John John Dead Guy Ale - Rogue Ales

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-orange amber color with an off-white head and decent lacing

S-malt, caramel, vanilla, oak, hint of whiskey

T-bready malt, vanilla, brown sugar, oak, whiskey, minimal bitterness in the finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth, alcohol a little more noticeable than I would have thought

O-a decent barrel-aged ale, flavors work pretty well together

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 12:34:36 | More by MDDMD

Danno48

West Virginia

4.24/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured into a chalice.

She pours a hazy iced tea accompanied by a very shallow and quickly dissipating head. Not much lacing.

Smells.... well fantastic. A proper smelling beer. Very sweet on the nose with grape and fig fragrance. Smells very much like a Belgian strong dark.

Tastes of honey and oats... then a slight and soothing woodsiness from the barrel aging and maybe a dry, apricot type sweetness. Just delightful.

Very light on the tongue for the amount of flavor. Mild carbonation.

Lovely beer. And worth the money for one who wants to try something once. Having it with some nice Bleu d'Avergne which works wonders.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 04:14:21 | More by Danno48

Alyssat_

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

I drank the first half of the bottle just under room temperature while the second half chilled in the freezer. The first half was wonderful. The whiskey notes were prominent but not overwhelming. I can't really put my finger on the taste, but there is a mellow sweetness that follows the initial whiskey flavor. The second half tasted like a slightly hoppy Blue Moon. I regretted letting it chill! Really interesting aroma. Misleadingly herbal. Overall good beer. I prefer it to regular dead guy.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 03:51:37 | More by Alyssat_

chinchill

South Carolina

3.96/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

22 oz bottle served in a St. Bernardus snifter.

A: The beer is hazy orange-amber in color. It poured into my snifter with a sudsy head that quickly died down to a thin partial film over the surface and a thin ring around the edge of the glass.

S: Moderately strong aromas of malts, whiskey and wood in the somewhat fruity nose. Interesting and complex, although not a perfect mix in my nose.

T: The flavor is a little better than the aroma, with a solid malt/barley base, beer is quite malty and notes of wood and whiskey from the barrel aging process. Hints of yeast, spicy and herbal hops, honey and dark fruits are also present in the taste. Good sweet/sour/bitter balance, leaning slight towards the sweet/sour dimensions.

M: On the high side of medium-bodied with a very good, low-moderate amount of carbonation. Quite smooth with nearly no alcohol harshness.

O: A rich and complex ale I enjoyed quite a bit despite having no particular fondness for whiskey. The whiskey barrel aging adds a good level of wood and whiskey to the aroma and flavor, and probably contributes to the fine mouthfeel. Improved with warming.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 23:07:00 | More by chinchill

mfnmbvp

Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle. No bottled on date, and I dgaf. Super stoked to try this beer! Poured into a Boulevard tulip.

A - Pours a murky cloudy orange color. No head to speak of. Looks amazing!

S - Oaked vanilla from the Dead Guy Whiskey barrels, amidst a crisp floral hop smell. Smells amazing, too.

T - Extreme burst of vanilla. Hot booze. Super delicious. Barrel aged beers are definitely my thing, and I am dying to try the Dead Guy Whiskey, so my first bottle of Rogue John John Ale is a lovely precursor to that for sure! I might be enjoying this beer more than I enjoy the actual Rogue Dead Guy Ale.

M - Sweetness invades the palate from start to finish. Burnt brown sugar taste lingers, which is very distinct.

Overall, very glad to have found and tried this. If anything, it might have been just a tad bit TOO sweet, but an excellent beer! I will definitely buy this again.

Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale ---4/5.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 16:40:17 | More by mfnmbvp

warrenout330

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bomber into a chalice

A- pours a deep orange golden color. Frothy white thick head, quickly disappears to nothing but a thin white sheet over the liquid.

S- caramel malt, vanilla woody undertones. Earthy funk, mild alcohol ting in the nose.

T- earthy funk. Vanilla woody highlights through out the beer.. earthy hops. A perfect melody.

M- prickly in the mouth followed by a hop bite. Sweet highlight through out the ale
... almost slight creamy in the back.

O- very interesting take on a hells Bock. Dead Guy is a phenomenal ale.... this really highlights it on a slight Bourbon barrel feel... they really did well with timing on the aging of this beer on the wood. If anything longer this would of been a mess

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 02:33:45 | More by warrenout330

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Good beer! Poured at a good temperature wilth a decent size, light tan, foamy, frothy head that soon settled and some lace. Color is a clear amber with some bubble trails. Aroma is the best part here and is malt, whiskey, hop and aromatic. Flavor doesn't have mujch of the whiskey, but lots of malt and some hop comes through. It's also fairly dry with carbonic tang balanced nicely with the bitter and the slight sweet to take the edge off. Body is also excellent and is soft, but not overly and great carbonation. Finish is like flavor, good burps, a little boozy, the whiskey flavor finally comes through, and a bit on the long side.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 02:39:29 | More by drpimento

ThePaleRider

California

3.78/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Dark honey colored with a thick white head that leaves a little bit of lacing down the glass. Lots of cloudy stuff lingering around in the glass.

