Chatue Rogue First Growth Wet Hop Ale
It’s not everyday when there is so little published about a Beer. The Chatue Rogue First Growth Wet Hop Ale is just that. Nothing on the Rogue website about the beer, a couple blog posting, and some reviews on Beer Advocate. But who am I to listen to others anyway…
As described on the bottle, this wet hop American Pale Ale created “with hops from Rogue’s Micro Hop Yard in Independence, Oregon. Raw Hops are picked stu fed into burlap bags, driven immediately 77 miles to Newport, Oregon and pitched into the brew kettle.”
Appearance:
Rogue Wet Hop
Pours a clear deep amber, lots of carbonation bubbles in the beer. A nice pale head sits on this beer, pretty good head retention, and some decent lacing. Had some yeast in the bottle, the second glass was much cloudier, a bit of sediment I suppose.
Aroma:
Not what I would expect from Rogue. I expected a significant hop presence, what I got was a slight caramel malty aroma a bit of pine and subtle hint of licorice. I was actually kind of a let down by the aroma.
Taste:
Definitively a American Pale Ale. Nice upfront malty, caramel creaminess that quickly gave way into a long lasting rolling bitterness with some grapefruit undertones. It tastes like a typical good APA.
Calories: at 6.4% abv this beer would have between 200 and 225 cal per 12 oz.
Glassware: Nonic, Pint, Tulip
Overall Impression:
I thought this was a good American Pale Ale, nothing off-putting about this beer. I don’t get the wet hop, it didn’t add anything to the beer in my opinion. I’m not sure how wet hops adds anything to this beer than dried hops.
Whats your opinion on Fresh/Wet Hop beers?
I really liked this one—I tasted it when it first came out and was very pleased by the fresh herb and fruit flavors—a hint of peach? bergamot tea? Overall, I like the balance and subtlety in the fresh hop beers I tasted this year…I wrote a piece about them (linked above.)
Clearly, it’s a bit of a fad, but I’m sure these beers are fun to make (especially if you’re located somewhere right near a hop farm..)
It would have been nice to taste a bunch of them together, like you did. For some reason I didn’t many of them when they came out. I don’t know how this bottle showed up at my local store 3-4 months after their releases.
Fad, probably. But, I wonder how quickly the flavors change verses dried hops. Should these be drunk more “brewery fresh” then other beers?
Yeah, I think they should be tasted pretty darn fresh, especially the ones that aren’t aiming to be hop-bombs. My bet is that the delicate flavors fade (similar to cooking with fresh basil, etc.)
We got some directly from the breweries as review samples—though I’m still seeing a few in stores—there’s one from Left Hand I still haven’t tried because we got the sample after our article ran.
I think Northwest breweries are hoping that fresh hop beers can be something to distinguish them from the pack—much easier to make these well when the hops arrive by the bale from down the road.
That would be my guess as well. I think this beer had it more of the notes you were describing would have been a lot better, either that I just don’t have as a sophisticated palette 🙂
I developed a taste for wet hopped beers after trying Founders Harvest Ale. I’m always in a rush to drink these, as the fresher, the better. Because of this, they stay in the front of the fridge, but not for long!
I’ll keep an eye out for this one. Wet hopping might be a bit of a fad, but I’m enjoying it!
Rock on Jim! Somehow I missed them all this year except for the Sierra Nevada Wet Hop Harvest ale, which I LOVED!
Peter:
I have read that you should drink fresh hopped beers within 3 months of bottling. I agree with Maggie, I’m assuming that the flavor fades over time if you leave it for too long. Your beer was probably on the edge of when it should have been drank. I’m now passing on any fresh hopped beers I see in the store now, because they are getting past their prime.
I must say I appreciate this style more than the lay down style of beer. It kills me not to drink a beer right away. I don’t have a lot of storage, so I pretty much have to drink everything I buy. I have actually passed on beers that recommend you allow them to age because of my space limitations. Fresh hopped beers solve that problem for me. Also it helps that I live in the middle of hops farms and have a lot of choice during fresh hop season.
-Don
And I thought you said you weren’t a beer geek… hmmmm 🙂
This was one of those on the whim buys, drank it with in 2 days of buying. I think I was more fascinated with it b/c I’d never heard of or seen it before. I have a good/bad habit of buying a lot beer based on labels, whims, and gut reactions.
I love Sierra Nevada’s Harvest Wet Hop and enjoyed Founder’s Harvest Ale. For lack of a better word they just taste so very fresh and I can’t help but enjoy it. I hope we are able to get this down here.
Mike, IMO, this paled in aroma and flavor to the Sierra. That said, different hops and style. I will try this one again next year if I can get it fresh off the truck.