Spontaneous Rogue Blendfest

At the end of the afternoon there stood 2 empty bombers, one empty 12-ounce bottle, and 3 very satisfied, rather wobbly beer blenders. We entertained a guest beer blender on Friday who instigated the day's roguishness, and neither of us can thank Bill enough for that - there was not a failed blend on the day.

First came Rogue's Imperial Red Ale, in the impressive black ceramic bomber. 9% ABV with an alcohol-sweet, malty character, this impressive ale practically screamed "blend me!" So we did. With the old standby, The Nectar from Camel City. Yovo took the bottle first, painstakingly (and slowly!) layering the blend with the Imperial Amber floating atop the Double IPA, as Bill and I sipped our Seeing Double pints down to the mid-glass blending level. I was not so patient with the pour, and added the Imperial Red at a pace sufficient to thoroughly mix the beers in my pint glass.

All agreed this was a fantastic blend, with the sweetness of the Red balancing extremely well with the characteristic Seeing Double hopsmack. As we savored the blend, Dain suggested adding a small dose (maybe 2 or 3 ounces) of Foothills' Total Eclipse Stout into the mix. We did. Fantasic quickly morphed into outstanding as the hearty stout managed to absorb some of the Red Ale's sweetness while at the same time countering the DIPA's hop bitterness. This was our first ever tri-blend, and we believe we have crafted a true winner.

Next came a bomber of Rogue's Double Dead Guy, a special one-time-release of this American doppelbock. Yovo and I had tasted this one before, but Bill had not, so we all enjoyed a few sips straight-up. Damn tasty stuff. Malty like a good doppelbock should be, but with a slight twinge of hops. A little out of character in a doppelbock, but we had no complaints. So... what to blend with it?

Yovo elected to enjoy his straight-up, and good for him. But being good little hopheads, Bill and I settled on Victory's Hop Wallop to up the bitterness ante. Of course, I was slightly intoxicated by the time this blend came to me, so I don't have much to say about it. It was a malty doppelbock mixed with a very hoppy ale, and that's what it tasted like. Not as good as the Imperial Red with Seeing Double and Total Eclipse, but certainly no slouch, and *definitely* not a failed blend.

I hope we'll be taking Bill to lunch with us more often.