Rogue Somer Orange Honey Ale

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

Bottle. Moderate malt note of grain, light grass for the hops and sweat for the yeast, with background notes of honey, orange and herbs. Head is huge, between creamy and rocky, white, with good thick lacing and is mostly lasting. Color is sparkiling clear gold from a careful pour. Flavor starts lightly sweet and acidic, then finishes lightly sweet, acidic and bitter. Palate is on the lighter side of medium, watery, with a lively carbonation and finishes lightly dry. Refereshing when cold, but warming it a bit opens up some of the subtler notes. I don’t think really classifies as a Fruit Beer.

Draught. Had the appearance of lemonade with no head. Aroma was orange, floral, honey-nectar, slightly wheaty. Flavor was simply sweet orange or lemongrass tea, a little malt and hint of spice. Modestly refreshing but a rather bland beer without much differentiation from a budweiser.

500ml bomber. Hazy orange-tan color. Respectable off-white head. Mellow fresh malt and orange aroma. Medium bodied, mellow sweetness, with a light, tangy crispness. Very cooling mouthfeel, quite refreshing. The honey and orange each balance themselves out, and never stand out awkwardly. Creamy, but with a nice bitter balance. A good beer, underrated.

22 oz bottle, $5.29 at Wine Warehouse, Charlottesville. Pours a cloudy golden with a large white head. Light citrus nose, mainly lemon peel. Flavor is peppery orange peel. Finishes bitter.

16 oz draft poured on tap at Poag Mahone’s (Chicago, IL). Pours a hazy straw yellow, decent whitish head that laces some, sticks around small. Muted. Aromas are light coriander and orange peel, honey mellow sweetness, grainy wheat, not too shabby. Initial is a coriander and orange peel and pulp forward brew, mellow sweetness melds with white flaked wheat, grains, honey. This is a decent summer american Wit, with coriander, orange peel, and grassy qualities. Not bad.

Very light and pale yellow pour with light and fluffy white head. Nose is pretty heavily orange citrus and wheat grass. Flavor is sweet wheat malt and a floral citrusy orange undertone...not overwhelming at all. Decent light alternative brew.

The appearance is pineapple yellow with a finger of pillowy pure white head. Clear but has some depth. Head lasts about 4-5 minutes. The smell is some dry wheats, but also a quasi German bitterness. Touch of sweet honey and orange zest. The taste is musty with a dry wheat flavor. Has some German pilsner attributes (citrus hops, bitter Euro malt). The aftertaste is of a bitter nature. The feel is silky at first, watery finish. This is not the best of Rogue. Drink enough but lacking. Eh...

Bomber. Honey and some orange in the background. Had a somewhat metalic storage aroma also. Gold body with white head. Flavor was chalky thick honey and no orange. Harsh bitterness was present in mine and wasn’t that refreshing on the palate. Needed tow bottle of water to get rid of the starch off the palate.