Rogue Brewing Co. -- Dad's Little Helper Black IPA

Rogue Brewing Co.'s Dad's Little Helper is an annual Father's day release that changes in style each year. Last year it was a Malt Liquor. This year it is a Black IPA (also sometimes called a Cascadian Dark Ale or CDA)

6ish% ABV and 70 IBU

Review:

Appearance: This beer pours very dark-- similar to a porter or an extremely dark brown ale. The head is light tan and is quite thick.

Aroma: Roasty, citrus and earthy hops, chocolate.

Taste: ROAST! Some grain astringency, a bit of a sour hop character and what I think is Chinook hop bittering.

Mouthfeel: wheaty, earthy, gritty. Slightly chalky... like walking down a dirt road and a car speeds past you kicking up a dust storm. 

(Side Note: Another Black IPA / CDA that I rated can be found here)

Overall:

This style is still being defined. As such, it is a little tough to grade it on what it should be. Still, I'll just write what my taste buds are telling me: Too wheaty, too much astringency from the roasted grains, too porter/stout like to call it an IPA. 

Grade: B-

Barrel Man says,

"Sorry, Dad."

(Bottle Purchased at Liquor Collection)

Rogue Brewing Co. - John John Ale

Rogue Brewing Co.'s "John John Juniper Ale" is a Pale Ale that was brewed with juniper berries and then aged in gin-soaked spruce barrels.

13 degrees Plato = Approx 5% ABV  and 34 IBU's

Review:
Poured into a pint glass the color looks like a golden orange juice. The small amount of head does its cameo and departs quickly. The aroma is definitely dominated by the aroma of Juniper but there is also an interesting 'sour' / 'wet oak' note in there. The flavor is certainly sour with a ciric acid taste similar to to unsweetened Emergen-C or kumquats without the sweet peel. As I sip the beer and the pint warms, the resinous flavor of the spruce barrels gets stronger and stronger. By the end of the glass I was sure that I had been drinking Retsina wine.

(Side Note: If you are a fan of wood aged beers, you should try this. Not only is it the only beer I've seen that was aged in spruce, but if you Google spruce barrels you'll come up with nothing. These barrels must have been made specially for, or by, Rogue.
If you are also a fan of sour beers, you HAVE TO TRY THIS! )

Overall Impression: As I smelled and tasted my first sips of this beer I was delighted. This was a totally new and complex beer I was imbibing. After 3 sips I was going to give it an A. Unfortunately, with a bit of warmth this beer became one dimensional and lost the characteristics that I initially loved. I think that this beer should be in 12 oz bottles or shared between 4 friends in small glasses.

Grade: B.   (B+ if you love sours or Retsina wine)

This beer was purchased at Tamura's

Rogue Brewing Co.- Morimoto Soba Ale

Rogue's Morimoto Soba Ale is "a perfect accompaniment to lighter cuisine" due to its "delicate flavor" and "nutty finish..." or so their website says.

 12 degrees Plato = 4.8% ABV (estimate) and a delicate 30 IBU's

Review:
The slightly hazy golden colored ale invites my curiosity as I decant the bottle. What is that I smell--slight citrus--but delicate. The first sip comes across the tongue and tastes of kumquat peels. The after taste is reminiscent of an unsweetened Tang drink, or maybe Emergen-C. This beer is so light on the pallet that it almost feels lagered. It is very refreshing. Definitely a beer that is sessionable. As I warm the beer, I get a slight but pleasant lemongrass finish. This beer would go really well with a seared Hebi or Mahi burger from Grass Skirt Grill. However, I do not taste anything that reminds me of soba or buckwheat.

(Side Note: Rogue offers three other Morimoto signature ales: The Imperial Pilsner, the Black Obi, and a Hazelnut Ale that isn't listed on their website)

Overall Impression: I have to admit that it is a very well crafted ale. I don't get even the slightest hint of the "nutty finish" mentioned on their website, but I think that nuttiness would be a little out of place.  However, I object to paying $7 for this bottle, on the basis that what I am paying for is the experience of a SOBA ale. This is a nice, light, refreshing, citrusy ale, but then, I can get those attributes in many 6-pack beers and for a much lower price.

Grade: B

(bottle purchased at The Liquor Collection, Ward Warehouse)

Rogue Mogul Madness

Rogue's Mogul Madness is labeled as a "Winter Ale" by the company, but I would call it a Cascadian Dark Ale. It has 15 ingredients and is, to say the least, complex.

 16 degrees Plato = 6.8% ABV(estimate) and 68 IBU's

Review:
The weather outside may be frightful (currently 75 degrees F here in O'ahu) but this beer is so delightful. Even on this snowless isle, "winter warmers" have got to be the highlight of the brewing year.
Similar to Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, this beer is dominated by hop character. As soon as the crown is pried, the delightfully citrusy aroma of the Northwestern hops hit your nose. The off-white head floats atop a burgundy tinted liquor. Hops dominate the flavor from the beginning to the bitter end. The website states that the hop character will linger for at least 15 seconds, and sure enough it does! Some notes of nutty/coffee flavors appear as the beer warms.

(Side Note: Rogue offers two beers specifically for winter: Santa's Private Reserve, and Mogul Madness)

Overall Impression: There are certain styles that I object to paying $6-7/bottle for (e.g. lawnmower ales). This beer is different. Call it a Winter Ale, Winter Warmer, Cascadian Dark Ale, Black IPA, or whatever you wish....in the end, this is just a tasty, hoppy beer. This is a beer that, come next winter, I will remember to purchase.

Grade: A

(bottle purchased at Whole Foods Market, Kahala Mall)

The Liquor Collection

I thought it only fitting that my first post be about the Liquor Collection. This store, located in the Ward Center shopping mall, has what is probably the best selection of quality beers on the island. They say that they use all of the island's distributers to fill out their selection, and based on what they stock, I believe them. Their stock rotates pretty fast, and seasonals come and go, but even so they maintain around 200 different beers at a time. If you are in Waikiki, Ala Moana, or if there is a beer that you just HAVE to have, this place is worth a stop.

(Side note: I overheard the manager discussing how he was going to save their only case of Ballast Point's Sculpin IPA as gifts for the employees. That's a boss I'd like!)

Highlights: Good selection of Rogue beers, Maui Brewing Co., Mikkeller, BrewDog, Sierra Nevada, and some surprises from Mad River Brewing Co!

Missing: Mehana Brewing Co.

Selection: 9/10 (gotta leave room for improvement!)
Location: 9/10
Price: 7/10
Friendliness / Beer Knowledge: 10/10
Over all grade: A