Rogue - Voodoo Doughnut

For those that don't know, besides being recognized for a plethora of breweries and an un-funny show starring Fred Armisen (I tried to get into it! I really did.), Portland is also known for a local doughnut shop called Voodoo Doughnuts.  If you click on that link, you'll be taken to their homepage and if it doesn't immediately start you both salivating and contracting diabetes then your screen resolution is set too low.  One of the artisan doughnuts that they make is called the Bacon Maple Bar.  It's a raised yeast doughnut (those are the kind that aren't like cake), with maple frosting and bacon placed lovingly on top.  It's the breakfast of champions.

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!

For those that like syrup on their breakfast meats and naming the cavities in your teeth, this is a match made in heaven.  I have a friend in Portland who fights himself daily to not go into Voodoo Doughnuts to sample their unending deliciousness.  However, this beer has generally received less than positive reviews.  I've heard that it tastes like everything from the "elephant ear" chew toys for dogs to "wet campfire" to "silly and surprisingly charming."  Well, it's time find out for myself and hopefully accurately clarify for any other curious craft beer drinkers not fortunate enough to find a bottle to taste for themselves.  Whether the outcome is positive or negative, I would like to point out the collaboration between two local landmark businesses and how cool that is.  I feel that the camaraderie and collaboration are integral parts of the craft brew scene and that we all benefit from them in the long run.  OK, putting the soapbox away... Let's pour!

It'll definitely capture your attention on the shelf.

Aroma 11/12

With the promise of maple-slathered meats lying within, I couldn't help but steal a sniff directly from the bottle.  It immediately earned the response of, "Oh, shut up."  Not because it was that amazing, but because it smelled exactly like what it is supposed to smell like.  In other words, a lot of maple and brown sugar.  I quickly poured into the glass to see if a it remained the same and by and large it did.  In the glass, it initially provides a well-blended balance between maple and smoke.  Later on this smokiness would reveal itself to be more of the mesquite variety and not like that of peat.  It rather smells like a McGriddle, but with more smokiness and likely less heartburn, which I attribute directly to the "Pepto pink" hue of the bottle.  A faint sharpness (a distant, faded citrus?) of unknown origin shows itself from time to time and it could be simply the association in my mind, but there is a saltiness to be detected as well.  Beer promises maple bacon doughnut.  Beer delivers maple bacon doughnut.

Appearance 3/3

It pours a clear, bright copper with pale golden highlights.  The head is a good size that starts out a pastel orange shade, but fades to a light almond color.  It falls gently and crackles slowly like autumn fire.

Flavor 15/20

Despite the promise of sweet flavors rolling over the tip of the tongue, the first flavors are instead more crisp and like whole grain wheat.  Right behind that is load of roast and smoke flavors and then... wait... where the hell is the maple?!  One now easily tastes a slight sourness (that distant, faded citrus again) that was only barely present in the aroma and a lot of the neutral, crystal malts (at least that's what I assume the C15 and C75 stand for in the ingredient list).  This has all the makings of a decent brown ale with the smoke/roast notes, but they too quickly turn to that neutral, faint citrus sweetness.  The swallow is barely bitter at all and finishes with little discernible flavor whatsoever.  Even the aftertaste is a whisp of the smoke, but mostly those crystal malts.  They're still there.

Note:  Don't let this beer get anywhere near room temperature!  It turns into a, smokey, salty, chore of a mess.

Mouthfeel 4/5

As a brown ale, this is not bad at all.  It is mouth-wateringly carbonated with bubbles that are never prickly, but instead very gentle and lightly foaming.  It provides more a very nice and refreshing mouth sensation that complements the crisp initial flavors of the beer quite nicely and helps them stand out.  It holds the smoke flavor adequately, but the light body of the beer seems painfully inadequate to hold what should be some pretty sweet flavors (especially considering the lack of hops).  Yes, I know that Rogue seldom issues a bruiser outside of their XS series, and in my mind are more known for issuing nuanced beers instead of powerhouses.  However, I doubt that Voodoo Doughnuts is issuing pastries that are light on flavor and if amazing food is what you're aiming for, you better damn well hit it.  Light, refreshing, well carbonated.  Great for a brown ale, but it serves poorly for the task at hand.

Overall Impression 6/10

What promise was shown with this beer!  The aroma is as intoxicating and rousing as a good breakfast.  The maple abounded and the bacon playfully floated past like tiny delicious magic carpets.  I felt like Homer Simpson in the Land of Chocolate.  Unfortunately, also like Homer Simpson I woke up to a rather disappointing reality.

