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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 13, 2016)
14 // COASTWEEKEND.COM Coast Weekend’s local restaurant review Part One: Rogue craft beers showcase innovative fl avors Review by MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA MOUTH@COASTWEEKEND.COM We’re doing something diff erent this week (and next). This review of Rogue Ales Public House will arrive in two parts. This week will focus on the beer. Next week will focus on the food (and deliver the star rating). C Coming of age in Eugene alongside the bubbling craft brewing revolution, Rouge was an early favorite, perhaps the fi rst beer whose fl avor I recognized as something artisan and fi ne. (A graphic designer at the time, I also much appreciated Rogue’s art — the skeleton perched atop a barrel on Dead Guy, as well as the steady stream of righteous and revolu- tionary-themed stencil-style prints on 22-ounce bottles.) This was around the turn of the millennium, and I would announce to anyone who would listen: Rogue was my favorite beer. The world seemed to agree. At Rogue Ales Public House in Astoria, the western wall — nearly the size of a barn’s — is littered with recognition not only for a fl agship variety, but damn near the whole lot. Beer after beer boasts multiple, often recent “world champion” awards. In the last decade, as the industry has grown exponentially around the New- port-based brewer, the collection is ever more impressive. At the same time, it’s a whole lot harder to pick a favorite beer or brewery in 2016 than it was in 2006. The competition has become equally vast and illustrious. A few of those competitors — or is it compatriots? — have taken root in Astoria. I think fi rst of the engaged institution that is Fort George Brewery, then the blos- soming Buoy Beer Co. Compared to them, Rogue — whose head- quarters is in Newport — can seem a bit of an afterthought on the North Coast. This fi gures, in part because Fort George and Buoy are homegrown, and also because they’re planted down- town (Rogue is on the east end of town at Pier 39). Nevertheless, Rogue’s beer (and food, which we’ll get to) are every bit as en- ticing, thoughtful aspirants as the hometown varieties. Sometimes even more so. My trips to Rogue began — and will forever begin henceforth — with a tasting tray. Too often, breweries get it wrong. Take Peli- can in Cannon Beach, who earlier this year offered four IPA varia- PHOTO BY MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA tions out of a total seven tastes. By letting the customer create Above: A taster tray of four their own fl ight, with a paper and beers at Rogue costs $8; a pencil, fi lling in each cup, Rogue tray of seven beers costs gets it right. With some 25-odd taps there’s plenty to sample from $13. Right: Rogue Ales Public — and a whole lot more than just House is located on Pier 39 hops upon hops. in Astoria. I began with the New Crus- tacean Barley- wineish Imperial IPA Sorta. For BY LETTING THE CUSTOMER a depth charge CREATE THEIR OWN BEER at 11.6 percent FLIGHT, WITH A PAPER AND alcohol by PENCIL, FILLING IN EACH CUP, volume, it was ROGUE GETS IT RIGHT. astonishingly balanced. The molasses fl avor was much deeper than the light it touches your tongue, the color suggested. For that high al- pepper’s essence pervades cohol content, it was also remark- your nostrils, pricking ably smooth. The New Crustacean them up. The sharp, light Helles out — a beer fl avor I never knew I was nearly everything at once: too proffered some back-of-throat wanted until I drank some. light, dark, hoppy, barley-y, a spice, yet remained imminently The one-stop-shop aspect con- bottomless concoction. drinkable. It’d be awfully refresh- tinued into the Pumpkin Patch Ale The description of the Cold ing on a hot afternoon. (yes, Rogue harvested the pump- Brew IPA, a collaboration with The Rogue Farms Marion- kins). It’s a dark, sweet, decidedly Stumptown Coffee, reads as such: berry Braggot, though, was a bit fall ale that I had diffi culty putting “(A) marriage of coffee and beer too thickly sweet for my taste, a fi nger on. The Issaquah Brew- that is equally drinkable in the perhaps a little heavy on the house Menage A Frog was clear: a morning or at night.” And it’s honey. I would’ve preferred more beast of Belgian inspiration with true — what a temptation to start tartness, but I couldn’t help but be a dry fi nish. The Fruit Salad Cider that day with one. It’s not a hint impressed that Rogue also grew — again, made with a melange of of coffee — the bean is every bit the berries. berries and fruits grown in part as forward as the hops. Nor is it a Rogue also grew the peppers on Rogue’s soil (and otherwise in dark, heavy stout. The bright beer that went into the Chipotle Ale. It Oregon) — was a crisp pivot from and bean meet right in the middle. was somewhat spicy like the Jala- the rich beers. The same can be said of the peño Hells, but rather than pointy At $8 for four samples (or $13 Jalapeño Helles Lager. As you it was smoky and creamy. The for 7), I found Rogue’s samplers bring the glass to your lips, before Chipotle Ale was another stand- appropriately priced. (I also ROGUE ALES PUBLIC HOUSE 100 39th St., Astoria PHONE: 503-468-0923 HOURS: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Satur- day. SERVICE: Casual and capa- ble. DRINKS: Beer and house- made spirits. PHOTO BY DWIGHT CASWELL appreciated the same-sized pours for some of the stronger, barley- wine-ish varieties.) I did scoff a bit at the $6 price per pint. It reminded me of Rogue’s soaring prices in the grocery store, well outpacing their competitors. Surely quality comes at a cost, but over the years I’ve essentially been priced out of Rogue at the supermarket. That led to a gap in my enjoyment of the brewery’s craft that I’ve reinvigorated at the Astoria public house. After all these years, Rogue remains my favorite. Tune in next week for a review of the food.
