Tonight, I was
afraid. Very afraid. Because this very night, I saw the dead rise before my
eyes. No, I’m not crazy, and yes, I’ll admit I was drinking. But I assure
you, my story is true. For when I stopped off this evening for a pint and a
bite at Summits
Wayside Tavern , the bartender placed a glass beneath a tap and the
dead….rose.
The dead to which I refer is Rogue Mogul Madness. And don’t take my
word for it. Rogue ales themselves say Mogul Madness - Mogul is now in
the RIP listings. See? I told you so. And they go on to say more:
Small batches of seasonal beers were traditionally brewed in Europe
during the 19th century. Breweries made darker brews, brews with high
alcohol content and festive taste. Mogul is a strong ale, darker in color
than other pale ales and more assertively hopped-the John Maier trademark.
First brewed in 1991, Mogul Madness is created from seven types of hops:
Perle, Saaz, Centennial, Cascade, Columbus, Willamette and Chinook; and five
types of malted barley: Great Western Harrington, Klages, Munich, Crystal,
and Chocolate malt. Measurements: 16.5 degrees Plato, IBU 68, Apparent
attenuation 77.7, Lovibond 36.
There, now we’ve got all that technical stuff out of the way. It’s been a
long time since I’ve had a Mogul Ale, of course. So I was very glad indeed
to see this beer resurrected, if only on draft and if only for a short time.
It was offered as part of the celebration of Rogue’s 15th anniversary. The
brewery is sponsoring a year-long celebration of that watershed with a
series of new and re-released specialty brews.
Mogul Madness may just be the best of them all if you’re a true hophead. Be
forewarned: if bitterness offends, this is not the beer for you. Still,
those who appreciate the humble hop will absolutely adore this beer, as I
do. And how could you not, with seven different hops imparting so much,
well, hop character.
Let’s have a sip, shall we?
Rogue Mogul Madness pours to a rich brownish color with a creamy tan
head formation and a powerfully grassy hop nose. As I sip, a thick layer of
Brussels lace forms on the sides of my glass. And how about that palate?
Rich, chocolaty, deep, dark, and delicious.
The dark malt flavors are big enough here to make a fine beer in and of
themselves. But ultimately, they have to fight just to maintain a presence
against the intense hop notes. They’re grassy, minty, and incredibly resiny.
They taste a bit like a pine tree smells.
And they permeate the brew from start to finish. Then there are the 68 IBUs
of bitterness. They slowly intensify as you sip, ultimately depositing an
incredibly long lasting bitterness on the tongue. Simply amazing. The minty
grassy hops work so well with the chocolaty malt, you just have to taste it
to believe it.
I hope they’re bringing this back on a permanent basis. It’s one of the best
beers you’ll ever find. Rogue says to e-mail them at brewdawg@rogue.com if
you’d like to see this one come back. Well Rogue, count me in. I’ve been
infected with Mogul Madness, and I want this one back from the dead for
good.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For
reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft