13 June 2007

It's all about paint

As a seasoned connoisseur, I know that the way to tell a really good beer from the dross is to check for a painted-on label rather than one simply glued to the glass. US brewer Rogue's big painted bottles indicate that they make very fine produce indeed.

Dead Guy Ale is a seriously heavy, sticky red-gold brew with touches of spice in amongst the caramel and toffee. There's a certain hollowness to it which I feel would have been best filled with more hops. But what do I know? It won't be going on my regular rotation (Inasmuch as I have one).

Similarly dense is Rogue Chocolate Stout, deep black with a head like espresso crema. The chocolate is laid on thick, with only the faintest vestige of a dry stout left in the background. The end result is a wonderfully smooth, rich beer, not at all cloying and with a satisfyingly silky mouthfeel. It's one for taking big gulps of and, with the 65cl bottle, you can do it again and again.

Actually, now that I think of it, Doreleï has a painted-on label and isn't great. So much for my grand theory...

8 comments:

  1. I've had a couple from Rogue's extensive range but not either of those, and while worth trying once I don't go out of my way to track them down. Other people seem to disagree when it comes to the Imperial Stout
    http://ratebeer.com/Beer/rogue-imperial-stout/5266/
    The Smoke Ale is exactly that, and suffers from it, just too overpowering. Smokey whisky I can have, but not beer
    http://ratebeer.com/Beer/rogue-smoke-ale/599/

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  2. I like smoked beers. I'll be looking out for that one. Thanks.

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  3. Anonymous5:11 pm

    rolling rock...

    corona...

    both have painted on labels!

    Rogue's stuff never struck me as particularly great - Sainsbury's stocked it throughout the UK for a while a couple of years back but it didn't sell.

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  4. They do? I'll have to take your word for it...

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  5. Anonymous9:51 am

    Painted on labels are a pain if you're a homebrewer wanting to reuse the bottles, too. Always wanted to try the Rogue Imperial Stout, but have never got round to it.

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  6. I wasn't aware branding was such an issue for homebrewers ;)

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  7. Branding is definitely an issue for homebrewers. I can't believe you just cyber-winked. Rogue's Dead Guy is great, but I prefer Rogue's Shakespeare Stout to their Chocolate Stout. The Chocolate stout is toooo chocolatey for my tastes.

    And I was under a similar label impression, but "anonymous" is totally right about Rolling Rock and Corona. So much for THAT theory.

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  8. Never met a beer that was too chocolatey. Porterhouse Chocolate Truffle Stout is chocolatier than Rogue or Young's, IMO, and it's gaww-jus. Mrs. Beer Nut is mad about Floris Chocolat, but it's too sweet for me.

    And I am the cyber-Anne-Robinson. Goodnight ;)

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