Buckwheat Ale - Rogue Ales

wheelinshirt

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Picked this one up on a whim at Jerry's in Bethlehem for $4.50. Figured it was worth a shot, even though it is probably a bit old. 22 oz screenprinted bomber with chef morimoto on it.

Poured a hazy light orange color with a little light cream head that faded to a thin collar and left no lacing. Some visible carbonation in there.

Smell is a bit nutty with a tiny hint of hops, very underwhelming and there is definately off, but i can't put my finger on it.

Taste is pretty weak, mouthfeel is somewhat watery. I finished the bomber myself, so it is drinkable, just not very good. At least not in the condition that i bought mine.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2008 16:19:38 | More by wheelinshirt

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear gold with little head and some lacing. Nose is...well...odd I think. I am not sure what it is, but there is something unique about it. I am not sure if it is the soba or not. I know deep down it is something plant like, but the only thing I can think to say is that it smells like a dirty sock...but in an organic way. There seems to be a slight touch of citrus on the nose too. Taste is smooth with a silent start that turns to the soba and grain body. Mouthfeel is good. Highly drinkable if you are agreeable to the taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 05:42:29 | More by RblWthACoz

orbitalr0x

Illinois

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle. Japan export version. Pours into my glass a slightly hazy golden yellow with a half inch of bubbly, creamy head on top. Lots of active carbonation. Aromas begin with a lightly spicy, nutty grain aroma. Sort of fruity with an herbal hit of hops. The aroma is very earthy and quite unique.

First sip brings a grainy nutty malt upfront. Earthy and spicy flavors float across the palate. It flows down with some fruity tones and a nice herbal hop bitterness with a touch of yeast. The brew finishes with a lingering nutty flavor. Nicely balanced, tasty beer.

Mouthfeel is on the lighter side with plenty of fast moving carbonation that creates some creaminess. This is an easy drinking brew with an interesting flavor profile. I actually quite enjoy this beer for its subtleties, it would make a good everyday brew. Cheers to Rogue for brewing with buckwheat and creating an enjoyable ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2007 01:14:18 | More by orbitalr0x

edskirk3

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Screen-painted bomber featuring Chef Morimoto on the front. 7 natural ingredients, most notably of which is soba, a.k.a. buckwheat.

Pint glass.

Pours honey gold, rather lacking in carbonation. There is sediment that looks like pepper floating in the beer. It appears suspended as if in gelatin.

A very light aroma. Pale malt, soft spice and sweetness.

Tastes soft and zesty. Peppery and crisp. And sweet. It's refreshing, and at the same time, hearty.

This is probably the most interesting beer I've had in a long time. I can see how it would pair well with Asian cuisine. By itself it is very drinkable and full of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2007 23:08:05 | More by edskirk3

Patrick999

Florida

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hmm, soba ale. I picked this one up at the supermarket on a whim; didn't know quite what I wanted, so I figured I'd try something new.

Due to the Asian stylings on the bottle, I'm expecting something like a Kirin Ichiban with a Rogue twist, but I could be way off base. I don't know.

It seemed appropriate to break out the sexy tall pilsner glass for this, and indeed, it poured a cloudy golden with lots of active carbonation feeding a head that retained very well. I can't ask for much more.

Smell was subdued, but appealing nonetheless. Smells like a clean pilsner with a little more sweetness and a little less hop. Very clean smelling beer.

Taste - I see the lackluster reviews, and I'm tempted to give in and do the same. It tastes good, certainly an enjoyable beer by most standards, but nothing is really jumping out at me. Gotta search a little deeper, though. Maybe it's the power of suggestion, but reading a couple reviews down, I do get that roasted sesame taste, I think. Yes, even more so in the aftertaste. Again, very subdued, but still nice. Enjoy, but don't expect to be hit over the head with intense flavors. One thing I note....I don't get quite as much of the signature Pac-Man yeast taste here as I do in all the other Rogue beers I've had. This might actually be the least Rogue-like beer I've had from Rogue.

