Beer - #625 - Rogue - Juniper Pale Ale *redux*

The BeerJerkNZ beerclub beer of the week is the   Rogue Juniper Pale Ale which is a beer I've previously had, but you know things change and so here we go again...

A pale ale, saffron in color with a smooth malt balance, floral aroma with a dry spicy finish from whole juniper berries

This is the smaller 12fl oz, 355ml in old money bottle, which has beer of  5.2% ABV, being about 1.5 standard drinks in NZ. Also this is 34 IBU - which is low end English Bitter, mid range porter bitter, and it comes in at 156 calories a serve size.

Brewed by Rogue Ales this is in the Style of an American Pale Ale - and they are in Newport, Oregon USA 'merica!

Juniper berries don't taste like other berries because they are not berries. They are actually a sort of fleshy pine cone. Which explains the fresh, clean, citrus, pine flavour of juniper.

This is the traditional predominant flavour in gin.

[caption id="attachment_11398" align="alignright" width="300"] Unshaved man and a beer[/caption]

This floral, hoppy beer is infused with whole Juniper berries to give it a unique flavour. The sweet malt base and light carbonation work perfectly to support the dry resin-y flavour or the hop and juniper combo.

Different but drinkable, we are fans.

Juniper Pale Ale, like all Rogue products preserves water by using more ingredients, contains no chemicals, additives or preservatives and uses Free Range Coastal Water.

“When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading"
- Paul Hornung

What could possibly go wrong ? HA! he said, I've heard all that before, but what does a Juniper berry really taste like anyway?

It's a yeasty bready aroma on opening, pour is a hazy range golden with a small (well no) head, in either glass.

Taste is a mix of tangy bitterness, and the aroma moved to something akin to mushrooms, which is not at all what you might expect. 

It is well carbonated, and that somewhat has an effect on the way you taste this, having to push through that fuzziness. It does have quite a long taste with a more middle tongue linger and finish, and then a dryness. 

It's not an easy beer to drink, and it does begin to develop a gin-like flavour (from memory it's been a while since I had the Gin out) but I recognise that tartness. 

Thankfully the aroma settles into something sweeter and bit more enjoyable. Don't think I'll be adding a slice and ice though, or tonic, or anything else. 

So unlike any hoppy pale ale that I've ever had, even ig you persuade yourself that the front notes are hop based this is tart and not bitter where it should be, and that tartness is the predominant taste, which battles for the finish over the dryness that this has.

Possibly a clever beer, but it might just too clever for it's own good, but I say that knowing that it's a staple and regular brew from Rogue, and one of the few beers they make that I've had that I can connect with, or enjoy. 

As I drink more it began to fell like an epic non-ending journey, I took a photo of how that felt too, for comedy value mostly, but you get the idea that this wasn't a beer that going down in a hurry. 

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 6 a of its things from the thing. I really didn't like it. But it has one feature and that is played in spades, it's not like a mystery beer, it's all on the label and in the literature . I did note that from other sources that this rates around the 7/10 based on a lot of feedback, so I'm not so far off. 

The double dip review 

• Am I enjoying it? Sadly I'm not, but I wanted to, it's not the first time I had it, I thought I might have been wrong first time around. Sadly I wasn't.


• Would I have another? I don't think I could 


• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Not a chance.

Music for this one, well ' The Orange Humble Band '  an alternative rock band, also a bit of rock, power pop, folk, country, bluegrass.  I would have said soft pop. They're from Australia.  The album is ' Depressing Beauty ' you can listen on the Spotify here or most the other places I imagine.

Couldn't find a new video clip, but try this from an earlier work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obQ77g5DPtQ

AMERICAN PALE ALE

American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma.This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads.

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Beer - #362 - Rogue - Juniper Pale Ale

Following a theme then of fruit beer I have this a  Rogue Juniper Pale Ale

Brewed by Rogue Ales this is in the Style of an American Pale Ale - and they are in Newport, Oregon USA 'merica!

Juniper Pale Ale: the new package for Yellow Snow Ale (winter 2004/2005). While the recipe (a pale ale infused with whole juniper berries) on the label remain the same, the name and label are new for 2005. Juniper Pale Ale is available in the classic 22-ounce bottle and on draft. Also known as Pale Rain. Measurements: 13 degrees Plato, IBU 34, Apparent Attenuation 77, Lovibond 3.2.

12fl oz, 355ml in old money, 5.2%ABV, being about 1.5 standard drinks, 34 IBU - which is low end English Bitter, mid range porter bitter, and 156 calories.

A pale ale, saffron in color with a smooth malt balance, floral aroma with a dry spicy finish from whole juniper berries.

