John John Juniper - Rogue Ales

elniko

Texas

3.23/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into globe glass.

A: Medium amber coloring, not much head or lacing to speak of. Not too impressive.

S: Nose is a little boozy, don't get much juniper.

T & M: I do get the juniper in the taste but it is quite faint. Mouthfeel a little tingly from the carbonation, otherwise fairly light bodied. Just not a lot of flavor to be honest.

D: Drinkable but overall I was a little underwhelmed by this brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2010 01:23:56 | More by elniko

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy yellow amber with a wispy head. Smells like a pine forest, with lots of juniper and some spruce. Definitely somewhat gin-like. The taste is similar but a little softer and even more gin-like. Less of an impact from the spruce. Soft and sort of like a watered down martini. Interesting, and fairly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 01:30:36 | More by Georgiabeer

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a hazy golden color with good carbonation and a nice white head

S: Yeah, Gin smells like liquid broken glass to me, some spruce

T: Gin and spruce def make the presence known, hopes, light pine

M: Kind of unique bitter finish, well carbonated

D: Its ok to try but probablt will not drink again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2010 00:55:01 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very hazy gold color. Solid start to the head; settles slowly leaving spotty, but chunky lace on the glass.

Surprisingly mild aroma--I cannot detect any spruce or juniper berries. Initially, it reminds me of a cream ale. Ah, on the second whiff, I do get some pine and some floral hop. Still cream-ish though.

Prickly taste right on the initial sip. There's a lot of Pale Ale in this, which I think makes it a better-than-average spiced beer. All too often brewers will overemphasize the adjunct; this is far more subtle. As a pale ale it is fairly traditional, but the extra spices provide some real creativity to the brew. I find it has a strong lemon flavor with a white pepper spice. There's a hoppy black pepper touch as well. In a word--complex. Each time I sip this I get new flavor profile. Here's a beer that holds my interest throughout.

One thing I've noticed, if the review gets wordy, it deserves a superior score. Here's one to seek out for something different yet not extreme in any way.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 21:55:14 | More by smcolw

eclaycamp

Kansas

3.48/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

22 ounce bomber. Poured into a basic pint glass. Color is a bright golden yellow. Big pillowy head with some pretty darned nice lacing. Smell is of, perhaps not surprisingly, flowers, specifically, juniper. Light mouthfeel with a mild bittersweet finish. Taste is very floral, with tons of juniper throughout the beer. Alcohol in this beer is cleverly hidden. It's aged on spruce gin barrels but you can't seem to find it. The beer is a little out of balance due to the heavy handed use of juniper, but it's still an enjoyable alternative to your normal every day fare. An interesting diversion.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 02:50:26 | More by eclaycamp

acurtis

New Jersey

3.15/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

John John Ale 22oz bomber shared with Jim last night. Very nice appearance, cloudy orange/copper color with bubbly white head. Interesting floral aroma that must be the juniper berries. Taste is pleasant, spicy with some hops and pine. I was worried when I saw that it was aged in gin barrels but the gin flavor is a mild under taste that didn't bother me. Wasn't bad but nothing I would have again.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 00:39:29 | More by acurtis

degowop

New Jersey

1.63/5  rDev -54.8%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

not sure what's going on with this one. smells and tastes like a bucket of water with household cleaner thats been laying around for a couple of days. try for yourself, but i guarantee you wont want to try it again. also, ive read about people paying upwards of $9 for a 22 oz. bottle. i paid $6.49. pay no more...

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2010 22:12:54 | More by degowop

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.4/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - Pours a hazy golden brass with a 2 finger rocky white head that has superior retention. Big sheets of lacing.

S - Soapy herbal hops, white grapes, green apple, treated wood, lavender, pale malt.

T - Sweet oaky lavender, green herbal resin, vanilla, spicy floral with a yeasty peppery bite. A dry treated oak finish.

M - Medium creamy body.

Excellent head retention. This taste like slightly hoped pinot grigio aged in gin barrels. I like that it's different but one is plenty. It definitely has that super dry gin feeling towards the end.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2010 01:33:19 | More by StaveHooks

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.63/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

"I never drink anything stronger than gin before breakfast."

