Dead Guy Ale - Rogue Ales

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A light and smooth tasting brew. Do not feel higher alcohol at all. Surprisingly amber, and seemed to me like a vienna amber style, malty with modest carbonation. Bitter aftertaste. If in a session, serve between heavy other types.


My mates liked it better than I did but it could be from less sophisticated taste buds.

Had it a year later on tap, found it sour but decent. Had it again on tap in May 2005 at Eulogy's and it was above average.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2004 03:15:00 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Orange-amber-copper all in one, which is a pretty cool hue. The head is ivory in color with a hint of orange, is firm and looks like it will last for a while. As it descends, the cap comes to resemble a rich vanilla milkshake sitting atop the beer. It doesn't last very long, though it ends up leaving a decent amount of lace in spotty sheets.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I have no earthly idea what a maibock is supposed to smell or taste like. Therefore, I can't really say if this is a good example of the style or not. The flavor profile is pretty well-balanced, with malt having the slight edge.

The beer is somewhat caramel-like, with an earthiness and a restrained spiciness. The spiciness becomes bolder and more interesting as the beer warms. Again, I'm not sure what sort of mouthfeel a beer of this style should have, but this one seems fine. It's medium-full and has a pleasing smoothness.

Dead Guy Ale may be the most ubiquitous craft brew in this city. Every store that carries beer seems to carry it. It's obvious that it's a quality offering, but it doesn't stand out as exceptional. Even though I'll probably drink it again, it won't be anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2004 23:52:44 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.85/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Deep copper, good head, cloudy, bit of lace after

S - Caramel, not over powering, kinda nutty, but nothing too spectacular

T - Smooth, nice aftertaste, a bit sugary, nut, caramel

M - Not too thick, not alot of carbonation, very creamy

D - Very drinkable, could put down a few of these easy.

This is a good beer, served it at my halloween party and was very well accepted. This was out of a bottle, into a pint glass, on tap locally had a bit more of a kick, but overall recommended. Found myself drinking one of these almost every other day lately. Good Brew/

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2006 02:36:49 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a moderate caramel-brown color with a light tan head and a bit of lacing. The nose brings some light floral hops over a body of caramel and some lightly-sweet bready malt. The flavor is a bit bready with some yeast characteristics. The body is medium with good carbonation. Overall, one of the first craft beers that I had, but not something that impresses me terribly these days.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2010 18:20:29 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.3/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours an slightly hazy, orangey-amber body with thinnish, white head.

Smell: Sweet-smelling floral, yeasty aroma with hints of dried fruits and apples.

Taste: An overall sourish taste, with flavors of honey, dried fruits, and cider. Light hops on the finish and a yeasty aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: You know, if you can't say something nice, don't say it at all!

Time for an update! Not all too much has changed, except there's a more distinct toasty, bready malt character. Still sourish, less cidery and more akin to a non-oaked white wine. Slight score bump overall.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2007 22:38:59 | More by ChainGangGuy

UCLABrewN84

California

3.65/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a nice copper color with a 1 inch head that fades to a small cap. Good lacing.

S - Smells of biscuit and citrus hops.

T - Bitter/tangy hops up front with a biscuit malt aftertaste.

M - Good carbonation with a crisp/clean taste.

D - Good refreshing beer. I would get this one again.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2010 03:10:53 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Deep copper colored brew with a nice white head with good retention skill. Complex mix of malts and hops that is hard to defined but easy to enjoy. Sweet aroma and taste with a bitter aftertaste. This is very good and the bottle design is excellent! Will be looking into trying more of the Rogue product.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2003 17:48:48 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a wonderful beer; I'm surprised I've never reviewed it. Drank once or twice per month at the local pizza pub. Pours a nice deep coper to auburn color; translucent; vibrantly carbonated and impressively headed and laced. Smells of sweet malts, dark fruits, spices and esters. Tastes about as sweet and dark as possible without getting into heavy roasted grains. Lots of barley, molassas, and brown sugar. Mild, smooth flavors of prunes, dates, raisons, and almonds. More highly hopped than most would expect; picking up fuity esters and spicy alcohol. Full rich body that remains creamy under the abundant carbonation. Finishes sweet and a bit malty. I've always considered this a dopplebock. No matter where you categorize it, it's a good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2005 20:25:46 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice rich gold color with creamy head that stayed nicely,smelled nice and malty with some fruitiness to it.Nice balanced brew not overly sweet but enjoyably sweet,hop is in there after a few sips it shows.Drink this one alot really good beer with some balls.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2003 18:57:18 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Slightly hazy. Reddish-orange in color with a fluffy ivory head that holds well and leaves some light lace. The aroma is mainly malty with a softly toasty caramel note and a lightly spicy hoppiness, as well as some dark fruitiness (at times I thought of cherry). The body is medium with a somewhat less than moderate carbonation level (very English), giving a nice creaminess in the mouthfeel. The flavor is richly malty with a solid caramel notes and some distinct, piney hops. It's well balanced, giving a see-saw effect that goes from sweet malt to hop flavor & bitterness with each taste. The finish is dryish with a nice hop flavor. Very nicely done. Very drinkable with alot of character. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2002 14:13:30 | More by NeroFiddled

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I'm drinking this fresh from the tap--my second,now--while I peruse my notes on a review from a bottled serving. So what do I think now and what did I say then? We'll put the two together..

