Rogue Somer Orange Honey Ale

Brewed by Rogue Ales
Style: Fruit Beer
Newport, Oregon USA

Picked up a case of this from Rogue’s April Fool’s Day sale, and I’m glad I did. It pours the color of hazy honey with substantial sediment at the bottom of the bottle. The flavor is clean and refreshing, with a strong hint of honey and subtle orange. Very light carbonation leads to a smooth, albeit somewhat watery finish. A good beer for the few warm days that the Portland spring has offered thus far.

22 oz bottle, via kenb. Pours a slightly hazy orange body under a very fizzy quick vanishing off-white head. Absolutely zero head after 20 seconds. The nose is of grassy wheat and a slight vegetal overtone with some sweet honey. The flavor is pretty thin overall, just a light wheat up front with the honey, a little yeast, and a touch of citrus rind coming out on the finish. Mouthfeel is light bodied with a watery texture and a little too much fizzy prickly carbonation. Overall, this was drinkable, but not the best fruit beer by a long shot.

Draft at Oregon Brewers Festival, Portland, OR. Small white head that mostly diminished, spotty lacing, no carbonation observed, hazy, and a straw hue. Nose was lightly malty, honey, sweet and oranges. Flavor was sweet, honey, oranges, and lightly bitter. Smooth, thin mouthfeel. Light body. Not impressed with this one given the style. Rather a subdued flavor. Better out there for the style.

Name: Honey Orange Wheat
Date: December 29, 2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Summits - Snellville
Appearance: hazy dark yellow, fine off white head, splattered drippy lace
Aroma: sweet orange aroma
Flavor: light orange flavor, nice sweetness, light balancing bitterness

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: *4

Date: August 04, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Hop City, Atlanta
Appearance: hazy pale orange, dense white head
Aroma: light spicy aroma, just a hint of spicyness
Flavor: light spicy malt flavor, touch of citrus, nice spicness
Overall: light and refreshing

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.7/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

22 oz bottle via Capital Market. She pours a dirty hazy amber with a decent sized white head. Nose is typical spicy, coriander, and almost smoky?! Tastes just like it smells, with a bit of a watery finish. needs more wheat backbone. Other than that though, it is pretty tasty. Honey, lemon, vanilla, orange, cantelop, coriander, ginger are there but are all subtle and well-done.... I like the flavors and the yeast profile. It is spicy, but not too much so like many wheat beers are, and the smoke/woodiness adds a nice dimension and lingers nicely in the aftertaste. Light body, moderate/high carbonation. This is way under-rated. It may not be exciting, but it is quite nice in the way the many subtle flavors play off each other. i taste something different with each sip! Well-done, just needs a bit more body.

Bottle at Stockholm Beer Festival 2007
Muddy fudge appearance. Delicate aroma and flavor, light wheat, light fruits (oranges?), but too much sediment. Refreshing; simple.

Pours a cloudy, slightly orange color. Has a wonderful orange aroma. Easy drinking and adding a slice of orange is the only way to drink this. Not as impressed when out of bottles but on draft this is a great beer.

Bomber poured a cloudy orange with a minimal lingering white head. Aromas of orange, honey, wheat, light yeast and a hint of spice. Palate was light bodied and smooth. Flavors of orange, vanilla, light honey, light wheat and a hint of spice with a smooth lingering lightly sweet finish.