Rogue AltBier

Brewed by Rogue Ales
Style: Altbier
Newport, Oregon USA

Draught at Rogue Ales Public House in San Francisco. Clear copper color with off white head that laced the glass. Smelled of malty brown sugar and caramel. Slightly sweet with light caramel and molasses flavors. There was also a touch of dired fruit, especially at the end.

Aroma’s were all on the mild side,malts didnt come through, hops were mostly bittering,taste was an initial grainey malt taste followed by a big wave of German hop bitterness,definitely in the Dusseldorf style, and if you have had an Uriege, you can see this malt profile is a little thin, but the hops are chewy and pleasing at the end and the bitterness was extremely thirst quenching, not a ruminating beer , but a high quality after the softball game brew

Sampled on draft at Max’s in Baltimore. Has a clear, semi-dark copper hue. First taste is toast, roasted peanuts and crackers. Very raw minerally malt flavor, with some raw, husky barley and rye flavors noticed. Almost like smelling wort, if you can get beyond the overpowering Pacman yeast. Has a big hop bill, no doubt, which works well with the altbier style, but the Pacman yeast just destroys this one, it does not work well, leaving a milky, muddy, almost thick texture on the tongue, when proper altbier should be crisp, slightly sweet and refreshing. Overall I would say it’s good for a Rogue effort, certainly drinkable, but again, as an altibier it’s not to style, and these days, while you don’t expect the "to style" quality so much with most styles, altbier basically demands such.

On tap at the Flying Saucer in Charlotte. Cloudy brown color with a mildly fruity aroma. Nice hop flavor that is obvious, but somewhat understated. A very smooth brew.

Pint @ Summit’s Sandy Springs. rusty iron color, great lacing. Amazing hop bitterness that flirts with your palate. It had a very unusal hop sweetness to the finish. AWESOME!!!

(Draught at the Brickskeller) Pours a cloudy amber with a small off-white head. Aroma of caramel, light fruitness, and honey. Flavor of toasted malt, light hops, fruit, and nuts with a somewhat bitter finish.

Beer engine (Brickskeller)... Cloudy amber ale with a mid-sized, frothy, off-white head. Excellent retention and thick, uniform lacework. Sweaty, fruity nose with hints of toffee and honey. Malty, fruity flavor. Sweet up front; medium bitter on the backside. Medium-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and light carbonation. Astringent, bitter finish.

Draft a Coles in Buffalo, shared with Rudolph. Pour reddish brown, not much head. Aroma of brown sugar, rye, and hops. Flavor of strong iced tea, caramel, and herbal hops. Finish is dry and herbal. Not balanced and very bitter for an altbier. Overall, it’s ok but not exciting.