Time for another craft beer review. Today’s brew comes from the Rogue Brewing Company located in Newport, Oregon. It’s called the Rogue Dead Guy Ale.
If you guys have read previous posts from my blog you are well aware that Rogue is one of my favorite brewers. They make truly outstanding stuff in my opinion. The Dead Guy is one of their more famous beers and I have had it many times, but it’s been a while since I last sampled it. I have never properly reviewed it, so I figured I better give it another go.
From the website, rogueales.com, we find this small description.
In the style of a German Maibock, using our proprietary Pacman ale yeast. Deep honey in color with a malty aroma and a rich hearty flavor.
Let’s pour.
The Dead Guy stands at 6.5% ABV and comes in a 12 oz. bottle.
This brew poured a hazy, amber color with a smidgen of yellow highlighting the bottom of the nonic glass. The cap was of decent size and was off white in color. Rather smooth and creamy. The retention seemed to be ok and it left behind a very nice, thick coating of lace. The head eventually settled to a smooth film right on top.
With the nose I found a wonderful bouquet of sweet caramel and melted butter. An earthy, herbal hop note with a significant yeasty, sour dough bread appeal. It seemed to be a touch “nutty” (hazelnuts?) with a side note of burnt sugar or cinnamon. Somewhat leafy even. I swear I thought I was even getting a hint or two of some type of spice. Either way, this beer is complex, balanced well and smells wonderful.
The taste started with a sweet caramel and toffee malt. A nice herbal hop bitterness danced on the tongue, which eventually gave way to a “buttered bread” savor that stayed sturdy and consistent throughout the entire drink. I even detected a very light concentration of unsweetened tea. The “nutty” idiosyncrasy was again noticed, but it was simple and to the point. It seemed sit in the background, however it fit the profile nicely. The smell may be a touch better than the taste, however I thought that it was still very good and balanced.
The mouthfeel was medium, smooth, chewy, somewhat slick, sticky and dry. A significant amount of flavor was left behind for a good long while after the sip.
This is a very, very good beer. It may be a little too easy to drink. At 6.5%….. I could be in serious trouble!!! It’s not too filling or heavy and would fit perfect during the Fall of the year. Actually, I think that I could drink it year round. If you have never tried this beer, be sure to pick it up if you see it. A very solid brew that deserves all the attention it gets.
What do you guys think of the Rogue Dead Guy Ale?
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!!!
Score: 4.2 out of 5
Grade: A-
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