Searching for Deadguys in the Old Port.

It was all so sudden and unexpected. Josh and I had only taken our seats mere moments before the waitress at Shay’s swooped in to inform us that the Geary’s keg had been kicked earlier in the day. Understandably distressed, we turned and inspected the tap offerings. Old familiar friends were lined up behind the bar and I nearly ordered a Dogfish Head I.P.A. when Josh spotted a tap he had not seen before. The handle was a transparent cylinder filled with black and white grain and the head design was a seemingly disgruntled skeleton drinking a beer while sitting atop a keg. The beer known as “Deadguy” was dealt to us and we were pleased with the deep amber color.

The taste actually moved us! I think Josh shed a tear. The beer seemed to gain in complexity as we imbibed. Halfway through our second offering we discovered another pleasant aspect of the Rogue masterpiece. Our faces were already warm from the alcohol content. We were both guarded about admitting that a beer and a half caused a buzz in what we considered to be superior tolerances for alcohol. Finally Josh piped up before he finished his second brew. “Are you feeling this?” he said with a smile. I admitted I was and we had a laugh. This was the first time we would experience what our circle of friends now refer to as “Rogue Glow.” Our search for Rogue DeadGuy proved a difficult one at the time (2005) because Rogue is brewed in our sister city on the west coast, Portland/Newport Oregon. We found the elusive tap in Dogfish Bar and Grill and again in the Great Lost Bear. For quite some time however the only establishment that carried the beer full time was Shay’s. Since that first year many establishments have carried this excellent beer. Novare Res’ has carried many of Rogue’s distinctive brews such as their “Brutal Bitter” and an I.P.A. known as “Yellow Snow.” They even offer a “Double Deadguy” from time to time.

Cronk Says: People have been following this beer on the East coast for quite some time. If you have never had one and you think you can handle the 6.5 % ABV go ahead and enjoy the “Rogue Glow.”