439. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
This was purchased at Downtown Wine & Spirits a few months ago. I've been putting off trying it because of the high alcohol and high IBUs, but decided to give it a try tonight. I let this warm and served it in one of my Duvel tulips.
The bottle says:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Year: 2006
Alcohol: 20.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy copper with a thick, fluffy, creamy, off-white head that leaves thick lace. For such a high alcohol beer the thickness and retention are striking. The head thins to a persistent quarter-inch layer.
Smell (3.5): Sweet sugar and caramel dominate. The aroma of spicy alcohol is also very strong. There are notes of citric and resiny hops, but these are surprisingly low.
Taste (3.5): The initial flavors are very sweet. The sweetness is reminiscent of raw sugar. Towards the center the sweetness becomes fruitier before being met by a strong spicy alcohol flavor. The finish is resiny hops mixed with residual sweetness. Overall the bitterness, though noticeable and significant is overpowered by the malty sweetness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Low carbonation, full-bodied and syrupy.
Drinkability (3.5): The alcohol is noticeable, but it definitely doesn't seem like a 20% abv beer.
Overall (3.65): Definitely tasty, but the hop bitterness is overpowered by the malty sweetness. I was hoping that the balance would tip towards hops rather than malts.
This was purchased at Downtown Wine & Spirits a few months ago. I've been putting off trying it because of the high alcohol and high IBUs, but decided to give it a try tonight. I let this warm and served it in one of my Duvel tulips.
The bottle says:
What you have here is the holy grail for hopheads. This beer is continually hopped over a 120-minute boil and then dry-hopped every day for a month. Enjoy now or age for a decade or so.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Year: 2006
Alcohol: 20.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy copper with a thick, fluffy, creamy, off-white head that leaves thick lace. For such a high alcohol beer the thickness and retention are striking. The head thins to a persistent quarter-inch layer.
Smell (3.5): Sweet sugar and caramel dominate. The aroma of spicy alcohol is also very strong. There are notes of citric and resiny hops, but these are surprisingly low.
Taste (3.5): The initial flavors are very sweet. The sweetness is reminiscent of raw sugar. Towards the center the sweetness becomes fruitier before being met by a strong spicy alcohol flavor. The finish is resiny hops mixed with residual sweetness. Overall the bitterness, though noticeable and significant is overpowered by the malty sweetness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Low carbonation, full-bodied and syrupy.
Drinkability (3.5): The alcohol is noticeable, but it definitely doesn't seem like a 20% abv beer.
Overall (3.65): Definitely tasty, but the hop bitterness is overpowered by the malty sweetness. I was hoping that the balance would tip towards hops rather than malts.
Labels: American Double IPA, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Reviews
