Artsy goes Rogue.

Rogue Nation Headquarters.Artsy Guy here hollerin' from the Central Oregon Coast.  A few weeks back, I happily wrote about the crafty brewers closest to my hometown, Ninkasi.  Since I'm back in the 'hood for the holidays, I thought I'd feature another "hometown" favorite, the award-winning Rogue Brewery in Newport, Oregon.  The Rogue World Headquarters sprawl out on the south side of Yaquina Bay, under the bridge.  I dropped into their pub, Brewers On the Bay, for a bite.

As the craft world has evolved, a few of their brews' names have evolved as well (i.e. Brutal Bitter was renamed Brutal IPA) and their ubiquitous Dead Guy Ale has undergone a few happy variations earning new names along the way.  But where Rogue seems to be flourishing is in its more experimental areas.  On this visit, I tasted their "John John" variations (barrel aged and otherwise) of a few old favorites.  My favorite of this tasting was the John John Hazelnut Brown Nectar aged in rum cask.  Yes!  In the midst of the recent hop shortage scare, Rogue bought the farm.  Literally... they bought a farm and raised their own hops and grains, and the result has been the lovely Chatoe Rogue line.  Rogue is also well-esconced in the craft spirits movement, winning awards for their juniper gin and rums.

Note: If you're a dude, you're "hops." The ladies are "malts." I don't really get it either.There's a lot going on under the jurisdiction of the Rogue Nation: brewpubs all over the west coast and distribution all over the world.  And they have a motto I really dig: Dare, Risk, Dream.  That's what's HOPpenin', y'all!