--W.C. Fields

Much closer to apricot orange than lemon yellow. Multiple rush hour streams of bubbles have created a three finger crown of ivory colored foam that has plenty of interesting topography. Artistic squiggles and splotches of lace please the eye.

This version of John John Ale is essentially Juniper Pale Ale that has been aged in Rogue Spruce Gin barrels. And it smells like it. The nose is a pleasing combination of fruit, pine boughs and floral-spicy gin.

There is more juniper and gin character in this beer than in the base beer. Interestingly enough, Juniper Pale has an ABV of 5.3%, while this spirit barrel-aged beer has an ABV of 5.2%. In any case, it isn't boozy in the least.

My first impression was... meh. Second, third and fourth impressions are progressively more favorable. Gin is probably my least favorite liquor. Gin-flavored beer, when done right, isn't too bad once your taste buds become used to the idea. Drinkability over the course of 22 ounces is another matter.

The malts taste mostly pale, even though crystal and several others are present. The hops (Sterling, Amarillo, Willamette) add a fruitiness and a surprisingly tight bitter bite. The flavor spotlight is dominated, however, by juniper berries and evergreen. It's all balanced pretty damn well.

The mouthfeel is no bigger than light-medium and the bubbles are too sharp-edged and tongue tingly. Neither is a deal-breaker, but both are unusual for this brewery. Some improvement with time and warming allow a slight bump in score.

John John Ale (Spruce Gin Barrel Aged) is a semi-successful experiment if you have a thing for herbed/spiced beer. Rogue pulled it off better than most, but $8.99 for the bomber is not worth a second purchase.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2010 13:48:05 | More by BuckeyeNation

Xul

California

3.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours traslucent golden, capped by a finger and a half of rocky off-white head. Retention is moderate as it slowly settles down to a thin layer of foam, leaving light lacing down the glass.

S: Citrus notes - focused on lemon zest up front - followed by strong herbal character with juniper, spruce, and mint all being evident. Pale malt base lurks in the background.

T: Lots of herbs up front with the juniper and spruce being strong, followed by moderate mint and thyme. Some lighter hop profile comes through on the mid-palate with an earthy character. A light sweetness comes in on the backend, before giving way to an herbal finish.

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation, a touch thin.

D: Interesting beer and very drinkable, the herbal character is kept at a good level where it's assertive but not over-bearing.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 02:11:11 | More by Xul

BeerResearcher

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One pint 6 oz brown bottle. No freshness date. Pint glass.
The color is a hazy orange-hued amber with a fast-fading white head and some trailing lace.
Smells of dry hay, dry malt, oak, lemon zest and resinous hop meld well together. A slight alcoholic whiff is noticed.
Sharp-edged citrusy bitterness slices through the malty sweetness without much effort. There really is the ginny perfuminess in the taste. Light flavors of oak, lemons, caramel sweetness and tart berries peek through.
There is a certain drying sensation in the mouthfeel.
It does go down well, although I really would have appreciated a bit more gin-like kick to this brew. Imagine this in an Imperial style...

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 00:13:53 | More by BeerResearcher

evilkalla

Alabama

4.13/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving: Bomber into a very tall glass.

A: Pours a somewhat hazy pale gold color. Half an inch of solid head on it, with a lot of visible carbonation. Looks very good.

S: I smell some pale malts but nothing really jumps out at me. My nose is a little stuffy though.

T: Well, that is a very interesting taste. It almost begins to taste like an IPA and then it goes to this other place completely. It is bitter but a different kind of bitter, it has a spicy, almost slightly warm tingly burn to it. It also has an aged, earthy taste to it which is likely due to the barrel aging. Very good.

M: A little bubbly, otherwise very smooth with a clean finish.

D: This is a very good beer. The junipers they used to make this beer are very subtle and don't leap out at you. The aging makes for a very smooth taste. I like it a lot. Definitely would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2010 00:32:23 | More by evilkalla

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - hazy golden, 2 fingers creamy head retained and laced very well
S - dank and fruity hops, toasty malt, light lemon and berry scent
T - same hops, sweet and tart juniper berries, grainy malt, light piney finish
M - medium carbonation, slight bitter, tart and sweet through the finish
D - a very fine mix of hop qualities with the tart sweetness of juniper berries, and the light pine hint from the gin cask finishing is subtle but complimentary

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2010 04:33:28 | More by joemcgrath27

Stigs

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle, served in a standard pint glass

A - pours with an inch of loose, fluffy bright white foam. the beer is just a touch hazy (assuming chill) pale gold in color with a good amount of active bubbling. leaves behind a fair amount of chalky, sticky foam spotted around the glass.

