Chris Shanahan: Rogue’s idiosyncratic brews

Have the Rogue Brewery guys visited our Ettamogah pub? Or is the pick up truck on their tin roof in Oregon, USA, a parallel invention? We may never know. But at least we know the crows there don’t fly backward – because they’d be headed straight to the beautifully made, idiosyncratic beers.

I’ve been working my way through some of the range, including the Hazelnut Brown Nectar reviewed a few weeks back, and the delicious Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale below. My only quibble is that they’re a little pricey here in Australia. But that, the guys at Plonk tell me, is because it wanders the world a little before arriving here.

That caveat aside, the range is exciting and worth a premium, even if we explore it by the bottle, not the six-pack. I’ve yet to discover Rogue’s signature brew, Dead Guy Ale and it’s companion, Double Dead Guy.

Dead Guy is based on Germany’s opulent, alcoholic maibock style and Double Dead Guy, on spec, looks to be a revved up version, higher in alcohol, with malt in overdrive.

Plonk, Fyshwick, carries some of the range and www.internationalbeershop.com.au offers delivery (it’s a site worth visiting in any event).