Where the hell did all the maple syrup go?  Everything was so promising and then all I get is a smoked brown ale with a very nice mouthfeel.  Granted, things have turned out worse, but with how amazing the aroma smelled it was quite a fall back to earth.  This lack of maple and the light body are my only two qualms with this brew.

Total 39/50

This is not a very flattering score.  I do not agree with the folks who say that this beer is terrible or too smokey.  Of course, this bottle is quite a bit older and the beer may be an entirely different animal straight from the tap.  For those that find this beer too smokey, have a glass of Ardbeg's Galileo scotch; then you will  know "too smokey."  I am simply disappointed not to find more maple sweetness in the beer!  If I were drinking this as a straight brown ale, I might have enjoyed it more; especially around the fall season when bonfires are rife and smokey porters & rauchbiers are in full swing.  As it stands it's a tasty brown ale (until it warms), a bit heavy on the crystal malts, with an excellent mouthfeel for that particular style.  But doughnuts are sweet and I want sweet.

I hope that this review was helpful without all the hyperbole found in a lot of comparisons for this beer.  I read a lot of reviews for this beer before I found it and still had no idea of what it might taste like.  The reviews were all over the map.  My two sentence synopsis?  Beer promises maple bacon doughnut.  Beer misses maple bacon doughnut.

Double Dead Guy vs. Double Bastard

I've had this review idea in my mind for sometime now and today it finally comes to fruition!  This is a battle of the big boys and I hope my palate is ready for it!  In this corrrnneeerrrr....

Double Dead Guy Ale

Brewer: Rogue Ales

Hometown: Newport, OR

Vintage: 2011 Release (May 2011)

Style: Strong Ale (evolved from Dead Guy Ale, a maibock)

IBU: 72

ABV: 9.0%

Plato: 19.8

SRM: 25

Pedigree: 

2010 Australian International Beer Awards - Gold
2010 World Beer Championships - Gold (Best of 2010)
2010 BrewNZ - Silver
2009 Australian International Beer Awards - Silver
2009 World Beer Championships - Gold (Best of 2009)
2008 World Beer Championships - Silver

Aaaand in the opposite corner...

Double Bastard Ale

Brewer: Stone Brewing Co.

Hometown: Escondido, CA

Vintage: 2011 Release (Oct 17, 2011)

Style: American Strong Ale (evolved from Arrogant Bastard, another ASA)

IBU: Listed as "Classified"

ABV: 10.5% ABV

Plato: N/A

SRM: N/A (but 40-42 based on observation)

Pedigree:

For guys that are so "arrogant," I had a hard time finding many awards for this one.  Of course, the truly arrogant sense their own importance and do not rely on that bestowed by others. :)

2005 Great American Beer Festival - Silver

As much as I wanted to utilize branded glassware in this write-up, I did not have glassware of each brand that would have kept this as fair a review as possible. Thus, I'll be using the tasting glasses that I bought when out visiting Port City Brewing in Alexandria, VA. I am insanely anxious for this slugfest to begin. Let's pour! First up...

Double Dead Guy

Aroma 9/12

The beer shows promises of authenticity by beginning with notes of straw, sweet caramel, and a bit of booze.  Roasted notes evolve slowly and eventually lead to stronger versions of the previously mentioned scents.  The caramel becomes richer and brings the complementary booziness right along with it.  All the malts even let some brighter hop notes to peek out in the forms of green apples, a lesser resin, and some citrus.  There may even be a hint of spice, but it is too faint to say definitively.  This all translates into a rather bittersweet medley with an interesting fruit/citrus overtone.

Appearance 3/3

Superior size and retention in the head, which has a nice bisque color that sits handsomely on top of a beer with any number of hues.  Those that come to mind quickly are: reddish-copper, canned beets, sunset orange, and some deceptive dark purple shades.  The beer is translucent which enables both the great colors yet still lets the light in to play with them.  It even has some nice lacing!

