Our Tastes-- Maierfest Lager

You know at some point one would think, "Man he's got to run out of Rogue beers to try", but alas I have purchased quite a few and intend on blogging them all. So without further adieu, Maierfest Lager pours a nice orange blossom hue with quickly flattening head. Nose is mildly hoppy and well balanced. I can't quite put my finger on the hop but then again, it's a LAGER! Taste is that of pilsen grain and soft hop bitterness. Upon further research malts include Durst Pilsner, Durst Munich and Weyermann Acidulated with the addition of Oregon Perle. Yeast is a departure from the usual PacMan to Oktoberfest 2633 strain. Finish is clean and malty, and yeah, I'd hit it again.

Brew Batch #41 SHB2

Did a little kegging today with my Single Hop Best Bitter (all Fuggle). FG 1.002+ 0.001 @74F to give it a perfect session's abv of 5.1%. We even broke out the Beer Tasting and Hop Appreciation Kit to see how the Fuggle played out and it was seamless. Just transferred it to the kegerator for some chilling before putting gas on for conditioning.

Brew Batch #42 Belgian IPA

This is the current weather map as we brew and mind you many a great batch hath been born on nights such as this:
1st addition is Yakima Magnum for 60min, followed by Saaz, Cascade and another 6lbs of Pilsen LME with 15mins left, we started with no grain and 3.15lbs. Pilsen LME. Then with 5mins left I added another 1oz of Saaz and Cascade then finished with 2lbs of corn sugar at the end of the boil. OG 1.066+0.002 @80F. I'm rather excited about this batch since Belgian IPAs seem to be my palate's latest preference, even had some Belgica while brewing tonight.

Our Tastes-- Bold City 1901 Red Ale

Limited info on the website about 1901 Red Ale is a translucent deep ruby highlighted beer with tan head. Nose is an oddity at best that I can't put me finger on (sorry, we're watching Far and Away). See flavor notes on Choc Beer and make it dark, The Enabler was right on the penny with this one. Coffee aroma, acidic to phenolic taste (maybe week old granny smith apples?) with a lingering coffee after about 30 seconds.

Deadliest Warrior

Brew Batch #40, Sinistral Warrior IPA goes head-to-head tonight against Left Hand's Warrior IPA. Website is currently down and awaiting new launch in Sept. 2010. Though it was kegged on 4/13 and is slowly running out of offering, this brew pours a deep amber with flattening foamy head. 7% made with Yakima, Centennial, Cascade and of Warrior at the end of the boil. This is perhaps my most favorite beer I have kegged...Enabler? Lest we forget the Cascade Ale offered on consignment by The Enabler. As the History Channel would say, armed with a fléchette and mace this one attacks the tastebuds. Upon pouring of LH's Warrior the color and head has a drastic difference, for LHWIPA there is a pronounced lighter strawlike color comparatively. Aroma is matched and finally taste... is bit more bitter? Not hoppy but "Whitbread" for those of you that have had it kind of bitter. Tally is up, and armed with only a leather shield and stone spewing slingshot, LHWIPA goes down.

Our Tastes--Sesquicentennial Ale

Knocking down more Rogue beers by the pool, I know it's a hard life but someone has to do it plus I just got through with working 29 of the last 36. Sesquicentennial Ale has a nice orange amber hue and frothy off tan head with a very simplistic aroma. It tells of single hop usage with a nice even bitter follow through. Made with only Willamette (from Rogue Farms’ hop yard in Independence) and 2-row and Maier Munich malts (a portion of which were grown in Oregon’s Klamath Basin) this beer is a must try and try again. 48 IBUs celebrate Oregon's 150th year of statehood and in keeping Rogue was asked to develop and beer. Almost everything in it came from Oregon. Even the bottles are from Oregon, manufactured at Owens-Illinois’ Portland plant and serigraphed at TriS in Tualatin.

Our Tastes-- Buffalo Bill's Blueberry Oatmeal Stout

Not too long ago I got a package from Junk that had a couple of bottles of Buffalo Bill's Blueberry Oatmeal Stout in it. Since he now has his own tasting corner, I thought it time to busitowt, as some of my fellow Americans would say (most of them democrat). As a crack the crown on the bottle the wonderful aroma of fresh blueberries jumps to my nares! The color is no doubt dark but make no doubt it is not RR dark. The head flattens quickly in this 7.5% bev. The head is as one would expect, blueberry but more extract than fresh fruit, you can tell the difference. Taste is surprisingly balanced! It is though the malts, which there is a roasted backbone to it, have married perfectly with blueberries. The more I drink of it, the more the coffee comes through, but make no mind that the berries are here to stay. Made with pale and chocolate malts and of course oatmeal, then hopped with Kent Goldings and Cascade this is by far one of the best dark brews I have experienced in a long time. Nice job Junk, double your pay.

Tasting of the Wedding Belgian Dubbel

It pours a nice clear medium brown tone with quickly dissipating head. In keeping with the last tasting, I'm using my Beer Tasting and Hop Appreciation Kit. The aroma of raisins and slight grain comes through some undertones of fruit. Upon a good swirl the slight tan head reappears and the Spalt aroma definitely comes through. Spalt seems to have an earthy or grassy nose to it. Saaz seems to be a little harder to pick up on this one. The only reason I know it has to be there is because I made the beer with it! Saaz and Spalt are akin and seem to have. As far as the 7.6%, don't feel it, smell it or taste it. I wouldn't let this one sit very much longer though, it seems to be about right.