Rogue Creamery 75th Anniversary Ale - Rogue Ales

HuskyinPDX

Washington

2.63/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

25.4 oz flip top bottle poured into a Pint glass.

A - Pours a medium brown with a dark tan head that fades quickly. Slight lacing left on the glass.

S - Roasted malts, some vanilla.

T - Malts and sour milk.

D - Medium carbonation and medium body.

O - The taste just did not work for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 04:02:47 | More by HuskyinPDX

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.68/5  rDev -28.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle courtesy of my aunt and uncle, who said they got it at Whole Foods in Alexandria. Served in a snifter.

Pours a moderately-dark brown color with an off-white to tan head with some spotty lacing. The nose brings a bit of lightly-toasted malt with some light nuttiness and a bit of chocolate. Flavor brings some mild hop bitterness plus some lightly-burnt toast and a bit of a nut character. Medium body that seems too thin for the flavors plus some fairly-high carbonation. Not really doing it for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 23:04:05 | More by Thorpe429

scottfrie

California

2.85/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Interesting 750ml bottle poured into Portsmouth snifter. Picked this up for $8.49, seemed like a deal.

A: Pours a very dark ruby red with a finger of dark tan head that slowly faded into a thick bubbly collar. A thin sheet of lacing was left down the glass after each sip.
S: Sweet malts, dark fruits, fruit syrups, molasses, dates, cherries, caramel, and raisins. I get a bit of hard candy and cocoa as well.
T: Follows the nose with dominant flavors of dark fruits, sweet malts, molasses and candied sugar, with a bit of caramel, cocoa, and raisins coming through in the finish .The aftertaste has a light sour mash kind of taste to it, and is a bit off putting.
M: Medium body with soft but tingly carbonation and a frothy mouthfeel that could be a bit fuller.
O: I saw this beer a couple places for over $20 and I’m so glad I didn’t pay that much. This wasn’t awful, but I never need to drink it again. If you’re on the fence, pass. Not worth the price tag, even at $9.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 03:25:26 | More by scottfrie

notchucknorris

California

3.23/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

I was pretty excited to get to try this one. Saw it on the shelves a while back but was scared off by the ridiculous price. Luckily a friend brought it to a recent tasting.

A: Coca cola black with a thin light brown head.

S: Roasted malt, maple, wood, brown sugar, banana bread, vanilla, black licorice and some smoke. Damn!

T: And here's where it lost me. For a beer that smelled this good, it really didn't have much going on. Rosted malt, a hint of chocolate, some beef jerky flavor and a bit of cola nut. The mouthfeel is medium but the carbonation is nonexistent. With carbonation, this beer would be SO much better. As is, it's average and doesn't begin to justify the price.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 16:01:54 | More by notchucknorris

oline73

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a reddish dark brown with a finger of off white head. The head fades to a ring around the edge of the bowl.

Smell: Sweet malt, lots of over ripe dark fruit. Some vanilla in there as well.

Taste: Lots of bready malt. Quite sweet with some dark fruit notes. There is a very mild vanilla and caramel note, but the malt and fruity notes dominate.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This is kind of a strong brown ale. Decent taste, but not great or anything. Probably wouldn't search it out again.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 23:40:45 | More by oline73

cvm4

Mississippi

3.38/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a murky brown with a tinge of amber. Two finger tan head.

S - Sweet malts, sugary caramel and dark fruits pop on the nose.

T - Bready malts and pretty sweet just like the nose. The flavor of an old ale doesn't come across as bold as I'd like.

M - Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

O - It's an old ale lite :-)

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 00:16:05 | More by cvm4

McWoods

Oregon

3.43/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I bought the rogue anniversary ale in a bottle (which looked amazing).

It had a deeper red tint to it when poured, and a smooth aroma. Not a thick head, but a light cream color, which dissipated quickly. The aroma of coffee was present, but the taste was light. I was hoping that it would pack some more hops…or just a little more flavor.

Overall I was still impressed. A bit expensive, but I adore the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 05:21:36 | More by McWoods

dgilks

Australia

3.53/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Very, very dark mahogany colour with a large tan head with very poor head retention.

Robust sweet toasty bready aroma with some toffee. Nice and malty with some earthy and caramelly notes.

Rich sweet malt aroma with some citrus hops. A touch earthy, bready and toasty.

Medium body with moderate carbonation. Actually quite creamy. Nice.

A smooth malty ale with a distinctly citric bitter edge. Nice and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 04:25:23 | More by dgilks

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the downtown Portland location, a late-night tap hook-up that I chanced upon.

This beer appears a clear, very dark mahogany hue, with one finger of thinly soapy ecru head, and little subsequent lace. It smells of bready malt, and dusty, earthy hops. The taste is sweet bready malt, some mild oily nuttiness, and soft earthy, leafy hops. The carbonation is quite low, the body medium weight, and well, kind of creamy. It finishes pretty much in kind, the sweet nutty malt and earthy hops still holding sway.

