FestiveAle - Rogue Ales

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Massively carbonated orange that creates an expansive, pale golden head of harsh, unsticky foam. It's not like this brewery to release such aggressively bubbled beer that results in such an un-Rogue-like cap. It looks lousy after the pour, lousy as it deflates and leaves no lace on the glass. Nada. Zippo. Zilch. Thanks entirely to the head, this is the worst looking Rogue ale ever. The beer itself keeps the score somewhat respectable.

The nose is interesting. It's sweet, spicy and herbal all at the same time. It does manage a bit of farmhouse earthiness, but with very little funk. I can't begin to pick out what was added (handily listed right there on the bottle), but I can pick out the grains of paradise since they're so distinctive and since I've had beer flavored with them before. There's no Saaziness that I can detect.

The flavor is okay as well, in an 'everything but the kitchen sink' kind of way. It doesn't come together into anything resembling an integrated, unified whole, but I'm finding the cacophony compelling, if nothing else. Again, the various herbs and spices and flowers and fruit peels and leaves are impossible to isolate and identify, but I'll take a stab anyway.

Grains of paradise and ginger comes through loud and clear. Curacao orange peel hardly at all. And I have no idea what myrtle leaves (aka sweet gale, aka bayberry) taste like. I'm convinced that a subtraction of a few of those ingredients would add up to a better beer.

Since I don't yet have a bead on saisons, I think I'll compare FestiveAle to the BA description. Earthily yeasty: minimally... mild-moderately tart: not really... lots o' spicy: definitely... medium bitterness: I'll go along with that... semi-dry with a touch of sweetness: more or less. By that measure at least, Rogue has somewhat faithfully recreated the style. So why am I not more thrilled with the final product?

The mouthfeel is decent and is actually rather enjoyable. It isn't as full as most Rogue beer, but then the flavor and style would seem to demand something more light and effervescently carbonated... which is exactly what it is. My fears of an overly fizzy mouthfeel did not come to pass.

FestiveAle is a classic example of a 'car crash beer' (a descriptive term that I just invented). It's as if the brewers filled a half dozen cars with various herbs and spices and then drove them headlong into one another. The result being a chaotic, jumbled, colorful mess. While it isn't fascinating beer, I just can't look away.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2006 23:22:49 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

golden yellow color came through immediately. Lots of sediment in here now as well. Huge carbonation profile could be seen with lots of chains of bubbles cascading up to the top of the glass to reinforce the huge champagne like head that came over the top of it. Lots of side glass lacing and a copious foam that would not quit. Very nice aroma here, lots of light grain, hints of grass, light lemon and a touch of grape. Nice airy smell gave way to a very nice flavor. Very light, and perfect for this summer day. First way was a slightly tart fresh grass like flavor. Some hints of peaches, pears, and a touch of tartness as well. Very nice light cereal grain flavor in the middle which became a touch bready as it warmed.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 01:43:07 | More by mikesgroove

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours out a hazy, golden body with a frothy, white head that drops down to a thin covering fairly quickly.

Smell: Sweet-scented bouquet of lightly spiced, oven-baked cookies and grains with a ladle full of honey and almond syrup on the side.

Taste: Sweet taste of honey-coated cookies and crisp wheat crackers with a hint of background citrus. Slight almond accents. The once glaring spice component has toned down in the two or so years, leaving just a nice level of zesty spice. No apparent hop character or remaining bitterness. Sweet, succulent finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. Smooth mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Boy, oh boy, did I ever dislike this beer when initially released. Frankly, I though it a complete mess; a weak attempt at a saison with an unpleasant spice component. Now, though, it's aged into a smooth, mellow, sweetish brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2010 21:41:51 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.23/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle: Poured a deep dirty orangey color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and no lacing. Aroma of spicy yeast with a good Belgian style malt and some weird conflicting spices. Taste is also a weird mix between some Belgian style malt with some weird spices mix and a spicy yeasty finish. Full body with average carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Definitely lacking some typical Saison ester and very unfocused (seems to be a cross between a Saison, Tripel, Wit and a Belgian Strong Ale). Not the best from this usually good brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2008 18:43:25 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.22/5  rDev +27.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On a recent trip to Knoxville's Brewer's Jam, this is the jewel of the weekend. Being a big fan of Saisons, I couldn't wait to jump into this one. Pours a hazy orange-appricot color with a stubborn white head. Serious fruity and tart aromas filled the rim of the glass. Smells like over-ripe oranges, mangos, appricots, pears, and peaches with the tartness of a granny smith apple. One sip drives the sides of the toung nuts. Seriously flavored with the fruits in the nose, with mild nutmeg spices, light hops and more light sourness. The flavors constantly change in the mouth. The body is medium (strange for such flavor complexity). Alcohols are pronounce throughout and may take on low plastic or medicinal flavors, but not to deter. Aftertaste is fruity and tart. I highly recomend.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2005 17:15:00 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy peach color with a big dose of sediment headed to the bottem,a large fluffy head atop.Aromas are quite herbal,minty with some medicinal quality and a touch yeast/spice.There is more of a citrus element flavor wise but its kinda weak,finishing with some spicey pepper.Seemed watery and pretty lacluster going down,not a bad beer but nothing has inspired me to get more.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2005 14:25:11 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Hazy deep amber with golden highlights. Thin white head fades quickly to a thin collar. Minor lacing. Medium body. Somewhat restrained carbonation. Yeasty, wheaty, and malty in the nose. Some minor fruitiness. Quite basic. Lacking Belgian character. The flavor is fuller but with the same yeast, wheat malt with a drop of candy sweetness, some mild yeasty fruitiness, leafy hops, and a nice touch of spice.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2006 23:39:40 | More by NeroFiddled