Flavor /20

What a neat citrus splash on the tip of the tongue before the drinker was given more of the "bitter" from the "bittersweet" from the aroma!  Soon, the roast and graininess of the malts kicks in to dull the sweetness a bit, but it is quickly overruled by the lighter caramel and the strong fruity esters.  I was a bit hesitant writing "apples" in the aroma, but after tasting it I stand by that 100%.  The backbone is largely a slightly darkened caramel and the sweet fruit, but has a great boozy quality that, much like the aroma, always complements and never oversteps its bounds.  The finish is a reprisal of the grainy malt with a strengthened bitter that still manages to show off the roast and some alcohol heat.  In case that last sentence didn't give you a hint, there's a lot going on here.  The aftertaste lingers with the warming effect of alcohol, but also with the graininess from the finish. Eventually, it simply becomes bitter and urges the next mouthful.

Mouthfeel 5/5

This beer is a "double" that ups the ante on flavor, but doesn't make the beer too heavy in that endeavor.  On the contrary, this beer enjoys a moderate-full body, ample carbonation to keep things refreshing, but a silky smooth mouthfeel.  Once this beer sits in the mouth, it practically glides over your tongue.  A swish or two might yield a little foam, but for the most part you can count on this beer being both pleasantly bubbly early on, as well as very silky for the style.  A very nice contrast to have within the same bottle.

Overall Impression 9/10

I'm impressed at the various levels of complexity in this beer.  The aroma has 3 nice scents going on, the appearance features a wide range of colors, the flavor has at least 5 different components, the alcohol is used remarkably well, and even the mouthfeel changes in the course of one sip to be different things at different times.  Is it as robust as most brewers make their doubles?  Not really, but there's so much brewing prowess in this bottle it's hard to hold that against it.  In other words, with this much control exhibited over so many minute details, do you really believe that this beer isn't exactly the way that Rogue wanted it?  If they wanted it stronger, they'd have made it that way.

Total 44/50

The score seems a bit low for how much I enjoy this beer, but the lower score in the aroma seemed to hurt it the most.  Not that the aroma is bad, but it is seemingly simple compared to the complexity inherent in the rest of this brew.  I have a feeling that in the battle between this two beers, that Double Dead Guy is going to be the smaller, more agile, more technical fighter whose sheer study of the art, talent, and skill are going to make this fight go the distance.

And now...

Double Bastard

Aroma 11/12

Now THIS smells like a double!  It is so rich and dark smelling with gobs of molasses just wafting out to shake your hand with the sometimes uncomfortable assumed familiarity of a "How the hell are ya?!"  Even with that strong malt aroma, the hops are still easily detectable and only get stronger as the beer warms.  They start out clean and fresh with a light citrus, which teams up oddly well with a little booze that's present.  A moderate roast makes a cameo and then things truly begins to come together.  The bouquet as a whole is boozy, rich with a molasses that is made brighter by the citrus hops that will not be subdued.  As this was their 2011 release, I can only imagine what it would be like fresh.

Appearance 3/3

Another great looking brew!  This beer pours darker than the Double Dead Guy with shades light brown, magenta, ruby, some rather indescribable red/purple combinations.  This is very striking in color!  The head is beige, moderate in longevity, leaves little lacing, and is supplemented around the edges of the glass by tiny columns of carbonation.  The beer appears living and moving with this constant ascension.

Flavor 19/20

This is not a beer that tiptoes around with nuance and subtlety.  Immediately, your taste buds are being bludgeoned by big heavy malts!  Brown sugars abound, caramel flows freely, a suggestion of raisins & dark fruits is hard to ignore, alcohol is camouflaged yet present, and a diminished resin shows up from time to time.  There are no rising and falling flavors to detect.  This is a bull rush and you're in the way.  The finish is more of the resin, but with a fully revealed alcohol heat and a sticky feeling thanks to the sweet fruits that refuse to go away without a fight.  The aftertaste allows all the other flavors to fall away save for a medicinal bitter that lingers long after the beer has been swallowed.  This is a slap of flavors on the tongue!

Mouthfeel 4/5

In case, the last paragraph left any doubt this is a big, big beer.  The mouthfeel is full bodied and smooth even though Stone makes a feint at lightening it with a fairly aggressive carbonation.  Thankfully, that prickly carbonation dies before the halfway point in the 1 Pt. 6 oz. bottle, and we're left with a big beer that's still light on its feet.  This is just about the perfect amount of carbonation to have in a big beer.  The alcohol warmth is a tad more aggressive than I would prefer.  It's not out of line by any means, in fact big beers often carry a strong warmth with them, but that doesn't mean that the alcohol couldn't have been incorporated more into the beer instead of contributing on its own.

