Rogue: Dead Guy Ale

Rogue originally created this ale to celebrate day of the dead. But what began as an obscure seasonal celebration ale quickly became Rogue's flagship brew. The skeleton-man label gives this brew a unique look, which is appropriate, since Dead Guy has an equally unique taste.

To the naked eye, Dead Guy is rather unassuming. It has a clear golden color and a quickly-dissipating head. But the taste is subtle and complex. It starts off with a dry toasted malt taste, but an earthy hop flavor follows quickly. The hop bitterness is accented by an almost peppery spiciness. At some point in there I think I can taste a faint citrus-sweetness, though it is hard to identify amidst the persistent hoppiness. It is very light bodied and moderately carbonated, which leaves you with a crisp but noticeably bitter aftertaste.

Dead Guy combines a number of elements that makes it drinkable in juts about any situation. It has the crispness and light-body that you want in a summer brew, but it also boasts a bold combination of malts and hops that is more suggestive of a cold-weather ale. It is complex enough to be a sipping ale, but also light-bodied enough to be a session beer (though the bold flavor might eventually bowl you over).