WesWes

New York

3.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The beer pours a cloudy dark gold/amber color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a fruity yeast aroma along with dark wheat malts and a bit of spice. The taste is average. I really don't care for the flavor at all. It has a bitter, dry wheat flavor with some spice and a fruity yeast finish. The mouthfeel is decent. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is an average saison. It doesn't do much for me. I'll probably never buy this one again. This was my worst Rogue experience ever.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2006 16:07:10 | More by WesWes

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.65/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bomber pours a not quite clear peach tea color with a 3 fingers+ whipped offwhite head. Some lacing & alittle bit of film all the way down

S: Pepper & appleskins

T: Pepper, apples & pears up fornt. Herbal hops & some brown/candy sugar arrive as this warms. I pick up some licorice & yeasty notes as well. As this gets warmer still breadyness comes to the fore. Apricots also here. Finishes with pepper, lemons, appleskins & a little salty taste

MF: Slick with quite bit of carbonation, but it seems to work

Drinks okay, pretty comples, therefore not a quaffer, but good in its own right. I'm not a huge saison fan, they work as an occasional one-off, & this has little flair to it

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2007 06:16:51 | More by russpowell

tempest

Pennsylvania

2.42/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

My first, and probably only disappointment from Rogue. This beer was just a mess. It poured a hazy gold, but went downhill from the smell: sour and funky without any balance. I could find nice malt and hops in the flavor, but it was just too off-putting. I dont know what happened here, I guess no brewery can make you happy all the time.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2006 00:57:21 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Also at Smokin' Joe's one of two JLS series the bartender wasn't sure what this was but said it's a Belgian style I'm saying it's the Saison from the JLS series. Appears a golden semi cloudy hue with a large white quickly dwindling head leaves fine lacing around the glass. Aroma has a slight spice character with a touch of honey orange blossom esque tones flowery might as well lay down in a field during spring time somewhere but much less dramatic and much more tame considering I really had to focus to detect those tones. Taste of course a florally hopped belgian style some more spice notes coming through herbal, citrus, and what turns out to be ginger and myrtle my two distant cousins these tones blend in with a biscuit orange blossom honey taste that works in the end. Mouthfeel is light to medium in body spices coat the palate yet it's hard to pick each one out individually the carbonation isn't as fine as the typical Belgian saison. Drinkability refreshing and interesting but I'll pass on this one and order another Frosty Frog.

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2006 07:24:02 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

2.53/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clear gold...this is a saison? Nose is like dirty sweet tarts. Dirty sweet tarts. The candy. Yeah. Flavor is like drinking those dirty sweet tarts. Feel is standard for a regular old beer...but I don’t feel like this is anywhere near what a saison should be. Drinkable? Hell no. This is my least favorite saison out of all I have tried. I love Rogue and all they do, but really man. This is just bad. Bad with all capital letters. Bad as in a waste of money. Bad as in a waste of water. Ack. Really. What were they thinking. This is a saison? I can’t believe I am considering flushing a Rogue brew. Atrocious.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 21:12:03 | More by RblWthACoz

smcolw

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Holy head Batman. I poured this without realizing it was a form of Belgian ales. Still, it has a beautiful color of gold. The head features large bubbles and at least four fingers; slow to die and quite white.

