Rogue Somer Orange Honey Ale

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

OK, $7.50 for a frikin’ bomber of Rogue honey ale? COME ON! Pours clear gold with weak white head. The aroma has pretty bold notes of orange wedges and orange peel to go along with spices and honey. The taste begins smooth and near neutral before heading into spices, fresh ripe orange wedges, orange peel, grainy malts, honey and a sense of orange sherbet ice cream. This is a nice tasting summer brew with enough balance to require repeated quaffs under the hot summer sun. The second pour dropped a load of yeast into my glass that pulled the flavor slightly in the direction of tart.

Bottled as Somer Orange Honey Ale: Aroma of orange blossoms. Hazy yellow, thick frothy head. Flavor is honey and tangy lemon with a complementary grassy hop. Clover finish. Refreshing decent lawnmower beer. Nice flavors and decent balance could use a bit more intensity.

Pours an effervescent yellow color with a very big, white, fluffy head which is retained very well through the sampling. Aroma is heavy of wheat, light sweet honey notes and slightly sour overall. Flavor starts with some wheat up front but quickly moves into a pretty pronounced chamomile spicy note with light orange peel, honey and grainy sweet ending. Density is light with a very bubbly feeling on the tongue and a decent amount of lacing. I definitely don’t think this is a fruit beer but should be in the Wheat Ale category. Overall the flavors are pretty subtle with some mild spicy notes but overall just an okay wheat brew.

(bottle). Cloudy orange/yellow color. Medium white head which is mostly diminishing. Light wheat and orange aroma and flavor. Short duration. Slightly dry finish. Slick texture. Soft carbonation. Spare lacing.

22oz. bomber. Hazy golden pour yielding aroma of orange, coriander, light hops and sweet malt. Flavor more of the same, sweet yet dry finish. Low carbonation, short and short-lived head. Would be ideal seaside session brew. Reminds me of the beach for some reason - good times!

Bottle. Pours hazy yellow-gold with a small white head. Subtle aroma of orange citrus, wheat, grain, not much honey to speak of. The flavor was also too subtle, orange citrus, wheat, straw, grain, and a sweetness that must have been the honey. Very smooth palate, so easy to drink, clean finish. I think Rogue could have cranked the orange and especially the honey up a notch or two without offending anyone, though I do admire the attempt at a more subtle fruit beer.

Unlike other orange brews, this one isn’t cloyingly sweet and is much more subtle. Hazy honey pour produced a fizzy white head. Faint aroma with only a touch of citrus...mostly wheat. Similar flavor. A bit watery...not terrible for a hot summer day.

Fresh bomber. Pours a lightly hazy, moderate golden hue. A small head of off-white foam goes away quickly, leaving behind just a thin ring and virtually no lacing. The nose is primarily grainy, very cereal-like, with traces of orange peel and dusty wildflowers. Flavors are very much the same, sort of stale and grainy overall, heavy on cereal ans wheat. The orange zest note serves as a highlight. Light bodied and lively carbonated, the palate focuses on drinkability. Pretty boring on the whole, but I could drink a few on a hit day. Thankfully, it’s not too sweet.