PappyVanWise Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd find an American style Irish beer, and my search led me to the old reliable Rogue Brewery out of Oregon. I don't personally have this beer yet, but since it is in stock at the McLean Total Wine, I imagine it is still available in stores. Seekabrew does say that Rogue distributes to all 3 DMV areas, so hopefully everyone can find it. It is sold in 22 oz bombers, probably in the 6 or 7 dollar range. For a history of Rogue brewing, check out their website. They have officially been in business since 1989, well before craft beer hysteria gripped the nation. Rogue is all over the board when it comes to their brews, but I was first introduced to them through their variety of stouts. Their first "light" beer of theirs that I had was a John John Juniper Ale, which I recall being very fond of. Hopefully this one follows suit. Rogue describes this beer as a project from their brewmaster "n 1998 Rogue Brewmaster John Maier created an Irish style lager that would float Guinness. It took four batches to get it just right. John used acidulated malts imported from Europe that resulted in a crisp, apple flavor profile. The bottle label displays a famous Irish Flutist." The alcohol level is 5%. Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PappyVanWise Posted March 18, 2013 Author Share Posted March 18, 2013 I picked up a bottle, but haven't cracked it yet. Just wanted to let everyone know that the word Kells has been replaced by Rogue on the bottles, so it might just be called Rogue Irish Style Lager now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ad.mich Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I picked up a bottle, but haven't cracked it yet. Just wanted to let everyone know that the word Kells has been replaced by Rogue on the bottles, so it might just be called Rogue Irish Style Lager now. I was wondering what caused that - Kells is a good joint. Then a quick google showed me they're getting into the Irish lager game themselves. I can't really tell if the recipe is the same as it was before. I can comment on that one (probably more experience there than I should admit) but I haven't had the newly rolled out version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PappyVanWise Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 I had this on Monday night, and I'd classify it as refreshing if unremarkable. They definitely succeeded hitting apple notes in both the smell and finish, which is probably the most noteworthy thing about this brew. It didn't go too far on the apple to make it taste like cider for me, but I could see someone thinking that way. The low alcohol and mellow flavor make this a pretty easy drinker. While I prefer a little stronger taste in my beers overall, this would be a good one to enjoy out in the sun. Since it is only available in 22oz bottles, make sure if you have a way to keep it cold while you're drinking. As it warmed up, it did lose some of its crispness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrichstar Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 My experience was almost exactly like Viking's Jew's- refreshing, drinkable, interesting apple notes yet unremarkable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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