Rogue Ales, Oregon

Rogue Brewery is a microbrewery in Newport, Oregon, founded in 1988 by Jack Joyce, Rob Strasser and Bob Woodell. This is a brewery run by fairly obssessive hop-heads, with a painstaking list of ingredients and brewing information adorning each of their striking, screen-printed big bottles, and their published "Beer Manifesto" that ranges from the admirably straightforward statement number one "We hold that beer is a superior beverage" to the slightly more esoteric number four, that "We hold that beer is not an abstraction but a concrete reality which occured in the past, occurs in this living present and will occur in the future". Perhaps statement number thirteen sums up where they are coming from best: "Large scale brewers have ruined beer".

Rogue's 650ml bottles are made from dark brown glass and are mostly screen-printed with colourful, heroic images of working men and women (brewery workers?). Each is depicted, playfully enough, in a style that for me is very reminiscent of Communist party revolutionary banners that showed the power of the Proletariat. Clearly this is a message from Rogue that they are part of the beer revolution. (1950's poster example, right) Each bottle lists ingredients exhaustively: "American Amber, is created from Northwest Harrington and Klages, 95-115 and 135-165 Crystal Malts. Kent Golding and Cascade Hops and free range coastal water" and quotes the full brewing-nerd technical specification for the beer: "13 degrees Plato, IBU 53, Apparent Attenuation 73.10, Lovibond 33".

Rogue beers are currently available in the UK, for a limited time, in Sainsbury's supermarkets, and are well worth trying. There is absolutely no shortage of hops in any of these beers - even the Stout and Porter styles have quite aggressive late-hopped character. No less than four of the beers scooped prizes in this years International Beer Competition (out of only 15 awarded), and as Sainsbury's were major sponsors of the 2005 competition, they have stocked all the award winers - including Rogue - for a limited period. The beers are imported into the UK by Company Value Ltd., who can be contacted on +44 (0)114 230 2211.

Rogue Ales, American Amber Ale (USA) This beer, like all the beers in Rogue's range, is strikingly packaged in a screen-printed large brown bottle. It is an ale made with a combination of various malts and hops that must help give it some of its complexity. It pours a dark amber/red colour with a moderate off-white head. The nose is immediately dark, sweet and figgy, like stewed fruit compote with notes of caramel and roasted fruits and nuts. On the palate there is more sweet caramel and lovely chewy red fruit mid-palate. The bitterness of the hops really kicks in, with a leafy, endive and chicory bite, and that underlying malt sweetness just hovers around the edges in a very satisfying drink. A fine beer this. 5.3% ABV, 65cl.

Rogue Ales, Dead Guy Ale (USA) Brewed to celebrate the Mayan Day of the Dead (otherwise known as All Souls Day), this is a German-style "Maibock". It pours a slightly hazy light orange/gold, with quite a thick off-white head. On the nose it is not unlike the company's Amber Ale, with a rich, figgy and malty caramel character, that seems smooth and quite luxurious. On the palate it is quite full and thick, but has a clarity about it with crisp, fresh fruit flavours before a battle commences between sweet, quite syrupy malt and bittering hops. It is powerful, heady stuff, with a big, quite alcoholic finish. 6.5% ABV, 65cl.

Rogue Ales, Mocha Porter (USA) Brewed with a touch of chocolate, this beer pours a very dark, almost black tan colour with a moderate cappuccino-coloured head. The nose has a subtle hint of cooking chocolate, with softly malty, nutty tones that are smooth but not very distinctive. On the palate this is most un-Porter-like, with a foaming, quite crisp character that is fruity and bright, with just that little hint of chocolate, but in a breezy surprisingly foamy and light style. This is a very nice beer, but it somehow doesn't live up to the richness and depth suggested by its name. 5.1% ABV, 65cl, ?2.99, Sainsbury's.

Rogue Ales, Santa's Private Reserve (USA) Rogue's festive offering is a dark ruby beer with a fluffy off white head that is based on their 'Saint Rogue Red', but with double the hops, including Chinook, Centennial and a 'mystery hop' nicknamed Rudolph by head brewer John Maier. It has a sweet and intensely fruity nose, with bright, slightly floral rose-hip and cherry notes and a caramelly, rich suggestion of sweetness. The hops are there, lending a citrus and grassy edge. On the palate this beer has a full, quite creamy texture, but the hops really take a bite, with very bitter liquorice and chicory notes, some spices and even clove character, and a clean, pepper and spice finish. Available for a limited period each winter, this is an unusual and successful style, and a suitably warming winter drop. 6.0% ABV, 65cl, ?2.99, independents.

Rogue Ales, Smoke Ale (USA) In the style of a German Rauchbier, Alder wood and Beech is used to smoke the malt, giving this mid-gold beer a distinctively smoky bacon and charry, toasty nose. There are nice leafy hop notes, and a touch of clove too. On the palate the smokiness is quite subdued - more so than in a beer like the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier from Heller-Trum in Germany - but it still has than lingering smoky bacon flavour with a nutty, chestnut and herbal core. There isn't huge length here, with a clean-finishing, crisp end to the beer, but it has lots of personality. 6.0% ABV, 65cl, ?2.99, Sainsbury's.

Rogue Ales, XS Imperial Stout (USA) According to the label this is brewed in the style of a "Russian Imperial Stout", and, given it's 11.0% ABV, thankfully it comes in 35.5cls - about half the size of Rogue's usual giant bottles. Pouring pitch black with a moderate coffee-coloured head, this is extremely aromatic, with something vividly sweet and floral, like Parma violet, and masses of chicory, liquorice and bitumen-like tarry darkness. Dark-roasted espressso beans add a smoky depth. On the palate the fireworks continue, with a searingly sweet component that initially dominates, quickly butting up to those dark, roasted, dramatically bitter malts and a huge hit of bittering hops that together are pretty immovable. This finishes slightly short given the hurricane force aromas and initial flavours, with a lingering sweetness and soy-sauce, salty, bitter character. A singular beer that you will probably love or loathe with an equal passion. 11.0% ABV, 35.5cl, ?1.99, Sainsbury's.

Rogue Ales, Younger's Special Bitter (USA) An hommage to English bitter, this beer is named after Bill Younger of the Horse Brass Pub in Oregon, rather than the old William Younger of Edinburgh. It pours a nice medium-deep gold, with a moderate off-white head. The nose has a very appealing biscuitty richness, with some grass and nettle aromas (Kent Golding hops are used). There's a little hint of honey and dried apricot in a very attractive aromatic profile. On the palate this is smooth and quite full-bodied, with rich, rounded, biscuitty and golden, oaty flavours, before a crisp, citruss and nettly hop finish. Long and beautifully balanced, this is a superb beer from Rogue. 4.8% ABV, 65cl, ?2.99, Sainsbury's.