S - Sweet malts, wood, and a little alcohol hit the nose.

T - Hits the tongue a little flat. Turns into whiskey and hops. Very sweet and pretty smooth. Not a lot of depth, but if you're a whiskey lover it works well. Could use a little more love from the ale, but not bad at all.

M - Full bodied and leave a very thick film in your mouth. Pretty flat, I think more carbonation would really set this ale off.

O - Decent barrel aged ale that I would really like to try on draft.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 00:07:32 | More by ThePaleRider

Jeffo

Netherlands

2.23/5  rDev -41.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Dad picked this up in NC sometime in the spring. Thanks for thinking of me pops!

From a bomber into a snifter
Dead Guy Ale in Dead Guy whisky barrels

APPEARANCE: Pours a two finger, very loose, fizzy, off-white head with lousy retention. Head quickly fades to a good foam cap and holds there. Perfectly clear saftey orand in color with medium carbonation evident. Only a faint, splotchy wisp and ring remain with touches of lacing down the glass. Really lousy head, but the body was quite nice, which saved it some.

SMELL: Caramel, toffee, and then some green fruits, like apples and pears. Some honey and spicy notes from the yeast, perhaps. Almost something Belgian about it, like a Belgian pale or triple. Relatively mild on the nose as well.

TASTE: Mild in flavor as well. Caramel and toffee up front with some green fruits at the swallow. Green apples, pears, and then a mild and lingering finish of malt sweetness, fruits, a light, spicy yeast note and a hint of oak vanilla flavors. The barrel is very mild on this one, and the base beer isn't all that impressive either. The yeasty, green fruit charecter reminds me of Belgian pales/triples as well.

PALATE: Medium-light body and higher levels of carbonation. A little prickly on the palate, could definitely be smoother, goes down fine and finishes a touch dry on the palate. Definitely needs to be creamier and smoother.

OVERALL: Unfortunately there are no dates on this, but this bottle isn't more than 6 months out from being sold. Mild in the nose and taste, and the barrels are boring at best. I guess they decided to just put an unimpressive beer into unimpressive barrels. The feel sucks as well. This is a boring beer I'd hope they'd forget about making again. I've had better from Rogue. Thanks again for the beers dad. Always appreciate you thinking of me while you're lapping up the sun.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 13:57:36 | More by Jeffo

Wolfpack2005

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Deep tawny hazy orange that leave about a two finger head that fades quickly but maintains a minimal coverage.

S-Sweet caramel malt aroma with small hints of whiskey.

T-Taste follows the nose with the sweet caramel malts with a slight honey sweetness. Then I get a mild whiskey/oak barrel flavor thats not overwhelming and grows stronger as the beer warms up. Also picking up some slight vanilla notes.

M-Noting exceptional, medium body, light carbonation.

O- This whiskey/barrel flavor is very subtle. I really like the beer because dead guy is one of my go to beers and will still get this beer on occasionally in the future, but would have liked a little more of the barrel flavor.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 19:56:44 | More by Wolfpack2005

JackieTH

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on tap at the Autumn Brew Review, from notes.

Pour was a reddish haze of amber with a finger of creamy foam. Smell was biscuit and bready malt, caramel, dark fruit, oak, lightly vanilla.

Taste started with a nice base of honey sweetness, biscuit and bready malt, honey-nut-caramel and peach, then a very pleasant oaky-vanilla tone from the wood.

Medium bodied with light-moderate carbonation.

This is an already decent beer that has been barrel aged to add some subtle complexity. Not at all overpowering in the whiskey department. Very nice.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2012 15:45:43 | More by JackieTH

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle into a goblet.

Pours a clear copper, with a finger of foamy off-white head. This retains with a smooth foaminess, which leaves back a cascade of froth that quickly slides down the sides of the glass but doesn’t leave a whole lot of lacing behind. The aroma is heavy with oak and vanilla that meld fairly well with the caramel sweetness here, while a touch of ripe citrus sits underneath.

The taste is nearly identical to the aroma; with more strong oak and vanilla character which sticks to the base sweetness of this while underlying citric hops add a touch of crispness to the profile. More of a burnt whiskey feel hangs on the edges and pull in the back where it leaves the finish dry and tannic feeling. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and prickly feeling on the tongue with a firm creaminess that then blows a bit on the palate. The only alcohol I’m getting here appears to be coming from the barrel.