The Turkey was named the official bird of the Rogue Nation in August 2007. To commemorate the momentous occasion, Rogue Juniper Pale Ale was dedicated to “the turkey in each of us.” An axe and the dedication have been added to the serigraphed 22oz bottle and Juniper Pale Ale tap stickers.

The Pilgrims were ale drinkers and most likely enjoyed beer at the first Thanksgiving. Juniper Pale Ale, like all Rogue products preserves water by using more ingredients, contains no chemicals, additives or preservatives and uses Free Range Coastal Water.

“When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading"
- Paul Hornung

HA! he said, I've heard all that before, what does a Juniper berry taste like anyway.

Stale pub aroma :-) sticky sweet, mostly yeasty on opening.

Pours really pale yellow, but cloudy with a reasonable head, aroma does not move so much, its bait earthy almost mushrooms. I might be hallucinating though.

For me it's not pleasant, I'm not sure why.

And it's very sour in a sour way, not in a way that is designed, surely? Conflicted much?

It's unusual for me not to like a Rogue Ale, and I've drunk enough Pale Ale types to know if I like it as a style. or not, so I feel at odds over this. I couldn't get over the 'shroom aroma that plagued me, once I had it in my head it was all over rover.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 a of its things from the thing. Just. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with this, it's refreshing, looks ok, carries a flavour and has a decent length in the palate.  This time and in this place it's not for me.

The double dip review (perhaps this should be the double-sip review)

Am I enjoying it? Sadly I'm not, but I want to.
Would I have another? Not Tonight, as someone once famously may noir had said to Josephine
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Not Tonight, oh wait I've already used that.

MrsPdubyah moaned about the last musics so I put this on - Paloma Faith - and this is "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" - trust me you should be able to shimmy and sing along quite easily kit's very catchy.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oqRXI1Ck7k&w=560&h=315]

 

AMERICAN PALE ALE

American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma.This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads.

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Beer - #356 - Rogue - Beard Beer

From the Sublime to the ridiculous - Rogue Beard Beer - I wasn't thinking straight. 

Brewed by Rogue Ales in what might might be for me the early evening style of a: Belgian Ale, and Rogue are in Newport, Oregon USA

25 IBU's  (lower than an English Bitter, or Stout and just over the lower Porter number, a Pilsner should be around 25) and 5.6 ABV, 650ml bottle, 168 calories serve, 2.9 standard drink units, all sounds normal until you read about the origin of the yeast....

"Beer brewed with yeast taken from the brewmaster John Maier’s beard."

[caption id="attachment_7916" align="alignleft" width="300"] Selfie[/caption]

t's here! Our latest brew Dedicated to Beards, Beard Beer is brewed with a yeast created from Brewmaster John Maier's Beard. No Need to freak out, Brewers have used wild yeasts in beer making for centuries. John has had the same Old Growth Beard since 1983 and for over 15,000 brews, so it is no great suprise that a natural yeast ideal for brewing was discovered in his beard.

Sounds like an art project! And not one that everyone liked.

Sour aroma on opening, soft carbonation.

Light orange poor with a small head that appears persistent. On a bit of a run with heads.

Familiar sour note that you'd expect from Belgium Ales. Light bitterness and nice sweetness on tasting this, I was mildly surprised and pleased.

This is a bit pleasing to the taste, even if it doesn't have a strong backbone of malt to carry it. Bitter upfront, nice wash over the tongue, and a reasonable finish.

But it is a bit thin of body and short in the ultimate carry.

Don't let that put you off though. I like this. I like Rogue beers mostly though. I like Belgium style beers too. Confirmation bias.

You could easy session on this easy quaffing beer without any drama, it's let down is the lack of head and lacing. It's low-ish ABV means that you'd be able to tell all sorts of lies without forgetting where you are.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing. I would get this again for the fridge, it's priced well, drinks well and well it made me smile. Easy drinking I'd have no problems sharing this or recommending it as a well decent beer that has bitterness and flavours without challenge and frowning. A beer for everyman?, perhaps not, but you could do so much worse.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Yup 


2. Would I have another? Yup 


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yup 

Of course this reminded me of ZZ Top

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_EFdod4YDo&w=420&h=315]

BELGIAN ALE

Belgian-style ales seldom fit neatly into classic beer styles, but this category represents those "session" ales (in Belgium this means under 7% abv!) that do not fit other categories. Colour ranges from golden to deep amber, with the occasional example coming in darker. Body tends to be light to medium, with a wide range of hop and malt levels. Yeastiness and acidity may also be present.

