Hazelnut Brown Nectar - Rogue Ales

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.53/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed on 9/16/08. Bottle. Pours a dark brown with a thick tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee (hazelnut I suppose), slight nuts. Flavor is quite nutty (hazelnuts and walnuts) with a slight sweet malt backbone. Good beer, interesting flavor!
7/4/7/4/14 (3.6/5)

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2008 17:38:11 | More by LilBeerDoctor

RedDiamond

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A blood-red ale with a sweet plummy fragrance, the hazelnut flavor is there, but wears a disguise akin to exotic pipe tobacco – spicy and cured, with a deft, smoky finish that leaves and returns with a boomerang effect. There is also a pronounced brown sugar sweetness hardly impeded by any appreciable hopping making this somewhat suggestive of good Scottish ale.

Brewed with hazelnut extract, this deep ruddy ale is a welcome diversion from straightforward malt’n’hops beers. Trivia fact: Oregon grows 98% of America’s hazelnuts.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2005 03:30:18 | More by RedDiamond

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a cloudy brown with a small off-white head. It smells like nuts, roasted malt, and some caramel. It tastes mostly like chocolate and hazelnuts, and there's also some caramel and malt taste with a small bitter finish. The mouthfeel is light/medium, and a little bit creamy. This is pretty easy to drink too, I wouldn't have many problems drinking 2 or 3 bombers of this. This is a pretty good beer, but then I don't think I've ever had a bad beer from Rogue.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2006 02:41:20 | More by bluejacket74

dgilks

Australia

3.85/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This pours a deep brown colour with good clarity. Nice, small, light tan head.

Rich and robust hazelnut aroma with sweet malt in the background. This is all about the nuts.

A smooth, malty brown ale with lots of characteristic Rogue residual sweetness. Very nutty with a distinct hazelnut flavour. A little chocolatey too.

Medium-full body with moderate carbonation. Fine.

An interesting beer and a good use of hazelnut flavour. The nut character is a bit much for some but I think it works.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 09:22:59 | More by dgilks

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

this beer is all over the place. pours a see through light brown M&M color, with a lacey off white head and an absolute ton of carbonation rising in the glass, looks like soda. smell is amazing, nutty and sweet, notes of vanilla, roasty english malt, and an earthy sort of hop vibe. flavor is a touch on the sweet side for my liking, its sugary in the mouthfeel too. the hazelnut flavor is great though, and it adds a great element to the beer. feel could be improved, a little less carbonation and a little more body and this would be world class, because its got everything else. overall one of my favorite brown ales, but stil room for improvement. excellent with gourmet pizza.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 22:09:51 | More by StonedTrippin

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

650ml bomber poured into tulip 21/9/11

A hazy reddish brown with a thumbs width of foam that quickly falls to a thin film that leaves a few random patches of lace

S some nuttella spread and faint milk chocolate, a little earthy, smells like a chocolate bar I want too eat

T as it smells but with a faint fruity aspect but its a little sour, very nutty for sure with a slight chocolate flavor too back it up

M somewhat thin but just enough bubbles too give it some life, flavors linger faintly for some time

O decent but I'm surprised its on the beers of fame list, tastes a little fake and I guess its from extract

not blown away by this one but still very easy too drink, if you like hazelnut this ones for you

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 01:42:51 | More by wordemupg

Brent

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I do believe that this is a reformulation of the original hazelnut brown ale - and I prefer the latter version more. Same nice brown color. Hazelnut aroma was not as distinctive in the aroma. The flavor seemed a bit more tart and acidic than the original, and the hazelnut was not as noteworthy, almost more of an aromatic than a flavoring. Also, the hazelnut was more of an extract note than the more rich, roasted hazelnut flavors I recall in the original. A good beer, but the Iron Chef has not improved upon it.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2004 05:34:47 | More by Brent

champ103

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a dark brown color. A fair tan head forms and leaves some good lace down the glass.
S: Dark malt that has a great nutty aroma. Some chocolate and brown surger as well
T: Buttery and nutty. Lots of hazelnut up front and finishes nice with plenty of chocolate towards the end.
M/D: Rich and creamy. So easy to drink. I can drink this all night (and almost did).