This was OK but overall, the base Dead Guy just doesn’t seem burly enough to hold up to the strength of the barrel at times, with a lot of oak, vanilla and burnt character really starting to emerge as this warmed up. This wasn’t bad to me or anything but just seemed like it needed a little more balance between the base and barrel.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 15:42:56 | More by Kegatron

Kromes

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orange color with a thin lie of bubbles on top. Sweet honey and caramel malt aroma with a touch of alcohol and fruity esters. Sweet caramel malt and fruity esters mix with a vanilla and oak flavor. There is a little bit of hop bitterness in the finish to balance it out. Medium body and the feel is peppery from the carbonation with a lingering bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 18:11:27 | More by Kromes

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Snagged a bottle at the House of 1,000 for 5 bucks.

A - Pours a hazy amber brown with a 1/4 inch of sticky opaque head.

S - Smell is nice even though I get very little dead guy. Mostly whiskey and dough with a touch of caramel malts.

T - To me it seemed like such a waste of good whiskey barrels. Sure it has mild bourbon undertones and some dough but it had very little hop or dead guy balance so it seemed too light for it's own good. I think the only aspect that would remind me this is dead guy is the caramel/toffee in the finish.

M - Medium and kind of chewy. Ok i guess.

Overall they had the barrel thing down but used too low of an ABV beer that wasn't even too complex to begin with. Now if they aged double mocha porter like this is would be world class. Worth picking up for 5 bucks I guess.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 02:19:05 | More by DrDemento456

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a dark burgundy color ale with a rather large foamy head with good retention and minimal lacing. Aromas of whisky notes are quite dominant with some light caramel malt notes also noticeable. Taste is a good mix between the caramelized sugars from the malt backbone with some nice whisky notes that are not too boozy. Body is about average with good carbonation. Nothing earth shattering here but very nice nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 17:22:18 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERMILER12

Maine

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

A: Pours a golden orange color with a fingers worth of slightly off-white head

S: Less pungent than regular dead guy, but some nice light oak and caramel notes come through. Not particularly strong in any way, which is a big turn from the regular which is usually in-your-face lager yeast and malts. Interesting difference for sure

T: Very pleasant. The base beer is still great and recognizable, but the barrels add a nice subtle oak and vanilla flavor to the picture

M: Medium bodied with light-moderate carbonation

O: If you want a beer that is going to slam you with whiskey, this is not your beer. The oak and whiskey are light and subtle, but present enough that you certainly notice them. Very solid beer and barrel-aging job here by Rogue

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 00:57:11 | More by BEERMILER12

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.85/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz served into a snifter.

No born on date, but supposedly fresh from the truck.

A - Pours a slightly hazed amber/red. 2 fingers of cream colored head looks thick and blankets the ceiling with micro-bubbles.

S - Bready malt, alcohol vapors, golden grahams cereal, faint fruit, hints of vanilla, bright fruit, peaches,

T - Bright caramel, honey sweetness, very bready, suggestions of wood, clean but doughy yeast (if that makes sense), peaches, toasted grains covered in honey.

M - Very smooth feel, light to medium bodied, semi-sweet finish.

Bright and bready are 2 words that would describe this beer.

If it wasn't printed on the label I would have never guessed this was aged on whiskey barrels.
The signature pacman yeast is very present.(nutty and doughy) The barrels seem to add creaminess and hints of vanilla. (I guess) Nice fruit profiles and nice honey flavor.

A solid beer that has grains of barrel aging and pulls it off. Outrageously overpriced so this is a one and done.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 23:10:02 | More by StaveHooks

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

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

On tap. ½ Pint glass. Enjoyed on may´12. Bright orange color. Off-white, creamy, lasting crown. Floral hop, moderate caramel malt & yeasty with apple touch. Maltiness dominates flavors, eventhough they are well rounded by low bitterness. Ripe fruit -apricot & peach- hints. Whiskey malt notes in the middle, slightly wood-cask too, give a very kind warm touch to such an smooth mouthfeel. Medium body, soft carbonation. Subtle astringency. Don´t like Helles Bock style?. Try, this. Refreshing & flavorful.

Serving type: on-tap

05-28-2012 20:59:01 | More by GONZALOYANNA

Suds

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

After just having a deadguy ale, this is an interesting counterpoint. It is clearly a similar beer, but is also smoother, more rounded, dynamic, and interesting. The appearance has the same amber hue and white head. The smell, though, has a rounded complexity...wood, sweetness, brandy-like vinous scents, and some smokey notes. The taste is also smoother, and more blended. Sweet, but very drinkable. Full in body. Great.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 02:59:39 | More by Suds

CookstLiquor

British Columbia (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A- The brownish, orangeish appearance definitely seems to be related to the oak aging.

S- Some nice caramelly, grainy malt notes mingle with a little subdued stone fruit. Very enticing.

T- A nice integration of what makes Dead Guy Ale so tasty along with the enhancements from the whiskey barrel aging. The result is a round, pleasantly bitter beer, with tons of complexity. A really nice sipper that's easy to drink.

