Cinco de Mayo Cerveza: Rogue Chipotle Ale, Oregon

Wine is fine with most foods. But when I’m dipping tortilla chips into salsa, eating a burrito topped with guacamole or washing down rice, beans and other Mexican delights, I’ll take a cold beer. Anytime.

One I’ve heard about is Chipotle Ale from Rogue Ales in Newport, Oregon. It features smoked jalapeños, or chipotle chiles, for smoky, somewhat pepeppy notes. But it has a coppery, almost amber color, moderate carbonation, a sweetish malt character and a crisp finish. It once was called Mexicali Rogue, but I like the Chipoltle Ale monitor better. Don’t you?

It’s available in 12-oz. and 22-oz. bottles. Read the story in SF Gate.