S - herbal, with mint, thyme, basil, pine and juniper coming through very clear. also picking up some bright grassy hops and a Brett-like scent...actually reminds me a bit of Orval.

T - some lightly toasted grains, spicy herbs: mint, juniper, hints of basil and thyme, and again a Bretty like yeast bite. very pleasant, bright grassy and piney hops add an assertive bitterness which works nicely with the herbs.

M - thinnish yet slick body, but lacks carbonation preventing the flavors from really settling. lightly astringent, yet still mostly drinkable. finishes a touch dry, with lingering herbal notes and a light grassy bitterness.

D - not bad, considering the potential to go awry (aging an APA in Gin barrels? - kudos to Rogue for the cajones). actually a bit more refreshing and drinkable the deeper down the glass I go. going solo here, might go well with some sharp cheese or even slightly spicy Thai food.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 18:06:49 | More by Stigs

bonapartist1

California

2.85/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Mostly just dull, really.

The gin character is very noticable on the nose and far less obvious in the taste. It's a low abv beer which I think was a poor choice for this experiment. Honestly just seems neutral, inoffensive, like 4/5 of a sierra nevada with a splash of gin character. Doesn't at all feel like something really complex, like something that spent alot of time on the wood.

The only other juniper spiced beer I've had was the DIPA from Midnight Sun, and the juniper character there was both powerful and satisfying. None of that here.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 06:58:24 | More by bonapartist1

Nomad1219

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured with a nice golden to orange color and a head that lingered leaving a nice rim and lace on the glass. The smell was of herbs and grass, clean, maybe minty, it deffinatly hints towards the presence or affiliation with gin. The taste was light on hops and malty sweetness but had an unusual and never experienced bite at the end that was like that of gin, a dry-wetness lets say. The taste was unique and different and I like the idea of something that has bitterness appeal without being overly hopped. The color and the unusal taste were the best parts. I would drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 19:10:01 | More by Nomad1219

GRG1313

California

3.15/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Juniper pale ale aged in Spruce Gin barrels. Pours a clear orange amber with a nice, firm and thick white head. Nice looking.

Lightly assertive nose, less than expected. Light green fruit character; no juniper or spruce really noticeable in the nose.

Mouthfeel is rich and a bit creamy, much nicer than most Rogues.

Flavors are subtle herbaceous character, hints of white pepper, green pepper, celery and salt, with a herb/spice finish. Hint of juniper and spruce in the flavors and a decent "green" bitter finish.

An elegant "herbaceous" drink. Pleasant. Likely very good with most food profiles.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 21:56:28 | More by GRG1313

Durge

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very pale yellow color, clear with a fair white cover that thins out quickly and very thorough lacing. The aroma is intense but tasteful juniper biscuit. The flavor brings more of the juniper with a bright blueberry sweetness and an interesting vinegar tartness, almost rhubarb. Biscuit and wheat malt infused with juniper hop in a crisp light/medium bodied brew with a light, tingly feel. Quite drinkable and successful.

Serving type: on-tap

10-07-2010 03:49:28 | More by Durge

WesWes

New York

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a hazy gold color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a light and refreshing pale malt and juniper berry aroma. The gin barrels give off a nice character that works well with the tart fruit. The taste is decent. It has good malt and fruit flavor, however the gin barrel aging gives it an undesirable finish. It's bitter with a touch of sourness. I'm not a huge fan, but it's adventurous. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a pretty unique beer with lots of complexity. The gin barrel aging leaves me on the fence with this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2010 02:44:47 | More by WesWes

Dougal

New Jersey

1.35/5  rDev -62.6%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

I love experimentation but sometimes it doesn't work... the ingredients were enticing but the smell and taste was rough! I had to drain it down the sink....yuk...