I really like this beer. A smooth and great tasting beer. I highly recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2008 04:53:44 | More by champ103

alexgash

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thank you Jackson, Wyoming. I have now had a hazelnut beer though I still haven't eaten a real hazelnut all by itself. Weird. This beer poured a rich, rootbeer/ebony brown with a creamy tan head. I was amazed by how the aromas were detectable from three feet away! Luckily the smell was complex and inviting; mostly molasses-sweet/nutty malts, with a hint of roasted coffee. The sweet and nutty malts were there all the way, followed by an acidic, slightly tart, nutty, dry finish. Very well balanced. I have not had many nut browns, but this is bound to be one of the best (and most unusual?).

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2003 22:00:46 | More by alexgash

GClarkage

California

4.22/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12/08/04- Purchased at Bevmo in San Mateo, CA

Presentation- 22 oz bottle, no freshness date or born on date to be found. Poured into my Wyder's Cider pint glass.

Appearance- A dark brown color with a small 1/4 foamy head and fair lacing.

Smell- Roasted malt, hazelnuts, burnt assorted nuts. Maybe a bit of coffee.

Taste- A tad bitter, but fits in nicely with this beer. Much more chocolaty (dark) than expected. Full of dark and sweet roasted nuts.

Mouthfeel- Full thicker taste because of the sweetness. Higher level of carbonation.

Drinkability- Better than average brown ale IMO. Would definitely try again. Almost like a stout/brown ale mixture.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2004 01:20:29 | More by GClarkage

tdm168

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Village Draft House in Raleigh

Arrived a a brown amber color with a thin lacing of head. Smells is malty with a great deal of hazelnut coming through. Taste is sweet, malty, nutty; roasted and caramel malts with a great amount of hazelnut. So well balanced. Very low carbonation, medium to full bodied.

Overall, this was a great beer. The hazelnut was definitely the main focus in nose and taste, but did not overwhelm the senses. What a great change of pace from the typical brown ale. I would be willing to trade my next cup of specialty coffee for this any time.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2011 08:57:10 | More by tdm168

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.38/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bomber, served in a pint glass.

A - hazy, deep brown color with a small tan head that faded to a ring, leaving a few spots of lacing on the glass.

S - hazelnut and sweet malt aromas, very similar to a good English Brown Ale.

T - sweet nutty/malty flavor, some slight bitterness on the finish leaves the drinker wanting another mouthfull.

M - medium/full bodied ale with light carbonation.

D - a tasty sample of a brown beer, good drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2008 21:41:05 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Al's of Hampden on 9/2/10.

A - Copper brown body with half an inch of creamy beige head that reduced to a swirly patch and thin ring of retention, leaving no lace around the glass at all.

S - Initial aroma is quite malty and nutty (obviously) overall with a blend of hazelnut, toffee, butterscotch and rich caramel notes.

T - Like the aroma, the flavor is quite nutty but also sweet and not astringent. Lots of rich toffee, caramel and sweet malty notes are at the forefront, while a very light floral hop character develops in the backend. Finish is bittersweet with a hint of earthiness.

M - Medium bodied with a slight oily texture and quite a bit of bristle due to the carbonation being on the lively side of the spectrum for the style. Finishes sweet on the palate with a light hop bite.

D - Very good brown ale with a dominant nutty character and sweet flavor accented with a mild hop punch. Good stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2010 20:18:46 | More by ffejherb

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I had this at Fatheads recently was poured from a 22oz bottle ordered from the upstairs.

