Rogue Smoke Ale

amber brown body thin off white head good lacing nose is made up of loads of smoked bbq, pepper, chili, paprika taste is just loaded with liquid smoke, light molases, caramel, biscuit

Cask. Pours a hazy amber body with a thin bubbly lacing. Smoky, peat malt, liquid smoke, its a bit thin but the woody charcoal flavor is dam good.

[1904-20081214] 1pt6floz bottle. Smoky wooden biscuits aroma. Slightly hazy, medium orange brown body with a long-lasting creamy off-white head. Baked beans and bacon and smoky wood flavours. Medium body. Quite nice but I can see if you like it or don’t, there’s not much room in between.

great aroma, lots of sweet smoke and crisp bacon .. . big smoke/chimney mouth .. pretty aggressive but still to easy to drink .. . i need some chocolate bacon .. . i am digging this .. . not as complex as some smokers but nice .. .

Year 2000 vintage from Sam at the Stuffed Sandwich. Thanks for being a packrat, Mr. Samaniego! 7 oz XS bottle. This review shouldn’t be very complicated as the beer wasn’t, so here’goes: Caramel malt, light smoke, oxidation.

Hella-aged bottle, likely from the original vintage, unearthed from ajm’s cache. Pours a deep amber color with a faint beige head. Unfortunately, there might have been a bit too much age on this bottle as the aroma and flavors seem to have thinned out and become subdued, particlarly the smoke, which is light and certainly lacking bite. Can’t wait to try a fresh batch of this to compare.

Holds form nicely upon pouring with a thick creamy head. Wasn’t really expecting it for this style. Nose is quite fragrant with a pretty birch and cherry waft. I picked up some hops as well. Quite austere to taste with not a lot of obvious malt, smoke or wood. Nice tangy hops in the back palate but I’m with the previous rater; not sure this is what the genre should be about. Still, a nice clean well made beer.

Rogue has a standard of making beer styles their own which I love about the brewery, but in this case it disappointed. As a rauchbier, I was looking for moderate to intense smoke aroma whereas this was lightly smoky. I also wanted a malty, somewhat heavy beer whereas this was light and watery and finished with hops. It was a good looking beer with orange-gold body and thick head with good lacing. The flavor was just not there as I could really taste whatever they used that wasn’t beechwood and I wasn’t a fan. Almost made it taste like Band-aids smell if that makes sense, though apparently that is what most people say about even the best rauchbiers, haha. In the end, I think this tastes like a standard hopped ale with smoke flavor thrown in. I’ll stick with my trusty Schlenkerla Urbock if y’all don’t mind : )