First off, like with any brew, this is 100x better on tap, the flavor explodes. Any time you can find it on draft, reward the operation,please, for their boldness and their taste, and order a Dead Guy instead of your usual local micro pale ale. But about the beer...Beautiful, big off-white head, gorgeous amber/dark orange color. Aroma: bright, fresh fruitiness, vegetableness, it's a veritable garden in here. Great hops, just mild enough, with loads of malt. I was confused about the style for a long time. I was led to believe that it was an Oktoberfest, but aren't they usually lagers? A recent trip to Oregon and a visit to a Rogue Ale House set me straight about the DG's true genealogy. An ale-style maibock! These guys are geniuses! Spicy but soft palate, very pleasant finish, an utterly delicious drink!
Unfortunately, this brewer is acutely under-represented in this region. We even lost Shakespeare Stout, thanks to the distributor's bean counters!
All hail Dead Guy, Long May He Rest!

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2002 21:43:37 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours an dark golden/ amber color with a thin off-white head that laces nicely. The aroma is fruity. There are hints of pale malts and yeast. The taste is also good. There is a sweetness about it that stays with you until it finishes. This is a refreshing beer that's low/med bodied and carbonated just right. This is a great sessions beer. Rogue has done it again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2003 20:13:28 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

3.8/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought a six-pack of this at a local liquor store in FL. Rogue Dead Guy Ale was a staple of mine out west, but I have turned to German and Belgian beers more as of late, its nice to know you can go home again.

Poured 12oz. out of bottle into Rogue pint glass. Amber in color, I didn't remember what it smelled like, but the one I poured had almost no aroma at all. Smooth mouthfeel, moderately hopped, a great example of the style. Easy to drink. Still love this beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2009 19:32:40 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a copper, amber color with a white, two-finger head. Left some lace.

S - It smelled of sweet malts and grasses.

T - It tasted of toasted malt and some hops and clove.

M - It was crisp and dry. A medium-bodied beer.

D - A very good beer. Not to mention a great label.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2007 01:29:29 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

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

A: It poured clear amber in color with a small head that dies down into a thin layer of bubbles that persist in covering the surface. There is a light amount of visible carbonation.
S: There is a light aroma of sweet toasted caramel malts in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has some hints of toffee, although there are also some hop flavors, particularly in the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied and very smooth on the palate.
D: This beer is easy to drink and very sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 19:18:49 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is a pleasing copper/ amber color with a bit of chill haze to it. It pours with a frothy cream to tan colored head. The main aroma is one of a malty biscuit, it is accompanied by a sweet hoppiness. This beer is very malty tasting, and lightly sweet. I must say this is a great session beer, lots of flavor yet it seems to be relatively light. A beer for when you aren't up to being assaulted by hop varieties and dense maltiness. This beer finishes with a balancing bitterness that counterpoints the wonderful mixture of sweet maltiness and hop flavors that are at the front part of this beer. This beer is what I wish Fat Tire was, I know it is a bit hypocritical, but I can still wish.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2003 16:44:47 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.47/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: The beer is a hazy, dark amber color, about the same color as an APWA but a bit darker. It has a thin, off-white head, which fades quickly and leaves almost no lacing.

S: The smell is a dual combination of citrusy hops and roasted malt. Excellent blend!

T: You get the hops taste first with a little bit of bitterness, followed by the roasted malt and sweetness. It’s almost like I’m drinking an APA & a Porter at the same time. A very flavorful and well-balanced beer! The after-taste is sweet, but very mild.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium-bodied with just the right amount of carbonation.

D: The beer goes down very nicely and is very tasty, which allows you to throw it back easily. The only thing that diminishes its drinkability is that it may fill you just a bit. However, I could certainly kill a few of these large bottles before I get too hammered and realize that I’m not tasting it anymore.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2006 06:02:33 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dead Guy poured out as a light copper color. The head wasn't very impressive here and neither was the lacing. The smell of the beer has a decent amount of hop aromas that are balanced with some malts. The taste of this beer is decent. Nothing too over the top, some grainy malts and a bitter hop finish. The mouthfeel is pretty smooth but it also felt a little watered down. Overall I wasn't too impressed with this beer. Yes it's drinkable but just falls short to me.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2011 14:49:33 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.85/5  rDev -3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours amber with a 2 fingerdeep sand colored head that drops fast. Minimal Head retention and lacing

Smell: Fruitiness and a slight smokiness?

