Rogue’s production facility in Newport OR, 2006.
At Beervana, Jeff Alworth has a great article about the current evolution of Oregon’s Rogue Ales & Spirits, which prompts my recollections: Rogue’s Slow, Deliberate Reinvention.
Back in the 1980s and ‘90s, Rogue was a very forward-looking company that anticipated most of the trends that would pass through craft beer. It was early to embrace strong and flavored beers, and Rogue was one of the first to recognize that novelty drove sales. The company gamified the drinking experience and introduced a very early membership program. Finally, Rogue saw that pubs were important for the bottom line and branding, and started planting them around the Northwest. The brewery is 36 years old, however, and time eventually changes everything. Rogue has become a legacy brand with a flagship older (32 years) than many of the drinkers it wants to attract. Inevitably, Rogue’s heritage became more central to...
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