Kells Irish Style Lager - Rogue Ales

merlin48

Kentucky

4.43/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

22 oz bomber purchased on 12-30-03, in Blacksburg, Va. Most likely the same batch that Surfer reviewed. Pours a clear golden amber with a generous white head of tiny bubbles which continue their journey, from bottom to top, throughout. Sheet lacing follows.
Aroma is unlike a Lager. Plenty of floral and fruity hops are prominent to the nose, and dance playfully on top of the malty backbone.
Taste is as surprising as the nose. Mouthfeel is a creamy prelude to a citrusy flavor, well carbonated, light-bodied caramel underbelly. Pleasant tastes tease the palate. Finishes a full bodied maltiness, with enough hops to make you want a case of this stashed away in a secret cellar. Another extraordinary brew from Rogue.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2004 01:39:52 | More by merlin48

JISurfer

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I really liked this one. It was a nice straw color with a white head that was rather thick and lasted a little bit. The smell was lighter, but had elements of florals and light fruits, ie citrus types. The taste was similar, but was little more "pungent" in the floral area. It was well balanced out with malt and hops, not too hoppy, not too malty. The mouthfeel was nice and a little creamy with some carbonation. Overall it was a refreshing brew that could easily be knocked back during the summer... or any other time for that matter.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2003 08:02:14 | More by JISurfer

Quaffer

Nevada

4.38/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. Bottle

Appearance: This was a hazy, golden-amber beer with a coarse white head. The bubbles rose up easily to two fingers and settled down quickly. A lot of foam stayed ramped up around the circumference of the glass, its desperate clinging giving evidence to its stickiness. The glass was speckled with lace. This beer looks good for a lager, having a nice depth of color that many others in the style do not.

Smell: The aromas were typical, being comprised of sweet grass, grain, and just a hint of sulpher. (Not much of the latter, thank goodness.) A spicy hop character floated over the top of the other smells. As the beer sat in the glass, it picked up some fruit and vanilla aromas as well.

Mouthfeel: Much more body than I was expecting. The mouth-filling, chewy, medium-bodied character really surprised me. Plus, it was really smooth for a lager, providing a light carbonation tingle in the back of the mouth and on the back of the tongue.

Taste: Not only did the mouthfeel surprise me, but so did the flavor. It was nice, full, and complex. Upfront was a hit of light sweet grasses. In the middle came a somewhat herbal, somewhat spicy hop flavor. Then, immediately, some nice chewy grain and full malt flavors kicked in. They were the highlight of the beer. They were bready, cracker-like, and a little nutty to boot. In the background lay a smooth vanilla taste.

This beer completely surprised me. It was extremely good, and not just for a lager. The complexity of the malt and grain flavors on the finish was just amazing. This is the session beer from hell.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2003 22:09:53 | More by Quaffer

Todd

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Kells is a lager brewed for the Kells chain of pubs in Portland, OR. This sample was in the typical 650ml brown bottle; no freshness date. Some Celtic weave and an old man playing the penny whistle adorns the front label.

A rich golden coloured beer laced with a foamy pure white head; okay retention. Aroma is low, but maltier than most lagers with a pleasant light herbal nose and touch of metallic and real faint sulfur. A bit bland though.

Near medium-bodied with an even malt flavour that's slightly bready and sweet. Hops have a light splash of citrus, fresh and lemony, but not all that bitter. Crisp overall, turning a bit grain dry towards to finish with strong bready and faint eggy afters.

An enjoyable lager and a nice offering from Rogue that breaks their normal hoppy / malty West Coast style beers. Great session beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2003 17:05:41 | More by Todd

johnrobe

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was expecting an Irish red, so I was surprised to see this pale gold brew cascading into the glass with a frothy, bright white head.
Nevertheless, this is a very enjoyable brew and one which would make an excellent alternative to the BudMilCoors of the world. Grain and herbal hops pervade the aroma. Hmm, seems more German than Irish to me. In the taste there is some pleasant lightly kilned malt along with a crisp, herbal hops bite and just a touch of fruity esters in the background. The hops seem to have a slight edge in the flavor, but not much. Finish is fairly dry, refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2003 17:20:44 | More by johnrobe

Gusler

Arizona

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

The archetypal pour for the lager style a crystalline gold, the head portly in size, creamy in its consistency, a brilliant white, and as it erodes leaves behind a thick clinging sheet of lace to conceal the glass. The aroma of barley, freshly toasted, sweet, clean and a real treat for the senses. As for the start, you guessed it malt, sweet and the top middling in its mouth feel. Modestly acidic, the hops apropos to the style, dry and long lasting aftertaste, quite drinkable and a real thirst quencher irregardless the time of year.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2003 16:51:53 | More by Gusler

Jason

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 22 oz bomber with no freshness date, brewed for the Kells Pubs in Portland, OR.

Appearance: A dull golden hue with a fine clarity hold a good lacing effect that draws rings down the glass here and there.

Smell: Clean malty aroma with light hints of biscuity and nutty grain, touch of herbal hop in the back but the malt is the star.

Taste: Some hoppiness upfront as the maltiness comes in layer by layer of pale biscuity complexity. Hop stay around with an ample bitterness and lightly herbal flavour, a small note of yeast is there but does not distract the palate too much. Lingers long with lightly sweet grain flavours as well as dry suggestions of bread crust.

Notes: A firm but raw lager, flavourful and rich. Coming from and ale brewery this is a damn good beer, I’d pick this over most pale lager of this sort.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2002 20:31:41 | More by Jason

Brent

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

According to the bottle, brewed by Rogue for the Kells Irish Pub. Not at all an Irish red, which is usually the incarnation most Irish lagers show up in - this is a good, bull bodied blond lager. Sweet and fresh in the nose, with a mild caramel blanced nicely by somewhat tart hopping. Finish is very clean with a touch of alcohol clearing out the caramel - good session brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2002 12:41:59 | More by Brent