When Rogue Ales announced and released its new Dead Guy IPA, there was consternation among fans that the new beer was replacing the original Dead Guy Ale. Not so! The new IPA is a line extension to the brand, while the original Dead Guy (brewed in the style of a Maibock) remains a flagship for the company.

This of course makes me wonder/suspect that Rogue may eventually introduce additional Dead Guy-branded style extensions, but that’s a future topic.

Rogue had sent me a surprise six pack of the new beer, having just released last month. Here are the brewery’s notes about it from the website:

Dead Guy IPA builds on the 30-year legacy of Dead Guy Ale by adding a whole new dimension to the Dead. Tropical and citrus hop aromas synchronize flawlessly with a piney and enjoyable bitter bite. This West-Coast IPA has a crisp finish thanks to our proprietary Pacman yeast also used in Dead Guy Ale. Not just any brew can live up to the Dead Guy name so we tweaked this recipe until it was an IPA to die for. Meet the newest member of the Dead Guy Family. IPAs are officially Dead.

It’s brewed with Citra, Mosaic, and the new Belma hops. It’s 7% ABV with 69 IBUs. My review:

Appearance: Golden orange color, bright though with a bit of haze for an unfiltered look. Dense off-white head.

Smell: Passion fruit, candied papaya, light garlic greens, touch of dank/sweat, floral notes that are kind of orangey. Grassy wit a hint of fresh chives.

Taste: Spicy-resinous bitterness with a nice bitter greens/escarole flavor. Good malty body with cracker, biscuit, possibly a rye character in the malts. Some peppery notes, like a lemon pepper perhaps, and a moreish character that keeps me sipping; would be good paired with antipasto, cheeses.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a bit of chew; bitter finish; some creaminess.

Overall: It’s pretty tasty and a solid IPA, and makes a nice addition to the Dead Guy lineup.