NEWPORT, Ore. — Rogue Ales & Spirits is made by, and for, the curious and the award-winning Rolling Thunder family of products is a testament to that inquisitive spirit. As the only farmer-brewer-distiller-cooper in the world, Rogue is able to handcraft these products at their headquarters in Newport, Oregon. Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout and Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey are the culmination of all things DIY from Rogue.
“With our culture of relentless curiosity comes the desire to create, innovate and do things differently,” says Bliss Dake, Vice President of Marketing. “At Rogue we come up with some wild ideas and then we make them happen. We are makers with a ‘Do It Yourself’ attitude and are always asking ‘What If?’. This ‘What If’ mentality pushed us to experiment and ultimately create something special with the Rolling Thunder family.”
One of the reasons the Rolling Thunder family is so special is because of the handmade barrels built at Rogue’s own Rolling Thunder Barrel Works. In 2015, Rogue acquired vintage French WWII-era coopering equipment and built a barreling facility. Longtime employee Nate Linquist was tapped to be Rogue’s first cooper and spent six months apprenticing, learning the ancient art of barrel making. Using Oregon Oak, Nate assembles, raises, toasts, chars, hoops, heads, hoops again, cauterizes, sands and brands each barrel, one at a time, all by hand.
The 2020 Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout was aged for 9 months in one of these handmade Rolling Thunder Barrel Works barrels previously used to age Rogue’s Dead Guy Whiskey. Rich, viscous notes of chocolate and coffee combine with the flavors of whiskey-soaked Oregon Oak in this impressive imperial stout, which can be enjoyed immediately or cellared for years. Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout is available in limited quantities nationally in hand-numbered, 500ml (16.9 ounce) bottles.
Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey, which was voted best craft whiskey in the world at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, takes it a step further. It is a whiskey that was distilled at Rogue’s distillery then aged in barrels built at Rogue’s Rolling Thunder Barrel Works cooperage that had already aged Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout, which was brewed at Rogue’s brewery. This process results in a stout finished single malt whiskey that was made completely by hand.
Opening with subtle aromas of smoke and sea air, Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey has notes of dark cocoa, toffee and a coffee and grain finish. This year, Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout features prominent notes of chocolate that complement the flavors of whiskey-soaked Oregon Oak. It is big, bold and a true one-of-a-kind whiskey that bridges the gap between Single Malt and Bourbon. Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey is available in limited quantities nationally in hand-numbered 750ml bottles.
PRODUCT FACTS: Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout 2020
- Style: Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.6%
- IBU: 47
- Packaging: 500ml (16.9 ounce) bottles, draft
- Availability: February, limited supply
PRODUCT FACTS: Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey
- Classified as American Single Malt
- Proof: 97.5
- Barrel: New Oregon Oak Char 4
- Availability: February, limited supply
- Awards: 2019: Best in Class – San Francisco World Spirits Competition; 2019: Double Gold San Francisco World Spirits Competition; 2019: Gold – American Craft Spirits Association Judging; 2019: Silver – Cigar & Spirits, World Spirits Competition; 2018: Gold – Luxury Masters
Learn more at Rogue.com.
About Rogue Ales & Spirits
Rogue Ales & Spirits, the only farmer-brewer-distiller-cooper in the United States, was founded in Oregon in 1988 as one of America’s first microbreweries. Rogue has won more than 2,000 awards for taste, quality and packaging, and is available in all 50 states as well as 54 countries. Proudly rooted in Oregon soil, Rogue’s beers, spirits and sodas are made with ingredients grown on Rogue Farms in Independence, Oregon. Rogue Spirits are hand-distilled on a 550-gallon still in Newport, Oregon, aged in the thick ocean air of the Yaquina Bay and bottled by hand. Since 2008, Rogue has remained committed to sharing the terroir of Oregon hops, honey, cucumbers and pumpkins one acre at a time by growing its own.