Rogue American Amber Ale

Aroma: “Like sticking my head into a hops bag—candied orange, lots of citrus, and a touch of spice. Bready malt, maybe like orange marmalade on toast. Fruity esters (cherry, pear) with some floral perfume notes.” Flavor: “Huge hops flavor (grassy, citrus), moderate bitterness. Yes, there’s a fair amount of bready/crackery malt in the mix, but this is a hops party. Slightly sweet start with nice citrus flavors. Medium body with the hops bitterness helps to create a dry finish. Lively carbonation combined with fresh hops flavors is refreshingly zippy.” Overall: “Orange marmalade on fresh toasted bread. Great hops aroma and flavor—an amber ale for West Coast hopheads. Nicely balanced and very drinkable. For an amber, it’s a pretty good pale ale.”

Aroma: “Biscuity malt, medium citrusy and wildflower hops, caramel, and light berry or stone-fruit esters. Bready with some biscuit or graham cracker notes, slight toast. Hints of dark fruit and some earthiness.” Flavor: “The good news—this is a light, flavorful, balanced beer with notes of toasted bread and earthy hops, lively carbonation, and a nice lingering biscuit malt flavor. It’s heavier on the malt side, but the dry finish ensures that it’s not too sweet or heavy. The bad news is that it is somewhat grainy. The astingency is mild, but despite looking crystal clear (pun intended), my mouth feels like I should pick out some husk.” Overall: “A well-balanced amber ale, perfect for summer days and work lunches. It’s dry and light but still has some nice malt complexity with just a hint of hoppiness. Good session beer with enough flavor to satisfy.”

**Aroma:** “Some medium graininess with a pronounced fruity character. An odd cheese-like note? Roast is more in background than in front. Notes of vanilla, chocolate, and white rum. Cocoa, coffee, earth, malt sweetness, and slight citrusy lemon notes.” **Flavor:** “Fruitiness carries through, with a raisin, prune, dark cherry character. Some chocolate and roast, but with fruitiness, almost comes off like a cherry cordial. A bit of a tartness as well. Hops are earthy and subdued. Finish is lightly sweet with some lingering coffee flavor. The chocolate profile carries well in this beer.” **Overall:** “An interesting beer but slightly estery for the style. Love the mouthfeel—the chocolate flavor is very strong but not overpowering. The chocolate flavor is complex with nice creaminess. Very nicely balanced oatmeal stout.”