Overall Impression 10/10

I love it!  This is big beer and everything about it is designed as such.  The aroma is strong (albeit fairly simple), the flavor is a monster, the appearance is gorgeous, and the mouthfeel means some serious business.    If you enjoy doubles or imperials, this beer is right up your alley.  It's robust nature carries it in every category

Total 47/50

This is truly an annual release to be sought out and celebrated.  It defies most other beers on the shelf and is a really nice surprise.  Yes, even though you expect big, full flavored beers when you drink a Stone, be prepared to be surprised.  It's big, sweet, warm, and smooth, but still drinks easier than I'd expect and leaves a great lingering bitter.  This was definitely the bruiser out of the two beers evaluated.  Its fight stratagem is clearly brute strength and a relentless attack.  Thankfully, that strength is also remarkably tasty.

And the winner, by a judge's score of 44 to 47 is...

In the end the tasty flavors, complexity, and high technical brewing of Rogue's Double Dead Guy weren't enough to defeat the huge/delicious flavors and "big beer" feel of Stone's Double Bastard.  Each one definitely has their place and respective bragging rights.  Rogue's aroma was more complex, but Stone's was much richer.  Rogue's head was superior overall and laced better, but Stone's carbonation in the glass made the beer seem alive.  And these type of comparisons go on and on.  Which makes me think that the victory could go to either beer depending on how your mood strikes you.  Perhaps another day, I might've found the Double Bastard overpowering and clumsy.  Perhaps, like today, I found that the Double Dead Guy just didn't have enough "oomph" to really knock me out.  Overall, Rogue provides a sweeter, more drinkable, less boozy experience that is easier to let beginners sample because each flavor can be more easily detected.  Stone, on the other hand, provides a darker, boozier, stronger, richer, more lingering brew that might be too abrasive to those you're to proselytize into the world of craft beer.  They're both excellent beers, but like Highlanders... there can be only one.  Now if you'll excuse me, I have two bottles to finish.

Rogue - Morimoto Soba Ale

Not to sound uncultured, but the only Morimoto that I knew of prior to drinking this beer was the guy on Iron Chef.  Thank goodness my hunch was correct!  Unfortunately, the Rogue website (and Google in general) is rather vague on just how he was involved, and only reads that it was "launched in the Spring of 2003 with internationally acclaimed Chef Masaharu Morimoto—a James Beard awarded chef and one of the stars of the Food Network series, Iron Chef."

However, Rogue is much more forthcoming with what Soba actually is, stating "Soba (also known as buckwheat) is not a type of wheat but a member of the rhubarb family and has been a longtime staple of Japanese cuisine because of its nutritional value. Buckwheat is high in potassium, phosphorous, vitamin B (50 percent more than wheat) and protein, and its virtually fat-free. The fruits of the buckwheat plant are like small beechnuts, which are milled to separate the edible groats from the dark brown hulls. The groats are then roasted and used more or less like a grain (a good example is Kasha)."

In any case, I'm looking forward to the incorporation of "eastern" ingredients into beer.  They're usually things we westerners are not familiar with and can be a fun, eye-opening experience. Let's pour!

Aroma 7/12
Initially, I thought I was pouring this beer when it was still too cold.  I was difficult to get any smell and what was there wasn't very impressive so I waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  No dice.  What I smelled was what I got, with a slight increase in the sweetness.  This beer smells rather like a wheat beer.  Plain and simple.  There is a grainy note, a light citrus and that's about it.  The only addition after waiting was an welcome increase of an orange zest citrus sweetness.


Appearance 1/3
It pours a hazy golden color that more resembles some earth tones than a bright shining one.  There isn't much variation in the shades, giving this beer a simple, dull look.  The head is scrawny and barely rises up a half a finger's breadth.  It leaves just as meagerly as it appears, and barely remains as a ring of foam at the top.  C'mon Rogue, you can do better than this.

Flavor 14/20
Interesting things are afoot.  This starts out with a distinct, but muted citrus (think: lemon water).  It is very clean, straightforward, and refreshing.  It leads into a backbone where that continues, but a strong earthy grain note is added to the works, no doubt the calling card of the soba.  I wish there was more to write, but this brew is remarkably simple.  As it warms, the sweetness does allow an almost vanilla tone to show and it's a very nice surprise.  The finish allows a slight bitter to be added to the earthy grain and said bitter lingers a bit as in a good pilsner.  The aftertaste allows on the lightest bitters to remain as well as a noticeable grain taste.  Unfortunately, this beer was not able to surprise me with any new eastern ingredient.

