ROGUE: Santa’s all hopped up

This is me in the liquor store: “Ooooh, that’s a pretty label/design.”

Salesman: “That bottle glows in the dark.”

Me: “I’ll take it.”

Rogue Ales is an Oregon company started in the late ’80s by some friends and an accountant with a penchant for home brewing.

“Rogue is a small revolution,” says its website. “The spirit of the Rogue brand, even the name, suggests doing things differently, a desire and a willingness to change the status quo.”

Hence the defiant raised fist on the front of most of its beers, including by Santa.

I first tried a refreshing Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar on a hot summer evening at Milk Tiger Lounge, and discovered many more Rogue beers at the Kensington Wine Market.

I’m partial to the beers with more food-like ingredients in it, like the Somer Orange Honey Ale, and the Mom Hefeweizen, a blonde ale spiced with coriander and ginger. I know, I have girl beer tastes.

The annual Santa’s Private Reserve is verrry hoppy. Double-hopped in fact, with a “roasty, malty favour and a hoppy spruce finish.” Too hoppy for me, but seriously, the bottle — or at least the white parts of it — really does glow in the dark.

Milk Tiger Lounge, 1410-4th St. SW, Calgary, (403) 261-5009. No big sign; look for the graffiti tag. Open 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Closed Mondays.
Kensington Wine Market, 1257 Kensington Rd. NW, Calgary, (403) 283-3000.