Why Do So Many People Hate Rogue Ales?

Q: Why do so many people hate Rogue ales?

A: Because their beers never quite seem to deliver what they promise.

 

I agree with the OP..definitely some 'Rogue Rage' that goes on here...Love that Hazelnut brown!

 

Their marketing exceeds their grasp.

 

If you are a brewery and make beer people like, then the market evolves and your new attempts don't always hit then some BA people think you are "bad" when in reality the brewery is just fine. See BA threads on Sam Adams, Dogfish Head, etc....

 

Yeah, no I totally agree that a lot of bombers out there are on the steep side, I've just been had a couple times so I am weary to drop that kind of coin on a brew that I'm not too confident in. I am always willing to taste new stuff, but given their track record, I'll let someone else do the buying next time.

 

I love most of their OG line-up. Shakespeare is easily my favorite beer by style; no other oatmeal stout that I've had comes close. Their recent releases have been very average, unfortunately. Sriracha Stout was very disappointing. 7-Hop IPA may be their best release in the last 5 years.

 

Back in the 90's, I used to buy every single release that they had for years. I had a thing for collecting paint labeled bottles, because there just were not that many back then. But even then, when there wasn't anywhere near the selection of craft breweries available, I still always thought that the vast majority of their beers were mediocre, at best. IMHO, they were not a very good brewery, even back when there wasn't as much to choose from. By today's standards, I don't understand why anybody buys any of their beers, because even at their best (Shakespeare Stout), there are still usually much better options at better prices in most markets now. And btw, I gave up that bottle collecting and sold that stuff off long ago, so I haven't had any of the newer beers that Rogue has put out for maybe 10 years or more. They don't even sound interesting to me.

 

While I think that Shakespeare is probably their best, even back in the early 90's when I lived in the Bay Area, I would always pick up a Barney Flats from Anderson Valley before Shakespeare (as far as an oatmeal stout).

 

I used to buy a bottle here and there, and I value their role in turning me on to craft beer generally.

I no longer find their beers too compelling, and I've no interest in their "experimental" work. A beer with beard yeast is a reasonable experiment to run, but to sell it nationwide seems odd. Donut beers as a one-off might be neat to try. A line of them no longer seems like a good idea.

When coupled with their price point, the result is I don't buy them anymore. I might buy one again some time (I'm interested in trying their hazelnut brown, for example), but mostly it is a shelf at the local bottle shop I skip.

So no hate, just disinterest.

 

Thanks for the link - I now understand the feelings about Rogue and I will now drink a BMC before i drink a Rogue.

 

I don't hate them, but I also don't buy them. I don't buy many bombers to begin with because of price and anything they make that sounds interesting to me is often in bombers.

 

What marketing? Commercials? Print ads? I don't see anything anywhere.

 

I have drank alot of their beers and sitting here thinking I cant think of one single beer that comes to mind that's worth even mentioning.
I do give them credit for the weird stuff they brew. But thats the only point of interest they have. I look at their beers just to see what they are putting into it now. Not to actually drink and buy.
The ales are not worth the price.
They produce so many brews so much weird shit, that its like there doing it just to hopefully nail something the public likes. But i think most of use realize that what there doing. Kinda reminds me of Sam adams we produce 120+ styles and all of them are mediocre at best.

 

I wouldnt say I hate them, but I do no look for their beer nor want any of it.

 

I like the art on the bottle more than the beer in it for the majority of their beers. I happened to crack open a Rogue Juniper Ale right before logging on (picked it up in a mixed sixer). It's an enjoyable afternoon beer for a day I have off work, but it's not good enough that I would seek out more of it, especially at Rogue's price point. Plus, I've heard a lot of stories about the people at Rogue not being so nice, which doesn't help their cause. I wouldn't say I hate them or anything - there's just too much better beer available at lower prices to make them worth my while.

 

Their prices are ridiculous compared to their quality. I do enjoy Brutal though, its a good IPA and available in 6 packs.

 

They have occasional TV ads but I was mostly referring to their own descriptions of their beer. They all sound awesome but rarely taste like the description. Double Chocolate Stout excepted.

 

Perfectly fine, not sure why they whip people up into a frenzy for some reason... I purchase them once in awhile.