Rogue Santa's Private Reserve

A seasonal favorite of mine, especially while putting up the Christmas lights!
It is no secret by now that we love big aggressive IPAs. This one does not disappoint. It is big, medium bodied ale with a nice bitter hop finish. The interesting thing about this beer is the piney/sprucey flavors that come out. It screams holidays with that slight smell of pine trees coming from the added spruce tips which definitely inhance the hop aromas.
Although Rogue makes a lot of different beers, this one is always solid and makes the perfect holiday treat. Enjoy!

Rogue | Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale, a specialty once-brewed beer from Rogue, inspired by a signature doughnut made by Voodoo Bakery in Portland, Oregon. The beer features all natural ingredients, so yeah, this beer has real maple syrup and actual bacon in it.

Poured into an Imperial Pint glass, Voodoo Doughnut has a moderately hazy, copper-red color and a large foamy off-white head. The head falls to a cm or so where it sticks around with little bits of lacing stuck on the glass.

The aroma…. sweet lord, the aroma. It smells like a delicious breakfast at the diner after a long night. Smokey well-done bacon, rich sticky maple syrup, and pancakes. Very sweet and smokey malt bill, with virtually no hop aroma.

The taste starts off with a very light crisp hop character before an onslaught of intense smoke flavor coats my tastebuds. Ashy smoke, burnt bacon… really interesting stuff. The finish introduces the sweeter maple syrup doughnut icing flavor that is so prevalent in the aroma, with the lingering aftertaste of sweet pancakes and bacon.

For the rich flavors in this beer, it's kind of surprising how light and carbonated the beer actually is. While it's not as light drinking as a pilsner, it sure is fizzy and easy to drink. This is a tough point on the beer, while I find it sort of watery, I'm enjoying the whole bottle; but if it was a thick full bodied sugar monster of a beer, I think an 8 oz glass would be enough. Personally I think it works great to give such heavy flavors a lighter body.

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale is probably not going to win the gold medal in any competitions, but I think it is absolutely worth checking out. Rogue shows they can make beers just as unique, if not crazier, than Dogfish Head, and the beer is good too! This is probably the only chance you'll get to try this beer, so just suck it up, pay the high price, and tell your friends you drank a maple bacon doughnut beer.

Personal: 8/10
For the style: Well if this is considered a brown ale: 6/10, but for a smoked beer: 9/10, since this has more flavor than an ashtray being dumped in your mouth.

Rogue | Mocha Porter

Rogue Mocha Porter, once known as Newport Porter, in honor of the town of Newport, Oregon and home of Rogue Ales.

Poured into a Hoegaarden hex glass, this porter has very dark cola color that gets to a dark ruby around the edges. After a vigorous pour, the caramel colored head built up about three fingers or so before receding rather quickly. Minimal head retention and lacing, just little bits here and there.

The aroma is a mix of both bittersweet and milk chocolate, mild grassy hops, caramel, and subtle hints of coffee. While it's more or less in the middle, the sweetness just seems to grab my attention a bit more. The flavor starts out with creamy milk chocolate, caramel, and light coffee. Next, earthy/grassy hops that honestly seem a bit metallic in taste, give this beer a little bite. The hop flavor gets pushed back pretty easily by all the dark roasty malt flavor in the finish, leaving you with a creamy semi-sweet chocolate aftertaste.

Although this is a creamy mocha porter, it seems to be a little light in body, almost a little watery for the style. That being said, obviously this is going to be way heavier than a pilsner. Definitely a solid beer for the winter months, and/or to pair nicely with a BBQ meal or chocolate dessert. Personal 6.5/10, for the style 7/10.

Rogue | Yellow Snow IPA

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA, poured into a pint glass from a 12oz. bottle. This one has a cloudy golden-orange color with a foamy off-white head. There is a fair bit of sediment floating around too. Decent head retention and lots of soapy lacing around the glass. The aroma is of bitter citrus fruit and a good amount of sweet caramel malt. Almost balanced, but leaning towards the hoppier side of things.

The taste is of bitter citrus fruit, grapefruit really dominates with hints of pine resin. The pale malt tries to mix in but the dry bitterness of the Amarillo hops are really overpowering it. The finish is almost flavorless with nothing but bitterness riding over the taste buds. Medium bodied with a decent bite of carbonation.

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA is a real showcase for the Amarillo hop, which might hint at where the beer derived its name. If you're a hop head looking for a kick in the mouth, this is the beer for you! It's loaded with crushing hop bitterness (pretty intense for 70 IBU). Personal: 7.5 / Style: 6.5