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.
ROCKY RIVER TWIN PEAKS PILSNER
Elegant German-styled autumnal pilsner receives soft lemony grapefruit tang to propel brisk hop flow sitting gently on tongue. Brewery defunct: 2007.
ROCKY RIVER MAD WOLF INDIA PALE ALE
Sweet mocha and dry Scotch anoint slight spiced IPA, but piney bottom lacks propulsion and weak finish voids initial promise. Brewery defunct: 2007.
ROCKY RIVER HEIDELBERG HEFEWEIZEN
Traditional unfiltered German wheat offers up-front floral citrus esters and sour lemon tang backed by soft wheat tranquility. On second passing, banana balm affects hazy pale body a tad. Brewery defunct: 2007.
ROCKY RIVER COPPERHEAD RED ALE
German-styled altbier slips tamped down hops across candied malt insistence for mild off dry nullity. Brewery defunct: 2007.
ROCKY RIVER BEAR BOTTOM STOUT
Maroon-hued Irish-styled dry stout furnishes dark chocolate drift and bitter coffee caress with charcoal smokiness resonating to acrid black cherry sedation. Brewery defunct: 2007.