Rogue Farms Honey Kolsch

Many breweries are adopting the farm-to-table, or farm-to-bottle, approach to brewing, but few do it better than Rogue Ales. At their 40-acre farm in Independence, Ore., Rogue raises chickens, hogs and turkeys while growing barley, hops and malt as well as pumpkins, jalapeños, marionberries. They also keep honey-producing bees. It’s this last one—the honey, not the bees—that makes it into their seasonal Rogue Farms Honey Kolsch, which has just started appearing on California shelves. Light and slightly sweet with enough hops to add some bite to the palate, it’s the perfect transition from summer to fall, from campfires to chestnuts roasting over an open fire. Does the Rogue Farms–produced honey make a difference? Does the free-range coastal water that goes into every Rogue beer add something to the taste? Perhaps, but one thing is for sure, Rogue’s continuing trend toward self-sustaining and sustainable brewing practices is the future for the food industry. Visit Rogue Farms and they’ll pour you a beer and invite you to wander through the farm and hop fields because they’re proud and passionate about where their ingredients come from, and that’s something you can taste.