Rogue Brutal Bitter

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

(22 oz bottle: $4.49 at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, CA) I’ve had this beer several times in the past, although none were in the last few years, and I’d felt the beer was just really citrusy and bitter. I mean, Brutal Bitter, right? So this time I decided to buy a bottle and let it sit for several months to tone down what I had perceived to be a really hoppy beer. Well, I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. This is a well-balanced and very tasty beer. The malt is decidedly toasty, without any noticeable caramelization and dominates the first few seconds of each sip. Hops is still potent (but not Brutal), fairly citrusy in nature, and really balances the beer, finishing with a flurry of crisp grapefruit. The nose is bready and toasty, and the aromatics of the hops have certainly faded, so I guess the aging is a trade-off. Medium "plus" bodied and nicely carbonated, the crisp finish keeps the palate refreshed and makes for a bomber that is pretty easy to finish without tiring out the palate. Somewhat hazy and bright amber in color, the body is capped by a solid, off-white head that rises to an inch (or more, if I pour quickly), and very slowly settles to a thin, quarter-inch layer. Lacing is patchy, but obviously has a tough time sticking to the glass since it mostly just slides right down as I drink the beer. Overall, though, this is a really nice beer. I think perhaps keeping the beer for maybe three or four months might be a happy medium with preserving more hops in the nose while slightly increasing the bitterness in the flavor.

Maybe I missed something with this beer, but I didn’t think as highly of it as most people. Pours a hazy orange with a decent head. Citrusy hop aroma, almost a bit acidic. The flavor is mainly bitter, resiny and very piny. Gritty grapefruit suggestions with a long bitter finish. Seemed boring at the time. I have to re-visit this one.

Re-Rate 04/29/02: Cloudy orange or deep amber, frothy and generous beige head, decent lace. Nose is malt, slight citrus and floral tones also noted. Front is malt, the top light, the finish is acidic, dry, loads of hops, moderate carbonation, a good beer but not their best, but quite quaffable none the less.

Smells like a citrus salad -- grapefruity, bitter orange, pineapple. Crisp, sharp hops, but you were warned by the name. Pretty good mouthfeel -- it’s hard to get something this hoppy without having a tinny, clinging aftertaste, but Rogue has done it. Not my favorite style, but well done.

Sampled from bottle at Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival 2004 (#44).
Cloudy orange colored with a fine off-white head. Fresh and full bittersweet hoppy and fruity aroma with notes of apricot and orange. Plenty of bitter hops in the flavor with a fruity middle. Very dry specially in the finish. Fresh and very tasty!

Bottle: Heavy orange gold, quite hazy, large rocky white head, wonderful lacing... this beer looks superb.   Subtle hop nose, not as agressive as I thought it would be.   Definite malt aspect, probably moreso because of the subtle hop presense.   Fleeting bitterness immediately up front, fades quickly leaving only a soft hop sting on the sides of the tongue.   Fairly smooth for a Bitter/ESB.   Mildly malty, balances well with the bitterness.   Moderate body, but very smooth mouthfeel.   Extremely clean finish.   Again, lingering hop sting on the sides of the tongue well after the finish.   Very well balanced, crisp, and ultra clean.   I believe this one to be a bit underrated.

[777-20071020] Bottle. Woody malt aroma with floral sweet honey notes. Hazy, orange brown body with a big medium-lasting foamy off-white head. Bitter malty wood flavour base has a bit of tangy citrus and a hint of sweetness. Medium body. Nice blend, nice hoppy tang.

Bottle, Smokeless Joe’s. A rather rich orange colour with a decent white head. Lots of fresh hops in aroma, and a little of that Rogue yeasty smell. Big hop taste, crisp mouthfeel, maybe not as overwhelmingly bitter as the name suggests. Surprisingly well balanced, not the hop juice these types can turn out to be. The 6.2% is appreciated to - just adds a little kick and substance to the beer. Simple but well done and enjoyable.