Rogue Chipotle Ale

Smoked Beer tasting at Three Cellars Milwaukee. Rich flavor not overly spiced, nor is the Chipotle to over powering. Good golden color and a nice head.

Amber. Aroma of caramel, pepper, smoke and sweet malt. Taste of smoked meat, smoked malts, peppers and mild hops. A small serving of this is okay, I’d hate to have to tackle and entire bomber.

Poured cloudy orange. Large fluffy head, diminished fairly quickly. Pretty floral hop aroma. Slight roast malt, mouthfeel and taste of a pale. There’s actually a little heat in the back of your throat at the finish, I was surprised. Clean with a bit of hops after the pepper stops lingering. Very interesting, not sure I could drink much of this. Not Rogues best effort, but at least they’re trying different things.

(bottle): Pours a very golden body, big creamy foamy head, diminishing. Smokey hoppy aroma, not quite cigarette but close, not ashy. Smokey, malty taste, more chipotley now. Not sweet, not hoppy. Clean aftertaste. The smoke is subtle, would go well w/bbq, or any grilled meat.

This setting isn’t conducive to a beer like this one getting lots of rating love, but then again, this beer isn’t for everyone. When it is fresh, on draught or from the bottle, it’s at its best--zesty and lively, with a snarl of intensity that but this is about context: have it with an appropriate food pairing. It also is vulnerable to the after effects of what I’ve had just before it, so after a Stone IPA, the Rogue tasted like soap...which wasn’t ideal. A cool, delicious (not after IPA!), quirky beer.