Rogue Brutal IPA

Brewed by Rogue Ales
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Newport, Oregon USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

On draught. Pours a golden amber. Starts out with a watery but potent hit of floral hops. Nice citrissy lingering taste. Goos as a session ale.

UPDATED: NOV 17, 2011 335ml bottle (Gallows Bird, Espoo) (7:3:7:3:14=3.4)
Rich orange, tiny head. Sweet malty and hoppy aroma - fruity and crisp. Slightly fizzy in the mouth. Very good malty body, sweetish, but really tasty hops. Well balanced. This is more like what an IPA should be like. Those wacky Americans have their definitions all skewed.
Rerate: Tap (Kaisla, Helsinki) (7:4:6:4:13=3.4)
Milky palate. Lovely fresh fruity aromatic hop aroma. Smooth sweet grains. Gentle hops. A touch dull, but very easily drinkable.

Hazy orange-copper body wears a good sized off-white foam, mostly lasting and displaying good lacing. Floral grapefruity citric nose, cascade like (though I suspect there’s more than that) reminds more of an IPA than anything else, but it has this earthy and sweet maltiness that reminds me of lost coast indica. It is indeed surprisingly bitter in mouth, but there’s a fair amount malty husky sweetness to keep it balanced. Finishes very dry, I’d be curious to try a fresh one as this bottle has quite a few months on it. Moderately high carbonation enhances the bitterness I feel and might be a bit lower, but solid overall oily textured mouthfeel. Quite an original one which I enjoyed more than I expected to and is considered such a classic that I’m surprised it’s the first time I enjoy it.

Smells like a citrus IPA with pine. Fruit midsip. Downs bitter yet toned down with a faint lemoniness and Bittersweet aftertaste. Oily 59 IBU. Americanized ESB. Forget Wheat, this at the end of the hot day.

Draft. This one blew me away. Pours dark straw/orangish with a nice head and lace. Aroma of huge hops, fruit, grapefruit, chardonnay, spiciness, and some malt. Tastes hoppy, fruity, with a nice crisp finish. The intense fruitiness and spiciness balanced the hops perfectly. For #700, I give you the 4th perfect score I have ever given. As a caveat, I have not rated, or drank, the bottled version. I had this on draft at the Green Leafe cafe in Williamsburg, and I have no deductions for this one.

Slightly hazy medium-golden pour with a tall, rocky off-white head. Quite a lot of sediment, as well as some very persistent lacing. Aroma was strong with citrus and grassy hoppiness... and some underlying caramel malty sweetness (really what I’d hope for in a good ESB). The first things to hit the tastebuds were the Cascade hops... with their wonderful grapefruity goodness. Very good balance between the high-alpha and bittering hops, as well as the medium caramel backbone. Very pleasant grassy/piney bitter finish. Definitely enjoyed this one!

Bottle. Pours a hazy and murky orange-copper, almost like a harvest moon, with a small fizzy white head that becomes a patchy rocky film shortly. Fragrant floral fruit and citrus hop combined aroma with a lightly roasted caramel sweet malt (cookie) background. Flavor is heavily bitter and sour citrus rind hop with a light acidity and caramel malt body. Medium bodied and fizzy palate, goes a tad dry but very drinkable and refreshing. Lives up to its name in a pleasant and inviting way.

Bottle poured a cloudy golden amber with a small offwhite head. Aromas of pine, carmel, orange and bread. Palate was smooth,a little resiny and dry. Flavors of bitter orange peel , pine, bread and a hint of carmel.