Rogue Brutal Bitter

Brewed by Rogue Ales
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Newport, Oregon USA

On tap at the local Winking Lizard, asked for a pint and got a 22 oz. imperial pint instead at no additional charge...bonus! Got to enjoy the first half before dinner and the remainder during and after the meal. A sharp floral hop aroma with a good citrus kick, it appears these are primarily American hop varieties. Dark, clear copper pour with a thin head and spotty lacing. A soothingly bitter, fresh, creamy mouth feel really impressed me. A nice blend of malt flavors. Biscuits and bread with caramel and nuts. Pine and citrus notes create a great balance to the flavor. The hops are American while the malt appears to be of English influence. An all around nice brew.

Pours a great golden amber, orange with a thin white head. Wonderful floral hop aroma. They ain’t kidding about the bitter because it is loaded with hops and that solid bitter flavor through and through.

Bomber...pours a nice amber w/ slight carbonation. Light aroma..some citrus and sweet malt. Flavor isn’t real complex...nice balance of hops and malts with a slight bitter aftertaste. Very dry finish...flavors don’t linger. Good, drinkable beer. Very sessionable.

Very impressed by this. Rogue beers are always solid but never too far out there. I wish all ESB’s could be like this, great hoppiness and thick maltiness. Probably the most drinkable Rogue to date, I could go all night with many ounces of this, considering the nice price.

Style and Glass: ESB, Pint, Mug ABV, Volume & Calories: 6.2% in 22 fl oz. estimated at 300C Purchased at: Circle Liquors, Pennington, NJ for $5.99 Aroma: nice, hoppy. 8 out of 10. Visuals: okay design, golden color, clear, persistent white head, good lace. 4 out of 5. Taste: unbalanced, light malt, heavy hops, light strength, good craft. 8 out of 10. Palate: high quality, prickly texture, medium finish. 4 out of 5. Overall: reminds me of a watery Hop Harvest from Sierra Nevada. I’ve had this before, and I might have it again. I’m surprised that this rates as high as it does. medium value. good craft. 16 out of 20.

Draft. Pours a hazy light amber color. White head with low retention. Aroma is of tangerine, some pine and grass. The flavor is packed with hop character but also biscuit malt and toffee. The finish is a bit astringent with some dryness.

Bomber. Lightly hazed orange amber with a thick off white head. Thich sheet of lace. Grapefruit and, to a lesser extent, orange nose. There is some caramel malt sweet behind it, but it’s the overwhelming citrus that is in your face. The malt makes a much stronger showing in the flavor which is, of course, "brutally" bitter, but more balanced than one would expect - the malt sweetness holds it’s own against the hop assault. Still, a bit of a one trick pony - it just happens to be a pretty damn good trick. Long bitter finish. Nice, and, as all Rogues not encased in ceramic, a good bargain.

san fran public house. Pours a light amber color w/ an off white head and nice lacing. Oddly light aroma some european hopping... hints of the toffee like flavor. not overly bitter but finishes dry. A nice little beer.