Taste: Rich and fruity with a slight hint of vanilla, toastiness, slight hop bitterness on the tounge and a slight nutty taste. Sweetness and slight bitterness on the finish.

MF: Slighlty chewy with good balance, slightly undercarbonated

Drinkable enough but nothing special

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2006 17:35:34 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

3.48/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bomber,

A: Pours a marzen orange with a full off-white head, good retention, spotty lacing.

S: Light maltiness, very sweet, molasses, light alcohol.

T: Very malty, has a strong sugar character to it, like toffee candy. Get a little bit of red apple peel too, hint of pumpkin pie spice.

M: Nice full mouthfeel, good carbonation, very smooth, viscous.

D: A nice little ale from Rogue, not a true maibock, but a nice hybrid, a lot better than some of the stuff that's out there. Could buy again.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2008 05:54:57 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured amber with a thin off-white head that quickly disappeared, but left a ring around the edge. Little to no lacing was left.

Upfront sweet, caramel smell with a touch of fruity hops in background.

The taste was sweet, caramel-candy-like malt. Some hops in the background lended it a slighty fruitiness to it. The alcohol comes through a bit, but does not interfere with the flavors. In fact, if anything it enhances them. A delicious taste.

The feel was medium to full-bodied. Sweetness lingers a bit, but does not become cloying at all. Complexity and alcohol make it not as smooth as it could be, but fairly smooth nevertheless. The flavors linger.

A good interpretation of the style, and a very enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2006 21:31:19 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.94/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle. Believe it or not, way back in the mid-90s, this was the only US micro, except for maybe Sam Adams, that was available in my fair burg, and was my intro to the broad spectrum that is craft brewing from our southern neighbours. The times, they have since a-changed, so let me take a stroll down memory lane. While there is indeed a marketing label spiel (Dare, Risk, Dream), it is of the weakest, lack of information sort, especially for this venerable, cheeky purveyor of west-coast suds.

This beer pours a cloudy medium apricot colour, with one finger of creamy light beige head, which leaves a thin curtain of droopy lace around the glass as it lazily recedes.

It smells of pale biscuit and thin caramel malt, musty orchard fruit, and a bit of citrus and floral hops, with the slightest twinge of warming alcohol. The taste is lightly roasted fruit, of the drupe sort (pear and apple), caramel malt, a rather understated bit of biscuit dryness, mildly edgy yeast, and floral, somewhat perfumed earthy hops.

The carbonation is fairly soft, the body tacitly smooth, with a wee bit of creaminess, and a placid medium weight. It finishes with more fruity malt, and perfume-tinged floral hops.

The prototypical new world Maibock, despite the confusing name, and with verily big malts, nicely cut with soft, but effective balancing fruity hops. Very drinkable, at this particular bookend of my beer-drinking years.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2010 00:46:29 | More by biboergosum

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

The classic Dead Guy bomber. Pours a hazy ruby-amber with off-white head. Smells of sweet, fruity amber malts. Tastes of caramel malts with a bit of esters and little bitterness at the end. A very well-balanced beer, although the mouthfeel is just a little hot at times. Very drinkable, give me a keg.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2006 04:44:16 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly hazy amber copper hue with an off white fluffy billowing head. This beer doesn't have the thickest lace, but what it lacks there it makes up with in taste and aroma. Aroma is a sharp sweetness with notes of caramel and slight apple tartness. The flavor is very complex yet simply amazing in every way, this beer blends the perfect amount of subtle bittering hops with a huge blend of specialty malts. Gotta love the maibock brewed with ale yeast instead of the standard lager yeast for the style. This shows that taking a chance can bring you an awesome product like the one I have the pleasure of sipping on right now. There are hints is a soft chewy mouthfeel that carries a plethora of caramel malt, a ver slight tartness, and the trace of hop character tie this beer together. No loose ends here, one amazing totally solid brew that is so easy to drink. If I see this stuff on tap it is going to be quite a fun night, very good drinkable brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2003 21:09:24 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured out of the 64 ounce growler. (the glow in the dark one) Color is a cloudy amber with a one finger head with some lacing. Nose is sweet with a berry tone. Flavor is somewhat sweet with a bitter edge on the tail. Mouth is smooth and a little bit heavy, with a slight bit of bubble that clings to your mouth. Extremely drinkable due to it’s smooth tone and flavor. Excellent brew - better than I remember. (maybe it’s the growler as opposed to the bottle)

Serving type: growler

12-30-2007 05:35:52 | More by RblWthACoz