How would you categorize this Rogue Dead Guy ale? It's a good beer, although
I wish it were a bit more hoppy (but maybe that's because I usually drink
IPA).
BA puts it in the Maibock category.

Justin Wilson wrote:
> How would you categorize this Rogue Dead Guy ale? It's a good beer, although
> I wish it were a bit more hoppy (but maybe that's because I usually drink
> IPA).
> BA puts it in the Maibock category.

I'd categorize it as an American pale ale. I like the fact that it leads with
malt rather than hops. I can see putting it into another style category so that
drinkers will not be surprised that it doesn't taste like Sierra Nevada Pale
Ale, for example. Assuming Dead Guy is top fermented, I think it's wrong to call
it a maibock, even if it gives the drinker a closer expectation of its taste.I
would rather see it called an American Blonde Ale.

Tom W

"Justin Wilson" > wrote in message
...

> How would you categorize this Rogue Dead Guy ale?

Personally, I'd categorize it as boring.

> It's a good beer, although I wish it were a bit more hoppy (but maybe
> that's because I usually drink IPA).
> BA puts it in the Maibock category.

As good a category as any. Maibocks can have a pretty hoppy character.

But I don't really see a need to categorize it. It's way too easy to get
carried away with this sort of thing, and the American beer geek's need to
do this strikes me as so much trainspotting.

RDG is widely enough known amongst geek circles that it's probably one of
those cases that it doesn't really need categorizing, anyway.

-Steve

Tom Wolper > wrote:
: Justin Wilson wrote:
:> How would you categorize this Rogue Dead Guy ale? It's a good beer, although
:> I wish it were a bit more hoppy (but maybe that's because I usually drink
:> IPA).
:> BA puts it in the Maibock category.
:
: I'd categorize it as an American pale ale. I like the fact that it leads with
: malt rather than hops. I can see putting it into another style category so that
: drinkers will not be surprised that it doesn't taste like Sierra Nevada Pale
: Ale, for example. Assuming Dead Guy is top fermented, I think it's wrong to call
: it a maibock, even if it gives the drinker a closer expectation of its taste.I
: would rather see it called an American Blonde Ale.
:
: Tom W

From Rogue's web site:

http://www.rogue.com/brews.html#deadguy

Dead Guy is a German-style Maibock made with Rogue's proprietary
"PacMan" ale yeast. It is deep honey in color with a malty aroma, rich
hearty flavor and a well balanced finish. Dead Guy is created from
Northwest Harrington, Klages, Maier Munich and Carastan malts, along
with Perle and Saaz Hops. Dead Guy Ale is available in 22-ounce bottles,
12-ounce 6-pack, and on draft.

--
Bill
AT DOT
reply to bbenzel adelphia net
http://www.myspace.com/billbenzel

Bill Benzel wrote:
> Tom Wolper > wrote:
> Assuming Dead Guy is top fermented, I think it's wrong to call
> : it a maibock, even if it gives the drinker a closer expectation of its taste.I
> : would rather see it called an American Blonde Ale.
>
> From Rogue's web site:
>
> http://www.rogue.com/brews.html#deadguy
>
> Dead Guy is a German-style Maibock made with Rogue's proprietary
> "PacMan" ale yeast. It is deep honey in color with a malty aroma, rich
> hearty flavor and a well balanced finish. Dead Guy is created from
> Northwest Harrington, Klages, Maier Munich and Carastan malts, along
> with Perle and Saaz Hops. Dead Guy Ale is available in 22-ounce bottles,
> 12-ounce 6-pack, and on draft.

I don't agree with that but it's not going to change anything. At least BA is
being consistent with the brewer's description.

Tom W

Tom Wolper > wrote:
> Justin Wilson wrote:

>> How would you categorize this Rogue Dead Guy ale? It's a good beer,
>> although I wish it were a bit more hoppy (but maybe that's because I
>> usually drink IPA).
>> BA puts it in the Maibock category.

> I'd categorize it as an American pale ale. I like the fact that it
> leads with malt rather than hops. I can see putting it into another
> style category so that drinkers will not be surprised that it doesn't
> taste like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, for example. Assuming Dead Guy is
> top fermented, I think it's wrong to call it a maibock, even if it
> gives the drinker a closer expectation of its taste. I would rather
> see it called an American Blonde Ale.

If California Common can be an ale made with a lager yeast,
why can't lagers use ale yeast?

The problem is that, outside of judging, the guidelines don't
mean much. On the floor to my left are six empty Dead Guys.
They were good, but a Maibock? an American Pale Ale? an
American Blonde Ale? No, No, and No.

It's like Stone's Arrogant ******* Ale. It doesn't matter
that it doesn't fit style guidelines as long as it is great beer.

Us IPA guys should not stray - Make mine a Hercules Double IPA.

