Rogue Youngers Special Bitter

The aroma smells of oranges, caramel, and bread. The head is a root beer float type off-white frothy rocky head. So-so lacing atop a VERY bubbly semi-opaque deep orange body. The flavor is malty and has a lightly bitter taste of spruce. Unfortunately, the palate is super slick. I can hardly tell it’s in my mouth. There is a ton of carbonation. Too much so. There’s just so much missing from this beer.

Bottle from Goldtwins branded as Summits Wayside Cliff Hanger ale. Pours out a beautiful orange amber color and is just a little opaque. A compact off-white head forms and never fully dissipates. Very nice lacing. The aroma is very rich, smelling like molasses and caramel. Medium bodied with pleasant carbonation. Nicely malted flavor, again molasses seems to dominate. There is a fair amount of hops that come across as earthy and a bit floral in the finish. A little bit drying. Overall a very nice ESB, could use a little more hop aroma perhaps.

Dark amber coloed with a loose head. Has a strange wet cardboard aroma, very little malt flavor, and almost no hops bitterness. Not a strong offering from Rogue.

Amber with a short white head that dissipates surprisingly quick. Aroma is of yeast and light hops. Flavor is earthy and sweet to start with and finishes somewhat bitter yet with a good sweet aftertaste. A good bitter. I haven’t had a bad brew from Rogue yet. Tasty and a good session beer.

Bottle from Sainsburys. Sickly, hoppy, yeasty and sweet beer that starts off nicely but ends in a horrible mismash of flavours that don’t belong. Has nothing on a cask bitter.

Bottle from Sainsburys. Good on them. I’m assuming this is meant to be like Youngs Special rather than (remember this?) S&N’s Youngers Special (shudder...). It is a bit like Young’s on a good day, copper colour, hops a little more noticeable in the aroma, and still manages to smell American if that makes any sense. Good body and finishes well with a smoky, earthy note as well as the hoppy tang.

Bottle from Sainsburys. Amber with a small white head. Aromas are sweet pine hops and citrus, quite dry and "USA hopping"-like in its character. Flavours are sweet citrus followed by woody, nutty flavours. Some sweet pine with a dry earthy finish. A very nice beer. Remember, the more premium overseas beers beers we buy from Sainsburys the more beers they will stock.

Bottle from Sainsburys, Selly Oak, Birmingham. Smells precisely as it should - like a UK Bitter, fused with US hops. A little bit of plastic malt in the flavour - dragging in the finish. Has some fresh hop, but it’s a background thing. Fairly refreshing, but has an artificial edge.