White Crane Ale (Rogue's Oregon Golden Ale)
Ezo Beer KK

White Crane Ale (Rogue's Oregon Golden Ale)White Crane Ale (Rogue's Oregon Golden Ale)
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From:
Ezo Beer KK
 
Japan
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.6 | pDev: 12.5%
Reviews:
24
Ratings:
27
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 28, 2014
Added:
Jun 17, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
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Ratings by Thads324:
Photo of Thads324
Reviewed by Thads324 from Connecticut

3.17/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A : pours an deep orange with red highlights. A frothy abd light tan head that holds well throughout.

S : smells of a bit of chocolate with a tad of hop. Skunky overtones. A slight sweet malt lingers behind that smells like a light red wine.

T : a watery beginning lends to a slightly sweet and malty beer with a tiny bitter hop flavor 75% of the way through the profile. There are small traces of wheat bread, mild chocolate and smoke. Although light in body it is flavorful and sweet. The skunk from the aroma remains, but is minimally noticeable.

M : light and well carbonated. No lingering tastes at all.

Not sure what to make of this. It's a specialty for export, but could be considered a decent esb but isn't? Drinkability is a plus
Apr 07, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of gillagorilla
Reviewed by gillagorilla from Maryland

3.14/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12 oz. bottle for 3.49 at Bo Brooks (poured into a Burley Oak snifter)

A: Hazy and cloudy mahogany body with some yeast sedimentation. Quite the head and carbonation upon opening.

S: Some decent hop characteristics for the probably age on this, mostly pine. Sweet ale scents with bit of honey on the nose.

T: Bitter at the end of the mouth as you are about to swallow and lemony/fruity.

M: Very thin with almost no carbonation in the mouth.

O: This was probably quite good fresh and its only saving grace is that it seems to have been bottle-conditioned. I will say that I got it for the bottle, but for its age it is a decent beer.
Jan 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Dawkins from Pennsylvania

Nov 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by goblin7704 from Ohio

Jun 11, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by missdawn from Pennsylvania

Dec 05, 2011
Photo of TJBAIHWL
Reviewed by TJBAIHWL from Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours translucent orange-amber with a one-finger beige-ish head. Head subsided quickly to a thin film. Smell is somewhat earthy, mostly malt with the faintest hint of hops. The flavor is mostly caramel malt at first, then some pine & grapefruit notes from the hops. The finish is very clean & the hops linger very nicely. There's just the right amount of carbonation & it goes down very easily. Personally though, I drank it slow. The very well-balanced amber flavor and the lingering bitterness makes it something to savor. If you're in the mood for a great beer without a lot of weight to it, pick this one up.
Sep 13, 2010
Photo of jdhilt
Reviewed by jdhilt from New Hampshire

3.23/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pours a four finger cream head that fades slowly leaving a good lace. Cloudy brown/amber color. Light carbonation and medium bodied. Malty/hoppy nose. Flavor is an almost sweet caramel, the hops are trying to dominate. $2.30 for a 12oz bottle from Glen Beverage Glen, NH. Label: Brewed and bottled by Oregon Brewing Conewport, OR.
Nov 02, 2009
Photo of Dotcubed
Reviewed by Dotcubed from Arkansas

3.06/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This is an old bottle.
I think i've had it for about two or three years.

Pours beautifully with nice foam and some sediment.
nice hazelnut color. serious snow globe action

very light flavors. crisp malty with a nice light bitterness.

Too old.
Kind of a shadow of what it once was.
May 31, 2009
Photo of sacredduck
Reviewed by sacredduck from New Hampshire

4.2/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - Pleasant amber, very slightly cloudy. I poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass 5 minutes ago and the 2 finger head has only diminished to 1 finger.

S - Strong hops, alluringly bitter without being overpowering

T - The carbonation takes a back seat to an incredible bitter hops taste with hints of spice and caramel. As a big fan of anything bitter, I'd say that the bitterness is moderate and generally overpowering over other tastes. Since the bitterness is so pleasant, this is just fine by me. Bitterness lingers for a moderate-length aftertaste.

D - Though it goes down relatively quick, I think I'd look elsewhere for a session beer due to the price (around $13/6-pack in NH and ME) and the lingering bitterness in the end.

Rogue is quickly becoming my favorite US brewer. Though this isn't my favorite of theirs, it's certainly worthy of the Rogue label, and definitely worth the price on occasion.
Mar 17, 2009
Photo of tjsprague
Reviewed by tjsprague from California

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I had this beer in Japan where Rouge bottled it especially for export.

A nice amber beer with a good balance of hop bitterness and amber malt. Nothing really special about this beer (unless you have been stuck drinking Japanese light lager for 4 weeks and need something with substance).

Not quite worthy of a Rouge beer or what I usually hold Rouge to as far as standards go, but a nice beer that is easy to drink and with enough flavor.
Jan 26, 2009
Photo of mynie
Reviewed by mynie from Maryland

3.66/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours very nice and hazy, deep dark amber red with a large, retentive, soapy white head.

Smells of very strong, syrupy toasted malts along with high alpha floral hops.

Tastes almost exactly like it smells. Very strong, biscuity malt with a lot of dry floral hops. Nice but unbalanced, maybe a little bit stale.
Dec 04, 2008
Photo of dnichols
Reviewed by dnichols from Washington

2.81/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
A: It poured a orange body with tinges of copper and amber. IT had a robust off white head that settled to an even cover over the liquid. There were layers of lacing that clung to the side of the glass.

S: It smell of lightly toasted malts and floral hops. It also had a funky aroma that I could not place.

T: It had a sweet malty flavor that was quickly overcome by a funky metallic biter flavor.

M: It was light bodied with aggressive carbonation and a finish that did not clean the palate. The funky metallic flavor lingered long into the aftertaste.

