DARE. RISK. DREAM. Those three words adorn the bottle of Rogue Ales' Chipotle Ale. The first two words most likely refer, at least in one sense, to the specific Dare and Risk malts produced by Rogue Micro Barley Farm. The last word, "Dream," refers to what I did after buying a bottle of the Chipotle Ale. My mind focused on how great of a pairing I could achieve with this beer and a particular dish that I wanted to make.
Before I get to the food pairing, a little background about the beer. Rogue Ales dedicated this beer to the Spanish author, Juan de la Cueva. In 1575, de la Cueva wrote about a Mexican dish that combined seedless chipotles with ale. Rogue likewise uses smoked Jalapeno peppers (or chipotle peppers) to spice an ale made with only eight ingredients: Great Western 2-Row Malts, Rogue Micro Barley Farm Dare and Risk Malts, Rogue Micro Hopyard Revolution and Rebel Hops, chipotle peppers, "free range coastal water" and Pacman Yeast.
The Chipotle Ale pours a nice amber color, a little darker than what is shown in the pictures. The aromatic elements of this beer showcase the malts, wrapped with a little of the smokiness of the chipotle peppers. The smoke and spice of the peppers are much more prominent in the taste of the beer. The smoke is clear up front, with the spice lingering in the finish and the tongue. The taste of the chipotle peppers provides body and substance to this beer Basically, these peppers provide a whole new perspective to what would otherwise be an American Red Ale.
When it comes to pairing this beer with food, Rogue Ales suggests that this beer would pair well with chicken and pork. I paired this beer with the recipe for Mexican Roadside Chicken with Green Onions. The smokiness of the beer provided an added feature to the chicken, which is grilled and basted with a wet rub of chiles, clove, cinnamon and oregano. I should add that I really like to cook with this beer as well. I find that it provides a good smoky and spicy kick to chili. It also is useful for marinades for chicken, pork and even fish.
This beer is available in 22 ounce bottles for about $6.99 a bottle. The beer can be found at most beer stores that have a good selection of craft beers. A great beer for use in cooking and, of course, drinking.
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