The Bar Towel

A / 4.35
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5
rDev: +6.7%

Hazy golden orange body sits below a towering off-white head. The head is extremely retentive and almost completely coats the walls of my glass with lace as it slowly dissipates. Biscuit, floral, and pine notes lurk behind it's juicy & ripe mango aroma. It's a tropical paradise in your mouth as the flavour of mango and passion fruit explodes on your palette across a bread & caramel backdrop. Contrary to its name, the lengthy and firm bitterness it finishes with is more moderate than brutal, with just enough malty sweetness to provide the perfect foil to it. Very balanced.

Medium bodied with an oily & resinous mouthfeel. Its slickness is especially noticeable between sips. More carbonation than the typical English bitter, but it's use of American hops make it far from typical to begin with. Some of Rogues other offerings like Hazelnut Brown Nectar or Mom Hefeweizen have left me slightly undewhelmed in the past, especially at the premium price point their brand commands. At $6.10, Brutal Bitter is worth every last dime you pay for it. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 04-10-2010 18:49:13

It is really good, and it is also one of my my favourite pubs!

This beer has exactly what is lacking here. A hop-proud beers which show off such beautiful peachy layers of citrus hops and this kind of "bigness with balance."

If I can't make it out to Black Oak for Ten Bitter I'll be happy with Brutal Bitter.

I'm pretty new here, so bear with me. The Rogue Brutal Bitter review is in the "Good Pub Reviews"...so which publicans have it on offer? Thanks!

zane9 wrote:I'm pretty new here, so bear with me. The Rogue Brutal Bitter review is in the "Good Pub Reviews"...so which publicans have it on offer? Thanks!

It's in this folder by mistake, I expect that mj meant to put it in the Beer Reviews folder.

But as for your question - you won't find it on draught at any pubs in Toronto, as NO Rogue beers are available on draught up here. A few pubs might have it in bottles, but why pay 2-3 times the price of the LCBO for a bottle?

GregClow wrote: It's in this folder by mistake, I expect that mj meant to put it in the Beer Reviews folder....

Thanks, Greg. I did an LCBO search and found it at stores near me. Looking forward to trying it.

On a side note, I'm envious of those of you who years ago discovered the delights of (micro-brewed) beer. I'm late to the party, but I'm enjoying the exploration!

zane9 wrote:On a side note, I'm envious of those of you who years ago discovered the delights of (micro-brewed) beer. I'm late to the party, but I'm enjoying the exploration!

Don't be envious - you're in the best part of it now, where it's all exciting. Soon enough, you'll be jaded and cranky like the rest of us sad bastards...

GregClow wrote:...Soon enough, you'll be jaded and cranky like the rest of us sad bastards...

Ha! I went through wine fatigue recently. One more big, jammy, blow your head off Aussie Shiraz and I'm gonna.....

zane9 wrote:

GregClow wrote:...Soon enough, you'll be jaded and cranky like the rest of us sad bastards...

Ha! I went through wine fatigue recently. One more big, jammy, blow your head off Aussie Shiraz and I'm gonna.....

... GAG ?? That's my reaction to those overcooked fruit monsters! But I'm trying to appreciate California Cabs.

As Greg said it IS unfortunate that a bomber of something half-decent can ding your wallet close to thirty bucks T&T at a bar, mainly because of beer scarcity and our tax structure. There are some well-heeled folk downtown it would seem.

Speaking of that I was having a chuckle at the Rogue Kells Irish on some menus - pretty expensive for a beer that was barely selling at the LCBO's. In some cases gas money to Buffalo might be a better use of cash, since you're new to discovering Craft Beer... (see local beer guides section.)

Belgian wrote:...
... GAG ?? That's my reaction to those overcooked fruit monsters! But I'm trying to appreciate California Cabs....

Yeah...gag, or run screaming out of the room!

I am completely familiar with the insane markups on wine applied by Toronto restauranteurs: some plonk @ $9.50 in the LCBO selling for $25.00 on the menu; the dismal (and deliberate) failure of bring-your-own wine; wineries world-wide going out of business due to too much capacity (80 in California last year!) yet restaurants still pricing at scarcity levels.

Is this the trend with small-production beer on offer at restaurants? Goofy markups for the gullible? I truly hope not.

zane9 wrote: I am completely familiar with the insane markups on wine applied by Toronto restauranteurs: some plonk @ $9.50 in the LCBO selling for $25.00 on the menu; the dismal (and deliberate) failure of bring-your-own wine; wineries world-wide going out of business due to too much capacity (80 in California last year!) yet restaurants still pricing at scarcity levels.

Is this the trend with small-production beer on offer at restaurants? Goofy markups for the gullible? I truly hope not.

Some beer bars work very hard to bring in select orders at great expense. Each case may be different.

It's a tough row to hoe, I don't fault the Beer / Wine Restaurants for being pricey (although 40 bucks for a 12-dollar Masi does piss me off a little.)

It is indeed ridiculous that our regulators don't look at wine and beer as an agricultural or small-business product that is economically important to sustain - attitudes like Ontario's are beating the shit out of all but the large producers, in the name of "Sin-Taxes". They should promote good beer and wine as important indusrtry, not force the restaurant to mark up from full retail (the main culprit of menu prices.)

But Big Industry and Government are in bed with each other. And neither is on our side!

Would a moderator care to move this to the correct forum?

The Brutal Bitter is another in a long line of fine beers that I've tried from Rogue. While I slightly prefer the Yellow Snow IPA due to the prominence of the pine, the Brutal Bitter has a tartness to it that I really enjoy. To bad it looks like only a seasonal release in the LCBO and will likely be gone shortly. I don't think it would cellar all that well, either, although I would happily be corrected on that.

Now, if Rogue would send us some Chocolate Stout, Imperial Stout, Juniper Pale Ale, Mocha Porter, Old Crustacean, and Shakespeare Stout; I'd really be a happy camper!

Good beer. Slightly over priced.

Lukie wrote:Good beer. Slightly over priced.

How so?
compared to?