A - Poured a clear brown color with slight head.
S - I asked my friend what it smelled like and he said "mopwater" but I could smell the grain and malt but not too much nut.
T - Pretty ok Nut brown ale. Really wanted more nut with a title like "Hazelnut" but it was pretty good.
M - Went great with my "headwitch" very light and refreshing.
D - I may not have it again since I can think of a couple of nut browns that taste better but this one crosses the 6 percent ABV so that might have affected the flavor

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2010 00:11:28 | More by DrDemento456

merlin48

Kentucky

4.18/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

American brown ales are my least favorite of styles, but I can tell by this Rogue's aroma that I will like this one.
22 oz bottle pours an opaque, deep brown body with a one finger, tan head that is shortlived. Creamy, patch lacing survives about five minutes before vanishing.
Ah, what a wonderful aroma. Citrusy hops hit the nose first, eclipsed immediately by chocolate and hazelnut. Several malt varieties are suggested in the nose, but a hops note of grapefruit, and occasional pine cone, lends a welcome balance. Hazelnut takes over, and provides a lasting nutty essence.
Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, with a balancing hops bite, and soft, medium body.
The taste is, essentially, a hazelnut chocolate bar, in liquid form. Sweetish, malt presence is powerful, but the hops presence stands up well against it, with a grapefruit bitterness. This Rogue would be a malt bomber, if not for the outstanding, hops balance. Very complex, and cleverly crafted.
Extraordinary drinkability for a brown ale. I can't recall rating an American brown ale higher than this one. Rogue has served up a full plate with this one. Loaded with quality malts, strong essence of nutty hazelnut, and a hops character to balance it all into a supremely drinkable brown ale. Well done!

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2004 00:09:57 | More by merlin48

Vancer

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I messed up - I don’t like hazelnut, and asked if this one tasted like it. Nope was the answer. Well it does, what a surprise.

Oh well, clear and dark oak pour, surprisingly little head. Hazelnuts and caramel in the aroma and taste. Also noted some chocolate and coffee. I would have luved this one without the hazelnut extract.

Medium bodied. I won’t get this one again, but because of the hazelnuts – did I mention I the hazelnuts nauseate me?

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2006 12:20:31 | More by Vancer

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a deep brown color with moderate tannish head.
The smell is very distinct for hazelnuts, and other malty notes also present.
Taste is also dominated by hazelnut, but nicely blended with some syrup and caramel essences.
Finishes with the strong maltiness, but appropriately balanced with a nice bitterness.
A nice drinking, refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2006 00:29:11 | More by tgbljb

Mebuzzard

Colorado

2.7/5  rDev -34%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

From a 22oz bomber.
Poured a nice shiny brown, with good 1 1/2 finger head. But the head was gone before I sat down, no lacing, no nothing. I was confused.
Smell of sweet malt, some caramel, maple and brown sugar.
Taste was sweet. Mostly maple and some hazelnut; tones of walnut and caramel. No hops to speak of.
An oily feeling. Thin. Smooth, yet sweet.
Can't drink this again. Nothing there to hang my hat on. From Rogue? Hmm...maybe this was a bad bottle.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2006 23:36:52 | More by Mebuzzard

flagmantho

Washington

4.3/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is my first review for BeerAdvocate.com, and it appears I have chosen a very good place to start. I have had a lot of nut brown ales, and this take on the style is very satisfying.

Appearance: medium amber with a relatively thin head that dissipated fairly quickly. A very appetizing-looking beer.

Smell: while there was a good caramel smell to the beer, it was very subtle and I feel it didn't add a whole lot to the experience.

Taste: the caramel and nut flavors really came out in the flavor. It is rather sweet and malty, but in this case I think that it plays a constructive part in the goodness of the beer.

Mouthfeel: a medium, almost creamy body which complements the style quite well.

Drinkability: this would be a great session beer; I imagine even better on tap.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2009 01:04:22 | More by flagmantho

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a nonic. Pour was a translucent mid-colored brown with ruby highlights when held up to the light. Quarter-inch head settled into a thin skim of foam almost immediately; zero lacing present during the tasting. Strong scents of hazelnuts and brown sugar out of the bottle, but mellowed considerably in the glass. Flavors similar to nose, but much less intense. Hazelnut flavor detectable at finish as well as a hint of wheat. Well-balanced mouthfeel with a touch of carbonation and a smooth finish; alcohol was well-hidden. A solid session brown, but there are better examples out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 19:18:59 | More by Jwale73

mynie

Indiana

4.65/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'm not a big fan of American brown ales, they're usually kind of dull.

