[USA] Rogue Ales

When I started to have interest in craft beer, I read books about it and the books always mention Rogue Brewery from USA - Oregon. They use unique ingredients in their beer (for example using Sriracha spicy sauce for “Rogue beer Sriracha“), and it has very creative label for each type of beer. Those labels attracted me to try out their beer. I searched where I could buy or taste Rogue in HK. They are sold in few shops in HK including IC Beer HK, City’Super and a bar in Central called “Craft Brew & Co.”. At the bar I ordered a beer tasting plate with 4 different styles of beer, included 3 types of Rogue, Dead Guy Ale, Brutal IPA and 7 Hop IPA, and the last one is from Belgium Früli Strawberry beer. This bar also provide tasty hot dog for pairing with beer.

Dead Guy Ale, Brutal IPA and 7 Hop IPA, and the last one is from Belgium Früli Strawberry beer (From Left to Right)

I bought 2 different styles of Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Juniper Pale Ale and a bottle of Dead Guy Ale in a local beer shop. I have tasted 5 different styles of Rogue, the most impressive ones are Dead Guy Ale, Hazelnut Brown Nectar and 7 Hop IPA. Rogue plants their malt and hop in their farm, all the beers are made with no chemicals and additives.

Dead Guy Ale 6.5% ABV: This is a German Maibock / Hellerbock beer, it has amber color with rich toasted malt, chocolate and caramel aromas. The beer tastes like strong honey and biscuits, the palate has bittersweet. After taste shows more hoppy, this beer is rich and fruity with medium body. If you like mild beer style with littler bitterness, Dead Guy Ale will be a good chose.

7 Hop IPA 8.02% ABV / 90 IBUs: This IPA is blended with 7 kinds of hops from Rogue Farm. It is an American IPA style beer with strong hop bitterness. The color is reddish amber. On the nose it has citrus, flora and hop, it tastes complex with light caramel sweetness and aggressive bitterness.. I like this one so much; it is a very nice hoppy beer and very powerful IPA.      

Hazelnut Brown Nectar 6.0% ABV: This is a Brown Ale beer. Not sure if it is blended with hazelnut, but for sure this is a nutty beer. The color is dark brown with hazelnut, chocolate and malt. It tastes bittersweet and chocolate, with medium body. This Brown Ale didn’t show too much bitterness, the style is quite mild with nice chocolate and hazelnut flavors.

當我開始品嚐手工啤酒時,我經常都會看一些有關啤酒的書,有些書本經常都有提及到來自美國-俄勒岡的Rogue Brewery. 他們會用上獨特的材料來造啤酒(例如是拉差辣椒醬Rogue beer Sriracha), 他們的啤酒Label都很有創意. 這些啤酒Label很吸引我去飲他們的啤酒. 我尋找過香港哪裡可以買或品嚐到Rogue 啤酒. 有幾間本地啤酒鋪,包括 IC Beer HK, City’super和中環有一間酒吧“Craft Brew & Co.”都有出售.我在這間酒吧點了一個beer tasting plate, 有4杯不同風格的啤酒,其中3杯是Rogue,包括Dead Guy Ale, Brutal IPA and 7 Hop IPA, 最後一杯是來自比利時的Früli士多啤利啤酒. 這間酒吧有提供一些美味的特色熱狗, 可以用來配啤酒.

之後我在一間啤酒鋪買了兩款Rogue, Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Juniper Pale Ale 和一枝Dead Guy Ale. 到現在我總共品嚐5款Rogue啤酒, 印象最深刻是Dead Guy Ale, Hazelnut Brown Nectar和7 Hop IPA. Rogue有個自家農場, 種植他們釀啤酒的麥芽和啤酒花. 所有啤酒都沒添加化學製品和添加劑.

Dead Guy Ale 6.5%ABV : 這款是一款德國Maibock / Hellerbock 啤酒. 它帶有琥珀顏色有複雜的麥芽香, 巧克力和焦糖香. 味道方面是有強烈蜂蜜和餅乾味帶出少少甜,和藹的苦味. After taste有多一些苦味, 這啤酒是很豐厚和Fruity, 中等酒身. 非常好飲, 如果喜歡溫和型啤酒帶少少苦, 可以選擇這款.

7 Hop IPA 8.02% ABV / 90 IBUs : 這一款IPA用了7款來自Rogue Farm的啤酒花來釀造. 它的風格是美式IPA,帶強烈啤酒花苦. 顏色是琥珀偏紅色.香氣上有柑橘類(Citrus),花香,和啤酒花.它的味道是很複雜帶焦糖甜味,有力的啤酒花苦味.啤酒花苦味不是只感覺到苦, 它會帶有一些花香,草藥等等的味道. 這款啤酒的苦度是90, 如果喜歡一些啤酒花的味道或口味較重的啤酒,這會是不錯的選擇. 

Hazelnut Brown Nectar 6.0% ABV: 這是一款 Brown Ale. 不清楚是否有加上榛子的成份.不過我可以肯定這款是堅果般的啤酒.顏色是深咖啡色帶有榛子, 巧克力和麥芽香.味道方面是先甜後苦,有巧克力和咖啡的味道. 這款Brown Ale 不是太苦, 它的風格是比較溫和和有一些不錯的巧克力和榛子味道.