A decent strong amber ale, the elevated booze never really materializing, although it may have played a part in the ramped up sweetness as things moved along. One was good enough for me.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2011 08:00:26 | More by biboergosum

womencantsail

California

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The pour is dark brown in color with an off-white/tan head. Sweet caramel and toffee malts with a nice creamy note to it. A hint of vanilla, bread, and some mild earthiness. The flavor is quite sweet, as expected. Toffee, caramel, and toasted bread are the primary flavors. A bit of brown sugar, some light hop character, but overall, this is fairly one-dimensional and not all that great.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 01:01:58 | More by womencantsail

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle poured into a tulip

A: Pours a dark brown hue letting only a sliver of light through. Tight, beige bubbles slowly expand and linger for a decent while.

S: Wafts of cola and nitro stout bitterness bring up the front with some roasted malt qualities following close behind. Not quite what I expected but really, I'm not sure what I expected so if I didn't know what to expect, I guess it's exactly as I expected.

T/M: The flavor is extremely nice: light chocolate and dark, roasted malt followed by smooth vanilla and just enough bitterness to quell any overwhelming sweetness. After multiple sips, nutty qualities really start to shine through. It's a little watery on the back end but at least it's a clean finish. The medium amount of carbonation is more than I was hoping but it's still not bad.

All around, it's not as complex as I wanted and the mouthfeel is a little thin, but it's a good brew. Is it $25 good? Not even close. Fortunately I had a coupon.

TheBeerAlmanac.com

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 00:07:34 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

EkimGram

New York

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: 750mL bottle poured into Duvel tulip. The bottle itself is a work of fine craft. Colour is a deep, dark brownish black. Head barely exists, just a thin film with some bubbles around the rim.

Smell: Lots of roasted and burnt malts, coffee, toffee, a bit of spicy yeast, and a slight nuttiness.

Taste: Subtler than the smell. Primary flavours are, as the smell, roasted malt and toffee. Aftertaste is a little yeasty and hoppy. Balanced, a little complex., but not so strong.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light-bodied with a mild amount of carbonation. Sticky finish.

Overall: The taste is a bit of a disappointment considering what Rogue has been able to do with their flavours in the past. Presentation and appearance are great as well as the aromas. But, for a 75th anniversary, I would expect a little more "greatness" given the occasion.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 04:15:10 | More by EkimGram

UCLABrewN84

California

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an almost opaque super dark brown with a 1 inch puffy khaki head that settles to a thin film. Thin broken rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt, roasted nuts, and some caramel aromas. Taste is of toasted malt, roasted nuts, lactose, caramel, and some slight roasty flavors. A very mild roasty quality on the palate with each sip. This beer has a pretty good level of carbonation with a crisp and slightly dry mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but it's not worth the price tag it carries. Luckily, my buddy bought this one so the joke's on him!

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 04:35:54 | More by UCLABrewN84

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On draft at Churchkey in D.C.

The beer appears brown and mostly transparent. Ruby sunburst highlights appear when held to the light. The head is light tan in color, and leaves sparse lacing on the snifter.

The aroma is pretty weak, and doesn't gain much momentum as the beer warms. Scents of light roast with alcohol are there if you bury your nose in the glass.

The beer is really creamy and smooth on the palate. The flavor offers more than the aroma, with some subtle toffee notes and mild chocolate. In general, all the flavors just seem subdued. I was expecting / hoping for something with some more flavor and nuance. That said, the beer is still enjoyable and drinkable.

The body is thin to medium, with light carbonation. Alcohol presence is there in the finish, but not harsh.

I'm glad to have tried it, but don't see myself ordering it again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2011 02:50:22 | More by Huhzubendah

StaEva

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

dark brown tinged with red when held up to light. very little head, moderate lacing. smells of roasted malts, caramel, and some dark fruit. good flavor, deep, full body, carbonation like a root-beer. Reminds me of a roasty, less sweet root beer.

Would have it again. Wouldn't pay a high price if it weren't for that killer bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 00:55:54 | More by StaEva

July2Nov

Hawaii

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Dark brown with some ruby tinted hues around the edges. Creamy looking off-white head that starts around a finger width and lessens to a respectable sliver. Beautiful looking.

Smell: Malty and sweet with some chocolate undertones.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy. Some sweet and dark chocolate flavors come out along with a slight peppery taste. Pretty even keel in the flavor. Slight "sting" in the end with a mellow, chewy, glowing aftertaste. The medium mouthfeel is the MVP for this beer. So, so smooth and the carbonation is low on this one

Overall: More than surprised by this delightful beer. It really won me over with the body, and the taste was good too. Love the flip-top bottle because sometimes I just don't want to drink the whole thing in one setting, though this one might be gone right after I put the period on this sentence.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 02:10:48 | More by July2Nov

Mora2000

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark brown color with a tannish head. The aroma is full of nuts and toffee. I seem to remember the Hazelnut Brown Nectar from Rogue tasting similar to this beer, but it has been a long time since I have had it. The flavor is full of caramel and toffee malt with some cocoa and nuttyness. There is a cream flavor to the beer as well. Medium to thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Nice, but not worth the price.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 20:07:49 | More by Mora2000

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I found this pick-up at a local store, and I was pretty happy to find this limited edition beer. It was pretty pricy at around $25. I saved it to enjoy with the Super Bowl. It seemed like a good match with the presentation of a ceramic bottle with a swing-top. This is one of the few bottles that I will be holding on to for presentation.

