Craft Brews has introduced eight varieties of American craft beer Rogue at the outlet.
Names, as expected, are weird. Brutal IPA, Mom Hefeweizen, Chocolate Stout, Dead Guy Ale, Juniper Pale Ale, Mocha Porter, OREgasmic Ale and Hazelnut Brown Nectar.
Tastes, as expected too, are unconventional. There are no lagers, only ales.
The launch involved sampling every beer generously. Senget.
My flight began with the Mom Hefeweizen (Belgian ale, ABV 5.2%), an amber-coloured beer. It starts light, with a very hoppy (bitter) finish that lingers, almost metallic.
2. Hazelnut Brown Nectar (brown ale, ABV 6.2%) is a nice maroon colour, and it gave me a nose of dodol. It’s a light-tasting, slightly sweet malt, with a pleasant bite at the end.
3. Dead Guy Ale (German maibock, ABV 6.5%) has a creamy body and gives out fruity maltiness. Tho its the strongest here at 6.5, i’m impressed that u wouldn’t notice it.
4. Juniper Pale Ale (pale ale, ABV 5.3%) is light and a lil sweet, crisp and bitter.
5. Brutal IPA (bitter ale, ABV 5.8%) has an IBU of 59 (the higher the IBU, the more bitter) has in-your-face creaminess, with a good bite of bitter, although it’s short. Nice body. (not talkin bout the waitress)
6. OREgasmic Ale (pale ale, ABV 6%) stays silent in the mouth for a second before it kicks. And kicks. A little too heavy for my palette.
7. Chocolate Stout (American stout, ABV 6%) The IBU is 69, but it’s definitely a pleasant bitterness. The aroma is of vanilla coke. In the mouth, it’s a bitter-sweet of dark chocolate and Kahlua, with a lingering finish of local kopi-o.
8. Mocha Porter (porter, ABV 5.3%) is stout-like draught and a lighter-bodied ale, with a more bitter finish.
My personal top three are the Hazelnut Brown Nectar, the Chocolate Stout and the Dead Guy.
Lager junkies would be taken aback by the usually-intense flavours and body of these beers. It takes some getting used to, especially for unadventurous drinkers who stick to one brand.
Half the ales are in 330ml bottles (1, 3, 4, 8), the rest draught (2, 5, 6, 7). The bottles go for about 30 nett. The pint draughts are $25.50 nett (before 6pm); $31.30 (6pm-8pm); and about $37 (after 8pm).
In the pipes for later in the year are other Rogue ales, Somer Orange Honey Ale and Chipotle Ale.
As well as Morimoto Black Obi Soba.
What dahell they bottling, seafood?