Mouthfeel 4/5
The carbonation is tiny, but abundant enough to compliment the refreshing flavors and the appropriately medium-light body.  Even the foaming action on the tongue feels light and airy.

Overall Impression 7/10
A lighter offering that focuses on simple refreshment and little else, this could be an excellent pairing with a salmon filet or a spicy cheese.  This beer is likely a safe bet to try on friends who haven't yet broken into craft beer.  It's inoffensive, but the enticing label art might make them feel a bit more adventurous.  As for those of us who are already seasoned adventurers, this might not fit the bill.  It reminds a sturdy-bodied pilsner with a squeeze of lemon and an earthy twist.  If simplicity and refreshment are your sole aims, then look no further.  If you think you're going to be wowed by some strange, new ingredient from a foreign land, then keep looking.

Chef Morimoto himself.  Who, by the way, FULLY endorses Sud Savant.

Total 33/50
Meh.  This beer underwhelmed me.  I know, I know that there's something to be said for simplicity and flavors that don't slap around the tongue.  However, this misses the mark.  It's not a simple version of a style, it's just simple.  Light lemon and some earthy Japanese grain?  That's it?  There is also the off chance that I'm being a boorish American and not fully realizing the Japanese appreciation of simplicity.  Just as Tokyo is nearly vandalized by neon lights, but many inhabitants choose to live in simple, uncluttered, minimalist living spaces, this beer mimics that.  It's label definitely drew my eyes, but what was inside was simple and functional and did not clamor for my attention.  (Note: By and large, I shy away from making sweeping generalizations about entire nations/cultures/religions/races/etc, but the Japanese have recently, as in the last decade or two or three, employed at large a minimalist design that enjoys a great deal of popularity).

An interesting ale if you're looking for a lighter beer.  I feel bad calling this a lawnmower beer, but damn I could see myself absolutely downing this bad boy on a hot summer day.  Or the beach!  If it didn't come in glass, I would fully endorse this on the beach.  Long story short?  I expected more.  I wanted a strange, new ingredient loaded with flavor.  I wanted a beer that would render me near speechless with its deliciousness, the same way that Chef Morimoto's food has earned him his fame.  This didn't come close.  When I pay $6+ for a bomber, I expect a little of that.  If I want a simple, quenching beer I can err a little closer to the cheap stuff.  This is like pricey lager.  I know it's better, I just don't care enough.

Rogue - Chipotle Ale

I have NO idea how I have done this many reviews and this is only my second post about a Rogue product.  I have lots of respect for Rogue and have even used their beers to mark certain benchmarks (50, 100, 200 different beers) with a certain bar's membership club.  Today's review is for Rogue's Chipotle Ale.  I love a good jalepeño-based beer!  Sure, there is some spiciness in there and not everybody cares for that.  Naysayers should know though, that the rest of the beer is often made as refreshing as possible to try and counter that spiciness.  Needless to say, in the midst of this midwestern heatwave (which shows no signs of letting up) a whole bunch of refreshing beer is just what I was looking for.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

Aroma 8/12
The first smell was almost a farm-like mustyness, as if something a bit gamey had gotten into the mix.  It dissipates soon enough and then the pepper-based heat appears in the nose.  However, even this fades away and gives rise to the premier aroma: the chipotle peppers' flavor.  They are smoky, salty and just a hint of sweetness.  The smoky and salty tones combined are enough to remind one of Bean & Bacon soup.  No other ingredients really shine through the strong chipotle aromas.


Appearance 3/3
This is a gorgeous beer!  When not in direct light, it is a red that nearly matches that on the label.  When lit at all, it is a beautiful, glowing orange with a pumpkin pastel colored head.  There is not a great volume of head, but it retains well and leaves sticky lace on my glass.

Picture is my own.

Flavor 14/20
Very light a crisp off the bat with a dull molasses sweetness.  You really have to hold this in the mouth to get the intended flavors as they are not readily apparent with simple sips.  The backbone is a continuation of the molasses, but introduces the smoky flavor and a mere suggestion of the pepper's heat.  Unfortunately, that is all you get, only a flash and then it is all but gone.  Only when I was more than halfway through the 650 mL bottle did I get any sort of lingering heat.  The heat is briefly restoked as the beer hits the back of the throat and that is really all that differs in the finish.  The aftertaste however adds a moderate but pronounced hop bitter to the lingering heat, leaving the mouth a bit dry and ready for another mouthful.  Very nice touch to end this beer.

