Chipotle Ale - Rogue Ales

Dogbrick

Ohio

2.53/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

This brew is a clear amber color with a thick and creamy off-white head that recedes slowly. Thin rings of lacing on the glass. Smokey aroma with prominent peppers and light hops. Medium-bodied with flavors of spicy pepper, sweet malt and citrus hops. The finish is spicy with a fresh pepper aftertaste. Maybe I am still gunshy years after my Cave Creek experience but I really want nothing to do with these types of beers.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2008 21:31:41 | More by Dogbrick

TheLongBeachBum

California

2.55/5  rDev -28.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Presentation: 22 ounce Bomber. Cream, Red and Brown colored façade with the words ‘Chipotle Ale’; underneath the familiar looking Rogueish Chap. The geeky beer blurb lists this as an Ale Brewed with Chipotle Peppers on the bottle, but its vital statistics are more scientifically expressed as 13° Plato, 34 IBU, 77 AA, 3.2° Lovibond.

Appearance: Dark amber-red body with deep orange flashes, looks extremely good when backlit. The beige head is thick and has an egg-white stiffness which leaves a nice run of smattered lace on the edge of the Glass Mug I am using. Conditioning seems high at first but settles to a moderate level once the head sits down and relaxes.

Nose: Smokey malt nose with a Chipotle Tabasco Sauce odor. Toasted malts break through in the finish with a delicate hint of hops, but not much.

Taste: Lots of smoky malts in this one smoked and toasted the middle only hints at the Chipotle Peppers, which is a shame. Overpowering and one-dimensional, the experience is finally ruined with a waxy, lard ridden smoky bacon feel in the back end.

Mouthfeel: Starts OK, middles average, and slowly finishes with unsettling thick lard-like constitution that coats the inner cheeks with a smoky bacon flavored fat-like residue. Not very nice at all.

Drinkability: I managed the Bomber, but only just, I did struggle with it. I found the smokiness to be too overpowering in this brew to be honest, I expected more from the Chipotle Peppers, a more refined balanced brew, what I got was a smoked beer which was a tad sickly in the long run.

Overall: Tastes like a ‘run-of-the-mill’ smoked beer to me, and a rather unbalanced one at that. Sadly, only the merest hint of Chipotle Pepper in the back end here. I love spicy food and peppers, but I’m glad I only got one of these. More Smoked than Chipotle, which was a disappointment, nevertheless it’s not a bad brew….it’s just not for me though.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2005 20:06:54 | More by TheLongBeachBum

AlesRTasty

Texas

2.63/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

This beer pours amber with orange highlights and little head, no lacing. Smells quite smokey and roasted with a taste of well roasted peppers. To be honest I don't really like this. It is an odd flavor to me and I'm from Texas. It's not disgusting. I could still finish it, I just won't spend more money on another.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2007 02:05:24 | More by AlesRTasty

bort11

Missouri

2.63/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

22 oz bottle poured into a pub glass. A tall initial head that recedes quickly. Not much lacing left. Color is a clear, dark redding brown. Minimum carbonation activity.

Smell is a little weak, though it leans towards a chocolate malt aroma. A bit of hops and pepper mingles. Taste is pretty confusing. It starts off with a smoked/chocolate malt then moves to Cascade hops and then finishes with a chile pepper after taste. Really all over the place. Mouthfeel is light bodied and a tad creamy. The carbonation stings a bit, but that may have been enhanced by the pepper.

Over all I'm not that impressed bt the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2008 12:15:12 | More by bort11

SaCkErZ9

Florida

2.65/5  rDev -26%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22oz bottle into an imperial pint glass. A nice head forms on the top of a slightly cloudy, orange/red beer with nice tiny bubbles jumping from the bottom to the top.

Everything about this beer is unusual and different. The smell is of yeast and fruity hops but there is an overwhelming presence of smoky mothballs, if that is possible. If someone where to put a couple of mothballs in a bag near a campfire overnight, put them in the beer, and bottle it, I think this would be the result.

