Name: Rogue Beard Beer

Style: American Wild Ale

Country: U.S.A.

ABV: 5.6%

Beer description: Rogue Brewery is in Portland, Oregon. This beer is made in homage to legendary Brewmaster John Maier’s beard. Further than that, this beer actually uses natural yeast growing in the legend’s beard. A legendary beard on a legendary man, it stands to reason, probably has some legendary yeast in it. Legendary yeast surely leads to legendary beer…  Let’s see if our logic is sound.

This one has a kind of big, white, upside down beard… that is to say, the beer has a pretty decent sized head! More wild beers tend to do this, and, on first glance, Rogue’s Beard Beer has a fair amount of carbonation. It’s a straw coloured beer. But, other than the head, nothing about it that screams “beard.” While some might say finding a stray beard hair in their beer is gross, we say it’s like the prize at the bottom of a cereal box. Unfortunately this probably breaks all sorts of health regulations, so there are no beard hairs in this beer.

The smell of a well oiled beer is what comes through in the aroma. Mild fruits like lychee come through along with the subtle scents of berries, especially strawberry. Of course there’s the sourness and funk that only a wild, beardy yeast can bring. There’s a bit of a clean rubber smell about the beer that cleanses the more sour tones, almost like new tires.

Does this beer taste like a beard? Well, that’s hard to say. The first impression is that the Beard Beer is surprisingly smooth: like a well conditioned beard that appears wiry and coarse, but is pleasant and easy to touch. It’s actually a fairly creamy beer. While there’s a bit of sourness to this beer, but compared to some of the more wild American Wild Ales, this one isn’t sour at all. Rather, the beer is creamy with a slight peach taste that balances out the sour. Adding to this, the beer isn’t too bitter, but rather earthy. The taste of earth and feeling of clean, yet rotting, wood sits in the mouth. It’s lovely.

What does a beard taste like? Evidently it’s quite well balanced and really good! Adding to this, it’s also a great introduction to American Wild Ales as the Beard Beer is actually quite easy drinking.

Check out other American wild ale reviews.

See other reviews of beers by Rogue.