Rogue Smoke Ale

smoky and hoppy. I’ve never had a rauchbier before, but I was definately impressed with this one.

Rogue Smoke is in fact and ale, and not a lager, so it really isn’t a traditional rauchbier, in that sense. The first time I sampled this beer, my experience with it was not a good one. The bottle was old and stale. I remember commenting at the time, "I don’t know what they are smoking at Rogue, but it is not the malt". Rogue turned me off by making this beer part of their X-Series and only marketed in 7 oz nip bottles, that were very over priced. They have since returned them to the 22 oz bottles as well, and I have easy access to this beer. I often pick up a 22oz bottle of this beer at my local good beer store for $3.50 a bottle. I recently sampled this beer fresh on draught at the brewery in Newport, OR and it was smoky and delicious. Having tried rauchbier at its source, and now sampling this beer, I am happy to say, while Rogue Smoke isn’t a traditional rauchbier, it is a very good take on the style, and is a very impressive beer. Rogue Smoke pours to a deep amber color with a nice white head, and a moderate carbonation. The nose on this beer is very inviting. Sooty, salty, smoky aromas flood the nose. Fresh, the smoke character is quite pungent in this beer. The palate is a firm malt base. Some nice estery fruit flavors marry with a touch of caramel malt flavor, and more smoked malt flavor. This beer finishes as smoky as it started, more salty, sooty malt flavors up front, and a very dry, salty finish. Hops are in this beer, but only to balance out the intense smoke flavors. Some nice hop bitterness can be found in the finish as well. This is a very good smoked beer in my opinion, a good showcase of rauch malt. I’m a traditionalist in many ways, so I would put this beer a step below authentic, stylistically accurate rauchbiers, which it is trying to emulate. This beer would go fantastic with grill and smoked meats, as well as smoked cheeses.

This is a great, no...the greatest smoked beer I have ever had! Tons of smoke and hops. Rogue is my favorite brewery...they can do no wrong!

Hazy amber, medium off-white head receding, smoky nose. Oh yeah - I love smoked beers. A bit of sweetness behind the smoke. A tiny bit of bitterness in the finish.

Absolutely THE BEST SMOKE ALE! John C. Maier’s liquid camp fire, AMAZING! Light thin head and golden in colour. Lingering finish! Possibly my favorite ale experienced to date.

Brown color with a tanish head. Sweet body with some nice smoke. Tast GREAT. I picked this up in at the Brew Pub. Newport, OR

Very nice... yet rich not one for the chugging.... I traded a Jimi Hendrix tie-dye shirt for suposedly the last 16 oz. bottle of this beer. Still have it. The Governemnt made them put it in 8 oz. bottles shortly before I got the 16 oz. bottle... Name you price and we will talk.

Excellent smoke aroma and taste. Very low carbonation and head. A sipping beer. Good stuff.