Dick

On Apr 17, 9:38 pm, (Dick Adams) wrote:

> If California Common can be an ale made with a lager yeast,
> why can't lagers use ale yeast?

"California Common" (gak, can't we just call it "Steam"? This
NG is dead-- we won't get sued!) is a lager fermented at ale
temperatures, not an ale made with lager yeast. As to "lagers"
using ale yeast, well, because the most common definition
of "lager" is "beer fermented by lager yeast". You are of course
free to use any alternative defintion that floats your boat, but
it might be a lonely boat.

> The problem is that, outside of judging, the guidelines don't
> mean much.

I agree completely, but that doesn't really excuse categorizing
a unique beer as a well-defined (and very different) style. Call
it a unique style, or better still don't try to categorize it at all.

Jon Binkley > wrote:
> (Dick Adams) wrote:

>> If California Common can be an ale made with a lager yeast,
>> why can't lagers use ale yeast?

> "California Common" (gak, can't we just call it "Steam"? This
> NG is dead-- we won't get sued!) is a lager fermented at ale
> temperatures, not an ale made with lager yeast. As to "lagers"
> using ale yeast, well, because the most common definition
> of "lager" is "beer fermented by lager yeast". You are of course
> free to use any alternative defintion that floats your boat, but
> it might be a lonely boat.

You are correct.

So because we're pretty much on the same page, we'll agree Rouge is
free to label Dead Guy as an Ale because it's "made with Rogue's
proprietary "PacMan" ale yeast" and claim it's a Maibock becaue it
floats their boat. Maybe it's just Gringo interpretation of a
European style.

>> The problem is that, outside of judging, the guidelines don't
>> mean much.

> I agree completely, but that doesn't really excuse categorizing
> a unique beer as a well-defined (and very different) style. Call
> it a unique style, or better still don't try to categorize it at
> all.

Excellent point.

Now if you ferment malt with a wine yeast at a lager temperature,
do you have beer or wine? The first problem I see is that you
can't pass it off as wine except to someone with a blood-alcohol l
evel above .25.

Off-the-top-of-my-head, 10 lbs of LME femented down to 1.01 (which
a wine yeast like Lalvin EC-1118 should be able to do) has be over
9% ABV. Ferment it at a lager temperature to nax out attenuation
while minimizing yeast by-products and you'll have a dry, crisp brew.
If it's too dry, you can always add splenda. Besides a waste of time
and money, what would you call it?

Dick

On Apr 18, 8:05 pm, (Dick Adams) wrote:

> So because we're pretty much on the same page, we'll agree Rouge is
> free to label Dead Guy as an Ale because it's "made with Rogue's
> proprietary "PacMan" ale yeast" and claim it's a Maibock becaue it
> floats their boat.

They are of course free to do that. In turn, I am free to deride
their decision as either deceptive or moronic.

> Now if you ferment malt with a wine yeast at a lager temperature,
> do you have beer or wine?

You probably have unfermented wort for a few months, until
it spoils from the few bacteria and wild yeast that can operate
at lager temperatures!

Jon Binkley wrote:
> On Apr 18, 8:05 pm, (Dick Adams) wrote:
>
>> So because we're pretty much on the same page, we'll agree Rogue is
>> free to label Dead Guy as an Ale because it's "made with Rogue's
>> proprietary "PacMan" ale yeast" and claim it's a Maibock becaue it
>> floats their boat.
>
> They are of course free to do that. In turn, I am free to deride
> their decision as either deceptive or moronic.

In their promotional brochure, available as a .pdf on the site, Rogue says Dead
Guy is brewed in the style of a German maibock. I see in the main description
where they call it a maibock, but they don't identify it as such on the label.

Tom W

On Apr 16, 5:16 pm, (Bill Benzel) wrote:
> Tom Wolper > wrote:
> : Justin Wilson wrote:
>
> :> How would you categorize this Rogue Dead Guy ale? It's a good beer, although
> :> I wish it were a bit more hoppy (but maybe that's because I usually drink
> :> IPA).
> :> BA puts it in the Maibock category.
> :
> : I'd categorize it as an American pale ale. I like the fact that it leads with
> : malt rather than hops. I can see putting it into another style category so that
> : drinkers will not be surprised that it doesn't taste like Sierra Nevada Pale
> : Ale, for example. Assuming Dead Guy is top fermented, I think it's wrong to call
> : it a maibock, even if it gives the drinker a closer expectation of its taste.I
> : would rather see it called an American Blonde Ale.
> :
> : Tom W
>
> From Rogue's web site:
>
> http://www.rogue.com/brews.html#deadguy
>
> Dead Guy is a German-style Maibock made with Rogue's proprietary
> "PacMan" ale yeast. It is deep honey in color with a malty aroma, rich
> hearty flavor and a well balanced finish. Dead Guy is created from
> Northwest Harrington, Klages, Maier Munich and Carastan malts, along
> with Perle and Saaz Hops. Dead Guy Ale is available in 22-ounce bottles,
> 12-ounce 6-pack, and on draft.
>
> --
> Bill
> AT DOT
> reply to bbenzel adelphia nethttp://www.myspace.com/billbenzel

Since Rougues claims it is a Miabock I think it is apropriate for a
very visable site like BA to call it a Miabock though I would agree,
American Blonde may fit just as well. Clearly it is a style bender/
breaker and thus this discussion.