It smells of pine and juniper in an unappealing way... taste is bitter with the kind of taste not many look for in a brew and are unpleasantly reminded of

Keep trying though Rogue has some amazing beers

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2010 01:01:32 | More by Dougal

womencantsail

California

3.58/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The pour is an orange-copper sort of color with a thin layer of white foam (though fizz might be more appropriate).

S: Wow, I actually got some juniper notes on this, which I never did from the Juniper Pale Ale. There's a mild spice character that you might associate with gin, as well as plenty of floral and citrus notes.

T: A light sour lemon sort of flavor along with plenty of wood and herbs. The juniper does come through, as do some floral notes, and there is a gin flavor to this beer, which I enjoy.

M: The body is medium, maybe a little thin, with a fairly lively carbonation that pricks the tongue.

D: Normally I'm not a big Rogue fan, but I do enjoy gin, so I wanted to try this. It was actually pretty nice, but not really worth what they are asking for it.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 17:11:33 | More by womencantsail

philbertk

Washington

3.05/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Rogue Ales--Oregon Brewing Company--John John Ale--Pale Ale Brewed With Juniper Berries And Aged In Spruce Gin Barrels--2010 22 oz. Bottle. 5.01% ABV. 34 IBU's. (3.5 / 5.0) Big dense foamy rocky lacy off white head. Fizzy hazy bright orange gold color. Loose sediment. Light spruce hop juniper front. Mild sweet barrel aged wild fruit ester orange citrus subtle gin note Pale Ale body. Refreshing mild hop citrus end. Sampled 9/18/2010. 2 @ $7.99 Each Purchased @ The Ballard Market 9/11/2010. Overpriced!!

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2010 21:35:49 | More by philbertk

SaCkErZ9

Florida

3.93/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Gin is my second favorite behind single malt scotch, so I was excited to try this beer. I am not sure how gin and beer mix, but I guess we will see.

Pours from a 22oz bottle into a fluted pint glass a brilliantly clear dark straw color with a huge, rocky and foamy white head. A generous portion of lacing lines the glass. The retention is amazing as the head forms and stays the duration of consumption.

Aroma is nice but short of amazing. Plenty of hops in the aroma but sadly, not much in the way of spruce or gin. Perhaps a bit of the juniper but it seems to be way in the back.

IPA bitterness hits the palate and sticks around for a long finish. Fairly bitter. Sweet malt balances the bitterness well and makes this an easy drinker. The bitterness is there, but I love a hoppy beer. The gin shows up very late in the finish.

Ends bone dry and clean. A real palate cleanser. I enjoyed this one overall. I was hoping for more of a juniper and/or gin flavor. I would recommend this as a solid APA/IPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2010 17:46:48 | More by SaCkErZ9

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.8/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap 9/10/2010 at Doherty's East Ave Irish Pub, in Pawtucket, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a deep gold color, with a short white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains caramelized malts, floral hops, spices and some citrus.

T: The taste starts with a crisp bite of hops bitterness that isn't over-powering. Then some spice comes in along with some mildly sweet flavors of citrus and caramel. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, this is a decent beer to drink for a while if you're into the juniper flavor.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2010 15:01:39 | More by TheManiacalOne

Bfarr

Washington

2.63/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Clear yellow amber with white frothy head with great retention and lacing. Very basic pale ale aromas of floral hops and sweetness with hints of juniper if I strained myself. Nicely balanced beer of floral hops and light malt sweetness. There are hints of lemon peel and juniper in the finish but they are rather faint as is a splash of alcohol. A semi dry finish fades to a slightly sour, spicy, and dry finish as the bottle comes to an end and the beer becomes slightly hazy from the yeast and presumably barrel sediment. Gin flavors become slightly more intense with the sediment but are still faint. Perhaps it would this would benefit from being swirled before pouring. A slightly creamy mouthfeel with moderate to low carbonation is present throughout.

I perhaps had slightly elevated expectations being a gin lover. I have yet to try Rogue's gin and it may be a very subtle distillation but knowing Rogue I would think not. Perhaps the gin barrels do not impart flavor as well as others but the juniper and lemon were so faint that this just became a fairly interesting pale ale. As I said, my expectations may have been high but at $9 a bottle and being barrel aged, perhaps they should be.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2010 16:53:11 | More by Bfarr