Strong Belgian aromas of malt and soured sugars. "Crisp" smells, very clean as well. Slight citrus (lemon); absolutely no nuttiness.

Okay, this is hard to discribe--I didn't expect this flavoring. It's more balanced than most ales I associate in the Belgian style. The malt is the melody here as expected, but there are nice citrus flavors of Seville oranges. It's also very dry! The body is full with high carbonation.

In many ways, I'm not a fan of the silky, sweet Belgian ales. This one doesn't fit that profile, so I am rating it higher. I'm guessing that true fans of Belgian ales will find this odd; I find it refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2006 22:01:42 | More by smcolw

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

(Served in an imperial strange)

A- This beer has a warm dark orange body with a bit of hazy. There is a big carbonation that makes a large creamy thick off-white head that last and last.

S- There are some slight bready yeasty notes with a hint of lime and noble hops.

T- This beer has a smooth soft flavor of honey malt with notes of citrus, mostly orange. The finish has a nice ginger warmth with some earthy peppery spice.

M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with a silky texture and a fullness from the fizz. No alcohol warmth or astringency.

D- This beer is smooth but with a sweet complexity that is balanced with a faint peppery finish and some ginger warmth. This is a nice twist on this style.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2006 05:04:15 | More by rhoadsrage

Wasatch

Utah

3.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Not really thrilled about this one. Pours a cloudy golden yellow color, lots of carbonation, huge foamy white head, tons of lacing follows. Scents of malts, hops, citrus, and slight yeast. The taste is kinda sweet or malts/hop blend. Medium body, very carbonated brew. Drinkable, not a bad brew, but will have to think about buying again.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2006 01:10:58 | More by Wasatch

Jason

Massachusetts

2.7/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at Redbones in a 12 oz flute.

Deep golden amber hue, cloudy with a thin white lacing on top. Smells a bit tart with some spice, tastes is similar with an odd tartness upfront. Moderate body, mildly crisp. Just can get over the tartness ... stale lemon comes to mind. Spicing is lost within this tartness as well.

Not sure what to think of this brew but I know it falls short of the Saison style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2005 01:18:42 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

4.2/5  rDev +26.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Allways a treat to try a new saison or a new Rogue selection. This one was on tap at the BTAH in NYC. Poured dark almond and cloudy, with a tiny bubble, yet minimal head, and leaving just minor scattered lacing. Nose is pepper and corainder. Fruity, complex and tasty concoction. Notes of smoke, pepper, honey and caramel. Simply yummy, yeasty and good. Rogue movers and shakers please bottle this asap...

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2005 21:24:47 | More by Billolick

Zorro

California

3.08/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Sampled through the efforts of 120/190 BIF and lostbearbrew.

Pours a near clear apricot colored ale with a respectable white head.

Smell is sweet and fruity for a Saison. Smells too sweet with a cotton candy aroma and a bit of buttery smell. Spice is present only as a vague sour scent.

Taste is dry despite the smell with the flavor of melon in the first sip. Not real heavy in the flavor department coriander and hop bitterness shows up, but there is this annoying caramel corn flavor here that shouldn't be there. Mild peppery flavor of alcohol is noticeable.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Not a great Saison here. The flavor is off and not very strong in the first place. This should be a dry refreshing beer; it is a buttery corny mess in the glass. Forgettable and not really worth finishing the glass of it.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2006 05:28:28 | More by Zorro

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.63/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Stained light orange. Vigorous carbonation is noted. The sordid white head is fluffy and airy. Lace is more than adequate. Great nose. Got a little of that Saison DuPont feel to it. The aroms is yeasty and doughy and bready to begin with. Then I notice the spiciness. The cracked black pepper. Then comes a little whiff of estery goodness. Flavor is just a bit harsh. Get a lot of spicy pepper and a little EtOH thrown in for good measure. Base malts are doughy and biscuity. Yeastiness gives the beer a pleasant and warming type of feel. I think the weird spices used in this one throw if off a bit (Grains of Paradise, Bitter Orange Peel, Myrtle Leaves, Ginger Root). Just a bit much. Nice experiment though and one that was enjoyable enough.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2005 03:59:30 | More by Bighuge

Gusler

Arizona

3/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The beer poured from the 22-ounce brown bottle takes up a temporary residence in my glass an unclouded deep amber with a modest semi-creamy head that is a light tan color, after its decomposition the resultant lace forms a fine coating of lace to obscure the glass. Nose has a sweet malt presence with hints of pepper, oranges and some spiciness, start is tart with a light to moderate grain presence, top is light to middling in its feel. Finish is extremely dry, the acidity dominates with a light hint of hops, can’t say I care much for this beer, drinkable, but leaves a lot to the real saison style.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2006 22:10:12 | More by Gusler

mactrail

California

3.66/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Rogue says this is a "Belgian style Saison" with Grains of Paradise, myrtle leaves, bitter orange peel, ginger root, and Czech Saaz hops.

