So the other night I went Rogue. I do that all the time, actually, but I especially love doing it at Taco Mac. This time, I went Rogue 7 times, or with 7 different hops anyway. How? With a mug of Rogue Farms 7 Hop IPA, of course. This isn’t the first IPA from Rogue, of course, but it may well be one of their best. In fact, it's strong enough to qualify as a double IPA, but Rogue does not seem to want to call it that. I had heard some very good things about Rogue Farms 7 Hop IPA, so it was of course the very first beer that I ordered.

I’ve mentioned before how fond I am of Rogue. I enjoyed them in Rhode Island, and when I first moved to Georgia, they were a beacon of light in an otherwise dismal beer market. That has changed these days, and beer appreciation and availability has exploded here. Still, Rogue ales are amongst the best you can buy.

Here’s what Rogue says about this beer on their website:

Beer begins in the dirt. In a bold collaboration with Mother Nature, we grow 7 varieties of aroma hops at Rogue Farms in Independence, OR. We also string, stake, train, test, trim, separate, sort, kiln and cool them. Brewmaster John Maier had 7 varieties available, but rather than picking from among them, he chose all 7 to create a proprietary palate for 7 Hop IPA.

Ingredients from the website:

Rogue Farms Dare, Risk, Maier & Dare R-3 Malts; Rogue Farms Liberty™, Newport™, Revolution™, Rebel™, Independent™, Freedom™ & Alluvial™ Hops; Pacman Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water

Rogue Farms 7 Hop IPA has an alcohol content of 8.02% by volume and an impressive 90 IBUs. I paid $8 for a full mug 20-ounce pour at Taco Mac. That may seem like a lot, but consider that this beer runs $7.99 a 22-ounce bomber bottle here in Georgia. Why pay $8 for a bottle when you can get about the same amount for the same price fresh on draft?

My mug of Rogue Farms 7 Hop IPA arrived a beautiful orange amber color with a medium sized ring of creamy foam and a huge resin and citrus nose. Did I get a hint of passion fruit there in the nose too? I did. Taking a sip, I love the chewy caramel malt up front followed by all kinds of hops: sweet juicy fruit at first that quickly fades away to a big resin and grapefruit aroma that then leads into a long dry very bitter, slightly herbal finish. Lots of hops going on here, folks, in many forms, and at the last some alcohol warmth is present, too.

Very tasty indeed. I want more, and I will get it.

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