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Beer - #221 - Eugene City - Tracktown Triple Jump Pale Ale

Eugene City Brewery  - Tracktown Triple Jump Pale Ale. Brewed by Eugene City Brewery & Rogue Ales in the style of an American Pale Ale in, of course, Eugene, Oregon USA.

Triple Jump Pale Ale is a classic pale ale. Light copper in color this refreshing Ale focuses on hop flavor with a slight malt presence in the background. Triple Jump is brewed with 8 ingredients: Horizon, Amarillo and Crystal Hops and Pale, Munich and Crystal malts, Free Range Coastal Water and Top Fermenting Pacman Yeast. 13.5 degrees Plato, 55 IBU, 75 AA, 8 degrees Lovibond.

I Pint, 6Fl Oz, 5.4% ABV which would be  2.8 standard drinks. At 55 IBU this is on the high side for a pale ale, and the low side for an IPA.

Slightly vinegar on the opening, Of course it pours with no head, I'm a professional at that point of the game. The sour note still there, can't put a finger on what it is.

A pleasing deep burnt orange in colour, it's easy on the eye, but This is fairly lifeless and almost flat in the glass. The promise of high hops doesn't eventuate either.  It's not flat though as the carbonation plays on your tongue. The underlying caramel is a sort of on/off switch, now you see me - now you don't . It's not a good thing.

It is on the whole a fairly bland and average beer, no real taste that leads a charge, decent and tidy as it is I'm not sure I'd be happy to have another, but it wouldn't be a bad beer if you 'just had to' drink it in a session.

The pdubyah-o-meter winces to a 5, reluctantly, as this might be past it's best, and it should be better than it is.  I can't see a best before date on the bottle, so it's a guess.

It does not get better as it sits in the glass and almost becomes one of the few beers that I just couldn't finish.

But....... I’m prepared to concede that it might be past best, and it has promise.

The oldest and largest Eugene brewery was built in 1866 at Ninth and Olive by Lewis Burns. He ran his Eugene City Brewery for seven years, then sold it to August Werner and Henry Hagerman in 1873, who in turn sold to Michael and Joseph Vogl. The final owner of the original Lewis Burns brewery was Henry Weinhard, the Portland brew king, who purchased it in 1890. Not long after he bought the Ninth Avenue brewery, Henry shut down its beermaking operation. Thereafter the big barn with the twin smokestacks was known as Weinhard’s Beer and Ice Depot. In 1914 the old brewery building was sold and torn down.

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Beer #194 - Rogue - HazelNut Brown Nectar

And another of the seemingly endless concoctions from Rogue - this one Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar.

Brewed by Rogue Ales in the style of a dull as ditch water sounding  Brown Ale and they haven't moved from Newport, Oregon USA last time I drank a beer from them.

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.

33IBU's which I would have thought a Porter type bitterness, this a 6%ABV beer, in a US Pint bottle making it 3.1 standard drinks.

So the expectations are set by it's type. Mildly bitter dark beer, throw in some nuts.... well hazelnut extract to be accurate.

Nothing on opening to suggest anything. It's dark brown, light thin head, still no aroma, which is weird, or not. It's sold on taste not smell.

And well, what's to tell you. Meh comes to mind. I was kind of expecting a Nutella burst sensation. I got thin and lifeless.

Sure there is a hazelnut back note, but if you know it's there you stop it, it's not the 'thing' the 'centre stage'

So what have you got really? In essence a mildly bitter dark beer, with a background of "Something" that we know as "Hazelnut"  and only then if you know, I'd not be able to pick it in a blind test if I was being honest.

Disappointed the pdubyah-o-meter says 5. This is pretty average, in my own opinion only. Perhaps I was led on by the rest of the Rogue Gallery. There isn't much to reflect on with this, it's a ho-hum so-what kind of beer, it's just then just a beer. It's not a terrible beer, it's just a beer.

Online reviews suggest I'm in a minority in not liking this, then that makes it my taste, I know that Rogue make many a fine beer, and I'm still a fan.

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Beer - #193 - Rogue - Voodoo Doughnut Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Ale

A most improbable beer then - Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Ale, with I hasten to add - Natural Flavours!

Brewed of course by Rogue Ales and this is in the style of a  Fruit Beer and the madness is all happening in Newport, Oregon USA.

A Collision of Crazies Rogue Ales has again collided with Voodoo Doughnut to create Chocolate, Banana & Peanut Butter Ale! This unique artisan creation contains a baker’s dozen ingredients including chocolate, banana and peanut butter to match Voodoo’s "Memphis Mafia" doughnut- a nod to Elvis’ entourage.

Conflicted by the bottle label of 5.3% ABV and the sticker advice of 6.5% ABV this 1 US pint bottle contains either 3.1 or 3.8 standard drinks. Take your pick.