Mouthfeel - though it appears crisply carbonated, a veritable burp-fest, this sits well in the mouth and goes down easy.

Drinkability - Easily sessionable and would go well with a huge array of cuisine, including (obviously) Asian. It might be worth keeping some of this on hand the next time you go for sushi takeout. I think I might just do that.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2007 01:40:46 | More by Patrick999

jwc215

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

1 pt. 6 oz. bottle:

Pours slightly clouded golden yellow with a thin white head. Some trailing lace slides down the glass.

The smell is of Rogue's signature Pacman yeast with soba/buckwheat. Clean and mild.

The taste is of some grainy sweetness. The soba gives it a unique earthy sweetness. Sweet, but controlled. It becomes even sweeter as it warms. The Pacman yeast strain lets you know that this is a Rogue offering (and, since I happen to like it, I think it adds a great character). Clean, crisp finish.

Light-bodied and smooth. This is a mild, sweet ale that would pair well with and complement most Asian foods. Easy to drink and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2007 22:23:16 | More by jwc215

Stoneman78

California

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bottle at the Rogue Public House in San Francisco:

a- pours a very cloudy dark orange with a small, white, creamy head and light lacing
s- aroma is a very strong maltiness and buckwheat/grain tones
t- unique taste that is characterized by an earthy/mulchy maltiness, some slight nut tones which may be overlapping with the buckwheat flavor
m- medium-bodied ale that is slightly overly carbonated, a bit watery
d- low abv and medium-bodied and taste characteristics make this a solid "good" ale choice that is easy drinking, this is a unique ale in that it is brewed primarily with soba, but lacks any particular "wow" factor regarding smell and taste, I doubt I would pick this up again.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2007 00:24:02 | More by Stoneman78

Halcyondays

California

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bomber, bought from the Seagate Liquors in Huntington Beach, CA, listed as Morimoto Soba Ale on the bottle, was taken here when I tried to review it,

A: Pours a cloudy orange, with a minimal, white head.

S: Light, smells of toasty, biscuity malts, and some floral hops.

T: Very interesting and unique, has a toasted malt flavor which I would describe as similar to a sesame seed, or roasted tahini. It then goes into a soft almond note, and ends with a light ale malt flavour, with some floral hops, with mild bitterness.

M: Light, smooth and crisp, with excellent scrubbing bubbles.

D: A great light beer, soft and smooth, with a unique taste, will definitely want to try the red bottle now.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2007 04:28:51 | More by Halcyondays

jayfarley3

Nevada

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

poured into a pint glass from a 22oz bottle labled Morimoto Soba Ale. pours a hazy yellow gold color with a nice off white head that dissapates down to a small ring fairly quickly. smells of light toasty malts and a bit grainy. tastes of sweet toasty malts with a slight touch of hop bitterness. mouthfeel is medium-bodied with lively carbonation. it is a decent beer but i think the Black Obi Soba Ale is much better.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2007 09:50:29 | More by jayfarley3

atigerlife

Hawaii

3.4/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into the new Sam Adam's glass. Morimoto Soba Ale.

Pours a golden/orange color with a big, fluffy, slightly off-white head. Lots of small carbonation can be seen rising. Nice to look at.

Aroma is sweet with some hops. Some other stuff in there, but can't quite place it.

Taste is sweet with light flavor. Clean but unassuming. Light hops at the end. Hard to pinpoint some distinct flavors.

Mouthfeel is rather light bodied, crisp and the end is quite dry.

Overall, this is quite drinkable, light and crisp. Could be a decent session brew. Nothing special, but easy to drink. Sort of reminded me of a lager...not sure why.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2007 17:34:26 | More by atigerlife

Rudgers73

New York

3.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an American pint glass. Very pale amber color, 1/2" off-white head that reduces to a chunky micro-bubble layer. Relatively large bubbles rise up like crazy through the beer. The smell has a dry, bitter nose to it. Definite crystal hops. I don't smell any rye. The flavor isn't bad. It is like an offshoot from an APA with more of a sweet malt characteristic. Dry, yet sweet up front with the slightly dulled piny hops slowly creeping in for a good finish. Well balanced, smooth, and it has a very un-boring flavor profile. This is overall one of the best fruit/vege beers I've ever had.

