Day 209: Juniper Pale Ale

Name: Juniper Pale Ale

Brewer: Rogue Ales (Newport, OR)

Classification: Herbed/Spiced Beer

Alcohol: 5.3%

Thoughts: I have really been getting into this idea that you can add anything you want to a recipe in order to make a beer unique. I've seen all types of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. This one was brewed with juniper berries. I don't really know what to expect or what to look for because I've never had juniper berries before. So here goes! Juniper Pale Ale pours a golden yellow color with only a sliver of an off-white head, which disappears completely within a minute. The nose is mainly lemon, pineapple, hops and malt. There is also an earthiness to the nose that I liked very much. The taste is fairly underwhelming though. I get the hops, but beyond that there is not much to expand on. It's also so dry that I can't really get much. The flavors evaporate so fast I can't identify them and a grainy feeling is left on your tongue. The feel is super thin and way too dry. If you are looking for something to describe the juniper berries in the smell of taste you make be waiting a long time. I didn't find anything to make me think these berries added anything to the beer. Overall, this one misses the mark for me, which is very unlike Rouge.

Rating: 75/100