Oregon Breweries History: Rogue Ales Rogue Ales was founded in 1988 by Jack Joyce, Rob Strasser and Bob Woodell, three corporate types who wanted to go into the food/beverage industry. Rogue's first brewpub was located in Ashland, Oregon and was a 10bbl brewsystem. Rogue opened a second brewpub, 15bbl brewsystem, in May 1989 located in Newport, Oregon. Rogue Ales closed its Ashland operation in 199??, after the great flood destroyed the place. In 1991, the 15bbl system, named Howard after John Maier's former boss, from the Newport brewpub was transferred across the bay to the current Rogue brewery and upgraded to a 30bbl system. In 1998 Rogue Ales bought a 50bbl brewsystem, named Kobe which is the only brewsystem in use today by Rogue Ales as of 2003.