Rogue, as are many breweries, was founded by a group of home brewers bent on sharing their beer and philosophy of life with as many people as would listen. To that end, the company was founded by Jack Joyce and Bob Woodell, University of Oregon fraternity brothers, along with another friend, Rob Strasser, Jeff Schultz an avid home brewer.
Construction began in June of 1988 in Ashland, Ore. along a very scenic little stream called Lithia Creek. The fledgling brewery was set up in a basement with a 60-seat Pub above. They began with a 10 barrel brewing system and, when the brew pub opened in October 1988, produced only two beers; Amber and Gold.
Looking to spread the Rogue love and increase the profitability of the brewery, Joyce soon set out to find another, perhaps better situated, location to produce beer.
In early February of 1989, Jack set out in search of the perfect place for another Rogue Pub. As the result of an unusual snow storm, Joyce found himself stranded on the Historic Bay Front of Newport, Ore. There he met up with Mohave Niemi, founder of the famous Mo’s Clam Chowder restaurant. She took him to the original Mo’s, gave him a bowl of hot clam chowder and told him about her dream of living above a Bar. She also told him that she might just have the perfect spot for the next Rogue Brew Pub. Her building, the Front & Case Building, had 1,100 square feet of empty store front and an 800 square foot garage. Mo offered the vacant space and the garage to Joyce at a very generous price, under two stipulations: that a picture of Mo herself, naked in a bath tub, be forever displayed at the Pub and that Rogue “feed the fisherman”, meaning that we give back to the local community.
Soon after that, construction began on the Bay Front Brew Pub. By May of 1989, construction was complete and Rogue’s second brew pub opened.
In the same month, after a chance encounter with Joyce at an airport, John Maier, a former Senior Technician with Hughes Aircraft Co. and Seibel Institute graduate, joined Rogue as head brewmaster. Maier had made a name for himself while working with Alaska Brewing Company. He describes Rogue Ales’ practice of crafting a wide range of regular, seasonal and specialty ales to Rogue’s philosophy “that variety is the spice of life.” To date, Rogue has produced more than 60 different ales using a non-pasteurized process with no preservatives, all natural ingredients (many from the Pacific Northwest including all of their malts and hops) and special proprietary yeast known as “Pacman.”
The company now operates locations in California, Oregon and Washington and distributes its beers both nationally and internationally. They have also expanded into spirits and manufacture a line of distilled beverages including whisky, rum, vodka and gin.
Total Wine & Spirits in the St. John’s Town Center in Jacksonville, Fla. is hosting a Rogue tasting on Thursday, February 13 at 6:00 p.m. Tickets for the event are $15 dollars and are available at the store. Ticket sales will be capped at 24 attendees. For more information, contact Total Wine & Spirits (904) 998-1740.
Rogue Beers to be tasted:
XS Dead Guy
Tasting Notes: Deep amber copper color. Buttery peanut brittle, orange blossom tea aromas follow through to a rich chewy and fruity full body with nice notes of caramel drizzled dried apricot and roasted grains and spice. Finishes with a long, tangy grilled grapefruit and chocolate fade.
Irish Lager
Tasting Notes: An Irish style lager with a smooth mellow flavor and an apple crisp finish. Perfect for floating Guinness!
Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout
Tasting Notes: Ebony in color with a rich creamy head, earthy flavor and a mellow, chocolate finish.
Chocolate Stout
Tasting Notes: Ebony in color with a rich creamy head. The mellow flavor of oats, chocolate malts and real chocolate are balanced perfectly with the right amount of hops for a bitter-sweet finish.
Chipotle Ale
Tasting Notes: Roasted chipotle peppers produce an eye opening chile flavor in this deep golden ale with a malty, smoky aroma and smooth, crisp flavor.
Beard Beer
Tasting Notes: No notes from brewery. This beer was made from yeast found in the beard of the brewery staff.
Chateau Single Malt
Tasting Notes: Single Malt Ale has a malty aroma and is deep golden in color with a dense creamy head. It is medium bodied with a lush rich maltiness from the Dare™ malt.
American Amber Ale
Tasting Notes: Tawny in color, with a coffee aroma, tight head and a delicate roasted malt accent. Generous use of hops and a smooth finish.
Cap’n Sig’s Northwestern Ale
Tasting Notes: Deep red in color, this ale starts off with a floral, slightly citrus hop nose, hop flavor soon fades into the malty backbone of this red ale.
XS Imperial Red
Tasting Notes: A big beer with a spicey fruity aroma, chewy mid palate of figs and spice and a long lingering finish. Deep burgundy in color with tremendous drinkability.
Dead Guy
Tasting Notes: In the style of a German Maibock, using our proprietary Pacman ale yeast. Deep honey in color with a malty aroma and a rich hearty flavor.
Morimoto Soba
Tasting Notes: The delicate flavor of our roasted Soba brings a nutty finish to this light and refreshing ale. A perfect accompaniment to lighter cuisine.
Rogue Farms Good Chit Pilsner
Tasting Notes: No tasting notes from brewery.
Rogue Farms 19 Original Colonies Meade
Tasting Notes: No tasting notes from brewery.
Brutal IPA
Tasting Notes: An Imperial bitter with exotic traditional floor malts, citrusy, hoppy flavor, stupendous hop aroma.
MoM Hefe
Tasting Notes: Mom Hefeweizen is a refreshing, Belgian style blonde ale, infused with Rose Petals from Eugene, Oregon.
Dads Little Helper
Tasting Notes: Dad’s Little Helper Black IPA is deep mahogany in color with roasted malt and hop aromas and dense creamy head. It enters the palate with intense hop flavor and coats the tongue with a rich maltiness.
Hazelnut Brown Nectar
Tasting Notes: A nutty twist to a traditional European Brown Ale. Dark brown in color with a hazelnut aroma, a rich nutty flavor and a smooth malty finish.
Mocha Porter
Tasting Notes: Ruddy brown in color, a bittersweet balance of malt and hops with a light cream finish.
Rogue Farms Honey Kolsch
Tasting Notes: No tasting notes from brewery.
Voodoo Donut 2
Tasting Notes: No tasting notes from brewery.
New Crustacean Barleywine Imperial IPA Sorta
Tasting Notes: Not quite a barley wine and not quite a double or imperial IPA. Just drink it and enjoy!
Integrity Ale
Tasting Notes: Born in a basement in Ashland, Oregon, Integrity Ale is Rogue’s original Golden Ale from 1988. Now John Maier brews it with ingredients from Rogue Farms in Independence and Tygh Valley, and the serigraphed silver bottle is dedicated to 25 years.
