Rogue’s Monk Madness

As a wise man once said, “When in Rogue, do as the Rogue do.” This is old proverb speak for “Northwest breweries should stick with the badass bitter beers they are known for.” Just look at Rogue Breweries’ OG flagship brews Shakespeare Stout, Brutal Bitter and Old Crustacean, all of them harsh, complex and consistently on point. But with their newest concoction, Monk Madness, the preeminent Oregon tastemakers at Rogue have continued to stray from their roots to unimpressive results. Right now, every American brewer and his mother seems to think it’s his right, or obligation, to try his hand at a Belgian-style ale. The results can be disastrous for one simple reason: Belgian ales, even the strongest of the bunch, have a subtlety and traditional pureness to them that the American ruffian brewer can’t recreate. Rogue’s tribute to the Belgian ale, for instance, hinges on five varieties of malts and five different hops — an ambitious recipe on paper that damn well goes too far. The deep velour and rippley brown color is off-putting, the sour bite of it is upsetting. Everything about the burnt caramel hop flavor and slightly hopped-up, nutty booziness screams identity crises, like an American playboy vacationing in an ancient monastery but without the basic decency to learn Flemish. The fact is, Rogue’s ever expanding list of beers seems more and more like an excursion from what they are known for, and what they do best.
Dairy Pairy: Smoked Gouda
Soundtrack: The Dandy Warhols’ Come Down