Par for the course, Rogue.

edit: There are an increasing amount of shit chunks in the beer as you reach the bottom of the bottle. Not sure what it is, but it gets lifted and dropped in a convective pattern by the carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2007 01:09:18 | More by Rudgers73

bluegrassbrew

Georgia

3.08/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a hazy light brown with a small white head that drops to a ring.

Smell is faint. A hint of sweet malt.

Taste is very bland. Slightly sweet. Some buckwheat flavor.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin and watery.

Overall, this beer was not offensive in any way, but felt a bit boring.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2007 01:05:54 | More by bluegrassbrew

Lothore

California

2.83/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours golden with very little head. It is cloudy and overall pretty unimpressive to look at ... I would think that if I poured a bud and made it slightly more cloudy it would look just like this brew. The smell is inviting, hopped up with a slight sour tinge. It tastes of wheat, slightly sour with nothing more than average flavors, nothing really stood out. The mouthfeel is alright, very carbonated and thin. Goes down easy enough, but overall not an impressive mouthfeel whatsoever. It seems easy enough to drink but I think the drinkability suffers because of the fact that after drinking one, it was so uninteresting that it was not easy for me to convince myself to drink another.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2007 06:01:11 | More by Lothore

KarlHungus

Minnesota

2.53/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

This brew pours a cloudy pale yellow-orange color. The head is one inch in height, and recedes slowly into nice thick lacing. The aroma is of rhubarb and buckwheat. I can’t quite say what about the aroma is turning me off, but it just doesn’t make me want to drink this beer. Luckily, the taste is nothing like the aroma, and something like nothing. The mouthfeel is thin and overpowered by a very high level of carbonation. Overall, this is a bad beer, and I will not drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2007 01:10:58 | More by KarlHungus

Duster72

Indiana

2.65/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a copper color with some sediment and a decent head with okay retention. Aroma is toasty malts and herbal hops. Taste is a sour mix of weirdness that is generally unpleasant. Some grass and earthy tastes, but generally just bland and sour. Mouthfeel is fine. I poured the second half down the sink.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2007 22:16:14 | More by Duster72

rkuhnel

California

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

In a 22 oz bottle labeled Marimoto and called Marimoto Soba Ale. It poured amber and cloudy, with a fairly large off white head that did not leave much lacing. Nose of wheat and light malts. Mouthfeel medium, and favor is malty has some nuts, Good for a vegetable beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2007 02:42:27 | More by rkuhnel

BDTyre

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Wierd one from Rogue...I don't have much experience with buckwheat.

Amber colour with a vigorous head. Nothing special.

Slightly sour grassy smell. Pungent, but in a good way. Malts are there, but they do not lend any real sweetness. Hops might lend a bit to the flavour, but nothing significant. Mostly it is a vegetative/malt mix, slightly sour but very pleasing. Definitely not your usual beer or ale taste.

Good beer, a sipper...not session worth, but good regardless.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2007 08:00:13 | More by BDTyre

goochpunch

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy pale amber with a thinnish head that settles down rather quickly while leaving solid white "lace." Smell is of light toasty malts, caramel, herbal hops, and I'm almost positive I pick up a touch of diacetyl. In the flavor I get those toasty malts up front with a middle of what I would assume to be buckwheat (reminds me of the twang gotten from sorghum beer) along with an herbal citric mix of hops and caraway. Finishes dry and crisp while the hop flavors remain on the tongue. Mouthfeel is slightly more fulsome than "light" and the carbonation adds a little zing but is mostly laid back. This is quite flavorful while at the same time not a burden on the palate. The bomber is emptying really fast.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2007 02:59:11 | More by goochpunch

MrHungryMonkey

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Nice copper color / slightly hazy / moderate carbonation / nice head

Tart and crisp sweet malt floral hop

Crisp fruity / lightly sweet / floral hops / malt is kind of nutty / finishes clean

