Rogue Ten Thousand Brew Ale

by: BeerAdvocate on 06-06-2007

We suspect few everyday beer drinkers consider the amount of effort that goes into brewing a single batch of beer, let alone 10,000 batches of beer! The legendary John Maier, brewmaster at Rogue Ales in Newport, OR, has accomplished just that—10,000 batches of beer in 18 years. To celebrate, he’s crafted what he does best: a beer that defies style. For Ten Thousand Brew Ale, Maier has used what he considers to be some of the best brewing ingredients: Vienna, French Special Aroma and Maris Otter Pale malts; Yakima Summit and German Saphir hops; “free-range coastal waters”; and their signature PacMan yeast.

At 10 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) and 83 international bitterness units (IBU), one could argue that this is an American Double India Pale Ale—but it’s probably easier just to drink it.

The Taste
Unexpectedly soft in aroma. Hoppy yet floral, with a touch of resin, pine and fruity esters. A silky creaminess builds on the palate, then dissipates as vodka-like alcohol cuts through with spice and a slight burn, creating a warming effect. The hops taste compacts with earth, wood, resins, leaf, bark and oils that stick to the palate. Slightly alcoholic taste, especially as the beer warms. Maltiness underneath, with notes of caramel and toasty bread backed by toffee. At this point, hop flavors (via the oils) have completely embedded themselves on the palate with an intense herbal linger. Flavors meld well when warm. Drying finish, with grainy, husky, hay-like edges.

Final Thoughts
No doubt, this brew’s a hophead’s wet dream. Factor in the alcohol, and you’ve got one serious beer for the serious palate. We’ll admit that it’s a bit messy at first, but as the beer warms, things smooth out, flavors start complementing each other, and it becomes something to sip and savor. Some may feel the need to lay this down for a while to mature, but we recommend enjoying it now to fully enjoy the amount of fresh hop character, which will only lessen with age.

Ten Thousand Brew Ale is a one-time brew, packaged in a deceptively large 750 mL ceramic bottle with a crown and swing-top re-sealable lid (handy if you’re sippin’ solo). Email schuyler@rogue.com for availability near you. We bought our bottle at Charles Street Liquors [143 Charles St., Boston. 617.523.5051. csliquors.com] for a whopping $23.20—another example of beer’s expanding price tag within a niche that’s getting more popular every day.

For more info: rogue.com

Respect Beer.

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