On Apr 19, 11:42 am, Tom Wolper > wrote:
> Jon Binkley wrote:
> > On Apr 18, 8:05 pm, (Dick Adams) wrote:
>
> >> So because we're pretty much on the same page, we'll agree Rogue is
> >> free to label Dead Guy as an Ale because it's "made with Rogue's
> >> proprietary "PacMan" ale yeast" and claim it's a Maibock becaue it
> >> floats their boat.
>
> > They are of course free to do that. In turn, I am free to deride
> > their decision as either deceptive or moronic.
>
> In their promotional brochure, available as a .pdf on the site, Rogue says Dead
> Guy is brewed in the style of a German maibock. I see in the main description
> where they call it a maibock, but they don't identify it as such on the label.
>
> Tom W

Keep in mind they used to call this beer Mai-er bock. The Dead Guy
labelling came out when they used it in connection with the Day of the
Dead holiday (no idea why...?)
So the idea here I guess is that the grain bill is that of a maibock,
and the yeast is top fermenting. Does that really mean it can't be
called a maibock?

Expletive Deleted > wrote:
>On Apr 19, 11:42 am, Tom Wolper > wrote:
>> Jon Binkley wrote:
>> > On Apr 18, 8:05 pm, (Dick Adams) wrote:
>> >> So because we're pretty much on the same page, we'll agree Rogue is
>> >> free to label Dead Guy as an Ale because it's "made with Rogue's
>> >> proprietary "PacMan" ale yeast" and claim it's a Maibock becaue it
>> >> floats their boat.
>>
>> > They are of course free to do that. In turn, I am free to deride
>> > their decision as either deceptive or moronic.
>>
>> In their promotional brochure, available as a .pdf on the site, Rogue says Dead
>> Guy is brewed in the style of a German maibock. I see in the main description
>> where they call it a maibock, but they don't identify it as such on the label.
>Keep in mind they used to call this beer Mai-er bock. The Dead Guy
>labelling came out when they used it in connection with the Day of the
>Dead holiday (no idea why...?)
>So the idea here I guess is that the grain bill is that of a maibock,
>and the yeast is top fermenting. Does that really mean it can't be
>called a maibock?

They can call it what they like. However, if you line up
a bunch of "real" Maibock beers along with Rogue Dead Guy Ale,
could you pick out the one that didn't belong? I don't think
I'd any difficulty doing so, same as if you lined up a bunch
of German pilsners along with Miller Lite (a "True Pilsner
Beer").
--
Joel Plutchak "They're not people, they're HIPPIES!"
$LASTNAME at VERYWARMmail.com - Eric Cartman

Joel > wrote:
....

> They can call it what they like. However, if you line up
> a bunch of "real" Maibock beers along with Rogue Dead Guy Ale,
> could you pick out the one that didn't belong?

Assuming you filter them down to fit the AHA description of pale,
hoppy, and dry-ish, and chuck the dark ones to the side.

I don't think
> I'd any difficulty doing so, same as if you lined up a bunch
> of German pilsners along with Miller Lite (a "True Pilsner
> Beer").

Dead Guy Ale is like Miller Lite? Why so much hate in your heart
Joel? What did John Maier ever do to you?!? ObSmiley: :-O

Another analogy would be to compare Schwarzbier with porter or
stout or whatever. They have similar grain bills--or can have,
anyway--but use different yeasts. Spot the outlier! (Yes, I know
Köstritzer don't try to market their Scharzbier as a "porter".)

Or, like how a brewery in Karlsruhe brews a porter with lager
yeast. Line it up with Black Butte and a few other great porters
and spot the differences.

Expletive Deleted wrote:

> Keep in mind they used to call this beer Mai-er bock. The Dead Guy
> labelling came out when they used it in connection with the Day of the
> Dead holiday (no idea why...?)

A Mexican restaraunt in PDX asked for a "special" batch for Day of the
Dead is the story I heard.

> So the idea here I guess is that the grain bill is that of a maibock,
> and the yeast is top fermenting. Does that really mean it can't be
> called a maibock?

Technically, if you care about such things, yes, it does. And I don't
find the grain bill all that comparable to most maibocks I'm familiar
with.

--------->Denny

--
Life begins at 60...1.060, that is.