How did I even find out about Rogue Right Hand of Doom Red Ale? I’m sure I don’t know. I think I saw a post about it on Facebook, in fact that’s the most likely way I learned about this beer. This much is certain, though: as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have at least a bottle. So I hopped on over to the Rogue online store to see if I could get it.

When I got there, the beer was available for sale as a preorder, so of course I added one to my cart along with a few other Rogue goodies, plugged in my credit card number, and was prepared to wait a week for the release date (February 23^rd as I recall). That date came and went without my beer shipping. Thinking this odd, I contacted Rogue, and long story short, they had sold out of the Hellboy before they could fill my order.

I was a bit distressed and they apologized for not communicating. Better yet, they made things right to me, and came up with a bottle to send me along with the rest of my order, all on Rogue. I’ve always been a fan of Rogue, and hey we all know mistakes happen; it’s how you fix them that shows true character. Rogue really impressed me with how they addressed this one.

Anyway, the reason I wanted this beer so badly is that it’s a commemorative brew honoring Dark Horse Comics Hellboy character. Like Rogue, Dark Horse is a small company in their market, and also like Rogue it’s based in Oregon. Having been a reader of comic books since 1975 and a drinker of beer since 1982, Rogue Right Hand of Doom Red Ale hit all the right buttons for me.

From the painted label on the bottle:

Dedicated to the B.P.R.D.

This is a red ale brewed with all the same passion and intensity that Mike Mignola and Dark Horse have brought to the creation of Hellboy for the past 21 years. You might not enjoy it more than the next issue, but you’ll certainly enjoy your favorite character’s stories more with one of these in your right hand.

Ingredients from the website:

Malts: Munich, C15, C40, Chocolate, Great Western 2-Row

Hops: Bravo, Perle & Cascade Hops

Water & Yeast: Rogue's Pacman Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water

Rogue doesn’t give the alcohol content of Rogue Right Hand of Doom Red Ale, though untapped has it at 6.8% and that is in line with the original gravity of the beer. IBUs are listed as 82 though it didn’t seem quite that bitter to me. The price on the Rogue website was a very reasonable $6.75, though again Rogue comped me this bottle.  

Rogue Right Hand of Doom Red Ale pours to a dark reddish mahogany color with a thick creamy tan head of foam and a luscious nose of stewed malt and light chocolate. Taking a sip, it’s amazing how delicious this beer is with more of those stewed malt notes the nose promised, light chocolate, toasted nuts, and green olive fruit. It's all followed up by a very respectable long dry lingering herbal bitterness in the finish.

Would Hellboy enjoy this beer? I’m sure he would. He certainly enjoys beer, and in one scene of the movie version of “Hellboy” can be seen pounding down what looks like Tecate.

Rogue Right Hand of Doom Red Ale reminded me of a slightly amped up Rogue’s Santa’s Private Reserve in flavor profile, a beer that I love very much indeed. Right Hand of Doom is sold out on Rogue’s website, but I hear they’re making more, and hopefully it will make it to stores. If it does, you know I’ll be back for more, come Hellboy or high water.



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