Rating 94
Style Maibock
Produced In Oregon
United States
ABV 6.8%
Availability Year Round
Reviewed By
Review Updated 2022-08-09

Rogue Ales Dead Guy Ale Review

Amidst rows and rows of over-hopped IPAs, it can be nice every once in awhile to grab an iconic craft beer with a malt-forward flavor. It doesn’t get much more iconic than Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale, a beer that started in the early 1990s in celebration for the Mayan Day of the Dead on November 1.

Dead Guy Ale is a maibock style ale. It’s a thick, cloudy, red-gold honey color in the glass with little to no head. The first thing you notice is a boozy sweet malt flavor. The beer’s light in your mouth for how sweet it is and how much alcohol it has (6.8 percent alcohol by volume), in part thanks to small-bubble effervescence. Toward the end of the sip, the sweet is balanced out by a strong dose of bitter hop that lasts for around 15 seconds, as does some residual malty, honey, toffee sweetness.

The beer isn’t too complicated, and that’s part of its appeal. It’s flavorful, balanced, and structured without making you want to sit and contemplate every sip. In other words, it’s the six pack you want in your cooler after a long day of work. Call it a sign of the times in the craft beer world or a new way to enjoy an old classic, but as of December 2016, that six pack finally comes in cans.

If you want to drink quality but your palate is blown out by tropical citrus hop bombs, Dead Guy Ale is a classic choice.

Rogue Ales Dead Guy Ale Pros And Cons

Pros
  • Malt-forward profile eschews the overly hoppy styles that dominate craft beer
  • Surprisingly light and enjoyable mouthfeel
Cons
  • Lacking some complexity
  • Relatively high alcohol content for day drinking occasions

Related Reads

· Brand Profile: Rogue Ales

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94
POINTS
Rogue Ales Dead Guy Ale
Amidst rows and rows of over-hopped IPAs, it can be nice every once in awhile to grab an iconic craft beer with a malt-forward flavor. It doesn’t get much more iconic than Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale, a beer that started in the early 1990s in celebration for the Mayan Day of the Dead on November 1. Dead Guy Ale is a maibock style ale. It’s a thick, cloudy, red-gold honey color in the glass with little to no head. The first thing you notice is a boozy sweet malt flavor. The beer’s light in your mouth for how sweet it is and how much alcohol it has (6.8 percent alcohol by volume), in part thanks to small-bubble effervescence. Toward the end of the sip, the sweet is balanced out by a strong dose of bitter hop that lasts for around 15 seconds, as does some residual malty, honey, toffee sweetness. The beer isn’t too complicated, and that’s part of its appeal. It’s flavorful, balanced, and structured without making you want to sit and contemplate every sip. In other words, it’s the six pack you want in your cooler after a long day of work. Call it a sign of the times in the craft beer world or a new way to enjoy an old classic, but as of December 2016, that six pack finally comes in cans. If you want to drink quality but your palate is blown out by tropical citrus hop bombs, Dead Guy Ale is a classic choice.

Reviewed On: 02-21-2017
94
POINTS
Rogue Ales Dead Guy Ale
Amidst rows and rows of over-hopped IPAs, it can be nice every once in awhile to grab an iconic craft beer with a malt-forward flavor. It doesn’t get much more iconic than Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale, a beer that started in the early 1990s in celebration for the Mayan Day of the Dead on November 1. Dead Guy Ale is a maibock style ale. It’s a thick, cloudy, red-gold honey color in the glass with little to no head. The first thing you notice is a boozy sweet malt flavor. The beer’s light in your mouth for how sweet it is and how much alcohol it has (6.8 percent alcohol by volume), in part thanks to small-bubble effervescence. Toward the end of the sip, the sweet is balanced out by a strong dose of bitter hop that lasts for around 15 seconds, as does some residual malty, honey, toffee sweetness. The beer isn’t too complicated, and that’s part of its appeal. It’s flavorful, balanced, and structured without making you want to sit and contemplate every sip. In other words, it’s the six pack you want in your cooler after a long day of work. Call it a sign of the times in the craft beer world or a new way to enjoy an old classic, but as of December 2016, that six pack finally comes in cans. If you want to drink quality but your palate is blown out by tropical citrus hop bombs, Dead Guy Ale is a classic choice.

Reviewed On: 02-21-2017