The taste is the most unusual and different of all aspects in this beer. Tastes very campfirey. Brings to mind days in Colorado camping out and waking up the next morning with the campfire still smoldering. A stale, smoky aroma was in the air and that is the way this beer tastes. Barel detectable are peppers. Nice hop and malt balance though. Seems a bit bitter at first taste but mellows in bitterness during consumption.

A very astringent mouthfeel makes this beer tough to finish. Overall, very unimpressed. Definitely needs more pepper or jalapeno flavor and maybe more malts to balance out that spicy pepper flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2005 15:22:32 | More by SaCkErZ9

TheEclecticGent

Georgia

2.68/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Had this unusual beer at the “Rogue Fest” in December 2005 at Summits Wayside Tavern in Sandy Springs, GA. They somehow have close ties with Rogue Brewery and get unusual kegs. I was skeptical about this one and avoided it on a few trips. I do love chipotle sauce and beer but didn’t know about combining them. Poured like standard ale, a clear golden amber with a little bit of quickly disappearing head. The smell is of beer and yep chipotle sauce! Smells pleasant like a backyard BBQ. The mouthfeel was a little flat. The taste was OK, mildly hoppy ale with a heavy chipotle finish. It grew on me a bit as I drank it but can’t say I would have another. It’s a novelty though. Glad I tried it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2006 01:22:42 | More by TheEclecticGent

Enola

North Carolina

2.68/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This is a wierd brew. The beer poured with little head and it is the color of sweet tea. The smell is not too bad, similar to a light beer with some spices. The taste is hard to describe. It starts out as a dull spiced taste. Then it turns into a lasting bittersweetness with small hints of peppers. The mouthfeel is not too bad. There is no harshness, just the weird lingering aftertaste. This is not a beer I would try again. Probably not too bad when reveiwed within the style but I don't think I will try this style again either.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2006 23:41:18 | More by Enola

SPThirtyThree

Colorado

2.68/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

A: Pours perfect grainy, cloudy, yet average amber. Looks like burnt straw in the summer sky in late May, just before being harvested under the sun.

S: Citrus-like and spicy, the aroma of this one hits like a buffalo wing. The heat in the nose perfectly balances the spicy and hoppy tones. The hops smell like west coast varieties, contributing a fruitiness with a slight but weak resemblance to
grapefruit. The sweet honey malts are hidden deep within the odor and are difficult to detect amidst the hops and peppers.

T: This beer hits the tongue with strong honey flavor and then washes around the tongue, leaving behind fire as it swirls down towards the back of the tongue, exciting the saliva glands. Some fruitiness is present, but it is completely dominated by the smoked pepper flavors. It somehow tastes like eating a can of green chilies that have been rolled in fireplace ashes. Smoky, spicy character dominates the palette.

M: The mouthfeel is very light, with the slightest bit of puckering astringency at the end.

D: Low to medium, although the amount of heat in the beer might be limiting.

Overall, the peppers hit a completely different region of the senses than the beer itself, which is unfortunate, as i wanted them to blend more amicably, the way coffee flavors sneak into a beer. This, and the overly cloying sweet taste of the beer are its only faults.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2009 06:12:45 | More by SPThirtyThree

veech

Tennessee

2.7/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

It's rare that I don't care for a Rogue beer, but chile beer is far from a beer I can recommend. Maybe if drunk with a Mexican meal it would be complimentary but otherwise it's just unpleasant and funky. This beer was too acidic and the aftertaste was just plain rough. Not anything you would want to burp repetitively I can assure you. I think the adjuncts of chiles added to me feeling terrible the next day. It cannot be solely to blame due to my indiscretionary excess but it didn't help either. I might attempt this one again with Mexican cuisine but no time soon.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2006 21:40:21 | More by veech

pants678

California

2.7/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Transparent orange with an off-white/beige head, great retention.

Smells of a dry spice, like a rub for bbq.