One of their better beers, I thought. Rather hoppy but fruity wierd flavors and plenty of malty sweetness to balance. Spice is not over-powering, but blends well with the odd sharp notes. Maybe the orange peel is adding more bitterness than fruit. Rogue claims this is only 18 IBU. So what is the Bitterness Units of orange peel? They claimed this was 8.5% so I don't know why the two percent discrepancy.

Interesting big Saison. [transcribed from notes, tasted in Reno on Valentine's Day of 2006.]

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 04:34:20 | More by mactrail

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep golden glow with slow bubbliness rising within. Tall inch cap of soft whitish fluffy foam keeps for a bit, fading to a hold a solid skimming cap of foam and sturdy collaring built along the sides. Loafy, lazy lacing creeps back down leaving a pattern of spots and globs.

Aroma of high ended grasses and dried herbs make the forefront with a slight sweet pale malt backing and a spritz of orange peel zest.

Taste is snappy, yet calm with an active body of lightly enhanced flavors of herbs and grasses. Saaz hops make up a good portion of the dryness that takes place along the sweetened pale malt backing. Which stays nicely behind as it pokes through in areas where needed. Nice subtle entry of the herbal and grassy things are delicately woven and placed along the entire palate. Interestingly flavored. Finish is herbal dry with notes of Saaz hop leafyness and grassyness. Narry a bitterness to it really, mostly dry and grassy with a mild disposition about its character.

Steady, firm, and close to medium in body with a clean, dryish carbonation. Perfect sweet and paled malt balance and backing to its overall dry herbalness.

An accommodatingly fair drinker too. Sits well and balanced with a fairly smooth tender snap. Finish has a very lovely air about it that carries orange peel and grains of Paradise very late in a slight Saaz hop drying heat in the back of the throat. Kinda nice actually. Another Rogue solid brewed ale; or Saison, or whatever it is.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2006 01:47:25 | More by tavernjef

RoyalT

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance – This one is a really cool-looking darkish orange that is a perfect shade of radiant orange. The head came up nicely but of course dropped fast.

Smell – There’s a nice, super-spicy lightly sourish nose here backed by some hefty malts, which really give it a balanced aroma. The spice is peppery and kind of dark, and the malts are a bit orangy but very heavy, like whole wheat pasta grains.

Taste – The big malts from the nose step back a bit at the taste. The spices are in full effect though as is that orange flavor, that is mixed with some very light banana and peach.

Mouthfeel – This is big, I’d call it medium-bodied, with some modest but solid carbonation and an excellent play of flavors on the back of the tongue.

Drinkability – This is one of the more drinkable American Saisons that I’ve had. It’s definitely big for the style, but what else do you expect from Rogue?

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2006 01:48:27 | More by RoyalT

largadeer

Kentucky

2.05/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Appearance - Straw-colored and fairly clear with an off-white head. Mediocre retention.

Smell - A bit tart and musty. Very spicy, but certainly not the most pleasant spice aroma I can think of. Ginger and lemongrass come to mind.

Taste & mouthfeel - Weird, unpleasant spiciness coupled with a somewhat astringent citrus bite. Dry in the finish with more of the funky spice flavor lingering in the aftertaste. Not particularly estery or phenolic. Light-bodied with moderate carbonation. What the hell, Rogue? This is the worst saison I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2008 02:15:25 | More by largadeer

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A semi hazy amber mixed with mediocre greets the eye with an intial plume of head and mild lacing after the first pour from my 22oz. bottle. The aroma was blander than I expected from any saison. Some herbas an spices noticed in the numerous whiffs. But nothing too specific. Although some earthy sweetness is noticed. The tase is like a good first try at a true Belgian Saison. The earthy herbal flavor is indeed captured in this brew by this domestically gfamous brew. But they don't pull it off as might be expected. This doesn't mean that Rogue is losing any Brownie points from me. Not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2006 05:04:16 | More by scruffwhor