Rogue Dead Guy Ale

Today is my father-in-law Mike's birthday, so I let him choose from an assortment of beer in my fridge which one he would like to try and I'll write a post about it. He chose Rogue Dead Guy Ale, one of their most popular offerings. I opened and poured and then he gave me a hard time for giving him "dead guy ale" on his birthday! Is someone feeling old?

Anyway, I've actually never tried Dead Guy Ale before so I bought a bottle. I like Rogue's assortment but I usually choose their more extreme offerings. Dead Guy was actually surprisingly complex and unique. I don't usually trust breweries most popular offerings since most people drink Bud Light. For example, Real Ale in Blanco, TX has great beer but I don't care for their most popular Fireman's 4 Blonde Ale. Different tastes for different people I suppose.

This ale is a malty, hearty beverage described as honey in color on the bottle and on Rogue's website. Maybe we were influenced by the description but Mike and I both tasted honey flavor in this malt-strong ale. Everything about this beer screams malt, the deep golden cloudy color, the aroma, and most definitely the taste. It was just balanced enough to subdue the sweetness. I enjoyed it, but as a fan of hoppy beers I would probably only have one of these before switching to a more bitter offering.

Rogue publishes the origin of this beer on their website:

In the early 1990s Dead Guy Ale was created as a private tap sticker to celebrate the Mayan Day of the Dead (November 1st, All Souls Day) for Casa U Betcha in Portland, Oregon. The Dead Guy design proved so popular with consumers and especially Grateful Dead fans, that we made it the label for our Maierbock ale. Even though the association with the Grateful Dead band is pure coincidence, we have gratefully dedicated Dead Guy Ale to the Rogue in each of us.

I felt like a Rogue, and a Grateful Dead fan, after reading all about it.

Bottom Line: I would definitely recommend this ale. This actually might be a good choice for a friend trying to "convert" another Bud Light drinker to real beer. I'd love to find a 64 oz. growler that they advertise on their site. Finding that in South Texas is not very likely. The more beer drinkers that identify themselves, the more likely it becomes!

Stats:
16º PLATO
40 IBU
78 AA
16º Lovibond