M- The combination of the mild carbonation and the malty roundness really make for a nice mouthfeel. Slight bitter finish.

O- Would be great to try this side by side with a regular Dead Guy, but we love it just fine on its own. Another great Rogue offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 23:48:41 | More by CookstLiquor

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber poured into a SA pint glass

A- Super hazy orange, can see a shadow of my finger through it but a surprisingly light color. A one finger off white dense head.

S- A lot like normal dead guy non surprisingly. A big bit of bitterness. A nice bit of grains and a lot of caramel flavors. The whiskey is also a dominant force here. I want to say I smell alcohol but I know its just my brain playing a trick on me because of the whiskey flavors.

T- Awesome. A lot of carbonation and bitterness prepare the palate. A lot of caramel, light and dark. A complex but subtle grain profile. The whiskey works extremely well in this beer, It almost gives is a candy feel, its sweet and earthy. I never noticed how great whiskey flavors are because im usually trying to get rid of it as fast as possible.

M- This beer has a good bit of carbonation and is quite bitter. The beer is surprisingly warming. It is tasty as hell and quite smooth, body is nice size and quite sticky.

O- Having tried Dead Guy and Double Dead Guy, I can now say this is my favorite member of the death's family tree. I haven't tried many barrel aged beers but I can confidently say it works wonders on this classic brew. Get some.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 03:59:20 | More by TwelveOunces

Philousa

California

3.28/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a pale ale orange, opaque. Good amount of head, tries to lace, but is unsuccessful. Sweet malt, floral, with a hint of hops. Light malt, but with a bit of caramel to bring some substance to it. Some whiskey, hot liquor but it's very slight. The liquor is definitely evident in the taste. Very bitter to start with. Didn't notice it much to start, but as it warmed I got it more and more. Under the bitterness, the malt seems very balanced and smooth (it's Dead Guy, so it's good). There is a malty sweetness to it, as to be expected in a Maibock. Finish is very dry, and the balance is a little off but only due to the barrel aging.

Interesting, somewhat complex beer, but very approachable. A nice spin on an already solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 17:13:09 | More by Philousa

russwbeck

Virginia

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: The beer pours a bit darker in color than John John Juniper with a smaller head. The retention is only ok, and the lacing doesn't really exist. It does settle nicely clear, but Juniper looked better.

S: Strangely...this smells amazingly similar to the Gin barrel aged version. The difference (obviously) is the whiskey. Very woody and sweet, I'm left wondering where the Maibock is? A bit light overall

T: The whiskey is stepped back a lot from the aroma. Oak, vanilla, and some maltiness from the bock base. It's nicely balanced, but as I've said the oakier side of beers are not my thing. I'd really like all of the aspects of this beer to be a bit better and well integrated. It certainly doesn't taste bad, but not great.

MF: Light with a lower amount of carbonation than I expected. The beer isn't that great, so the drinkability for me isn't that high. It's a little too malty and oaky for me.

O: $8 for a bottle, which I was happy to buy and share. I suggest you do the same as drinking a whole bottle might be too much. The whiskey isn't there enough, and the base beer isn't strong enough to carry it through.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 00:43:55 | More by russwbeck

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Split a 22oz bottle poured into a duvel glass

A: pours a nice murky orange amber with a touch of brown.... A finger and a half of off white head, dissapates nicley leaves light lacing.

S: smells of earth and citrus, sweet hints of caramel.... A bit of yeast... Perhaps the earth is coming from the barrels? I expected a lot more whisky on the nose.... Bit overall the nose is a bit mild... Especially for a barrel aged beer.

T: yeasty breadiness developing into citrus and sweet caramel.... Accented by notes of vanilla and oak from the barrel, the whisky is deffinatly much more on the finish, again I felt like there would be more whisky here... It is very well blended in with the other flavors, making for a very well rounded brew.

M: a bit light.... With sharp medium carbonation, very drinkable crisp.

O: a very good brew, very well rounded and gives a very nice whisky and barrel profile... A mucho quaffable whisky barrel brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 00:48:23 | More by PeterIngemi

bth86

Maine

2.4/5  rDev -37.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Let me start out by saying this is the second time I've tried this beer. Back in January the bottle of John John REALLY impressed me! It's smooth, creamy, and sweet caramel taste had me craving more. After trying to hunt it down I finally came across a bottle and picked it up to review.

I must say the second time buying a bottle of this, and I was much less impressed! Not too sure if it had been sitting out too long or what, but I couldn't finish the bottle. The smell was nice, giving off a nice touch of oak, however the taste was poor. Very bitter, sour, skunky! After a couple sips, I poured the rest out.

How disappointing! And I hate giving this beer such poor ratings. However I would love to try this one again, as I think I simply just got a bad bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 00:54:39 | More by bth86