And then there's Rogue.

Pours very dark, intense ruby brown, nearly opaque. Very nice, tight two-finger head.

Smells like brown sugar and hops. A roasted hazlenut sweetness mingles with chocolate malt. Very nice.

Complex and delicious! Robust coffee beans upfront make way for a split second of Rogue hops, falling into an incredible bittersweet hazlenut aftertaste. This is better than coffee mate. Lingering aftertaste of sweetness and coffee. Wonderful.

It's got one of the nicest bodies I've ever felt on a beer, too. Creamy and smooth, much like a coffee with a helluva lot of creamer in it. Only tastier.

Such complexity. Such balance. This beer is truly one of the kings of its style.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2005 01:03:39 | More by mynie

Durge

Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A dark copper brown color brew with a full tan head and thick lacing. The smell is unbeilevable. A deep sweet peanut brittle just billows out of the glass with buttery highlights and a touch of chocolate detected. A beautiful smell that is good enough to eat. There is a touch of malt hidden in there too but it doesn't present itself much like beer. It just smells good enough to skip the drinking part! The hazelnut influence seems more apparent in the flavor of this brew but there is still plenty of that peanut brittle phenomenon. Sweet butterscotch and malt come through and there is a slight charcoal finish. Although there is a slick feel to this stuff it kept bugging me that it was pretty watery. These kinds of flavors demand more creaminess and body, and more carbonation would have helped as well. You could drink this pretty easily because it is fairly thin stuff but it is probably too sweet to get carried away with. It is a unique and tastey beer but I almost feel like it was a shame to drink away that great aroma, sort of how I feel about pipes/cigars. Anyone who is tolerant of, or enjoys sweet brews should try this. I would like to have it again sometime for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2007 06:31:23 | More by Durge

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer poured into the glass crystal clear deep amber brown with an almost tan and frothy head which rose tall and fell slowly to lace the glass.

The aroma was strong chocolate with a hazelnut character. The aroma was nutty and contained a strong Munich malt character coupled with a light and sweet caramel aroma. A very light fruity character was also present.

The flavor was crisp with a light Munich malt nuttiness coupled with a hazelnut flavor and a light chocolate. A caramel malt flavor was also present and a very light fruitiness.

The finish was dry with a lasting light chocolate and hazelnut flavor into the aftertaste. The body was medium. A nice beer, with easy drinkablilty and a good hazelnut character. Not as hoppy as an American Brown Ale would normally be, more English with hazelnuts.

22 ounce bottle. No freshness dating.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2005 23:19:21 | More by GCBrewingCo

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a clear mahogany in color with some reddish highlights and light visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall creamy beige head that reduces by about 50% and leaves a half finger thick layer over the entire surface of the beer with a much thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant lacing is observed.

S: There is a nice backdrop of caramel malts with just a hint of sweetness that provides the platform for the wonderful hazelnut notes.

T: The flavors really follow the aromas for the beer... There is a very nice caramel malt body with wonderful buttery hazelnut flavors. The flavors of the hazelnut are not as strong as the aroma. Sweet upfront with some very light bitterness which does not linger.

M: On the lighter side of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth.

O: Very easy to drink and very enjoyable. There is a nice complexity to the taste and smell of the beer, including the inclusion of the hazelnut. Definitely a beer I would get again.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 22:18:00 | More by dbrauneis

Metalmonk

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Abundant off-white head, fair retention, really deep brown with a glossy red tinge.

Obvious nutty aroma, along with wafts of chocolate, malts and coffee, reminds of something between a stout and a double-bock.

Flavor is fantastic, as long as you let it warm slightly. The hazelnut essence is strong, but not overly so, and not too sweet or artificial tasting. A very malty base too, and again, not overly sweet, which is impressive considering all the various malts listed on the bottle. Mouthfeel starts off creamy but thins out quickly.

I've revised this review after my second bottle months later, because that second bottle seemed much rounder and fuller than the first. No real complaints, and I'm glad I gave it second chance.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2006 22:56:53 | More by Metalmonk