D: This is a funky beer. Worth trying but not one I'll go for a second helping.
Sep 14, 2008
Photo of JamesS
Reviewed by JamesS from Indiana

3.35/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This beer pours a nice mid-copper color with very litle head and a bit of nice lacing. Nice bitter (as in the style) scent, although not very strong. Same for the taste, a very well done pub-like bitter, but just not as strong as others. Goes down fine, but there are just many better bitters out there.
Aug 14, 2008
Photo of TasteTester
Reviewed by TasteTester from Ohio

3.37/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Not what I've come to expect from Rogue. Bottle says bitter, it is anything but, almost sweet.

A-brownish amber. no lasting head or lace.

S-difficult time picking much of anything up.

T-like any other american amber. dry.

M-nothing here. it is like a beer i could chug without noticing i was chugging.

D-not again. saw it on the shelf with only a few left, took a shot and lost.
Jul 10, 2008
Photo of Wasatch
Reviewed by Wasatch from Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12oz. Bottle

Poured into a Rogue Dead Guy Ale glass a very nice hazy amber color, nice one-finger creamy off-white head, which leaves some nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is big on malts, and caramel, nice touch of hops as well. The taste is slightly sweet, nice malts and some hops. Medium body. There is a nice little bitterness in the finish. Drinkable, this is a very tasty brew.
Jun 01, 2008
Photo of drxandy
Reviewed by drxandy from Michigan

3.65/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
poured from 12oz into standard pint
poured a hazy golden redish shade
beer -splosion upon opening, made a small mess on the kitchen floor :( - no head, very foamy
oh well

smells of yeastiness and spice

tasting yields bitter hopping, an almost floral spiciness, orange peel, yeasty

thin mouthfeel, dry bitterness on the aftertaste - sessionable but not my favorite variety of a bitter

not amazing, drinkable all in all - but this bottle could be off - wouldn't buy again
]
May 11, 2008
Photo of jeremyd365
Reviewed by jeremyd365 from Michigan

3.82/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Grabbed an individual bottle of this the other day because it was on sale and looked interesting with its Japanese-charactered bottle.

Poured a dark, caramel color with a thick head and minimalized some but stayed around for awhile.

The beer smelled strongly of malt, caramel, and perhaps spices.

The flavor of this one tasted of a definite holiday ale--very spicy. Caramel and nutmeggy--much like how it smelled.

Although a "bitter", it didn't have too much bite and was a very drinkable beer.

It was interesting and I think I would have it again. More of a sipper-by-the-fire type though.
Apr 08, 2008
Photo of jwc215
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona

3.06/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Japanese writing on most of the 12 oz. bottle:

Pours orangeish copper with a large, foamy off-white head that settles to a lasting cover. Some broken rings of lacing stick.

The smell is tea-leaf with a touch of what I presume to be Pac-man yeast, as it has that Rogue signature aroma. Some tinny notes come through.

The taste is malty with a tea-leaf bitterness and a slice of orange. There is a metallic tinge. Bitter, herbal finish.

Light-to-medium bodied.

Couldn't get into this one. Too leafy with a bit of astringency.
Feb 09, 2008
Photo of dsa7783
Reviewed by dsa7783 from New Jersey

4.45/5  rDev +23.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
First thought - this is an absolutely amazing beer... Although most of the bottle is inscribed in Japanese, the name "Rogue" is clearly visible in English... the cap, which is also in Japanese, states that, "If you can read this, you need to drink a beer"... "White Crane Bitter Ale" in English on the bottle... 12 oz sample copped for about $2.99 from Oak Tree in South Plainfield... Amazing appearance - dark brown, copper hue, foamy, and hazy, with a gorgeous frothy head that exhibited some serious staying power... top-of-the line, quality Rogue aroma, with grains, caramel, and slight vanilla... taste was superb - light, refreshing, yet very thick and flavorful with a slight bitterness tinged with vanilla, caramel, sugars, and nuts... the taste is really what hits home - not too powerful or overwhelming, but just right enough to be a truly enjoyable beer, able to be appreciated at any time, any season... Although some bitterness is present, there is also a nice dichotomy of a sugar-sweet, mellow candied flavor that is really balanced to perfection... one of the better beers I've sampled with the Rogue logo... Definitely recommended... Drinkability was a breeze with the modest 5% ABV, but the alcohol percentage certainly did not detract from the outstanding flavor and all around quality of the brew... Amazing stuff...
Feb 02, 2008
Photo of younger35
Reviewed by younger35 from Minnesota

3.44/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Picked up a 12oz bottle of this from directly from Rogues brewery. As I started this review I realized I’ve tasted this brew before, looked over my old notes and found Shark Tooth Ale (an alias for there Oregon Golden Ales). Most of this is just copied from my first review with a couple tweaks. Drank from my Samuel Adams pint glass.

Appearance- Pours a nice golden yellow with a slight bit of chill haze and a fluffy half finger white head. Leaves a decent collar and with almost zero cap. Nice aggressive carbonation as well.
Smell- Sour lemon is the first thing that jumps out of the nose at me. Slight grainy maltyness but the nose is just prominently that sourness.
Taste- After the nose I was really not expecting much from the taste but turns out this beer is pretty darn tasty. Has a nice spicy, peppery start with a subtle fruitiness to it. Orange, lemon zest and a semi apple tartness add a sour bitterness. Finishes with a slight bread aftertaste.
Mouthfeel- Medium slick body with pretty average carbonation.
Drinkability- Other than the nose, this is a pretty solid beer that I really enjoyed. It’s fairly sweet and could only have a couple of these but not bad.
Nov 22, 2007
White Crane Ale (Rogue's Oregon Golden Ale) from Ezo Beer KK
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 27 ratings