There's a sweetness to the hops that accompanies the jalapenos, the desert dry finish reeks of chipotle peppers. Probably better enjoyed with a meal. Looking for more in the way of complexity, but simply not a stand alone brew. While the alcohol is masked, there's no punch.

Highly carbonated yet smooth.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2011 06:24:21 | More by pants678

jasonpeckins32

Michigan

2.73/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

The appearance is a hazy autumn bronze with minimal head. The smell is very subtle, a hint of malts and not much else to speak of in the nose category.

It has a crisp, malty flavor. Roasty. I only notice a chipotle trait after a few sips, deep in my chest. Quite warm inside, almost heartburn-like.

Average body and carbonation. This one is good at first, but too warm for the lack of intense flavor that I had expected.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2007 19:39:07 | More by jasonpeckins32

beabear

New Jersey

2.73/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours a brownish-orange color with a small cream-colored head. Even just from looking at it, I can tell the carbonation is really vigorous. Not the most attractive color.

Smell: The spiciness isn't as pronounced as you'd think, though it's definitely there. The most prominent smell is clearly smoke. I'm not getting any hops or malt.

Taste: It's like sticking your head in a chimney. So much smokiness and spiciness that it can easily become overwhelming. Personally, while I can appreciate how different this brew is, I'm not sure if I enjoy it.

Mouthfeel and Drinkability: Ever had a shot of hot sauce? Did you enjoy the lingering taste in your mouth? If not, this might not be the beer for you. In terms of drinkability, I'm not sure if I can even finish one.

I'm confused. I had this beer a year or two ago and I don't remember it being anywhere near this overwhelming. Maybe I got a bad batch? I have no idea.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2008 03:06:27 | More by beabear

rootbeerman

Virginia

2.73/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Picked this beer up as a fathers day gift along with a few other brew. I lucky got to split this with my dad.

Appearance: Poured brown, very thin head minimal lacing..

Smell: Smoked, chipotle and a certain sweetness i cant place

Taste: As with smell its smoke, a slight pepper bite on the first sip
with a lingering heat that is getting hotter as i drink it.

Mouthfeel: full bodied

Drinkability: only one i will drink probably couldn't finish a bomber by myself

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2009 03:35:59 | More by rootbeerman

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

2.73/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured the bottle into my mexican ceramic beer glass, in honour of their dedication... Because the glass in opaque, it appears somewhat like a normal ale, with a thick lasting head which remains stuck to the edge of the glass.

It smells nice, mainly a sweet maltly aroma with a whiff of that promised chipotle. I am intrigued...

Upon trying this I am no longer quite so intrigued. Reminds me of the time I added chipotle and habanero to some vodka, interesting idea but not much I could drink it with. It tastes like a thin beer without much carbonation that is smoky. Clearly there are chipotles in the beer, but the beer offers nothing beyond it. Maybe I am wrong in reviewing it in comparison by other beers, but I find it to be having no great beeryness to it... I don't read reviews first, and had decided on what I would do and then saw the Bros highly reviewed it, that will be my next stop to see why they liked this (to me) highly mediocre beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2009 23:35:29 | More by kjyost

GreenWBush

Oregon

2.75/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

As much as I love Rogue, there was no way I was shelling out $5 for this. I expected Rogue's take on Mexican-style beers ... boy, was I wrong. My friend got one so I had to try it out and review it.

It pours out a lightly gold color that, when examined against the light, almost reveals hints of green. Ugh. The head was average and it left a few rings.

The nose on this one was interesting. There is a mild hoppiness mixed with a slight hint of spiciness. Malt presence isn't at the forefront. I also am presented with something akin to a Mexican restaurant ... hmm ...

Wow. What a strange cacophony of tastes. There is a distinctly dry and bitter hop twang and then a strange sour wave. There is a mild burning sensation on the palate, the first reminder of the chipotle peppers.

