Rogue FestiveAle

Brewed by Rogue Ales
Style: Saison
Newport, Oregon USA

Pours a cloudy golden color with a large white head. Aroma is slightly sweet with notes of wheat, grain, and grassy hops. Unfortunately, the aroma reminds me of the aromas of crappy light domestic beers, only a bit sweeter and maybe a touch more of fruit. Damn, it tastes sort of like a cheap domestic as well. Like a Natty Ice but maybe with a bit more flavor. The taste is very herbal with a harsh grain kick. There is way too much spice in this one as well. Very dissapointed - this is the first Rogue beer that I haven’t liked.

22oz. bottle. Strongly sweet and fruity aroma, notes of honeyish and crackery malts combine with elements of orange, pear, melon, herbal flowers, ginger, musty yeast, perfume and light, peppery, grassy Saaz hop spice. Medium golden color with a tint of amber, initial pour is fairly clear but the remainder of the bottle looks to contain a generous dosage of powdery yeast. Head is very fine and slight. Flavor is lightly bitter and herbal to start, becoming quite fruity and flowery with hints of peach and heavy handed spices, finishing with a burst of sugary sweetness, mild hop flavor and faintly acidic citrus. A bit discordant. Thin and lightly oily on the palate, highly effervescent and with a medium body. Oddly tinged aftertaste, must be the lingering herbal components. I had higher hopes for this one.

Bottle. Golden copper color with a big white head. Spicey, yeasty, bready, lemony aroma. Lots of flavors competeing - maybe too many. Spicey (mostly ginger), some sweetness, orange fruitiness. Saaz hops don’t really go with the rest of the flavor and the flavor gets a little muddled. High carbonation and once you get past the flavor bomb at the beginning, it becomes easier to drink.

Under the name Rogue Saison at the new <a href=/Place/tennessee/cordova/the-flying-saucer/55 Saucer in Cordova, TN. Was a cloudy golden color, similar to many IPA’s and the head was a frothy white and very nice. The flavor had grapefruit and citrus with some definite hops. I wish I could find this in a bottle as I would enjoy it frequently. Thoroughtly enjoyed all 22oz of this brew.

Thick and heavy layer of yeast on the botom of the bottle- somewhat stirred up prodicing an extremely hazy golden-amber pour. The nose is tart with malt, hops and spices abundant. The blend of spices is strong, perhaps overwhelming the lovely yeast/hop flavors characteristic of saisons. Not that some style guideline matters, but I would prefer a bit less spice. Noce though, and underrated.

Bottle. Pours amber with a huge creamy white head that lasted and produced good lacing. Average well balanced spice aroma. Medium body with a sticky texture. Moderate balanced spicy flavor with a long smooth finish.

Poured a light brown color with a white head, pretty thick. Aroma was yeasty, with some spices and malts. Flavor was pretty yeasty like most belgian ales, but not too close to the real thing. It had a dry finish, wasn’t too great but wasn’t horrible, good try.

Ugly, light brown. Big, fluffy, off white head. Nose is musty barn yeast, hops, grains, subtle spices. Flavor has the same yeastiness, the hops and ginger more pronounced, subtle orange and other unnamablespice. Dry, bitter, yeasty finish and aftertaste. Medium body, tingly carbonation, easy drinking. Excellent saison. Underrated at 3.0.