Light carbonation / moderately smooth

Light and refreshing drinker, would pair well with a nice meal.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2007 23:25:36 | More by MrHungryMonkey

billybob

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

poured from a 22 oz. bottle a hazy orange color with a half inch head that quickly faded to just the beer and no lacing at all. fruity pine aromas.taste is fruity maybe mango and peach slightly sweet. mouthfeel light dry very crisp. maybe good with certain food pairings, but not a session beer for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2007 22:18:03 | More by billybob

zeff80

Missouri

3.78/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a copper color with a white, one-finger head. It was quite fizzy but left nice lace.

S - It smelled of malt and nut.

T - It tasted very nutty. Also, a strong malt presence with a hint of grassy hops.

M - It was crisp and sharp on the tongue. A light to medium-bodied beer.

D - A very good brew. It is very drinkable despite for a beer in a bomber. Some are too heavy or too powerful.

Serving type: growler

05-14-2007 02:11:59 | More by zeff80

NEhophead

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

1 pt 6 fl oz brown bomber, served in a tumbler.

Cloudy white, golden in color; lots of active carbonation. Densely creamy, bright white head with a pillow-like retention. Semi-ringed and spotted lacing with good strength.

Toasted oats with a touch of sugar to the grainy aroma. Dry, roasted peanuts and cashews. A bit of hop spice and a touch of lemongrass.

Semi-sweet, toasted oats and grains kissed with a faint hint of lemongrass. Clean, noble wheat. The finish is crisp, dry, and just a touch thin. The aftertaste finishes as it starts: filled with clean, toasted oats and grains.

Light bodied; light, dry, and clean on the palate. Completely unobtrusive.

A semi-sweet, oat and grain-filled light ale. Drinkable as a session beer, but a bit boring in the spectrum of today's exciting craft beer scene.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2007 15:00:20 | More by NEhophead

mhaws000

Oklahoma

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

A- poured a light orangey yellow with a good amount of head that hung around for a few minutes. Very little lace left in the glass as I drank this one though

S-I get a little floral and some honey aromas and some nuttiness from the roasted soba I assume.

T-I really taste alot of nuttiness with this beer. Reminds me of a baked version of the Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat which is so popular around here. Some honey notes also but almost no aftertaste.

M-Good carbonation but it leaves a filminess in my mouth. This actually increases as the beer warms. I find myself smacking my mouth alot to get rid of the slightly slimy feel.

D-High. I would not pick this beer out at the store because it doesnt really peak my interest. However, circumstance has allowed me alot of access to this beer and I repeatedly find myself thinking about how much I enjoy each one. This beer has a nice mild taste that goes down very nicely. This is a great refreshing beer to have after work. The only negative I have is the oily feel that hangs around after each drink.

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2007 06:20:23 | More by mhaws000

beakerboy

Kentucky

4.7/5  rDev +27%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I bought this in the 22 oz Morimoto bottle. It pours a light apricot with a very bright white head. The leaves a bit of lace on the glass. The aroma is rather fruity and a little hoppy. The taste has the nuttyness of the soba. I really like the flavor. The mouthfeel is great. It has a substantial amount of body and has a creamy texture on the palette. Overall I really like this. I think it's a good beer for those times when bud light drinkers are at the house.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2007 00:44:41 | More by beakerboy

prototypic

Ohio

2.78/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden color. One finger head. Nice retention.

Smell: Intially, grains and wheat hit the nose. There's also a spicy smell to it. Smells pretty malty as well. A faint citrusy smell is also in there. Not bad.

Taste: The spicy taste was the first thing that hit me. I can't place it, but it's something spicy. Definitely has decent malt taste with a wheat flavor. I'm picking up some orange and maybe lemon in there.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: This would be a pretty decent beer for a hot day. It goes down easy enough. I'm not a huge fan of the spicy bite to it, but it's manageable. Overall, it's okay. I've had much better from Rogue, but it's worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2007 02:30:31 | More by prototypic