I think this is going to be "sweet", and for no reason I expect it to be pale in colour. I might be 1 for 2.  I also think that it's going to be a long beer, in that it might take a while to digest and drink. After all a sweet beer might not be the thing. But in the interests of taste and experience I had to get one.

It occurs to me of course that this could be a "dessert" beer, if you're looking for a wine comparison.

Slightly sour on the opening. Pours a dark chocolate brown, with a firm light brown head. Chocolate and Banana to the fore.

Taste is like a hint of very smooth peanut butter, with a mild chocolate carry, I don't immediately get any banana.

Couple of things, not a sweet as I thought it might be, and it's a lot darker than I imagined.

Also pretty carbonation heavy and has a burp factor. Head remains firm and delivers a decent lacing too. The aroma is picking up to banana as it sits a bit, and is beginning to deliver on the palate.

And this leaves me in an odd place. For this is neuter unpleasant and at the same time neither is it pleasant. Pleasant in the sense that you've suddenly sculled the whole thing and can't remember doing it pleasant. It's pleasant in that it's not a lot of thinks that could be horrible and wasteful.

The chocolate note lends itself a lot to a stout type experience if you want to get to a point. There is also not an unpleasant bitterness to this, it's many beers in one.

The pdubyah-o-meter is aching to award arbitrary scores on this, and I think 8. I think 8 because this could be a train wreck and it isn't. There is no huge bell curve of taste, nothing at either end that makes the eyebrow arch with interest. The taste is all in the middle, all lined up.

This then is a bit clever. It's also a bit dumb. The all natural flavours lean towards disbelief and doubt, like they're potentially a little bit made-up by a man in a white coat. It's clever because it's quite outrageous.  I like the soft flavours, I like the bitterness, I like that it has a head that carries.

I find myself a bottle downed and a smile. I liked this so much more than I thought I would, but then I went in with an open mind and few expectations. Not a drink for everyone, but it sets up a nice evening in with a early goal on the board.

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Beer - #80 - Rogue - Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red Ale

It's about that time of the day when all there is left is a roll of the dice, and this is the last chance saloon (this week) and I usher in the the  Rogue Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red Ale.
Well it's brewed by Rogue Ales Newport, Oregon USA, and they do this one in the style of an Amber Ale.

You might pick from the visage there is hope rather than certainty in this.

I know that Rogue have a fair decent thing going on, having had the pleasure of  some of their output,  please please please....

This then in a brilliantly presented 650Ml of a 6.2% ABV beer, in a way that it's a  thing going on and demanding an attention. Lets get it on.

I know this is the last beer of the night, and so I look forward to A Reddish copper in color, a roasty malt flavor with a hoppy sprucy finish. Saint Rogue Red is made with two-row Harrington, Klages and Munich malts, along with Hugh Baird 30-37, 13-17 Carastan, and Crystal 70-80 malts (44.4% speciality grains .39 lbs grain per bottle); Chinook and Centennial hops.

All of that and the blue cheese, crackers and a bit of A-League averageness.

There's a big hops in this, it's ok, and pours like a real beer, head and all. See I can do it. It's dark like you think a beer should look too.

There's a zinginess on the tounge, and not for the first time this week in a weird way I found turkish delight, which isn't normal, but might be forgiven for the sweetness.

As a learning thought I 'm getting that this is  all about the dry  hops, which  add the sweetness  and the  "green" taste. If you get it you get it. You really have to have this as a lesson, a teaching though, it's not something you could stumble across without a teacher. You have you have to have this explained A v B, And I learnt this from Ian at  the WilliamsWarne shop.

The most of me wants to fly to Oregon, not for the "trail" but just for the this. I realise that in drinking and then thinking about he beer makes you a bit of a twat. That you'd sit here and do the big aroma, length, palate thing in some way that makes you have a real opinion, you drink beer because you like the beer. There's no science in it, except there seem to be.

This is terribly good beer. although the sweetness might have you thinking twice if you had to sit and drink more than a prudent amount.

Not a "red" by any way that I know a "red" beer, and that makes the pdybyah-o-meter get to just a 7 things from 10 things in it's own arbitrary way. It's just too sweet and cloying, it's not bad I'm glad it wasn't my first beer, and I' not upset it was my last

Get some of this, there is a good story in the drinking, and as part of a journey through an evening this would be something you should include, it's nice, it's a bit good, and if you arrived with a  bottle I'd cuddle you like a brother.

Oh I forgot the blue cheese and became enamoured of this beer, which is a good thing said MrsPdubyh. Me not being daft decided she was right and that was all she wrote.  he said.