So I’m drinking this bottle of Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale Aged in Dead Guy Whiskey Barrels, see, and it makes me think of Victory’s Dark Intrigue, another beer aged in whiskey barrels. Now, being aged in whiskey barrels is about all these two beers have in common, actually, since the Rogue brew is a malty amber ale and the Victory one a dark roasty imperial stout.

Here’s the thing, though. While both beers are touted for their aging pedigree, only one of them really succeeds at it, and that is the Rogue brew. In fact, that’s what got me thinking about the comparison in the first place, since Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale Aged in Dead Guy Whiskey Barrels clearly benefits from the time on oak, and for about half the price.

Rogue “John John” ales are named after the two collaborators that produce them, Rogue brewmaster John Maier and Rogue spirits master John Couchot. If you didn’t know, Rogue also makes spirits the likes of Dead Guy Whiskey and Spruce Gin. Actually, my bottle can be further described since I’m a John, too: Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale Aged in Dead Guy Whiskey Barrels Aged in John’s DBR for Two Years. Does that make it John John John Ale? I don’t know, but the beer did seem to hold up well in the two years since I bought it.

Ingredients from the label:

Carastan, Rogue Micro Barley Farm Dare & Risk malts; Saaz, Willamette, Rogue Micro Farm Hopyard Revolution Hops; Top Fermenting Pacman Yeast & Free range Coastal Water.

I think of Dead Guy Ale as an amber ale in style. Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale Aged in Dead Guy Whiskey uses that beer as a base. Alcohol content is 6.4% by volume, and I paid $6.99 for a 22-ounce bomber bottle at Sherlock’s in Marietta, Georgia.

Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale Aged in Dead Guy Whiskey Barrels pours to a hazy amber color with a medium sized head of creamy foam and a delicious nose of caramel malt and bourbon. I do get the chewy caramel of Dead Guy up front, albeit with the hops smoothed out. That’s OK, though, because the beer has decided notes of oak and vanilla from the whiskey barrels and they play off all the better for the more mellow nature here. Indeed, the beer is VERY woody, it was on draft when I had it at Taco Mac and it is in the bottle now.

I just love the deep, long delicious whiskey finish that suggests alcohol; still this is not all that strong a beer. Don’t pass up on this treat! A whiskey barrel aged beer should taste like oak, vanilla, and whiskey, or some combination thereof. This one surely does.

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