Overall I was not too impressed with this beer. It was bought on a whim by a friend and I might have otherwise not tried it. The "best" part of the beer for me was the lingering residual pepper effect. The further and further you got down on the pint you'd notice a slight heat in your stomach rising upwards. Could be dangerous for those with heartburn issues. I would like to try this with some Spanish or Mexican cuisine, however.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2004 18:05:13 | More by GreenWBush

soulfly967

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This one poured a dark amber with hints of red throughout. A very light brown, somewhat tan head formed that held on for a bit, then fell to a film leaving some lacing. The smell was of some smoke, lightly roasted malts, chili peppers and some hops. The taste was sweetish and malty at the front, with some hops at the finish and only a faint showing of smoked peppers, very disappointing. The mouthfeel was fairly smooth and medium bodied, nothing to write home about. I would have to say that 22oz. was a bit too much of this. I was hoping for a smoke filled, fire breathing trip through Hell, but I did't get it. Oh well, better luck next time.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2005 04:01:08 | More by soulfly967

CortexBomb

Michigan

2.75/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

No idea about how well this bottle will have aged since it's currently nearly the start of fall and this is a spring seasonal.

Pour is blackish tinged golden. Opaque. A modest, 2 mm thick white head sits on top of the beer, and the overall apperance of the ale is rock solid. The smell seems to be mainly malty...there are some light spicy edges, but they really aren't as prominent as I was expecting them to be.

Taste starts out malty, like the nose and that seems to be all there is for a bit, but then the chipotle (hot and spicy) decideds to show up and make its presence felt. The spice isn't absolutely house burning, but it is definitely distinct and strong enough to grab your attention. Swallow is a light bit of hoppy bitters, and then gone with only a lingering hot feel from the chipotle. Not the most depthy taste in the world, but I like the hot sensation and the uniquness of it in my still limited experience with this style of beer is enough to make me like this brew.

The mouth on this is average for beer in general. It's not thick, at all, but it does have some nice sensations courtesy of the chipotle, so it still maintains average. Drinkability, a challenge. This beer is ok when you first pour it, but do not allow it to warm, or nurse it slowly because it seemed to get harder to drink as time went on. I think this would be improved vastly by either sharing the beer (a bomber is probably too much of this flavour for one person) or by pairing with a similarly aggressive food.

Overall, this might be a gimmick, but it seems to work, for about the first 1/2 of the bottle at least. Best split with someone else, or paired with very spicy food.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2006 01:05:08 | More by CortexBomb

marcpal

New Jersey

2.75/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Pint poured on tap at Publick House into American pint glass. Intrigued by this, thought I would like. Wrong.

A: Another apple juice looking drink. Slight head and too much bubbles.

N: Spice and smoke were there, with some malt background. No bitterness or hops in the aroma.

T: Chipotle definitely present, almost reminded me of a bloody mary sting. Not enjoyable in a beer, not here at least. The taste came off as a bit hokey and not naturally built off the base of the beer.

M: A bit rich, spices dont marry well. Too much carbonation to balance out.

D: I guess if your up for spices or what not, you may like but it doesnt come across well. First beer from Rogue I found undrinkable. Just not my cup o tea.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2008 12:48:51 | More by marcpal

mugglesandhops

California

2.78/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

On tap at the Rogue brew pub in Newport.

This is my first "spiced" beer I have ever tried and The only reason I even got this is to try all the Rogues I have never tried. I was not impressed at all by this one. Poured a red color with a good 2 finger head on it. Pepper comes out in the nose right away and that's pretty much all im pulling out of this one. Taste as it smells, very peppery, very spicy especially in the end...good med. bodied feel to it. I will not drink this again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2008 22:38:44 | More by mugglesandhops

CHSLBrew

Minnesota

2.78/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Bomber poured into a pint glass, shared with a friend.

A-Orange -amber beer with a white head on top, slowly receding to a thin layer.

S-The smell is overwhelmed by chipotle peppers. That's pretty much it.

T-As with the smell, chipotle peppers hijack this beer's flavor. Other beer characters are largely covered by the peppers' flavor. A slight heat on the otherwise smokey finish.

