Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar
What the brewers say
“A nutty twist to a traditional European Brown Ale. Dark brown in color with a hazelnut aroma, a rich nutty flavor, and a smooth malty finish.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Frangelico liqueur, chocolate, cherry esters, bread crust. Behind all that there’s some toasty malt. Big nutty aroma with some toast and chocolate beneath. A sweet, soggy Wheaties aroma up front. A touch of light nuttiness, but the hazelnut is restrained. As it warms, the hazelnut comes out as an almost peanut-butter character.”
Flavor: “The hazelnut is nice (albeit a bit artificial), but it pretty much drowns out the rest of the beer. There’s some toast and chocolate beneath. Bitterness is well-balanced, and it finishes dry. The Wheaties character is retained in the flavor, though with a healthy dose of hazelnut. It’s hard to get past the Breakfast of Champions feel.”
Overall: “A tasty beer that I could enjoy about a pint of, maybe two. It’s like drinking a Frangelico liqueur gelato. If you really like hazelnuts, you may enjoy this, but it seems like more of a novelty than a staple.”