This beer pours very dark brown with almost no head. Whatever minimal foam there was present dissipated immediately.

The flavor is a very good example of American strong ale. It is very strong, but not overwhelming. You get a lot of flavor. However, it falls short of the ABV listed on the bottle.

After the fact, the flavor eases off with balance. It doesn't hit strong for any single contributed flavor.

This was a good beer. I am glad I picked up a bottle, but it was a little pricy for what I got.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 00:34:28 | More by ummswimmin

alohaspicoli

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Re-reviewing, Oct. 2011. Originally tried at Savor 2011 and reviewed. Have since found a few bottles. Poured into a tulip.

A: Black with a light brown head that hangs around. Nice lacing.

S: Great aroma - subtle sweetness with cocoa, caramel, cream & toffee.

T: The flavor is a bit more subtle. I get more caramel and toffee than anything else. Great balance. Sweet but not overly. Very dessert like but still drinkable.

M: Medium body with almost no carbonation. Very creamy. Not much alcohol burn at all.

O: I still enjoyed this beer tremendously 2nd time around. I agree with some other reviewers that it could had a bit more flavor and I get how some people wouldn't be impressed for the price point. But I guess this balance of flavors just works for me personally.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 15:32:28 | More by alohaspicoli

beer2day

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown pour with dark cream 1 finger head. Very little retention or lace. Much darker than expected.

Caramel nose with lots of syrupy malt. Very, very light tart fruit underneath, but really a barely noticeable trace.

Taste is very complex. Brown ale malt with lots of caramel and even a trace of milk. Milk stout finish. Light hop trace at the very end. Don't really taste the alcohol.

Body is appropriate for a strong ale, maybe a bit on the thick side.

Very expensive beer, but worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 01:41:48 | More by beer2day

snaotheus

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle split into a couple large snifters

Pours dark brown, very little hiss when the top came off, not much head, but the head that is there is a light brown color. Smell is sweet, caramel, chocolate and coffee.

Taste is sweet and desserty...it's like a chocolate shake, but not overly sweet and not overly chocolatey. Little bit of roasty malt.

Mouthfeel is surprisingly light, a little gritty. Overall, pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 01:32:33 | More by snaotheus

chefelf

New York

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this into a pint glass. Really no noticeable head at all.

I paired it with Rogue Creamery blue cheese and grilled skirt steak.

This beer was darker than I expected and very malty. It was tasty but the ABV certainly catches up with you quick.

This was a fun and interesting beer to try but fairly expensive. If you're a lover of beer and interested in trying new and unique things then go for it. If not you probably wouldn't have purchased it anyway.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2011 15:38:21 | More by chefelf

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a dark brown body with a light beige, short-lived head.

Smell: A malty amalgam of toast, chocolate, and caramel given a small sprinkling of alcohol and with a fruity fig and raisin note undertone.

Taste: A sweetish taste of generously toasted malts, caramel, and a hunk of baker's chocolate. Slight perceived silky, milky accent and a hint of nuttiness. Moderate degree of dark fruitiness. Softly leafy hops, though really not too much hop character or bitterness. Retains the initial maltiness on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation.

Overall: A well-mannered, malty, strong ale. However, I'm very happy to not have been to foot the bill for this steep-priced bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 17:31:50 | More by ChainGangGuy

Theitos

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer pours a very dark brown. Almost like a dark soda color. When you hold it up to the light I can see a very dark ruby color. It poured with about two fingers of head that disappeared quickly.

S: Smell strong malts, caramel, and a little dark fruit smell

T: A nice balance of malt, caramel, dark chocolate, nuttiness, and a nice creamy flavor. I just keep picturing Barq's Creme Soda.

M: The carbonation gives a nice bite probably why I keep picturing Barq's. It has a nice warming sensation to my mouth.

O: a very well balanced and enjoyable brew. Its a bit pricey, but I purchased it a month ago so the sting of the price has faded in the background.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 01:30:30 | More by Theitos

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.03/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Not bad, not bad. Let the stoneware crock bottle warm a bit out of the fridge. Poured with a decent, foamy, frothy, slightly thick, tan head that slowly settled down and plenty of lace. Color is a clear, very dark cherry mahagoney with no trails that I could see. Aroma is malt, roast, clay,yeast, dark fresh baked bread. Flavor is similar to nose with a little anise coming out and has good bitter/sweet/tang balance. Body is good and ditto carbonation. Finish is like flavor and lasts a while. Session if it weren't so pricey.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 00:04:17 | More by drpimento