M-Medium body with appropriate carbonation.

D-I did not care for this beer. I think the pepper flavors were too prominent, which left no room for other beer flavors to represent. An interesting beer to try, but I won't be trying this one again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 21:57:31 | More by CHSLBrew

Justin23060

Virginia

2.78/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Slight head that disappeared to ice tea foam. Cloudy orange ice tea color
S - Sweet malt. Not as much chipotle smell as I was expecting. Slight pleasant leather that turned into unpleasant medicated bandade.
Taste is dominated by smokey chipoltle. Smoke is of mild rauchbier. Starts sweet end semi dry. Nice linger.
M - Adequate
O - Not super impressed by this one. The smoke was nice but he sandaid really killed it for me. Probably won't get this again, and can really recommend it in good conscience.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 04:23:20 | More by Justin23060

hiikeeba

Texas

2.8/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - pours up hazy light brown with a thick head with big bubbles that dissipates slowly

S - Smells of fruit, some citrus hop aroma

T - Sweet malt with a hint of raisin flavor. No chipotle flavor. Some heat in the back of my throat a minute or two after swallowing. It slowly--slowly-- spread around my mouth.

M - Nothing to write home about. It's not thin and it's not thick.

D - The heat is a nice tingle, but I expected more smoke. Too raisiny for my taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2007 23:03:59 | More by hiikeeba

DocJitsu

California

2.8/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a clear golden copper with an eggshell colored, foamy head. Average head retention with some foamy lacing. Lemon zest, chili pepper, and plastic aromas. Orange notes, smokiness, and an unpleasant plastic flavor. Drinks like a Märzen. Mouthfeel is smooth and soft until the finish, which brings a fine sandpaper-like scrubbing. The faintest capsicum burn on the back of the throat. This is not a great beer. Certainly not Rogue's best effort. Lots of optimism in the idea though.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 02:26:14 | More by DocJitsu

TheBeerWolf

Nevada

2.83/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I have to say I was a bit disappointed after reading the reviews here then actually drinking one of these. I was expecting to have something that would either be pretty vile or pretty dang tasty to me since I do like chilis and spicy food. Well I did not get either really. It pours a nice yellow with a bit of a red hue and a slightly white head that laces pretty quickly. The smell to me was a bit like fermented fruit with just a hint of smokiness in the background. The taste was what kind of let me down but not in a horrible way. It ended being so average to me, I was expecting to either be wowed or just grossed out by something that tasted too much like peppers. I don't know maybe I'm crazy but it just tasted like a very average thin ale with just a tiny hint of smokiness in the background. The immediate aftertaste is just the smokiness but after a while if you let it sit on your tongue I get a hint of burnt chili seeds. It was not too bad for me getting through the one bomber but I gave it a 2.5 on drinkability because I could definately imagine it turning off alot of people and just left me pretty unimpressed either way. Not horrible or anything but I don't think I would buy another one. I cracked open a Stone Pale Ale after drinking this one and that just tasted soooo good after drinking this stuff.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2006 13:02:32 | More by TheBeerWolf

BoozySmurf

Pennsylvania

2.85/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served on tap at the Blue Dog, this arrived in a pint glass with a tiny collar of white foam atop clear amber. Smell was of an american brown ale: nutty, sweet aroma with citrus hop notes (cascades)? Initially the taste was similar with a good mix of caramel sweet maltiness and bitter hops, but the taste changed to that of the chipotle. It was a smoky barbeque type taste, and only minimal heat from capcaesin. Mouthfeel was light-bodied and seemed appropriate for what I'm guessing was a 5% ABV beer, give or take 0.2%. I drank it quickly, but more so to get it over with.

Note: Interesting flavor, but I doubt I'll revisit this style any time soon. I am fond of hot sauce and tobasco has long since replaced ketchup on my scrambled eggs, but it doesn't seem to work well with this beer, and the aftertaste was annoying.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2006 22:52:37 | More by BoozySmurf