces acridity of prune-hued cork-soaked oak-aged Belgian sour ale. Wafting white grape esters and unripe green apple souring dally with mash tun scrum as prickly hops bounce off tongue to eye-squinting fruity tart finish.
RODENBACH ALEXANDER RED ALE
Spectacular slow sipping garnet-hued dessert ale alternates strong green apple waft and dry cherry nose above undeniable eye-squinting citric tartness. Lithe berry tang sweetens prominent vinous vermouth sourness, grape pulp mustiness, mild orange bittering, and rose’ wine illumination as strong soda-fizzed cherry essence receives oaken cask-aged seduction.