Mouthfeel 4/5
It is very light in body, which is great for the style, but still maintains some level of creaminess.  Even in the beginning of the bottle when carbonation was abundant and bubbly, it still had a noticeable creaminess to it.  Halfway through the bottle the carbonation is tiny and sparse, which only makes this lightly creamy texture all the more noticeable.

Overall Impression 6/10
This beer is the consequence of indecision.  Chili beer is a bold choice and so one would expect a bold beer. There is plenty of daring-do in the aroma, but the flavor finds the chilis timid and muted.  The bitter at the end is bold and complimented what existing chili flavor there was (it could have complimented much more as well).  The result is a beer whose chilis are not bold enough to satisfy those looking for a more extreme experience and whose hop bitter is enough to keep away the entry-level beer drinker.

Total 36/50
This ranking still puts this beer in the "Very Good" category and rightly so.  It is not a bad beer by any means, I just don't see it satisfying the needs of those "bold" drinkers looking for a robust exbeerience.  Unfortunately for Rogue, those are the people most likely to buy this beer (especially in this quantity).  This beer is very much like a British Pale Ale, but with the chipotle peppers added to it.  The light creaminess and the aftertaste were the true high points of this beer, but can only do so much in the face of an ingredient that didn't come with guns a-blazin'.

Rogue - American Amber Ale

This is a beer that I'm again sharing with a close friend in honor of American Craft Brew Week.  Thankfully, this particular brew happened to be available in a growler!  This review is for Rogue's American Amber Ale and let me first just say that I LOVE the variety of containers in which Rogue puts their beer.  I've now seen growlers, sixers, bombers, mini-bottles, mini-kegs, drafts, and I'm sure many more.  Combining novelty with great beer?  Sign me up!  As for this growler?  Let's pour!



Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

 Aroma 10/12
A wonderfully balanced aroma.  The caramelly malt is a primary aroma (and a classic smell), but this brew does add some hops to the traditional stylings.  The scent is remarkably subtle and could easily be confused with a lack thereof, but as the beer warms the aromas definitely become more defined.

Appearance 3/3
A beautiful pour!  Lovelyl shades of red, copper, amber, ochre, and bright orange.  While the brew didn't have true "legs" the carbonation rising to the top was hypnotizing.  Think of "The Matrix."  Now imagine the letters cascading bottom to top, more spaced out, and in red hues.  Not much lace to speak of, nor was the head retention anything about which to write home.  The gorgeous and various shades of red combined with the soapy head were enough to earn this high ranking, even if it is based more on pure aesthetics than technical qualities.



Picture is my own.

Flavor 14/20
This is not what one expects in an Amber Ale.  Initial sips are that of a red caramelly malt that border somewhere between clean and bland.  Luckily, this lackluster beginning does not last and quickly transitions to a backbone of much more distinct caramel malts and a strong hop bitterness.  While there should be a good balance, this brew leans a bit to heavily on the bitter for the style.  The bitter is far from dominating, but it is excessive in an amber ale.  More hop flavor would not be out of place, but the hops in this brew lend mostly their bitter flavor to the backbone, and a dry hop bitter along with a peppery spice in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel 3/5
A medium light body is great in this brew.  It excels in creaminess and the carbonation is nice even until the end of the pint.  One could put down several of these very easily.

Overall Impression 5/10
A good balance of malty, caramelly goodness and hoppy flavors/bitter is important to an amber ale.  Unfortunately, this one tends to lean on the bitter a bit too hard.  It keeps the beer from being a sweet, refreshing crisp brew and changes it into a bitter, malty unexpected surprise.  Other technical aspects (body, appearance, head, carbonation) are sound.

Total 34/50
Meh.  I suppose my biggest source of disappointment is that I expect more from Rogue Brewery.  There are other amber ales that keep a malty emphasis in their balance without resorting to an excess of sweetness.  For the price, this was not a bad deal at all, $13.99 for the growler.  Heck, at most brewpubs you can't even get a fill for $13, let alone the growler AND the fill!  That considered, I can't be too disappointed.  However, I would gladly pay more for a growler full of something with which I will be thrilled.  When considering that last sentence AND the fact that there are other cheaper (and superior) amber ales out there, I'd probably pass on this one and try out one of the other AMAZING Rogue brews that we know are out there.

Picture is my own.